Wakeboarding Age: When is it Ok to Teach Them to Ride?

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Have you considered teaching your children to wakeboard? Wakeboarding would be a great uniting experience for your children and a great chance for you to learn so much about them. However, recognizing when it is appropriate to teach your kids to ride is a critical factor to consider.

It’s a lot of fun instructing kids how to wakeboard. Having professional coaches, all of whom are certified to work with kids, will have your children up and out of water in no time. Wakeboarding can generally begin at six, but if your children are comfortable and confident in the water, they can begin earlier. 

Teaching your children to wakeboard from the ground up and watching them prosper is one of the most eye-opening experiences any parent can have. Of course, it won’t be easy, there will be obstacles and irritations as they may say they wouldn’t be capable of doing it, but they will be able to manage just fine.

You will, however, need to be extra cautious, watchful, and involved throughout. You have to ensure that the training is as simple and fun.

How old should you have to be to wakeboard?

Wakeboarding has captured the public’s attention since its inception. Everyone who enjoys water sports has done it at least once. With wakeboarding becoming the newest craze, you’re probably wondering if it’s time for your child to learn how to wakeboard.

Wakeboarding will satisfy your cravings and is a relatively simple sport to learn. Unlike many other water sports activities, wakeboarding has a pleasingly abrupt learning curve and depends on your child’s confidence. 

There is no real age limit for wakeboarding; it often depends on the company or coach you choose to tutor your child, as some companies may require a minimum of 8 years old, while others may require a minimum of 6 or 7. Also, your child’s confidence is a call for concern.

Below are several suggestions for helping your child gain the trust to stand on a wakeboard and enjoy the exercise as exceedingly as you intended. So, let’s get started.

Locate the Proper Equipment.

The worst part you can do is give your child the same equipment you used when you first started. kindly choose the one that is best suited to their age.

These are available locally or online in sporting goods stores. When purchasing a board for your child, some of the factors to consider are their foot size and weight. 

For beginners, the rope size varies as well. It is preferable to use a 65-foot or shorter rope rather than the standard 50-70-foot rope. Most importantly, don’t forget about the life jackets.

Have the Proper Setup.

Begin Short and Slow. One of the greatest things discovered over the years is to start kids closer to the boat, rather than on a long rope and within a safe distance. A landlocked rope has been the ideal length during their first one or two rounds.

The shorter rope makes it very easy to pull them up and much easier to return the handle if they fall. The first step is to drag learners slowly, getting them used to the sensation of being dragged and pushing their board in opposition to the water as they drag.

When they can apply pressure in opposition to the water while leaning back, curving their arms, and squatting, they can speed up and pull themselves up.

They don’t have to go operating on the long rope unless they can consistently rise on the short rope.

There should be one person giving directions and many people cheering.

There is nothing more frustrating than failing repeatedly and having ten different people give you contrasting advice on what to do.

Identify one person to give corrections, and everyone else should cheer as flamboyantly as possible whenever any improvements are made!

If the child isn’t getting up, the best advice anyone can give them is to remember them to be seated like they’re in a seat, lean back, and let the boat drag them up.

Inform them of what to expect. 

For some children, merely setting them out there in the water and informing them to allow the boat to drag them up will suffice, but for the majority, it will not.

If possible, an adult wearing a lifejacket should sit inside the water alongside the child, but they should be left behind during takeoff. 

The person inside the water or on the boat giving them directions can make them understand what will occur- that the boat will begin to leave the rope, get stretched, and begin to pull them slightly.

But they should sit back with their arms twisted, and then they will yell go, allowing the boat to pull them up.

Choose a Location.

It is best to begin at a location where the water is fairly smooth and flat. To reduce the risk of accidents, make sure it is not a popular wakeboarding or boating spot.

Starting your children at a lower level will allow them to enjoy the exercise without becoming frustrated or exhausted.

Be Conscious of Your Speed.

Furthermore, you should be aware of your speed. The rider’s weight and size also determine the ideal speed. However, maintaining a steady speed of 14 mph is suitable in most situations. 

Children’s Wakeboarding Advantages.

Wakeboarding is a fantastic method to get children to exercise and stay healthy in a fun way. It’s a good way to keep your kids entertained if you’re trying to get them away from iPads and computer games.

 It gives them a great adrenaline rush, but it also gives them a good sense of accomplishment, which often arrives from having participated in a sport that their classmates have never tried.

Become more social.

 Your children can enjoy wakeboarding with family and friends. Wakeboarding provides a healthy advantage for a family’s bond to be strengthened.

It’s also a great way for your children to make new friends and meet new people.

Health benefits.

The sport also has numerous health benefits, such as core strength, resistance tutoring with low effect on joints, muscle tonnage, and burning up to 500 calories an hour.

Contrary to popular belief, these sports have very little impact on the body when taught correctly.

 It is strongly advised to use only experienced teachers for the first time, as the proper position and method can help build strength and balance instead of putting the body under unnecessary strain.

Conclusion.

Wakeboarding can be an interesting exercise for children as it also has a lot of benefits (health, social, mental, and physical) attached to it.

But there is no particular age limit for waterboarding as it all depends on the child’s confidence and the parents’ readiness to assist the child in the sport.