Wakeboarding is a hybrid extreme sport, that combines elements of various other sports you surely heard of, like: surfing, snowboarding, skateboarding or waterskiing. This sport attracts more and more thrill seekers each year, but also maintains a steady base of veterans, so its popularity is only growing. Today, the number of wakeboarding enthusiasts reaches 4 million worldwide. Are you planning to become one of them?
A look back
This hybrid sport does not have a very long history, it can be traced back to the 1980s in Australia and it reached recognition as an extreme sport only 10 years later. Apparently it became a thing as surfers used ropes to catch boat rides, which sounds quite similar to waterskiing. The original version was named skurfing, which relied on hand-shaped bindingless boards used for towing. But soon a new type of water board was designed, custom made for wakeboarding, so skurfing slowly died out. These boards were made to create bigger waves, but special attention was also paid for an increase in speed and balance. All these elements were harmoniously combined in the new type of board to turn waterboarding into a singular experience. Today, there is a strong craze and a tight community formed around this extreme sport, there are clubs, extensive media coverage, competitions and a great variety of gear and service providers. Also, various ramifications have evolved, like wakeskating and kneeboarding.
So, what is wakeboarding all about? Well, you are fastened to a board and attached by rope to a powerboat that pulls you along for the ride. While things might start out pretty slow and serene, this will not last long, as the boat will accelerate up to speeds of 23 mph, although for beginners it usually stays around 19-20 mph. At speeds like this experienced wakeboarders can do awe inspiring jumps and manoeuvres that defy gravity. The good news is that, while it might look difficult, wakeboarding can be picked up somewhat quicker than other water sports. However, it does help if you have already practiced a water sport, it will considerably ease the learning process.
Wakeboarding – Tips for beginners
Here are a couple of tips that can help any newbie become an expert. But be warned, no matter how ambitious you are, there is no escaping this one truth, you will hit the water. Not once, not twice, but many, many times. And it will hurt. Just don’t get discouraged, this is part of the learning process and there is no avoiding it, even experts fall into the water sometimes. Also, bear in mind that it will take quite a toll on your arms, as you hang on to the rope. After a couple of minutes the pain can become unbearable, if you are not used to this kind of effort. There is no need to get discouraged, your muscles will only get stronger and they will adjust.
1. Listen carefully
When you first start learning how to wakeboard, you will do so under the expert supervision of an instructor. The first rule is a rather obvious one, but nonetheless very important: listen carefully to everything he or she says. It is always good to ask questions if something is not clear, they will gladly offer you any extra information. Also, when (and not if) you hit the water, make sure you ask and understand what went wrong.
2. Length matters
The length of the rope has a considerable impact on your experience, the shorter it is, the easier it is to handle. For beginners it is also recommended to keep the tow handle low. However, as you gain more experience, you can gradually increase the rope length in order to gain more freedom and space for extreme manoeuvres.
3. Keep your eyes ahead
There are many distractions while you are wakeboarding, and while you might be very tempted to look at your feet, the board, the scenery, try to override your curiosity and instead look straight ahead. Staring at one thing or the other will make you lose your focus or overthink certain things and eventually you will hit the water.
4. Handle to hip
Always focus on keeping the handle as close to your hip as possible. While it is not uncommon for beginners to hold the handle in a higher position, this will make you lose your balance and hit the water. This is a really important aspect and it is worth practicing beforehand, so it will come to you more naturally when you are out there.
5. Don’t pull
It is quite common for beginners to pull on the rope out of reflex, even though they should not. In order to make the most out of the experience you should loosen up and allow the boat to pull you. Pulling on the rope will only make your muscles sore much more quickly and it will once again make you hit the water face first. The easiest way to avoid this is to focus on keeping your arms straight.
Gear up
Before you go and try out anything, you need to make sure that you have the right equipment for it. Of course, if you are just testing the waters, it is not worth making an investment just yet, instead look for rentals, most centers offer this service. However, if you are serious about wakeboarding, you can consider purchasing some of the essentials, as it will be more profitable in the long run. For starters, you can look for a double-ended board with a fin. This is recommended for beginners, as they offer more stability and support. Moving on to bindings, there are three types you can choose from: Velcro (recommended for beginners, these are easy to adjust), adjustable boot bindings, high back boot bindings (recommended for experts, best bindings for tricks). And of course, the third essential piece is the wetsuit. The main differentiating criteria is the thickness of the material, which is appropriate for various weather conditions. As you can tell by reading the article this far, beginners will spend a lot of time in the water, so bear this in mind while choosing your suit.
All in all, there is quite a lot of preparation to be done for wakeboarding, but the most important thing is to arm yourself with patience. If you stay persistent and alert, you will end up doing all sorts of crazy stunts in no time!
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