Advice please, how to slow down and mentally audit my skiing

[SDNAH2OSKIER]

I skied yesterday and had read some info in waterski and the post on hips up and was literally thinking about it while I was about to get picked up and then as soon as I am up, boom, forget everything. I am skiing on a prophecy now and its a much faster/more agile ski than my V and so I am dealing with that, but I need some tips on how to concentrate WHILE I am skiing and try to improve on some fundamentals. TIA

 

[ForrestGump]

Stick some duct tape on your ski in front of the bindings and with a sharpie write 3 things your working on. That way, every time you're getting ready to be pulled out of the water, you'll see it. Make it simple. Like:

 

1. Chest Up

2. Head up

3. Elbows in

 

Or something like that.

[9400]

Then evaluate when you get through each pass

[Marco]

I'll work on a max of 3 things on any given set. The first thing always relates to the gates. It is easy to concentrate on the gates because I am not reacting to some other mistake I made previously. The other two items are usually related, like 'advance the ski through the pre-turn and counter rotate'. On my harder passes I can usually remember until 2 ball, then reacting to previous mistakes tend to take over if I have to start scrapping.

 

Like @shane said, keep it simple. Also, it is easier to work on things at your easier line lengths/speeds. Work on it there and then bring the concepts to your harder passes after you've worked them out on your easier ones.

[Skoot1123]

What has worked for me was usually slow the boat speed down and run a pass I am comfortable at. I have been working on my consistancy this year, which has meant sacrificing some buoys in order to have more sound technique. My comfort zone has been 22 off at a slow 34 mph pass. This way I can actively think about getting over my ski in the preturn and shifting my weight to the front of the ski, then letting the ski finish the turn. After a while it will become engrained in your muscle memory, then it will happen "naturally." Hope this helps!

[gregy]

I dry land practice everyday with a handle and rope tied to the fence. I'm sure my neighbors think I'm crazy but it helps. I try to envision myself running the course and thinking about each step then when I get to the water I don't have to think as much, its more muscle memory. During the day when I'm standing around I bend my knees and practice being in that balanced position with hips and shoulders over feet (stacked). On the water I try to run the hardest line length/speed that I have some consistency several times a set (right now 22off 34mph). At the easier speeds I get lazy and tend to make more mistakes.

 

Last spring I went out and free skied a lot and didn't worry about turns (Just pulled out and turned in like I would at the gates). I just concentrated on body positioning in the pull and through the wakes. I think that really paid off the summer in the course.