Newb Question....Duecer

[xrated]

I started skiing just over 10 years ago. I have always been LFF since I started dropping and I can't for the life of me recall how I came to that conclusion. All I know is the guy who taught me said if I rode a skateboard with the LFF then I skied that way. Never had complaints with it for me .

 

However my wife started skiing last year a few times and being a good(smart) husband I shut my yap and let her and the few guys we went with give her advice. Well I know that with the the fact that she only went 3 times she isn't going to recall which foot she had forward the few times she dropped and was successful.

 

So how do I help her figure out which foot forward? And then how the heck to I figure out what grip she should be using? She is never going to be more then a 28mph open water skier, I just want to get her set and going so she can have the most enjoyment and I can be the least jerk husband possible in getting her going.

 

 

 

[Ed_Johnson]

Best advice I can give is the foot you use to kick a football or a soccer ball is the foot you put forward.

For hands, RFF then Right Palm down, LFF then Left Palm down.

[xrated]

Well craps with that advice I've been doing it wrong. See if it works for her though. Only 4.5 months until soft water, so 5 or 6 months until she jumps in.

[Wish]

Have her ride 2 skis, lift one and ride for a bit. Then switch. Which ever ski is easier to ride on is the foot that is forward and the foot that's lifted is the foot that goes in back when she tries one ski. Right foot forward RFF is right palm down and LFF is left palm down.

[Ed_Johnson]

How about standing on one foot and seeing which one you balance best on and put that one forward.

Also would be interesting to see how many skiers are right handed and right foot forward or left handed and left foot forward.

I know I am Right handed, kick with my right foot, balance best on my right foot, and ski RFF.

[Than_Bogan]

There's a lot of ways to make a decent guess, but I think Wish's method is most reliable.

 

Growing up, there were 4 kids: me, my brother, and two cousins. In these 4 people we had all 4 of the possible combinations of handedness and foot forward!

 

Also keep in mind that it doesn't matter THAT much.

[jipster43]

I've always used OB's method - only in reverse. I push from behind without warning and whatever foot hits the water first is the front foot.

[Wish]

So I just shoved my daughter several times and it kinda worked but not 100%. After about the 10th time she just seemed to get ticked.

[Nick Sullivan]

I do this on the Platform and have them face the lake. Then without them expecting it push them in the water and watch what leg they throw out there first. I love doing this, I look forward to the oportunity!

[Taelan28]

Props on being a good spouse in general by not giving her tips. I've never been married, but I've watched and listened closely to a few growing up. Neither party wants the other one telling them what to do and at the end of the day the advice you give never really matters.

[Horton]

Wait until she is sunbathing with bikini straps off.... ice water.... shoe found in you butt is the correct foot forward.

[Ed_Johnson]

Agree===That proves it's the one you kick with !!!!

[Horton]

exactly

[Ryno]

I agree with the above comments regarding the push in the back to ascertain which foot forward.

 

The problem I find in chatting to most weekend warriors, is that they refer to left foot forward as "natural" and right foot forward as "goofy". The same as in surfing.

This is the wrong way to look at deciding which foot forward as there is no correlation; ie, you stand sideways on a surfboard/skateboard/wakeboard/snowboard etc, and you stand straight with shoulders toward the boat on a slalom ski.

 

I'm right footed/handed in everything I do, I surf left foot forward (natural) and yet I slalom right foot forward.

Go with the push in the back method, and if someone starts talking about being natural or goofy footed, walk away, they're stupid.

 

[Dusty]

FWIW- I try to do most everything from the same semi-athletic stance- throw a ball, a punch, a fly line, swing a bat, shoot, I have a 'goofy foot' stance at throwing darts, but I don't know why...