anyone else take gymnastics for wakeboard training?

[STANG KILLA SS]

took my second lesson yesterday.
im starting my 3rd WB season this year and want to land a tantrum this summer. so took some lessons at a gymnatics gym to learn back tucks and eventyally back layouts(essecially a tantrum)
Audreys been taking them for a year for the same reason. air sense, body control, comfortable upside down, and for tantrum training etc.
they train us allitle different knowing were there for wakeboarding. like arm to the side (to hold rope) instead of straight up. audrey has also taken a rope and tramp board in there. and once we get these back layouts we will add a board. ive got a long way to go
i think we pay $30 an hour. not bad.

just curious if anyone else droped there man pride and took gymnastics for wakeboarding cross training?

[GnarShredd]

STANG KILLA SS, Some of the pros do that. I'm pretty sure Phil Soven does along with a few other people in his crew..

I'd like to try something like this since that's where I hurt most in my riding (I can manage to huck some stuff, but with little control and style. I'm not very graceful being so tall) but don't really have the time/cash right now.

[inter]

I don't take gymnastics but I would love to. Not only for wakeboarding but it looks like a lot of fun. Gymnastics would definitely help a lot with inverts too.
and I know Dallas Friday was a really good gymnast before she started wakeboarding.

[STANG KILLA SS]

yeah audreys mentioned friday a few times in reference to that. and theres another pro female that was also a good gymnast first. i think maybe that aussie chic with the accent and big boobs.

[MasonH]

STANG KILLA SS, I think I know who you are talking about but the name escapes me..hmm

[Wakebrad]

Gymnastics can't hurt. Although the way I always learned everything was on a diving board first, then took it to the trampoline then the water.

I would say you should be comfortable with a diving board or a trampoline backflip before attempting a tantrum. You need that awareness of the spin.

[Wakeboarder3780]

STANG KILLA SS, you're thinking of Emily Copeland-Durham, but I don't think she's aussie. She was a gymnast prior to wakeboarding and her brother got her into the sport.

The Aussie you might be thinking of is Will Christien. She has the abs that will make you ashamed yours aren't half as good looking as hers. Case and point: http://700xr.kall700sports.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/will_driving.jpg

I have personally done a little bit of gymnastics. While I was in college we could go to the gymnastics room for a short while when I was buddy buddy with the gymnastics coach. That dried up after a few months but before I left I could do a backtuck (backflip). After I learned to backflip I did them off everything. I did them on the flat ground, off benches, picnic tables, fire hydrants, slack lines, trees, brick walls, and just about anything else I could get my feet onto.

With all of that I still can't throw a tantrum. You put that constant line tension in your hands and the whole world changes. I don't think it can hurt you, but it's not a magic bullet. Anyway you cut it being able to backflip anywhere you go is a great feeling and it's FUN.

As far as losing "manhood" I don't look at it that way. I've never seen someone who's gymnastically inclined and thought "wow what a pu$$y" I always think "holy sh*t! live ninja!"

[Wakeboarder3780]

Furthermore, I don't particularly like Emily because if you listen to her in videos she basically says "well I kinda like wakeboarding but we'll see where it takes me" Basically she's very clear to say "I'm not in love with the sport, it's just what I'm doing now."

Will on the other hand LOVES wakeboarding watch this video and see how she feels about it. I feel exactly like she does. So Will > Emily

http://video.mpora.com/watch/eVujZu07c/

[Craig-R]

will <3

[ky1e]

The aussie is amber wing, and will christien im pretty sure is from england

[Josh R]

A lot of the pro's started life out as gymnasts when they were growing up. Off the top of my head, Ike used to be a level 5 gymnast and Amber was a cheerleader and gymnast for many years. Theres a bunch of others. It'll absolutely help, especially with your air awareness.

And yeah, Will is English.

[sirPARTYman]

I took 4 lessons @ the start of our summer just doing back flips,forward flips etc then learnt the tantrum in 4 weeks It helped to get my head around the rotation.......Then i stuffed my knees on the landing out for 8 weeks lots of injuries this year for myself and alot of mates was a real buzz killer I found the tantrum real easy to learn with no fear but after landing wrong and having knee injuries which ive never had really stuffed with my head now my confidence with tantrums have totally goneeeee out the door.

[Wakeboarder3780]

[dalderman]

I've messed around on the tramp and spring floor and the local gym to learn the backflip and get air awareness. It came pretty easy and you learn to spot your landing which is critical. Unfortunately for me, I'm still not getting the edge change and timing of the pop on the tantrum so it really hasn't helped with that.

[cbc2010]

I used to take diving lessons which I think helped me develop my air awareness a lot.... I also took tramp lessons at a local gymnastics place for a little while but they never let my use a rope handle to practice with there so I quit haha.... He wanted me to compete strictly just trampolining..... kinda boring when you could ride instead..... All this stuff helps your riding though.... Air awareness and handle control especially

[mobywake]

I have some gymnastics background and the body awareness that is involved helps a whole lot when attempting any kind of flipping trick. Also look into taking some kind of jio jitsu classes. The classes focus a whole lot on body conditioning and full body strength. When I was taking jiu jitsu classes last summer I could feel a huge difference in my shoulder strength/endurance while riding. To be practicing a certain trick and crashing and burning multiple times is tiresome and that endurance really helped for me to get more passes in before I was tired. Also the shoulder and core strength to keep the handle in at the waist during rotational tricks became easier.

Good luck

[STANG KILLA SS]

had my 3rd lesson last night. nailed my front tuck for the first time. didnt get to work on back tucks much, as the couches shoulder was injured and could spot.