Baller sunvalleylaw Posted July 9, 2012 Baller Share Posted July 9, 2012 Say you have a buddy who is a strong free skier who wants to get into the course, or just improve his skiing. What top tips would you give him? Don't worry about bad habits because this guy is hypothetical. Just what are the key fundamental things associated with strong skiing? Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member Than_Bogan Posted July 9, 2012 Supporting Member Share Posted July 9, 2012 Oh man -- you just reminded me that a while back on a long train ride I wrote up a massive treatise about body position behind the boat, which is (according to me) THE thing that nearly everyone transitioning into a slalom course needs to focus on. Perhaps I can just throw that out there in a google-doc or something and then link to it? It's crazy long and a bit raw, but perhaps could still be helpful? (It's not accessible to me at the moment, so the earliest I could post it would be tonight.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller sunvalleylaw Posted July 9, 2012 Author Baller Share Posted July 9, 2012 I would love that if you would do it. When you get to it is fine. I appreciate it. I enjoy your posts in the other technical threads! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member Than_Bogan Posted July 9, 2012 Supporting Member Share Posted July 9, 2012 Alright -- keep bugging me. A private message about once a day would be recommended until I do it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller sunvalleylaw Posted July 9, 2012 Author Baller Share Posted July 9, 2012 @Than Bogan, ok, will do! any other thoughts? I would love it if the thread turned into a baller approved set of fundamentals for newbs and not so newbs to refer back to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller kmenard Posted July 9, 2012 Baller Share Posted July 9, 2012 would also love to see this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller gregy Posted July 11, 2012 Baller Share Posted July 11, 2012 I've got the same issue with ski partner. His very comfortable on a ski. Body position is his biggest problem right now IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller sunvalleylaw Posted July 11, 2012 Author Baller Share Posted July 11, 2012 I'll be interested to see what Nathaniel has. I always considered myself to have a strong position and a good pull once I settled in behind the boat. Getting into and out of that position smoothly, without closing off the turn by pushing on the ski, etc., and smoothly entering the turn on the other end are tricker, IMHO, But it all relates together I am sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member Than_Bogan Posted July 11, 2012 Supporting Member Share Posted July 11, 2012 @sunvalleylaw If that's all true, then you'll have to wait for "Chapter IV" -- which may or may not ever get written. But it's amazing what you can overcome with a really good leverage position, AND how hard it is to actually get into one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Jordan Posted July 11, 2012 Baller Share Posted July 11, 2012 The tip that helped me "get it" regarding a leveraged position was to lean as opposed to pull. Pull, mad me think that I should pull with my arms...good for your biceps, bad for your skiing. Leaning, allowed me to ski with extended arms down at my hips, to employ my skeleton rather than my muscles to resist the boat, and to generate speed that felt totally in control. The best drill was to practice leaning by pulling out from just outside the wake and then drifting back to the foam, over and over again. First on one side then the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller sunvalleylaw Posted July 11, 2012 Author Baller Share Posted July 11, 2012 @Than, About that being all true, I am not so sure about that. That was how I considered myself over a decade ago, when I got to ski more. I had moved to getting more ski in the water after moving to a 66" Duvall from my old 65" Kidder Redline, but I still fought to make sure I had ski in the water. @Jordan, that tip was what worked for me too. Watching Suyderhoud and LaPoint explain it on their 1990 vid tape "Advanced Slalom Clinic" gave me the idea of a pendulum with the ski swinging out in the pre-turn and turn, with the upper body staying clean and stable. No reaching in. But I think I tried to close my shoulders across the wake instead of staying open, which could cause some problems. Most of what was good about the above would fall apart to some degree when I tried the course (mostly behind an outboard). I would try to pull real hard then turn real hard, then recover and try to get to a good pulling position and pull real hard, repeat. . . Even at 15 and 22 feet off which was all I ever really tried. Now, after a decade of being an occasional skier, I feel I am starting over. I am on a new (to me) ski with my 68" D3 Nomad RCX. When I find my video camera, I will get brave and post a vid so the truth can be known. ;-) Meanwhile, I will start over with Nathaniel's fundamentals, and any other good fundamentals this discussion generates. Thanks all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller sunvalleylaw Posted July 11, 2012 Author Baller Share Posted July 11, 2012 Here is @Than Bogan's article that he posted in his own thread, for easy reference! Thanks Than! @Than wrote: Wrote this on a long train ride back in April but kept forgetting to post. Recently a few folks have requested it. So here it is! https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oDlyJi8MRdF9t8uQcEMCUEGsivhQ2tP7qOO6HfPgCDg/edit Here also is the thread, which has some other good discussion in it. http://www.ballofspray.com/forum#/discussion/5748/leverage-position-a-massive-treatise-for-15-offers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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