Changed stance...cant ride

fmf · Criminal Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 62 City: Olympia

2nd season riding and this season I switched my stance from 0 and 18 degrees to slightly duckfooted (prob 9+ each binding) Yesterday I went out and basically couldn't ride to save my soul, by the end of the season last summer I was w2w w/grabs and almost had 180's down cold (i know its not the greatest bag of tricks but our wake is really,really wide) anyway is it normal to basically ride like a total noob when you change up the stance, and should I maybe go back to what was working last summer? I am pretty sure the guy who just got up for the first time this weekend rode better than me!

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

well the adjustment prolly takes som getting used to...if u have the front binding at 18 i doubt u'd need to turn it out any more...the back one to 5 or 10 might be a nice change if ur looing to ride out switch on the 180s...

timmyDecker · Outlaw Joined: 22 May 2006 Posts: 187 City: Manhattan...KS

This is my first season wakeboarding, so there are guys way more experienced that might be able to answer this better, but here are my thoughts. The first weekend I went I had my front foot at 18 degrees and my back foot at 0 degrees. The second weekend I moved the bindings forward one notch and set both feet at 9 degrees. I could still get up, but I had a harder time staying stable and doing stuff I was doing just one week earlier. I gave up about three rides into it and reset my bindings to their original placement. I asked when I should change my binding set-up because I know you ultimately want to be centered on the board and duck footed to get the most out of your tricks, and the response I got was there is no rule of thumb for when you should change, just change and try to get comfortable.
This weekend I'm going to change my binding set-up back to duck footed and more centered on the board and just ride till I get comfortable again. I don't think you should go back to where you were at last season because ultimately you are just holding yourself back and not really progressing. So I say all that to say:
1. Just ride what you've got until it's comfortable.
2. After you can stay stable, start doing the tricks you were doing last season
3. After you get back to that level, start trying new tricks.
4. Once you get comfortable there, get your bindings centered on the board and duck footed, and repeat steps 1-3.
hope it helps,
timmy

Pettieo · Criminal Joined: 13 Apr 2006 Posts: 61 City: Bellignham

All of my sports coaches told me that when you change somthing you are used to...you will get worse before you get better...I say stick with it and try it again the next couple times...if it doesnt come back to you then try somthing else

kind · Outlaw Joined: 03 May 2006 Posts: 118

im a believer in jumping up and down and holding the position and looking at how your feet are lined up.. then from there model the bindings closely to it.
for me it was duckfooted.. the only mod i did after that was spread them farther apart.