What to do over to winter

[Jane2014]

Hi there. Love the wakeboard thing but unfortunately, it does not love me. ( I fall a lot.) Our boat is out of commission for the rest of the boating season but we will be getting a new one next summer - a Moomba. Does anyone have any advise on exercises to do over the winter that would help me when I start up again. I downhill ski and have been working out on a Skier's Edge machine which does not help with the wakeboard type stance but does with my water skiing. I'm hoping to try snowboarding but am a little nervous about that. I don't heal like I used to. Any ideas would help.

Thanks to all who replied to my question on staying behind the boat instead of drifting out to the side of the boat. I'm trying - just not working yet. Maybe next summer.

[el-tio]

go snowboarding and if you don't heal like you used too, think about some dainese padded shorts, and get some wrist guards.

check them out here www.dainese.com

[harryhog]

u'll find that the skier's edge does actually help with the muscles that u use for wakeboarding (alot more than u'd think).

if u imagine, when u land on the water ure body carries on going, and ure feet stop with the board. this puts loads of strain on the sides of your legs (hips, and knees).

the skiers edge will help strengthen the lateral ligaments and muscles around these joints. most exercises only work the front and back muscles, so its a really good idea to keep using the skiers edge to prevent any damage.

another tool u might consider is a balance board, this works in a similar (but less dynamic) way. but will help strengthen ure ankles and knees all the same due to the fast twitch nature of the muscles when u use it.

also, get to the gym and do some weights on all the muscles in ure legs!!!

[Mr Bean]

If you only ski/snowboard a couple of times a season that won't help your fitness sufficiently.

There are lot's of parallels between snow and wakeboarding for the people I have taught to wakeboard who already snowboard pick it up much faster.

The key to learning to snowboard is to stick at it consistently for 4 days. Most skiers give up after a day or two 'cos they're not enjoying it and could be having fun ski-ing. You'll bang your head and your butt many times during the first couple of days but by the middle of day 3 it will begin to come together. By day 4 you will start to really enjoy it.

I learned to snowboard and wakeboard in my mid 40's and love 'em both. I also love ski-ing the slalom course (the water based version, not downhill) and personally I believe this to be far more demanding technically and stamina-wise than boarding.

I can snow board and wakeboard all day if I wish. Four runs of 6 passes on the slalom course and I'm buggered!

[junkfoodjunky128]

thats really cool mr bean, but showing off to jane2014 isnt going to help jane2014 to do exercises. i dont mean to be rude or anything, but aren't you a little old for sports like these? im not saying im better than you or anything, u r probably better than be. anyways... :P

JANE2014, just try swimming w/those kind of 1/2 pound weights that rap around your ankles and wrists for 30 min every day. worked for me

SORRY MR BEAN IF I SOUNDED RUDE

[Mr Bean]

Originally Posted by junkfoodjunky128

but aren't you a little old for sports like these?

What :?: :!:

So you're gonna lay down in a darkened room from age 30 onwards, eh :?:

And given that Jane has said she doesn't heal like she used to, I'd be careful what you say regarding age.

Your comment sounds like something a 13 year old would say.

And I wasn't showing off, just trying to explain that the only way to keep for for a sport is either to do it or do something very, very similar. Jane doesn't currently snowboard and is wary of it. I'm just saying don't be.

If you can wakeboard, you can snowboard but there's a steep learning curve for a few days until it suddenly clicks.

Living where I do I only get a couple of pilgrimages to the Alps per year so any fitness I gain from snowboarding doesn't help with my wakeboarding. However, I am sure the feel of the board and the stance helps a lot.