How to keep your bearings doing a flip on a wakeboard?

Question

O.K. I have been wakeboarding for 8 years now, and for the last 2 I have been trying an occasional flip (Roll Revert and sometimes a regular Roll). Only problem is I can never fully land it, and mainly just hope for the best. I cannot see how people spot their landings while spinning upsidown. What should I do?

Answer 1

You may not be able to do anything.  What you need to develop is your internal gravity orientation sense.  You may be able to learn to improve it if you realize what it is.  Divers (diving boards) , gymnasts and other sport enthusiasts normally develop the sense automatically as it is needed. I think it's closely related to your sense of balance which also requires a good sense for which way is down.   I remember watching Circus of the Stars years ago and they had Greg Louganis, a diver, walking around the outside of a circular cage as it was rotated, while he was blindfolded.  The trick went wrong, and the cage suddenly rotated much more quickly than planned.  Greg's internal sense of gravity took over and he simply quickened his pace on the outside of the cage.  His sense of balance and gravity made it look easy.

I guess if you practice diving and doing flips and other tasks that require use of balance you'll probably feel more in control when wake boarding.  You even get an advantage because the tow rope should give you a good reference to work with.