How to Find Your Stance and Set Up Wakeboard Bindings

Photo: Stephan Jende

If learning how to wakeboard is on your summer bucket list, you’ll want to be sure you have all of the knowledge and gear needed to get off on the right foot! You’ll first want to check out our wakeboard shop to find the perfect wakeboard and bindings for you. Be sure to also read our post on best wakeboards for beginners as you’re looking for something that’s great for learning.

Now that you have your gear picked out, what’s next? Before you can get out behind the boat, there’s a few more steps you’ll need to complete. You’ll need to know how to find your stance as well as how to set up your wakeboard bindings so that your feet stay secure the entire time you ride.

What’s your stance?

Before you can set up your wakeboard bindings, you’ll need to find your wakeboarding stance. Your wakeboarding stance refers to how you will be standing on your board—which direction you will be facing, how far apart your feet should be, etc.

First, determine whether you ride regular or goofy. Riding regular is when your left foot is closer to the tip of your board and you will be facing the right. Riding goofy is the opposite—your right foot is forward, and you will be facing the left.

How do you figure out which way you ride? If you skateboard or snowboard, you probably already know which way feels more comfortable for you. If you’re unsure, one way to figure out whether you ride regular or goofy is to have someone push you from behind to see which foot you catch yourself with. If you step forward with your right foot, it means you’ll be riding regular and if it’s with your left foot, then riding goofy will feel more natural for you.

After figuring out whether you’re regular or goofy, you’ll want to figure out how far apart and where on your board you’ll want to place your bindings as well as the angles your feet should be. Some beginners will want to start off with what is called the recreational stance. This stance is helpful for deepwater starts as well as learning the basics, like getting up and staying up, as well as learning simple tricks. With this wakeboarding stance, your back binding will be placed as far back on the board as possible at zero degrees. This will give you plenty of stability. Your front binding will be at a 15–27-degree angle pointed toward the front of your board and will be placed 2-3 holes from the center of the binding plate. This is an asymmetrical stance which means that you are not centered on your board.

Many wakeboarders, however, prefer to ride with a symmetrical stance which allows them to ride switch and makes tricks easier. No matter which wakeboarding stance you choose, be sure that you feel comfortable.

Having your feet too close together on the board can cause you to feel less stable and put too much stress on your knees. With a wider wakeboarding stance, you will feel more stable, but be careful not to have your feet too far apart as this can cause injury as well. A good rule of thumb is to keep your feet just slightly wider than your shoulders with your toes pointed out as if you’re doing a squat for a good combination of stability and preventing injury to your knees or back.

How to set up your wakeboard bindings

Now that you know your wakeboarding stance, it’s time to set up your wakeboard bindings. One thing to note is that almost all modern wakeboards use the M6 mounting hardware and 6-inch binding plates. However, Liquid Force 4D bindings are only compatible with boards that feature their original FlexTrack system. Instead of the wakeboard having holes for mounting, it has a track that you attach the bindings to instead, so be sure to keep this in mind when you’re selecting your new gear and before you set up your wakeboard bindings. With most wakeboards, though, you will simply screw the bindings into place, lining them up with the hole pattern on the board and matching them to the stance you have determined.

Once you’ve set up your wakeboard bindings and have them secure, slide your feet into them and make sure your stance feels comfortable before getting into the water. Now you’re ready to ride! Hopefully, this has been a helpful guide in learning how to find your stance and set up wakeboard bindings. Be sure to also check out these top tips for learning how to wakeboard if you’re just starting out. We hope you have a great time out on the water!