| Double Ups: | | | | unlike never before. If you can, go for a grab you |
| Wakeboard double ups can be one of the most | | | | are comfortable with like maybe a mute grab or a |
| exciting aspects involved in the sport. There truly is | | | | nose grab. You will most likely be able to hold the |
| nothing like the feeling you get the first time you hit | | | | grabber longer than any wake jump you have ever |
| a double up on a wakeboard. Many beginners will | | | | done. |
| watch one of the best wakeboard dvd or a rider in | | | | Once you get your timing down and can consistently |
| person hit a double up and after seeing the immense | | | | hit double ups, the next step is to start using the |
| amount of air these guys are getting, immediately | | | | extra air and hangtime you are getting to start to |
| want to learn how to hit one. It is amazing | | | | learn new wakeboard tricks. The extra time in the air |
| sometimes to see how much vertical pop a pro | | | | from a double up can give you that little bit of extra |
| wakeboarder can get off a good double up. In the | | | | help that you might be lacking when trying to take |
| quest of how to drive the perfect double up, the | | | | your 540 to a 720. Or it might give you a little more |
| boat driver is as every bit important as the | | | | time to try a new tail grab on your heelside roll to |
| rider’s timing of it. The most simplistic was of | | | | revert. The only wakeboard double inverts that have |
| looking at it is if the boat driver does not drive a | | | | been done were accomplished off double up. |
| proper double up then there will be no way a | | | | Recently Rusty Malinoski, Aaron Rathy, Brad Smeele, |
| wakeboarder can hit it, simply because there will be | | | | and Danny Harf have all landed 1080’s using |
| nothing there to jump. When first learning how to | | | | double ups. Harf even landed a 1260 once. This is just |
| drive wakeboard double ups it is best to start in an | | | | more proof that by using double ups as a tool you |
| area of the lake where there is not much boat | | | | can definitely increase the level of you wakeboarding |
| traffic. You don’t want to have a lot of people | | | | progression. |
| coming near or around you when executing the turns | | | | While double ups are by far one of the most fun |
| involved in swinging a double up, nor do you need | | | | things about the sport, be weary that pushing it too |
| boat traffic swarming if your rider falls. Also it is best | | | | much or freak accidents do happen and that a lot of |
| to choose an area of the lake or river which is fairly | | | | wakeboarding injuries occur from hitting double ups. |
| wide so you have ample time to set up your pre-turn | | | | There are numerous stories about people blowing |
| and turn when driving a double up. The example I will | | | | acl’s on a double up or breaking other bones. So |
| give will be for a regular footed rider, so opposite | | | | just heed the caution and don’t get too carried |
| directions will be needed for goofy footed riders. | | | | away. One way to help safeguard against the |
| Most beginner wakeboarders hitting their first double | | | | wakeboarding injuries is to make sure you have a set |
| up will want to approach it from the heelside, as this | | | | of tight durable wakeboard bindings. Hyperlite bindings |
| will be much easier the first time than to time, jump, | | | | have always served me well and have lasted and |
| and land a toeside double up. The boat driver will | | | | been durable for me through the years. Liquid Force, |
| need to first make a 45 degree turn to the left. This | | | | CWB, and SlingShot also carry reputable wakeboard |
| will send your roller wake headed down the lake in | | | | bindings that have proven themselves over the |
| your former direction that you will eventually hit to | | | | years. The padded foam and EVA material combined |
| combine the two wakes that will create the double | | | | with option 2 straps and cynch laces and Hinge Tech |
| up. Next, take a smooth, long turn to the right all the | | | | technology are all wakeboard bindings innovations |
| way until the bow of the boat is pointed | | | | that have improved the quality over the years that |
| perpendicular to the roller that was created earlier in | | | | can help to prevent against getting hurt. The CWB |
| the first pre-turn. Line the boat up, and make sure | | | | wakeboard bindings have really improved and I for |
| that the correct speed is achieved and maintained, as | | | | one was really impressed with the hinge when it first |
| a wakeboarder could get seriously hurt if the boat | | | | came out. But even with all these advancements in |
| drivers accelerates through the double up. If all this is | | | | technology, wakeboarding injuries can still occur just |
| done correctly, all else is left for the wakeboarder is | | | | because of the big air nature of the sport. Another |
| timing the double up. How do you time a double up | | | | problem that used to occur when coming down from |
| correctly? The main thing most beginner’s need | | | | a high double up jump was the feet going through |
| to focus on when timing a double up is to focus on | | | | the toe hole in open toe bindings. The closed toe |
| one of the three roller’s and decide which one to | | | | wakeboard binding has helped to prevent this from |
| hit. Almost any wakeboard dvd can provide good | | | | happening and also helps to stabilize the rider’s |
| footage to study and to watch how the pros take | | | | ankle and provide better support. The point of all this |
| their time and meet the double ups at just the right | | | | is to be careful and know your limits when |
| timing. The first roller will be the easiest to hit while | | | | attempting to hit double ups if you’re a |
| the third roller will be the largest and more difficult to | | | | wakeboarding beginner. Even the most seasoned |
| time. Try to time it where the nose of your | | | | professional wakeboarders can get hurt doing tricks |
| wakeboard and the roller are meeting at the wake at | | | | off the double up, which means it can be just as |
| exactly the same time. It may take a few times to | | | | dangerous if not more for beginners. |
| get your timing down but the first time you hit a | | | | Check out my site Learn to wakeboard for beginners |
| double up you will know it as you will get boosted | | | | for any and all things wakeboarding. |