Wakeboard Tutorial #2 - Moving Around / Edging

Now you're cruising along on your board comfortably with a textbook ‘Neutral Riding Position’, it’s time to get moving around. In the second of our Neilson Wake, Ski, Surf tutorial series Matt Crowhurst breaks down the simplest way of moving left and right by ‘using your edges’, building confidence through control so that you can get to charging around in between and outside the wakes. Once you’ve got your edging really confident, you can then start thinking about playing around on that wake!
Neilson Holidays - Wake, Ski & Surf with Matt Crowhurst
Brought to you by British Water Ski and Wakeboard and Scotland Nautique
Filming & Editing: Mantis Pro Media

[@jackharrington6397]

When surfing I’ve always been told that where your shoulders point you will go but I had no idea it was totally different for wake boarding. Thanks for the great vid

[@MattCrowhurst]

Hey hey, glad it made sense and yes, this is the most prevalent misconception with wakeboarding as far as the bare bone foundations of the sport go. This is all because of the third dimension of the tow rope not present in other 'non towed' board sports. You can't fight the thing pulling you - boat, cable, jetski or whatever - so you have to work with it which means keeping your chest open at all times.
One thing to note is how this idea compares to what you might see from a rally handy/advanced/pro rider where they are often or bent over double when edging for the wake or air trick on cable and in what seems like the total opposite position to what I believe is the only way to go to get your foundations right with wakeboarding.
The reason good riders do this and/or can get away with this is because they can get the angle of the board right against the pull easily in any position because they have that much control i.e. point where they are going and leading the way, and in many cases, especially on a big boat wake, they are coiling up ready to explode at the wake to get maximum pop and the wakes are so big that they are riding them more like a snowboard ramp, going with the pull from the boat instead of using resistance through the boards edge agains the boat to create pop. The other situation is with cable riders doing toeside air tricks where they bend over double and this is because they can get the board leading the movement and fold themselves into this position to gain maximum leverage against the cable. This isn't something that works for me but you do see it with really good guys.

[@N495illithian]

This is so helpful thank you!

[@azaleas3179]

Thank you so much for this! Going to put this to the test tomorrow!

[@MattCrowhurst]

Hey hey, glad you enjoyed the vid. How did you get on, all be it a little while ago?

[@matthewwilliams1750]

Where is this filmed. Absolutely stunning!

[@cameronhewatt9576]

Matthew Williams your moms house you bum

[@ItsOttis]

@@cameronhewatt9576 you have a bright future ahead of you.

[@stipsak]

LOL

[@MattCrowhurst]

If you're Mum's house is at the Neilson Holidays resort of The Retreat Sivota (where this is shot) then we should all be very jealous!

[@matthewwilliams1750]

@@MattCrowhurst if only she lived here.... 😂

[@vbengal9194]

I also find that if you want to go from one side to another you can also switch your feet, but it's somewhat difficult

[@JaydenH]

I’m going to try it today. I hope it works on a cable too

[@doeknob2482]

Thank you for your tutorials!!! Perfect for me !!!

[@MattCrowhurst]

Stoked
you liked it!

[@Utubeisazzho]

If im a righty does right foot go front foot. Feels awkward

[@Moxiecoral]

Kicking foot usually goes in the back

[@mjp1102]

sorry for late response, doesnt matter really its all preference.

[@snazz5318]

i’m a righty and i put my left foot back and my right foot forward. but it’s whatever feels comfortable to you

[@MattCrowhurst]

Sorry about the late reply to this. So, there's no specific rule as to which is someone's lead foot other than what feels comfortable. I kick a ball with my right foot, wakeboarding for the most part left foot forward, wakesurf, surf and foil right foot forward and snowboard, skateboard right foot forward.
You can gauge what is the correct lead foot by which is your lead foot for other board sports, which foot you lead with in the blocks for a sprint race start, which is your lead foot when cruising on a bicycle. Whatever you decided before trying for the first time, you're body will let you know when you're out there and/or a good coach should be able to spot what is and isn't working.