If you’ve EVER wakeskated then you can relate to being in the water that first time, wondering how exactly it is you are going get from floating awkwardly with a board in your hand to standing up and riding around. That simple first step, in fact, has definitely dissuaded a few beginners from every becoming wakeskaters. But once you figure it out, wakeskating becomes very accessible, so we figured it was time to spell it out so that everyone might get the chance to ride. Of course it’s different for everyone, so here are a few opinions on the best way to stand up that very first time.

James Balzer– Getting up on a wakeskate has a lot to do with the driver — if you have a good driver this is gonna be a lot easier. You want the driver to keep a little tension on the rope so that you can get that fun little board to stick to your feet. What I have found to be the easiest way is start by floating the board under you feet as the rope starts to tighten just lean back a little bit and keep your knees really bent and your arms strait the board should float right up in front of you and away you go starting you journey into a sport that has it’s future hanging in the balance. It’s all on your shoulders – don’t do tricks wrong or we will kill you.

Reed Hansen- When getting up for the first time, the most important thing to realize is that the boat is pulling you up, you are not pulling yourself up. When you get in the water, put the rope in your hands, lay flat on your back with your heels on the board. When the boat or jet ski goes into gear, the pressure from the water will push the board to your feet. After that happens keep your knees bent all of the way up to your chest and keep your arms as straight as they will go. Then, let the boat pull you up.

Ben Horan— When you’re sitting in the water, you’re gonna position the wakeskate under you’re feet in the water like you are standing on it, unlike a wakeboard, where it is floating in front of you. You will have a wider stance and you are going to want to ball up like a rock, with your knees on the inside of your elbows. Note: you are going to want to let your life-vest do the floating. That will make it easier to keep the wakeskate positioned underneath your feet. Once the slack is out of the rope, you are going to want to keep the wakeskate directly underneath you and angle your feet upward; this allows your wakeskate to plane to the surface, like an airplane slowly lifting off the ground. This method does not put as much strain on your arms and body as it would like getting up on a wakeboard. After your board has surfaced, depending on if you are a regular or goofy, you are going to want to position the front of the board accordingly, and gradually as your beginning to stand up. After that you are going to want to edge out and do a properly flicked kick flip. Well, maybe in a couple months.

Clint Tompkins— Start floating with the board sideways with your feet in position on the board, just like you would wakeboarding if you have ever wakeboarded before. Have the driver put the boat in gear so it idles. As it slowly pulls you, the water pressure against the board will push it against your feet and they will stick to the board. Use your ankles to keep your board at a 45-degree angle to the surface of the water. This will force the board to rise to the surface of the water. As the boat starts to go, let it pull you up. As you and the board come to the surface turn it to desired stance while pulling the rope to your lead hip to help keep you in proper riding posture.

Danny Hampson— I always tell people to lean back and look up at the sky. Keep your knees bent and let the boat pull you up without pulling you over. Ride the water like an escalator, just taking you up. Sometimes people try to fight the boat too hard and it ends up creating a crater in the water and causing to much tension for them to get up. It’s all about compromise. Don’t fight the boat to hard but don’t let it win either. Find a place in the middle. Like girls on a first date — they don’t want to give it all away but just enough to keep you coming back for more. That’s you and the line’s relationship. Once up pull the handle to your lead hip get 70 percent back foot, 30 percent front foot and totally rip.

0410130527get up danny

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