What's the RIGHT way to pass the handle?

[salmon_tacos]

So I've searched the forums and have not found a discussion of this:

What is the proper hand orientation for passing the handle? Does it matter? I see two ways of doing it:

1. Both palms up. Take the handle around your back with your palm up, then grab the handle the same way...palm up.

2. Palms together...I guess you could call it a baseball grip.

For some reason, I always kind of assumed it was number 1 but then I saw something in the WakeWorld 1080 contest where Dave said that after a certain number of passes, you run out of handle. This doesn't make sense if you pass with both palms up since each hand would get it's own side of the handle every time. With number 2, I could see how your hands would walk up the handle unless you alternated which one was on top on each pass.

So anyway, is there a CORRECT way to do it or does it not matter at all? The only handle passing I've done is surface 180's and 360's. I was doing it palms up.

Thanks.

[midwest wake]

palms up is the way i learned it, it doesn't really matter unless your going for alot of passes.

try it on a tramp and see which one you like more

[JKing]

Good question, I would say palms up would be technically correct and a better habit to form, but I've seen alot of riders do it both ways. so just go with whatever feels more natural to you

[wakedude83]

It doesn't matter. Whatever works for you. There's not much of an advantage to either of them; they just look different (if you watch closely).

[Sportster4Tec]

I've always seen it done palms up. I think it makes it easier to grab. When i just put my hands behind my back they turn palms up more naturally.

[colefooter]

Palms up seems like the best, but whatever is comfy is best

[Dbpunk31]

just think of if you were holding something with a handle behind your back like a laundry basket or something. How would you do it, then apply that to the water. thats kinda how i did it then i practiced on the tramp.

[salmon_tacos]

So everyone seems to think palms up is the way to go. If that's the case, however, why did riders supposedly tell Dave that they run out of handle on 1080's? Wouldn't that imply that they're doing it the other way?

[hyperrider]

i dont get it...what do you mean by palms up...either its really late here and im confused from that or im just a retard...i thought there was only one way to pass a handle...

[hyperrider]

oh wait...nevermind i thought about it and i get it now. ive never really thought about that. i would say that palms up is more common

[midwest wake]

salmon_tacos, it's more of a clapping handle pass.

some people "clap" the handle pass on bigger spins because they are spinning so fast it doesn't make sense to get a good grip on it, so for small stuff like 180, 360, and 540, it doesn't make much sense to clap it but you still can.

[Liquidmx]

Salman tacos, try doing a 1080 on a trampoline and see how hard it is to get the third handle pass in and you will probably understand.

[zcashion]

dude just try a 1080 with a board on your feet on the tramp
hell even without a board on your feet...it's hard as crap even on the tramp...those guys are insane that can even come close

[zcashion]

dude just try a 1080 with a board on your feet on the tramp
hell even without a board on your feet...it's hard as crap even on the tramp...those guys are insane that can even come close

[Lantzvillian]

hey have any of you seen Underestimated? Almost every rider has there hands touching in the middle of the handle when doing spins or certain mobes like crow 5s... I'm not sure but I think it helps on spinning 7s and 9s wake2wake. I dunno watch some movies of andrew adikson or tino santori for you to understand what mean if you don't got it already.

[parks_rider]

palms up is how i learned it and that's how i still do it like on my 3's and stuff

[J_DOGG]

I think I understand what you are asking.....

For a HS FS 3 I leave the wake with both hands in the proper wakeboard grip (both palms facing down). I POP, Pull and then start the pass by rolling my wrist pointing the handle down causing it to be in a vertical position behind my back. I then reach around and grab it so my hands are again both in the same position but at that point you are in the cuffed position so both palms are actually facing up (like if you hand cuffs on, I wouldn't know for sure as I have never been arrested, Yah right!). So in theory the entire handle does a 360 by the time you land.

If I take it to 540, only tried a few, I would pull the handle again to keep my hips moving but grab it in the baseball grip style as that is the most natural way to grab it and land with one hand on the handle. To keep palms down you would have to hold the handle flat (horizontal) and move your grabbing hand up and over to get the palms down grab and that feels very unnatural.

MY 2cents

[Thomas P.]

its very difficult to pass palms up on any spin larger than 3. not to say it cant be done, but its much faster to make a "baseball" type pass, because to grab it behind your back, you only have to rotate the handle 90 and back instead of 180, then another 180.

[Thomas P.]

its near impossible to pass palms up when spinning off-axis. baseball grip is very helpful in those cases.

[bizzuck]

Thomas P. is right. baseball it is the way to go. its how to pass the handle on nearly all mobes as well.