When you’re getting started with the sport, you’ll soon want to learn tricks. After all, that’s most of the fun when it comes to wakeboarding because it offers variety and a constant challenge. When learning, though, as much as it’s important to push your limits, it is equally important to take baby steps.

Want to know one sure-fire way to a catastrophic wipeout? Becoming quickly over-confident and attempting a trick beyond your capabilities. We don’t want to limit you in any way, however, these tricks are a good starting point for beginner wakeboarders.

Ride Switch

It’s something many beginners tend to avoid because it feels very limiting. However, being able to ride switch and learning it early on will offer you a lot more flexibility in the long run when you start to progress onto more advanced tricks.

Progressive Toeside Edge

Being able to edge effectively is crucial when wakeboarding as it sets you up for your tricks and allows you to get that necessary height. Progressive is the key word here, meaning to gradually build your speed (and edge) into the wake before the pop. When you hit the wake, you should be at the maximum edge. It’ll take a while to get the timing perfected and have the confidence to go into it without hesitation.

Surface 180

This almost goes hand in hand with learning how to ride switch. A surface 180 is a relatively simple trick but can see many beginners wipe out face first, due to catching an edge. The key here is to keep it controlled and steady. It’s easy to panic and try to switch too quickly. Try to bring the handle from one hip to the other, while transferring weight between your feet.

Wake to Wake

Learning how to nail a wake to wake will force you to concentrate on your approach to the wake, the timing of your pop, your body position in the air and your landing. These are all important components that make up the basis for other, more complex tricks. You’ll not be able to nail everything at once, and it’s important to build it up step by step.

Ollie

Again, this is one of the first stepping stones to other advanced tricks and will make you focus on your weight distribution, timing, and balance. Nailing the ollie is all about the weight transfer onto your back foot, then lifting up your front, and pushing up from your rear foot to take yourself into the air.