How to Do a Backflip on a Kneeboard

Not everyone can do a backflip on a kneeboard, but those fit enough who practice it over and over should be able to accomplish it. Kneeboarding tricks of any kind require some skill and practice, so you should master easier tricks before attempting advanced tricks such as a backflip. To do a backflip, you need at least to be able to jump the wake because you need to be able to get the required lift off the water in order to be able to get a full revolution and land the trick without crashing.

Things You'll Need

  • Ski boat
  • Water skiing rope with handle
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Instructions

    • 1

      Start your approach from as far outside the wake as possible, even parallel to the boat, then make a hard cut toward the wake. You can make a hard cut by relaxing the pull that got you so far from the boat in the first place, and pointing your board toward the wake. Hold the handle with both hands. Try to hit the wake at a 90-degree angle.

    • 2

      Make your body rigid and straight up and down while keeping the board flat right before you hit the wake. Focus on getting as much air as possible off the wake. Hit the wake and let your board ride up the wake wave until you hit the top of it.

    • 3

      Throw your head directly back right at the top of the wake as you take off and pull the handle toward the hip positioned closer to the boat. Let go of the handle with the hand on the side of your body positioned further form the boat.

    • 4

      Pull your knees to your chest while keeping the handle right at your waist as close to your body as possible. The motion of the jump and you throwing your head backward will have sent you into a backward rotation. Keep a tight rotation with your knees to chest and handle at your waist.

    • 5

      Hit the water with the nose of the board slightly up, after rotating through the backflip completely. If you hit the water a bit down, you're more likely to crash. The goal is to hit the back of the board on the water, first, and as you do this you take most of the impact on the back of the board. After impact, let the board and your knees absorb the shock of the landing and keep pulling the rope.