Newbie still cant get up, but getting there.

BrandonC · Addict Joined: 25 Jul 2004 Posts: 539 City: Murrieta

I did actually get up today for about 1.1 secoinds. Ive tried with my arms bent, the people I go with have their arms straight. If I bend my knees and have my arms straight, my knuckles are on the board pretty much.

Ive found that what is almost working for me is to have my arms bent, holding the handle with hands pinky to thumb, not thumb to thumb. with the backs of my forearms resting on my knees when they pull. It allows me to hold on longer when trying to get up.

Anyone see a problem with that stance?

wesgardner · Posted: Aug 09, 2004 5:03 am Post subject:

Hey BrandonC,

Just do what's comfortable at first and get up successfully several times, you can go back to what we would consider "normal" (i.e. thumb-to-thumb when holding the handle) once you're up and riding...big thing - just relax, don't get all tensed up and try to remember too many "rules"....obviously as the boat starts to pull, your arms will tend to straighten and your knees will bend - go ahead and let this happen and get moving a bit before you try to stand up or you'll "sink" the board...believe me, once you've mastered it, getting up doesn't take much strength at all and can be done fairly quickly...but don't sweat it, just start slow and take your time...also, have the driver go EASY on the throttle

If you've ever studied the martial arts, you start with big motions first and then refine them to small ones, same with boarding, you'll use lots of big muscles at first and then refine it to POP and you're up...just keep at it, keep a positive attitude, if /when you get tired take a break.

Hope this helps

Wes

Mitch3 · Criminal Joined: 24 Jul 2004 Posts: 80

i got up on my first try.....3 days ago......i think the only thing you need to do is bend your knees to your chest and let the boat pull you up.......dont try and turn your board to early and just have fun.....dont get down if you cant get up

savage3221 · Posted: Aug 09, 2004 8:39 pm Post subject:

LET THE BOAT PULL YOU UP, don't pull the boat

Numberone_Newbie1 · Criminal Joined: 26 Jul 2004 Posts: 73

Pulling the boat would be funny though.................If anyone has ever done it before.

savage3221 · Posted: Aug 09, 2004 9:05 pm Post subject:

haha that would be funny, I meant it in a different way though, I just see so many people pulling themselves up and having all sorts off weird stances and slack in thee rope, arms pulled up to their forehead. it just doesn't work. let the boat to all the work.

aloharodeo · Posted: Aug 09, 2004 9:32 pm Post subject:

if bending your knees and keeping your arms straight makes your knuckles almost touch the board then you must be way bent at the waist, lean back.

BrandonC · Addict Joined: 25 Jul 2004 Posts: 539 City: Murrieta

I may not be able to pull the boat, but I sure am close. When I had my buddy drive for me he said, "Dude when I hit it I thought something was wrong with your boat because it wasnt taking off"

I said no, thats just my impersonation of a human anchor.

beasoldierprstn · Posted: Aug 10, 2004 12:17 pm Post subject:

dont put your knuckles on the board. i start out with my elbows touching my knees and my arms are just floating around my groin. for your legs though, leeve them as if you were going to take a dump standing over the toilet. (i know, bad imagebut it works) just try those things

Shifter · Newbie Joined: 30 Jul 2004 Posts: 37

BrandonC - I'm sure you've already read the posts in here on getting up, but just in case the absolute best advise I read on here was...

Sit on the floor. Have someone in front of you just give you a hand up. It's basically that. Feels the same - except you don't stand up immediately. For specifics - keep your back straight, arms mostly straight and knees bent between your arms.

The first time I went out, all I knew about getting up was a tip I'd read on the net. I tried it and couldn't get up. Turns out I had read the tip too quickly. I had my back straight and my arms straight. Missed the part about bending the knees. I was doing what is commonly referred to as plowing. Scared the kids in the boat a bit when the handle kept coming out of my hands and almost making it back into the boat. Impressive for a "no stretch" rope. Wink

What everyone says is correct, let the boat do the work. Since re-reading the tips I've gotten up every time I've gone out.

Mike.H · Posted: Aug 10, 2004 9:48 pm Post subject:

BrandonC · Addict Joined: 25 Jul 2004 Posts: 539 City: Murrieta

Knees between the arms? I havent tried that one yet. I'll put that on the list for this weekends journey.

Shifter · Newbie Joined: 30 Jul 2004 Posts: 37

I envy you your upcoming weekend's jouryey. I have to go to a family reunion. I thought of taking my boat, but was afraid of getting dings on the dirt road to the camp site. I'm so hooked on wakeboarding I'm packing my family up after work and going.
Yeah - the knees between the arms sounded strange to me - but when you get in the water it feels natural.
Good luck - let us know how it turns out.

Shifter · Newbie Joined: 30 Jul 2004 Posts: 37

BrandonC - did you get up this weekend? Just curious...

BrandonC · Addict Joined: 25 Jul 2004 Posts: 539 City: Murrieta

As a matter of fact I did! I wasnt able to do the arm thing on the outside of the knees, Im just too large. But after 5 weeks of trying I finally did it. Now I have a whole new list of goals, other than just getting up.

garymcg · Newbie Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 4

Brandon

Here's a tip that worked for every first-timer in our boat.

Get in the water in the standard starting position, handle held by your left knee. This helps swing the board around.

When the boat starts pulling, compress up against the board. You don't want so much a squatting position, visualize it more as you're crouching down getting ready to spring up into the air.

After you compress against the board, rotate the board clockwise about 20 degrees or so. The left tip (do the opposite if you're goofy footed) should be out of the water.

Now the only thing you have to focus on is keeping the left tip out of the water, just concentrate on that. If you're in the crouched position it's hard to lean too far back. If you keep the tip out of the water, you won't lean too far forward. Once the left edge of the board starts to plane you're golden, but still focus on that left tip until the boat gets up to speed.

When people say "lean back farther" what they mean is keep your shoulders back, if your shoulders get over your feet at the beginning you're too far forward and are going to come off the front of the board.

Just focus keeping that left tip out of water and just like me you'll be doing face plants and high-pressure sinus rinses in no time.

An old guy (44) who loves to ride

garymcg · Newbie Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 4

Brandon

Here's a tip that worked for every first-timer in our boat.

Get in the water in the standard starting position, handle held by your left knee. This helps swing the board around.

When the boat starts pulling, compress up against the board. You don't want so much a squatting position, visualize it more as you're crouching down getting ready to spring up into the air.

After you compress against the board, rotate the board clockwise about 20 degrees or so. The left tip (do the opposite if you're goofy footed) should be out of the water.

Now the only thing you have to focus on is keeping the left tip out of the water, just concentrate on that. If you're in the crouched position it's hard to lean too far back. If you keep the tip out of the water, you won't lean too far forward. Once the left edge of the board starts to plane you're golden, but still focus on that left tip until the boat gets up to speed.

When people say "lean back farther" what they mean is keep your shoulders back, if your shoulders get over your feet at the beginning you're too far forward and are going to come off the front of the board.

Just focus keeping that left tip out of water and just like me you'll be doing face plants and high-pressure sinus rinses in no time.

An old guy (44) who loves to ride

BrandonC · Addict Joined: 25 Jul 2004 Posts: 539 City: Murrieta

Its funny you mention about the tip out of the water, because thats exactly what I noticed! Keeping your weight distributed in whatever fashion necessary to keep that tip just above water and 2 seconds later you're up!

Enzoborder230 · Posted: Aug 18, 2004 1:46 pm Post subject:

to practicew rdiind , if you hve a skate board practice riding around on that that helps