5 beginner tips to nail your first time wakeboarding
Let’s face it – women are smashing it in wakeboarding.
From multiple world champion Julia Rick (who we interviewed recently here) who is breaking barriers as the first woman to land new complex tricks, to the everyday women and girls you’ll find at your local cable park or lake, every single girl is contributing to changing expectations in the sport.
You can do it too, it just takes practice and a few deep breaths. If you clicked on this article, you’re already thinking about starting to wakeboard and are curious about how it works. We’ve put together 5 top tips to help you with your first lesson, whether you’re going to be wakeboarding at a cable park, or with a boat.
Practice on land
Most sports involve complex muscle memory that you can only learn by actually doing. If you can practice the motion of standing up at home, then you will already be a few steps ahead!
- Find something resembling a rope (could be a yoga mat strap, curtain chord, or just a piece of sturdy clothing like jeans)
- Sit on the floor with your legs bent as if you were wearing the wakeboard (or snowboard if that’s easier for you to imagine)
- Hold the ‘rope’ between you and a friend
- Ask your friend to quickly & smoothly lean or walk backwards, mimicking the motion of the cable
- Allow yourself to be pulled to a standing position, using only your core strength, and without engaging your legs
- Try to keep your weight on your back leg, so that you don’t fall forwards
- Keep your arms strong, with your hands pulled into your leading hip as much as possible
While this is not a completely accurate representation of how it is to stand up on a wakeboard, if you’ve never done it before it will give you the experience of the overall motion and which muscles to engage.
2. Do some visualisations
One of the most powerful tricks that even professional athletes use is visualisation. How does it work? You imagine the experience as it would be from your perspective, and walk yourself through it step by step. You could do this purely mentally in a quiet place, or even practice step 1 above alone focusing all your mind on the activity and not talking to someone else.
In our interview with Mary Morgan Howell, pro wakeboarder from the US, she talked about how visualisations are important for landing new tricks that she’s never done before.
Here are some good videos to visualise yourself wakeboarding:
3. Find a buddy to go with
If you’ve got a friend by your side, you’ll feel less intimidated, more confident and at ease. These aspects are really important for your first few sessions, as you’ll likely be feeling nervous.
You could even go to a women’s only morning; contact your local schools and ask if they have one running (most do!).
Photo by OCP Cable in Casteldefels
If you don’t yet have any friends who wakeboard, you could invite a friend to enjoy a nice few hours at the lake or water.
Most cable parks have a cafe for family and friends to watch at, and a trip on a wakeboard boat is also a nice experience. You never know, they might want to give it try as well after seeing it in person!
4. Figure out if you’re ‘regular’ or ‘goofy’
You’ll likely feel more comfortable with one particular foot forwards. Left foot forwards is called ‘regular’, and right foot forwards is called ‘goofy’. While it does sometimes have something to do with whether you’re right or left-handed, it doesn’t always work this way (humans are interesting!).
When you stand up on the wakeboard you will probably automatically put one foot forwards, but if it makes you feel more prepared you could try this quick exercise:
- Stand with both feet together, facing forwards
- Get a friend to shout GO! (if a friend does it, your reaction will be more automatic)
- Start running!
Try it a few times, and ask your friend to spot which foot you’re leading with on the first step.
5. Book your beginner lessons and prep your bag
This may sound obvious, but you’ll progress slower without a proper lesson and feedback from the instructor on what you’re doing wrong.
Call ahead to reserve; if it’s a cable park, ask if they have a single line beginner’s cable alongside the main lake, and if not, enquire about going during reduced speed hours or at a time when there are less people. You could even book in a 1:1 session. These tips will ensure you don’t have a line of people behind you, and you can take your time.
For your bag:
- Swimsuit
- Towel
- ID
- Flip flops/padlock (optional – for the changing room)
- A smile 🙂
It’s also a good idea to book in a few lessons to commit to over the following weeks. Learning takes time and it’s worth remembering this during your first lesson. You will probably fall, and that’s okay! It just takes a few tries and you are more than capable.
We hope this article helps you get ready for your first wakeboard session. Share it with your friends who are also learning and let us know if it helped you!
Remember – YOU CAN DO IT!
