Learning to ride switch

[erfoster]

Background info:
I'm a pretty decent wakeboarder. I normally ride goofy footed, with my right foot angled way forward, the left perpindicular to the board, both set forward a little towards the front tip of the board. I can almost always land jumps, getting 2-3 feet of air riding heelside, a little less on toeside as I'm not quite as comfortable riding that way. I can ride comfortably with fins (abt. 2") or finless.

The question:
I've been learning to ride switch lately. Keeping in minds some of the FAQs I've read, I tried reversing everything--binding position included--and can get up riding regular now. I decided to try learning 180s, so I went finless, twisted the bindings so theyre pointed towards opposite ends of the board, and balanced the position so my weight distribution would be the same.

The new binding position feels ok when I ride goofy. When I go regular, though (I've gotten surface 180s down), it feels VERY awkward. I actually have trouble keeping the board that way. It seems to pull very hard towards riding goofy again. Is this likely just something I need to learn to control? Is it something with my weight distribution across the board? Any insight you can offer would be a great help.

Thanks!
--Eric

[re re]

It's your body position. Focus on that. Ride around one-handed for a while. You just have to relax. You'll get it.

[ontrider]

erfoster, your body is trying to face forwards instead of sideways so you're turning. Drop your back hand when you're riding switch and practice riding around with only your front hand on the rope. This should help you out so you don't start sliding out. Also try and keep your knees bent and get a bit lower then normal. Just carve around doing this to get used to riding switch.

[erfoster]

I actually almost always ride one handed, and use my other hand to help balance. I let go with my right hand and let the boat pull me around, but I have to fight with the board to keep it straight. I suppose it'd probably be easier with fins on. I was riding finless when I was spinning around. I'm thinking of trying to find replacement fins for my board that are shallower. I have a pretty hard time breaking the current fins loose.

However, I did make some good progress today--I was using way too long a rope. I took some of the line off, and was almost jumping wake to wake, which I've never come near doing before. It generated much more pop and the wake is definitely better for jumping closer to the boat. I was a good 75 feet or so before, and the wake flattened out quite a bit at that point.

I wish I had more time to practice--I'd be out on the water every day if I could, but I work 5 days a week 100 miles from the lake, so I can't go out nearly as often as I like. =/

[Mermaid]

I think ideally you'd like to get your feet both at the same angle. I keep switching here and there, it's work but you'll get better.....and relax.