How to Get Air on a Wakeboard

Oh yeah, this is why you learned to wakeboard: air. Flying. Start low and work your way higher - you can't jump if you get hurt. Once you get the fundamentals down pat, then you can start adding tweaks and grabs.

Things You'll Need

  • Life Jackets
  • Ski Boats
  • Wakeboard
  • Water Ski Ropes
  • Wet Suits
Show More

Instructions

  1. Bunny Hop

    • 1

      Ride directly behind the boat.

    • 2

      Lean back slightly to slow down and load the rope with tension.

    • 3

      Bend your knees and push down on the tail of your board.

    • 4

      Jump and pull your knees up beneath you as you hop into the air - an action similar to an ollie in skateboarding. The resistance of the water on your tail as you push down, combined with the tension of the rope, will fling you into the air. Pulling your legs up adds extra height.

    • 5

      Land with your weight only slightly back.

    • 6

      Practice for more height and greater comfort. Keep the whole action one smooth motion.

    • 7

      Time your hops off bumps in the water.

    Wake Air

    • 8

      Learn to bunny hop first. You'll catch some air naturally just by crossing the wake with speed, but combining the skills is when you really start flying.

    • 9

      Start outside the wake.

    • 10

      Bend your knees and lean against the boat to load the line with tension as you start cutting toward the wake.

    • 11

      Cut quickly toward the wake, increasing rope tension as you go.

    • 12

      Keep cutting until you hit the lip of the wake - you want to keep the rope loaded until you're actually in the air.

    • 13

      Pop a bunny hop at the very lip of the wake and fly into the air.

    • 14

      Pull your knees up and level the board off in the air for maximum height.

    • 15

      Land and keep riding.