Overcoming mental block -- Raley

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

I started trying raleys toward the end of last season. Jason_SSR and I went out and he coached me on a couple of them. I felt like I was pretty close. Good extension and plenty of height. I think I just got scared and didn't pull down hard enough. Most of the falls weren't too bad but one gave me a bruise across the side of my leg.

Fast forward to this year and I have delayed trying them to work on other stuff. So last night is the first night I've really decided to go out there and try them. My second set I dedicate to it.

I take a good edge into the wake and then as I go up the wake for some reason my legs never want to go back. It's like my hip muscles just lock and won't release. I probably tried to force myself to do 15 of them and I would lean forward with my shoulders and get slightly off axis but never let my legs go behind me.

I do them all day on the trampoline and they are a lot of fun. I know if I can commit to it I'd probably land it in only a few attempts. I just can't get myself to do it.

It's really discouraging and I have no idea what I can do to over-come it. Anyone have some advice? It's not that I'm scared of the falls. I'm just scared of the trick itself.

QNev · Posted: Sep 27, 2006 6:42 am Post subject:

I'm doing the same thing now. I've had lots of hard falls on those and I'd always hesitate to try them now.

Just relax when you cut in and don't even think about the trick. Just think about landing it. Hit the wake, throw your legs back and pull into your knee.

If you can, just go out with some friends and have a little bet or try and race to it.

Good luck.

Maestro · Posted: Sep 27, 2006 6:50 am Post subject:

Take a wakeskate out with you and practice the cut/pull down without being strapped in. Get it in your head that you can do it, then strap the board on and it should be a lot less of a mental struggle.

wakedork · Posted: Sep 27, 2006 2:02 pm Post subject:

A raley is 10% physical and 90% mental. If you try it you can land it. It was the first invert I ever tried and ever landed. I could do them in my sleep. One thing is you shouldn't have to throw your feet back, not like on a trampoline. A raley cut is differnt, it's the only cut you actually want to bend at the waist instead of rolling your knees forward. Just lay into a cut bending at the waist and edge all the way up and through the top of the wake and stand up a little off the lip, you won't be able to keep your legs down. Now fully extend and at the peak of the trick you will feel a slight tug that's the cue to pull it down. Parks told me a long time ago when i was first trying them (circa '97) try to break the handle over your knees. 95% of the time your going to pull it to far when you first start trying it and land and fall on your butt. Don't do the wakeskate thing it's too unpredictable yes it works but there is that one time you shoot it out infront of you and end up having to dodge it on the landing. I quit doing raleys all the time but everytime you ride with some beginner that's the first thing they ask to see. So I usually pull out a krypt. Or a hoochie.