is there still hope?

hyperlife18 · Newbie Joined: 06 Dec 2003 Posts: 32 City: Salt Lake City

My skills are not where i want them to be, I am not friends with anyone that actually knows what they are talking about when it comes to wakeboarding, I am 17 and i can't land a backroll. I am wondering if I have a chance at upping my skills big time in the next season or so. Does it kind of pick up a lot after you get the basics down?

toothpick · Posted: Dec 06, 2003 4:07 pm Post subject:

Come down to St. George sometime and we'll get you ripping. Check our site at www.ldcsports.com

LFADAM · Posted: Dec 06, 2003 4:09 pm Post subject:

yes and no, I think you learn the basics and you get comfortable with them, then you try something new (like w2w jumps) and you get comfortable with it, then you try grabs and get comfortable with them etc. So it is kinda in spurts. You do something for a while then try something new then you learn a lot of stuff fast then you perfect it and so on. I went in 1 season from six inches of air to wake to wake grabs and ts 180s. Then the next season I worked on that and tryed new stuff.

xtremebordgurl · Outlaw Joined: 16 Sep 2003 Posts: 105 City: Portland

There's always hope! Just keep riding, stick with it and you'll get there eventually. I know exactly how you feel, I'm in the same shoes with you right now, I don't have any friends that ride arround here, it makes it really hard to progress. Just stick with it though. If you feel bored of trying to do the same thing over and over pick up a wakeskate, switch it up. then when you come back to it from that little break you may find it easier to master what you were working on. Or I've found that that has helped me a lot.

MattyBoyR6 · Outlaw Joined: 09 May 2003 Posts: 239 City: Mesa

I started boarding when I was about 17 and no one knew what skurfing was. I have been riding off and on for the past 8 yrs with 3 yrs of absolutly no riding. I only recently just hit my first backroll about 2 months ago. But ya know what I still have fun even though I suck big time.

If you can hook up with ppl that are better than you or that will at least push you to try new things that will help. Save soem cash and go to camp also.

King of the Tigers · Posted: Dec 08, 2003 3:02 pm Post subject:

Check the Find a Pull forum and see if you kind find some other boarders in SLC.

One thing to remember is that it is like anything you do in that it often requires a lot of work to learn new things and especially requires the right technique. Don't worry when you read posts by people who say they learned a Tantrum in their first week. Some people have great natural ability and there are people like me who feel they're turning behind the boat more than the propellor and still can't land a backroll.

I'd say if you've never really ridden with people who know what they're doing then take Toothpick up on his offer.

Oh, and even seemingly mundane things you can definitely do like ride switch will really pay off in the future.

ssrgeoff · Addict Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Posts: 582 City: So Cal

Practice makes perfect. Coaching doesnt hurt either. Watch videos and keep trying. Very Happy

comptechboarder · Criminal Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Posts: 56

Keep riding dude things will come. This post isn't a rant directed at u either.

I think the most important thing u can do is stick to the basics. So u can't land a back roll??? Who cares. Can u land a switch TS 180? is the real question. I take out tons of people for there first sets and I am always frustrated because they want to take a raley cut at the wake and get "Some air" before they can even ride switch. I'm sorry but u shouldn't even try to jump the wake until u can carve switch. This is part of the reason wakeboarding is lame to me at times. I go out on my lake and see a kid throw a damn raley only to come back in and fall on a toeside jump.

Give me an F'n break. Style comes from making the simplest things look and feel special.

You gotta learn to make it all the way down the mountain on your feet before hitting that table top, just like you have got to learn to ollie before u can kicklfip.

drifter36 · Addict Joined: 25 Aug 2003 Posts: 679 City: Fargo

ive been riding for a few years, but only this past summer did i get totaly into it where i wnat to do tricks and stuff. all summer i tried and by the end of the summer i was able to land a tantrum about 50% of the time so if i can do it anybody can.

hyperlife18 · Newbie Joined: 06 Dec 2003 Posts: 32 City: Salt Lake City

thanks for the suggestions, and a lot of you mantioned practicing switch, and i will take you up on it. I may also take toothpick up on his offer as well, it would be nice to ride with someone who knows their stuff. It looks like i just have to get out on the lake more.
King of the Tigers -explain this Find a Pull forum.

King of the Tigers · Posted: Dec 08, 2003 4:44 pm Post subject:

No problem,

Near the top of your screen by the Wakeboarder.com logo you should see:

Wakeboarder.com Forum Index -> General Wakeboarding Discussion

Click on the Wakeboarder.com Forum Index spot and then scroll down. You'll see a forum near the bottom called Find a Pull. Then look for any threads that say Utah or SLC. Maybe try the search button on their. If there isn't anything especially new or good for you then start your own thread and explain your situation. People I've met from there have been really cool. Good luck!

buckthis · Posted: Dec 08, 2003 7:33 pm Post subject:

mattyboy, i could not fathom not riding for three yrs, how did you do it?