10 Wakesurfing Tricks for Beginners

Get ready to elevate your wakesurfing game with a set of tricks and techniques that will serve as the building blocks for mastering more advanced maneuvers. Let's dive in and explore these essential skills in the recommended order from #1 to #10.

  1. Floater: Begin by riding on top of the wave for a brief moment. This trick helps beginners understand how to reach the wave's crest and experience the sensation of riding there.

  1. Ollie: Practice jumping the board off the water's surface. Start with the rope and away from the wave. Once you can lift the board out of the water, bring it over to the wave and incorporate it into your moves.

  1. Pumping: Master the art of riding the board up and down the wave to generate speed. Utilize the inside rail to push into the wave while driving the board down. Bend your knees and allow the board to climb back up the wave, minimizing speed loss. Challenge yourself to see how far back in the wave you can go and pump back towards the boat with power.

  1. Snap: Execute a sharp turn off the wave, creating a splash. Although primarily a surf-style trick, the snap benefits all riders. It enhances edge control, momentum generation, and upper-body swing.

  1. Board-Slides: These are floaters with a twist. Ride up on top of the wave and turn your board perpendicular to the wave and boat's path for a brief slide. Practice both frontside (facing the boat) and backside (facing away from the boat) board-slides. Mastering these variations will serve as the foundation for tricks like the BS 360 and BS Big Spin.

  1. Riding Switch: Embrace the underrated skill of riding switch. It might feel awkward at first, but it's essential for progression. Riding switch opens up opportunities to learn various spin and shuv variations.

  1. Riding Backside: Take advantage of modern boats that can switch the wave from one side to the other effortlessly. Riding backside requires bending your back knee and rotating at the waist, ensuring your chest faces the boat for optimal performance.

  1. Air: Experience the thrill of catching air by executing an Ollie off the wave's peak with rotational movement on the board. Generate momentum by pumping from the back of the wave towards the takeoff point at the top. Focus on pointing your front hand where you want to go and swinging your front arm away from the wave for a controlled landing.

  1. 360 Spin: It's the trick everyone desires, and it's a blast for surf and skim riders. Perform the 360 on top of the wave. Gain speed towards the boat, place your back hand in the wave for added stability, and start tracking up the wave. Look over your back shoulder until you spot the boat again. Remember, less is more, and if needed, visualize a 180 to control the spin's speed.

  1. Body Varial: Jump and spin your body while keeping the board in place. This trick helps you return to your desired stance after executing shuv or spin tricks. Start with a switch regular body varial, which allows for an easier landing in your dominant stance. Set up by turning your shoulders halfway, and ensure equal pressure on both feet while jumping to prevent the board from following you into the air.
Blog