Wakeboarding: Recommendations and materials

Wakeboarding is a water sport that requires, mainly, large spaces such as the sea or a lake in which to make circuits, take advantage of the waves produced by the same boat to which the board is attached to practice wakeboarding.

Wakeboarding is a combination of snowboarding and water skiing. You ride on a board and hold on to a rope that is attached to a boat. The goal is to stay on your feet the whole time and, if you dare, to do acrobatics. What do you think?

To enjoy this sport you need to have a certain level of fitness as the boat slides you through the water while you have to be able to stand upright. Wakeboarding is a very demanding sport.

Wakeboarding for health

As we all know, doing sports in itself is beneficial to one’s health and well-being, whether it’s running, walking, doing push-ups or riding a bike.

Practicing on a wakeboard greatly strengthens the body and improves muscle tone. Would you like to know more about the benefits of wakeboarding? Here we go!

• Mainly it is a sport that helps you burn calories, as it has a fairly large caloric expenditure. It is estimated that you can burn between 300-500 calories per session or wakeboarding class. Keep in mind that this sport is a high intensity sport, which means that once the session is over, your body continues to burn calories for a period of time.
• Of course, it is a sport that helps to improve the muscle tone of the whole body. Practicing wakeboarding requires work of the whole body, both to avoid falling and to do pirouettes if you are daring. It is a sport that strengthens the arms, abdomen, legs, back… it is a very complete sport.
• It is the same as snowboarding but, in this case, it is practiced on the water and on a rope. The only difference is that you have to be constantly aware of the waves, if there are any, and you have to surf them and try not to fall.

We must not forget that any sport helps to release adrenaline, tension and of course the stress that drives us all crazy. Doing sport segregates endorphins, which makes us forget about anxiety and depression and helps us feel better.

Of course, wakeboarding is a sport with a certain level of risk because of the bumps, we must practice wakeboarding with care, we must inform ourselves in advance if we can practice this sport.

Basic recommendations for wakeboarding

• Pay attention to what the instructor says. First of all, listen to each and every one of the indications and advice given by the instructor. You will fall as many times as you had imagined or more.
• It’s a tough sport. It is a very hard sport for both arms and legs. However, if you practice wakeboarding continuously, you will tone your arms immediately. At the beginning, being a sport that you don’t know, you will be more tense and you will get tired faster, then your posture will relax and you won’t get tired so quickly.
• Falling into the water hurts. Be careful and pay close attention to the instructor.
• Always keep your arms straight and let the boat lift you up and carry you.
• Be careful where you put your arms. Don’t forget to leave the palonier below your hip, never raise it.
• Always look ahead.
• It is advisable to use a life jacket even if you know how to swim perfectly. You will be much less tired in case you fall off and have to wait for the boat to come back to you.
• Use a rope according to your experience. When you are a beginner it is easier to stand up if you use a short rope, besides it is a way to better listen to each and every one of the instructor’s indications. When you have enough experience you will feel comfortable with a long rope and you could do all the acrobatics you want. It is only advisable to do stunts if you wakeboard with a long rope.
• Watch your position. Bend your knees and stay low until you are out of the water and can stand up straight. Work your way up to standing and distribute your weight evenly.
• Time. Don’t despair, relax and take the time you need, you will see that in no time you will be an expert on the wakeboard.

Basic wakeboarding equipment

In this and all sports, at the beginning it is always advisable to rent the equipment because we do not know if we will like this sport as to practice it often.

• A wetsuit. You will be able to choose between different thicknesses, depending on where you wakeboard the water will be at one temperature or another.
• Life jacket. Most water sports require a life jacket to protect us and tire us as little as possible in case we fall into the water. There are vests that are considered standard vests that are approved and vests for people who are considered advanced riders who wear impact vests. These vests are designed to offer buoyancy and protection.
• The helmet. It is a key piece of security.
• The wakeboard. You have to think about many factors such as the size, that it is a fast board … Always get advice from people who know about this sport.
• The wakeboard boots. Make sure they are as comfortable as possible and in your size.
• The rope. If you are a beginner use a universal wakeboard, when you start to be more pro, think about buying a more specific rope to practice this fun sport.