How do you grab the handle?

[Capix]

first off let me apologize for my terminology, as I know I am using it wrong, I am kind of a newby.

I was at the park last week and I was told I holding the handle wrong. In the past I noticed that I did hold it different than everyone else, but I am not sure why they call it wrong. To me it feels much more comfortable.


thats how everyone holds it.

I hold it with my left hand upside down, with my thumb pointing forward. (I ride regular), so basically both of my thumbs are pointing forward.

The guy failed to explain me why it was wrong, all he said is that, that way works for water ski, but not for wakeboarding.

Any input here?

[azatcher]

It helps you keep the handle down towards your waist while in the air. It also helps keep you in the proper body position. At least that's what I have been told. Personally I come up out of the water holding the handle like a skier yet switch it over as soon as I come up.

[flounderbout]

It is more comfortable at first. But it means that your ability to do a whole series of tricks later on will be seriously compromised. So you are better off getting used to the overhand grip method at this stage.

[Prizzy]

Ive never tried holding the handle like that but passing the handle might be much more difficult like that and holding the handle thumbs down will help keep the handle by your waist.

[Blindside_137]

last year i rode with a guy that held the handle with a skier grip and was throwin backrolls, scarecrows, and tootsies left and right...

i ride with both palms down and believe thats the best way to hold the handle, but the skier method didnt seem to be holding back this guy

[tonality]

I started off holding it that way as well, until i started doing enough stuff in the air that it put a hairline fracture in my ulna from the stress on it. Go ahead and switch now, it will feel goofy for a while, but will end up fine.

[Wakebrad]

Skiers use your grip because it makes it easier to pull the handle into your chest. Wakeboarders use the 2 overhand grip to make it easier to pull the handle to your hip. Your arms will get really tired holding the handle like that at your hip because you are using your bicept to keep it there. Also, to do it comfortably with the over/under grip you need to have the handle verticle which removes lateral stability on the handle.

Also, if you go under/over you'll look like a fking noob.

[Capix]

hummmm, well I just got back from a 4 hour session and I held it the whole time like a skier. I am going back in a few minutes for 2 more hours, I guess I am going to try it out and see how it goes. It just feels so uncomfortable, but experience knows best .


thanks for the help.

oh here is a video from this morning, remember I am a newby, barely 2 months into the sport, so don't judge me to hard.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJdXWcm5WIA

[Erik]

With the hands - almost always. I let go to wave sometimes but other than that - hands (2).

[Capix]

Damn =, as much as I try to get a boarder grip, I always end up going back to skiers grip.

Ill have to keep working on that, among many other things I got to work on

[Prizzy]

Its like pushin mongo on a skateboard.

Just dont do it.

[michigan boarder]

I ski the slalom course a lot since I am on the waterski team at school but I obviously also board a lot too. The part where you're going to be hindered by a slalom grip on your wakeboard is when you attempt toeside tricks. At least for me on my toeside tricks like crows, frontrolls, and especially any spin I keep the handle glued to my hip. When you have a slalom grip and you are trying to keep the handle on your hip you end up in a very uncomfortable position. You will be much more comfortable riding in the long run with a palm down grip on both hands.

[Josh R]

Unless you're Marshall Harrington, that grip is wrong. No matter how weird it is at first, MAKE yourself do it the right way, palms down. Otherwise you'll always have one shoulder lower than the other, throwing yourself off balance from the moment you leave the wake. Stick with it or else you're just sabotaging your own riding.

[wake_quake]

with your hand

[imawakeboarder.com]

I've started holding it like a skiier back in the day when I was shredding the one-directional HO Skurfer with 3 shark fins. I've switched my grip boarder style and have held it that way ever since.

We've all decided that's the best way to hold it -- now to get some more discussion going, do you hold it with your fists together in the middle like Tino Santori or do you grip at the far ends?

[Chad H]

imawakeboarder.com,
I'm always near the ends.

[Capix]

when I holding with a skiers grip they are close together. with a boarders grip they are a bit more spread.

[imawakeboarder.com]

so I went back to my May issue of wakeboarding mag, there is an article on holding the handle. The skiers grip was never an option. I did learn a little more about when to hold the handle in the middle (with your fists close to together) and when to hold out at the sides.

Holding in the middle give you a more consistent and stronger pull from the boat which is good for big spin tricks where the rider needs more control from their rope. Unfortunately it makes it a little more difficult to pass the handle behind your back. If you aren't doing the big spins or technical inverts I think it's better to hold the handle at the ends to help with the pass. When your spinning 180's or most all 360's the extra "pull" from the rope while holding in the middle isn't necessary. For more info check out the article in Wakeboarding Mag.