When it comes to learning how to wakeboard, it’s only natural that finding out how to achieve good wakeboard jumps is something that beginner wakeboarders want to learn right away. Can’t say I blame them! That’s because many beginners have quickly worked out that approaching the wake jump correctly is the doorway to all kinds of fancy, crowd-pleasing maneuvers and tricks.

The secret to successful wakeboarding jumps is not high speed. The secret lies rather in a nice progressive edge towards the wake whilst maintaining a tight tow-rope. You begin by smoothly rolling out of your turn and then gently edging towards the wake. Some good advice: don’t turn too fast because if you end up with some slackness in the rope – you may be yanked frontward, off balance.

The secret to successful wakeboarding jumps is not determined by lift, either. It’s not about how hard you try to lift off the wake – it’s all about how you manage the tow-rope tension – is truly the key when it comes to successful, good-looking wake jumps. It’s also worth mentioning well-controlled timing, too. Popping that wake with taut, rigid tow-rope tension is another key to well-managed wake jumps.

Now that we have learned the importance of maintaining a tight tow-rope, we need to examine the four approaches. Go now to Part Two.