Coaching questions about body alignment for Brooks.

[Horton]

A large percentage of my coaching involves trying to get skiers more stacked. Over the years different approaches have fallen in and out of favor. Hips up, handle down, squeeze your butt cheeks, shoulders back, drive your knees forward and think about boobies are all things I've heard said to skiers to bring their body into alignment.

 

Do you focus on this with students?

 

If so how do you approach it?

 

[brooks]

good question, I focus on telling people to be in a shoulders over hips over feet position, I wrote an article somewhat on this topic for the waterskier and it can be found here http://www.thewilsonbroscom/2012/02/fluidity-in-movement.html but I will talk about some more of it.

 

Most people think about this position too late, they think of it after they turn and then realize their hips are behind. I try to get people into this place straight out of the turn by getting them to bring their hand back to the handle at the same time their ski comes under the rope. A lot of people end up reaching to the handle too early and it forces them to turn prematurely with their ski behind and hips dropped back. by bringing your hand back to the handle as your ski comes under you finish your turn with the hips up to the handle and then you can hold this position through the wake. I also get people to be in the right position as they pull out for the gate. By being in the right position from the start you are more likely to hold it throughout the pass.

 

Hope this helps. Book some sets with me by checking out the coaching section on my site.

[Horton]

Us RFF guys can nail this pretty easy on the gate but when I watch left foot forward skiers lose their hips turning in I usually just go get a beer. Do you have any extra wisdom here?

[brooks]

obviously us righties have a bit of an advantage going toeside on the way out but a leftie can still be good at it. I try to get people to move their hip set forward and think about being on the balls of their feet. this can be a tricky concept though because it has a tendency to make people use their shoulders to initiate the move. All moves should be initiated with the core and ideally everything moving in the same direction at the same time.

[Razorskier1]

This is good stuff. I am a big believer in skiing all the way back to the handle -- if you don't your hips will be behind you. The other thing I try to do is be aware of my position when I release in the pre turn. I developed a habit in my early years of getting on the front of the ski by bringing my shoulders forward, which put my hips back. I am now very conscious of staying in the proper stacked position when I release, which helps me to stay there when I reconnect. Thanks Brooks!

[brooks]

Awesome Jim, keep working at it!

[6balls]

Hmm, me thinks the Ross brothers should visit the Wilson brothers.

[Razorskier1]

Hmmm -- let's start working on the hall pass!

[brooks]

Let's get it planned out!

[Razorskier1]

@brooks -- sent you an e-mail

[Horton]

@Brooks

I think this is one of out the biggest issues for skiers in the 22/ 28 / 32 range. I do not know any one the is strong, aggressive, stacked and not running 32 off.

 

Can I get you to expound further for skier who is not very stacked to begin with. I see it all the time. Skier is stacked everywhere outside the course and broken from gate to gate.

[ForrestGump]

A few years back Marcus told me that I was stacked and strong in my pull out for the gate and in my pull out to sit down at the other end, but that as soon as I turned in for the gate it went away. His point was that if I could be stacked pulling out each direction, then there's no reason I couldn't be stacked gate to gate. Yet, it took 2 1/2 more years to figure out how to teach my body to do that. And once I started getting it, I started running 32, getting well into 35, and even through 35.

[Ntq206]

As a 15 off skier, I started thinking "stack" every time I went to load the line (actually yelled it to myself) and there is no question it immediately helped me.

 

The thing is, as Shane noted above - I can do this so much better on pull outs in either direction, but can't do it as well behInd the boat - especially right behind the boat.

 

Question is - why? Is it just mental?

[Horton]

I would like Brooks to answer this because he knows a heck of a lot more than I do. I will say if by mental you mean muscle memory I would say maybe.

[brooks]

There is definitely a mental side of it but the physical has more to it. You can think about the position you want to be in all day long but to do it is actually one thing. It's not easy to be in a "stacked" position, actually it's difficult. To be in this position requires a lot of core strength which is why if you dont finish a turn balanced it is very difficult to get your hips up to the handle. leaving your hips behind and sagging is much easier to do and is a much slower, safe feeling. Your speed cross course comes much easier in a stacked position. You move through the wakes quicker and carry speed out better but if it was so easy why wouldn't every one do it? A lot of people I see fear going out the front when they are in this position however going out the front comes from leading with your shoulders. Being "stacked" or "in-line" as I like to call it is when your feet, hips and shoulders are in a straight line with not a particular one of the three ahead of or behind the other. Most people fear this position when crossing the wakes which is why you can do it pulling out for your gate or to drop at the ends. As people turn bouys and head to the wake a lot of times you can see them get into a "safety" position which results in dropping your hips behind you. I encourage people to slowly work on this as it can be difficult to go from one extreme to the other. Work on the finish of turns and bringing your hips to the handle and moving cross course. Slowly work on getting them closer every time and if it doesn't happen right away don't get frustrated but keep working to get it better. I dont normally recommend skiing with your ski in front of you but for some people they feel more comfortable at first if their feet are a little ahead of the rest. If you are like that it is okay but as you continue to progress keep everything working to the final goal of being "in-line" bringing your hips up and feet back to a balanced position. Kind of long winded but hope that helps.

[6balls]

Let me just say that this is pretty cool having Brooks answer questions here. Another feather in the cap of BOS as "the" slalom site.

[jipster43]

Yeah. Thanks for all the choice words Brooks! I hope it results in a very busy teaching schedule for you and K.C.!

[brooks]

Anytime guys, love to talk skiing, feel free to ask questions whenever

[Chef23]

I have a work trip to Orlando in April and if I can free up the time I am going to try to visit the bros.

[rq0013]

After watching Brooks ski in person and wacthing pros online I have concluded that pros accelerate quicker and carry more speed out to the bouy better than me and I think i really need to work on that this year.

[6balls]

Very true...the best do not stall out of the buoy and run through the turn with speed toward the wake. I want some of that!

[brooks]

@OB That is very true, you want to reach your maximum speed at the right hand gate ball. If you turn in hard you are too slow by the time you reach the second wake and can't carry the speed out. You definitely seem to be on the right track. Keep it up.

[RichardDoane]

@brooks, planning any trip to the Radar factory anytime soon?

[brooks]

I was up there in the beginning of the year for a few days after the Portland Boat Show but hoping to get a trip up there this summer

[Horton]

Me too

[RichardDoane]

@brooks, let us know in advance and we'll put together a NW BOS clinic

[brooks]

That would be fun @richarddoane, we'll stay in touch! @horton can't come though