Water Polo is a physically demanding water sport that non-players have a very difficult time understanding. Now imagine running as fast as you can for an hour but only being able to breathe half as many times as you would have liked. Now imagine all of the above but at the same time there is a person running next to you and kicking you in the gut every few minutes. Now you might begin to understand what it is like to play a game of water polo.

The basic game consists of the players sprinting up and down the length of the pool for an hour while trying to throw the polo ball into the goal. Furthermore players are not allowed to use the bottom of the pool to their advantage and hence most players simply choose to tread water the entire game instead of risking a penalty.

Because half of the game is taking place underwater the high level of contact in the sport can get out of hand quickly. It is not uncommon to be guarding another player who is kicking you underwater during the entire duration of the game. Also there are many common tactics that most coaches encourage that involving pushing off your opponents or twisting their arm in such a manner as to gain an edge in sprinting away from them.

After taking several blows to the stomach or groin even the most even tempered player will begin to look for opportunities to elbow their opponent in the face. This is one of the easiest hits to get away with as it looks very similar to a basic arm stroke if done correctly.

There is one position that gets particularly physical and that is the Hole-Set and the opposing Hole-Set defender. The Hole-Set is positioned right in front of the goal, similar to a center position in basketball. With their close proximity to the goal the opposing team guards this player closely. Not only are they close to the goal, but they are the key playmaker.

Lastly, the game gets vicious when shots are taken on the goalie. Goalies must have exceptional treading water skills because they must be able to remain out of the water from waist up for a period of several seconds. If they are unable to tread waist high out of the water for several seconds they will sink back down into the pool and at that time the shooter will have a wide open opportunity to score. The goalies often do not have enough time to get their hands out of the water if a unsuspected shot is taken, and as a result it is not uncommon for goalies to get hit in the face.

If you are a beginner or you have never been wakeboarding before, a large wakeboard would be an perfect size to start off with. This is because larger boards have a greater surface area that is exposed with the water, providing greater buoyancy and more stability to the rider. The size of the board has to be right for the rider because if it is too small, the board will not be able to support their weight and making them more likely to sink and if it is too large, it will be too difficult to manoeuvre. However, if you are a more advanced rider, a smaller board provides more control, allowing you to pull off tricks much easier.

A board with square ends are ideal for beginners as this shape makes the board glide slowly through the water as it makes contact with the straight edge of the front of the board. A slower board means that the rider has more time to react to the water and have more control over their actions. A board with more rounded edges are more suited to riders with a bit more experience in the sport as this offers greater ability to pull off surface tricks but offers less stability and are harder to land from a jump.

When it comes to making jumps off wakes, the width of the board at the centre should be considered. Boards with narrow down centre make it more difficult to get height from a jump as less of the board hits the wake and therefore less propulsion into the air. They are also harder to land from jumps as they have a smaller surface area. Despite being harder to control on the surface of the water, boards with a wider centre are better for getting good air as more of the board hits the wake and they are easier to land.

The rocker (the bend in the board) can influence control and speed of the board and there are generally two types of rockers; the continuous rocker and the three-stage rocker. The continuous rocker is one where the board has a smooth bend from top to bottom. The advantage of having a continuous rocker is that the rider can obtain greater speeds as there is less friction between the board and water. A board with a three-stage rocker is similar to a skateboard when it has 2 noticeable bends in it but not as drastically. These types of boards are ideal for beginners as they ride slower due to the water hitting the bend in the board but they also enable the rider to get good height when jumping off a wake.