Advanced Tricks
Intermediate Wakeboarding Tricks
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Lipslide
The lipslide looks really cool and isn't that hard to do. Position
yourself on or very near the crest of the wake. Do a sideslide while
the board cuts the very top of the wake.
Off the wake 180 Ride up the wake, at the very top do your 180 and ride revert back down. This trick can be seen as a combination of surf the wake, surface 180 and a lipslide.
Reverse Sideslide The reverse sideslide is basically the opposite of a regular sideslide, but instead you will be digging in your toes and trying not to catch the heel side edge. It works better if you keep your head up looking back and not down at the water. By choice or by reaction, try reaching down and touch the water. What do you call a reverse face plant - a Head slam??
Air 180 (1 wake) Approach the wake at a comfortable speed. Generate some pop so you can level out in the air and make your 180 turn. Make sure you are in the air when you turn, otherwise the landing is more difficult and will feel off-balance.
Backside Air (2 wakes) Getting air enough to cross both wakes and then some has a lot to do with edging all the way through the wake... right as you approach the crest of the wake, most people ease up the pull and flatten out - not good. Keep in mind your maximum speed should be at the top of the wake. Your best approach is to make a gradual turn into your carve, dig that edge in as you build up speed toward the wake, spring with your legs when you reach the wake and hold on until you're in the air.
Half Cab Starting from the fakie position (switchstance), the rider uses the wake to get air and then changes direction.
Frontside Air (2 wakes) This trick is just like the Backside Air over 2 wakes, only cut the wake with your frontside to the wake.
Off the Wake 360 This trick can be one in progression from the Off the Wake 180. Ride up the wake, at the very top do a 360 without leaving the surface of the water and ride back down.
Backside Air w/ grab (2 wakes) Here's a trick to get you comfortable with grabbing the board. Just go for big air and grab the board in whatever way you feel comfortable with. Make sure you bring the board up to you, not you down to the board!
Frontside Air w/ grab (2 wakes) Approach the wake in the frontside position with enough speed and lift for enough time to make a decent grab.
Backscratcher This one is very much like a Fashion Air. As you jump the wake, all you need to do is bend your knees to a 90 degree angle so the board reaches back toward your rear.
360 Heli (1 wake) A 1 wake 360 Heli is like every other heli- keep your position vertical, lead with your head and let the rest of your body follow.
Air 180 (2 wakes) An Air 180 initially seems easier to do frontside than backside. Starting this trick from the toe side approach allows you to rotate open towards the boat and land facing that same direction. With a heel side approach, your rotation isn't too difficult but the landing is almost with your back to the boat. So on this side, focus on keeping the rope near your hip and bend your knees to maintain the direction of the board.
Fashion Air Very similar to a Backscratcher, the Fashion Air is the same 90-degree knee-bend getting the board closer to your rear. What makes it different is that you must also swing your arm up and out behind you too- some riders placing their hand behind their head and tilting it back like a pose to add a bit of style might have given the Fashion Air it's name.
Method The Method is just like the Backscratcher, with a heelside grab. Perform the Backscratcher and with your leading hand, reach back and grab the top-middle part of the board.
Twist Think of this as a half-180 rotation - or better yet, like stalling an Air 180... Something like this- go off the wake, start your 180, hesitate like you changed your mind in mid-air, and bring the board back down as if you didn't complete a full 180- there you have it, the Twist!
Palmer The Palmer is a front hand heelside grab with a Twist. This trick(and others in its class)are slightly more difficult grabs. These require a fair amount of air and good balance mainly because these tricks force you to grab the board in ways that seem awkward and difficult at first.
Grab 180 An Air 180 with a grab. Even if you can do regular 180's and grabs consistently, combining these two can often be tricky. Just remember NOT to bend down and reach for the board, but instead pull the board up to you and make the grab.
Half Cab Air 180 back to front, clearing 2 wakes - just like the 1 wake Half Cab, the rider starts from the fakie position(switchstance) and changes direction in mid air.
Roast Beef Rear hand heelside grab, between feet through the legs. This one shouldn't be a hard one to learn. If you're getting good air and landing consistently, the Roast Beef is a great trick to start progressing into board grabs. As you jump the wake, bring your knees to your chest, and reach through your legs with your trailing hand and grab the middle of the board.
360 Heli Wrap (2 wakes) With a 2 wake 360 Heli, keep your position vertical, lead with your head and let the rest of your body follow.
Switchstance 360 Heli (2 wakes) Starting from the fakie position, perform a 360 Heli, clearing both wakes.
Backside 360 Heli Hand Pass Approach the wake heelside, get huge air, rotate 360 degrees, pass the handle behind the back from one hand to the other, clearing 2 wakes.
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