Landing the 360

zx12y · Newbie Joined: 21 May 2006 Posts: 35

I can do a 360, but I am very inconsistent. I can get the handle pass perfectly each time and stay on axis, but I always fall on the landings. I usually get pulled over the nose of the board or slip so that my face hits the transistion of the wake. The people in the boat say I stay on axis but land slightly heel heavy. I've considered these things might be part of the problem:

1. I'm not spotting the landing. I'm usually not ready for the landing and this may contribute to falling. Any tips to spotting the landing (spotting the landing is hard because the last part of the roation is BS)

2. I'm looking down when I'm rotating. This might be a problem, but I'm not sure. Does looking at the shore the whole time as you're spinning and then glancing at the boat for the landing help?

Anyone have any feedback? Are the things I listed probable causes for falling but still being able to land the trick occasionally? Thanks.

Stewie · Posted: May 21, 2006 1:52 pm Post subject:

Hold on really tight to the handle is all I can say. Confused

SuperEt112345 · Newbie Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 26 City: LaCrosse

Yeah holding on tight helps, but looking at the shoreline is a good thing to do. Look for trees or anything as you are spinning then when you see the boat start to spot your landing. Youll get it consistent then itll just be a breeze

Phil · Addict Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Posts: 636 City: Chattanooga

Defintely keep your head up. You look down you fall down. Pop do the 180 pull with both hands and finish with your head looking at the boat.

zx12y · Newbie Joined: 21 May 2006 Posts: 35

Phil, thanks for the advice, I reflected on my 360s on the way back from the lake and I thought that was probably the reason why. Thanks for firming it up. Any tips for breaking a habit of looking down for every trick? I seem to do it on everything. Does the "look down fall down" rule apply to pretty much every trick? Any more feedback?

Ctipping · Posted: May 22, 2006 7:24 pm Post subject:

zx12y, from what you've said, it sounds a lot like you're spinning off the wake like on a snowboard. Like Phil said, you need to pop up straight like a normal wake jump, pull the handle to your hip, and when you're finished the first 180 pass the handle for the second. spotting is not required.

Donkey_Wakeboarder17 · Criminal Joined: 03 Apr 2006 Posts: 61 City: Okay

zx12y, are you riding with fins, cause it definatly makes it harder to land without them

Ctipping · Posted: May 22, 2006 9:08 pm Post subject:

Donkey_Wakeboarder17, it shouldn't make much of a difference. The key is waiting to initiate the spin and breaking it into two parts.

brath5 · Outlaw Joined: 06 Jul 2004 Posts: 222 City: Winnipeg

Donkey_Wakeboarder17, that depends on alot of things...tryin out my new byerly i was bailing hard with the fins in...when i popped em out it was a lot looser like my old board n i went out n nailed a couple 3's behind my dads 19 ft fishing boat with a normal low ski pylon...and zx12y, the look down fall down thing isn't really a big issue...kinda depends what ur used to...when i huck 3's i land looking down at the wake...just depends on what u can use as a reference to where ur going..

zx12y · Newbie Joined: 21 May 2006 Posts: 35

Donkey_Wakeboarder17, I ride my Byerly finless (only molded in side fins). But speaking form experience, you can't every really blame a board for not being able ot land a trick. I prefer the looseness of a board and AFAIK landing is easier with fins because it is more forgiving. Thanks for the idea though.

Ctipping, I don't think that is my problem honestly.Wouldn't thay mean I'm going off axis? I am trying to make sure I wait for it. The people on the boat say I don't go off axis, but I can't really trust their critique (I'm the best on the boat). But it definetley sounds possible and I will think about it harder next time. Are there any signs that you can use to tell if YOU yourself are going off axis (without camera or other's advice) thanks.

Ctipping · Posted: May 23, 2006 6:16 pm Post subject:

zx12y, don't try to fix what isn't working. Just start right over and break it down.

zx12y · Newbie Joined: 21 May 2006 Posts: 35

still looking for feedback

k9fxr · Outlaw Joined: 07 Mar 2003 Posts: 199 City: MI

they say the way you go up is the way you land, you are sliding out, so you are too far back on your heels going up.
Last summer rode with Gerry Nunn, he told me to hit the wake a little flatter, that helped me alot

zx12y · Newbie Joined: 21 May 2006 Posts: 35

Thanks to everyone that helped. Last weekened I went out and had them almost 100%. For those of you who have the handle pass but no langing, thinking about spinning after the apex of your jump and keeping your head up during the rotations helped me land it smoothly almost every time. Thanks, you and now i have a new trick in my bad!