We all know you want to do a flip on a wakeboard. Now you can! Check out our instructional piece. This gem includes step by step photo sequences along with some instruction from myself and some of your favorite pro’s: Shaun Murray, Shawn Watson, and Adam Errington. Study this article closely and get that first flip under your belt!
How To: Land Your First Invert | Words: Brandon Judd | Photos: Bill Doster
Flip Out
There are few moments in life that are quite like riding away from your first flip on a wakeboard. For those of you who have passed that milestone, you know what we’re talking about. For those of you who have not yet experienced this euphoria, keep reading — we will give you the tools you need to land your first invert.
Some of you may think that this doesn’t apply to you because you have already landed your first invert, but this does not exclude you. You may be doing your invert in a way that impedes your progression to more complicated inverts, or you may not be able to land all three of the inverts that we will cover, so take notes.
To start off, we asked around and had a few pro riders tell us which invert they landed first and asked them to assist us in our quest to guide you through each base invert. In this article, we walk you through the basic learning process of a heelside back roll, a tantrum and a toeside back roll.
Before you hit the water, be sure that you are comfortable upside down. This will greatly accelerate the learning process. Spend some time on the trampoline getting comfortable with each flip — preferably with the assistance of a trained spotter. To mimic the feeling of each trick on the water, tie a rope and handle to a stable stationary object, such as the trunk of a tree. Each trick may not function on the trampoline exactly like they will behind the boat, but it will help you gain crucial air awareness that will come in handy midair when troubleshooting the flip.
Ideally, you should be able to properly execute the goal invert with frontside and backside 180s and switch stance — each with and without the rope. So, for example, if a tantrum is the goal trick, you should be able to do a simple back flip with and without the rope, a switch tantrum with and without the rope, a tantrum to blind and a tantrum to fakie with and without the rope. Once you have this dialed in, you will be able to recognize and combat any unintentional frontside or backside rotation when attempting your first flip behind the boat.
