Beginner Level Wakesurfing Tricks
Ready to elevate your wakesurfing game? Once you've mastered the basics of riding the wave and maintaining your balance, it's time to add style, flair, and technical skill to your sessions. These beginner tricks will transform you from a confident rider into an impressive shredder.
Prerequisites: Are You Ready for Beginner Tricks?
Before diving into these tricks, make sure you've got these fundamentals locked down:
Essential Skills You Need:
Rope-free riding: You should be comfortable letting go of the rope and maintaining your position in the pocket for at least 30-60 seconds
Basic balance: You can ride without constant wobbling or fighting to stay upright
Wave positioning: You understand where the "sweet spot" or pocket is and can stay in it consistently
Simple turns: You can shift your weight heel-side and toe-side to make gentle directional changes
Controlled falling: You know how to bail safely when things go wrong
If you're still white-knuckling the rope or struggling to stay upright for more than a few seconds, spend more time on the fundamentals first. There's no rush—solid basics make everything else easier and more fun.
Wakesurf Tips: Pumping the Wave
Pumping is how you generate speed and maintain your position on the wave without relying on the boat's power alone. It's one of those skills that separates riders who just survive on the wave from riders who can really work it. Think of pumping as your gas pedal—master this, and you unlock a whole new level of control.
Two Types of Pumping
1. Pumping to Catch the Boat
This is your rescue pump when you're losing the wave and need to get back into the pocket fast.
How to Practice:
Keep the rope in your hands while you practice, extended to its maximum length
Let yourself drift back far on the wave until you start losing push
Make quick, small hops on the toes of your board
These are tight, compact movements—think little bounces rather than big swoops
Each hop brings you closer to the wave and back toward the boat
Pro Tip: Make it a game—let yourself fall back on purpose, then pump your way forward. The more comfortable you get with this rescue pump, the more confident you'll be exploring different parts of the wave
2. Pumping to Generate Speed
This style is for power—bigger, more aggressive, and designed to build serious momentum for tricks.
How to Execute:
Use your whole body, not just your legs
Swing your back arm to help generate momentum down the wave
Create a bigger, swooping motion rather than small hops
Drive down the face of the wave with intention
Think "carve and drive" instead of "hop and bounce"
The Key Difference: Speed pumps are all about using the wave's face as your runway. You're carving down and driving through, using your back arm and full body rotation to maximize momentum.
Pro Tip: Watch your body position—your head should stay relatively level while your legs and lower body do most of the work.
Common Mistakes:
Bouncing straight up and down instead of working with the wave's angle
Using only your legs instead of engaging your whole body for speed pumps
Pumping too aggressively when you just need to catch up (small hops work better)
Once you've got both types of pumping dialed, you'll have the speed and control you need for almost every other trick in your arsenal.