clincher style gloves for newbie?

[evala]

Hi all,

So after about 15 years, and many, many extra lbs, I've decided to have another crack at this skiing caper.

 

I tried the 'ole faithfull doubles on the weekend, and even after about 25 tries (not all at once!) I still wasn't able to haul my fat butt out of the water.

 

Feedback on technique is good - I just can't seem to 'hold on' that extra bit to get me out of the water.

 

Soo, was thinking that as well as doing lots of upper body and hand strenth exercises, I would consider trying some clincher style gloves.

 

Have been doing some research, the look like they might be able to solve my problems... but I have one fairly major concern, and none of my googling has answered it.

 

How do these gloves release? ie. if i fall on my face, how do I manage to not get dragged around?

Do you guys think they would be any good for me, or should i just keep working on the strength (and shedding some lbs)?

 

Thanks in advance for your patience and help, I do appreciate it!

[liquid d]

yes, they release. You should get a bigger ski too. Try a wider ride. Several manufacturers make them, and they perform too.

[Wish]

Daughter uses them. They were her first gloves. They are safe and will help a great deal. Radar makes THE best by far.

[6balls]

Don't neglect the weight, though...it's likely not a power problem but a power to weight ratio.

[BraceMaker]

Not that I like doing this, but you might consider a foam float to sit on for your pull.

 

I don't like dock starts due to the dangers of fixed hard objects, but getting up is getting up, and a float can fill the role.

[evala]

Thanks all, yes, I'm fairly sure it is a power to weight problem! Most certainly working on that, but in the mean time I thought I would see if there was anything else I can do to help.

BraceMaker: funnily enough, for my first attempt we actually had a go at sitting me on a ring floatie - it was unsuccessful, but I think that was more because I was laughing too hard (lets face it, I looked absolutely ridiculous!). Will try again on the weekend!

Keep the suggestions coming though, I'm determined to get this thing happening! I hate not being able to do it while everyone else is whizzing along the river. (and kneeboarding is NOT the same :o( )

[kfennell]

I was having this problem when I first started, I weighed 250 and was mildly out of shape, The clinchers won't really help until you stay in a ball longer, I recognize the feeling of "Could not possibly hold on" and it is for me always that I was trying to stand up about half a second too early.

[wilecoyote]

I'm with @kfennell on this one. I've been hack skiing with RTP for 35 years, and when I got serious late this summer, took lessons and bought a smaller ski with DB, my instructor took me to the boom first, then the handle on the boom. I'm sure others who instruct can offer better technique suggestions than I can, but I was in the same boat (pun intended) as you, except that I manage to get up 9/10 times and my mass may not be quite the same. What I have discovered is as mentioned above about trying to stand up too early, but also more pressure on the back foot. I'm not sure why this works, because one would think a flatter ski would come out easier, but it doesn't. The feeling for me is kind of like having the ski climb up and over a 4 foot boulder, if that makes any sense.

 

To the rest of you for whom this is easy, I've noticed most guys come up with both palms down on the handle and switch to a correct grip once they're up. I haven't had a chance to try this yet, but will that help with our sad deep water starts?

 

Chris

[eddie_roberts_jr]

Am I correct in thinking this is still a 2 ski problem? Our Vice gloves may help a lot as would proper technique, both for the driver and yourself. Keep your knees bent up as close to your chest as possible with your elbows on either side of your knees until both of your skis are planing and you feel the drag on your hands lessen, then stand up slowly while keeping your knees slightly bent. The driver's role in this is very important! The pull from the boat needs to come on gradually, not all at once. Full throttle from a dead stop is not a good thing. A good driver will be looking in the mirror and giving you no more throttle than you need. Good luck and have fun.

[baja]

+1 on driver technique. Very light, progressive throttle. Have the driver pretend they are pulling up a 9 year old girl on a wakeboard. Gets most larger folks up easier.

[Chef23]

I agree if this is a two ski thing then you shouldn't need the clinchers. I do know some women who the clinchers have helped with making getting up on 1 ski more consistent.

 

For beginners a quality driver is key to getting up on 1 ski or 2.

[HO 410]

I second, Third, and Fourth #eddie_roberts_jr

Think about holding a squat. Think about relaxing your legs. Choose some thought prevents you from standing up until your skis are all the way on top of the water. Standing up too early, and/or trying to get up with your legs straight, makes the whole thing much harder than it needs to be.

 

You could also try holding the handle with one palm up and one palm down: just like you would hold a baseball bat. It might be placebo, but I fell my grip is a bit stronger this way.

 

Lastly, if you are at a site where you have not been using a coastguard approved vest, try a coastguard approved vest. It's what you tried to do with the float but won't require spend the engergy to balance on the float while you're trying to keep yourself balanced in the water. (I've had friends out to the ski lake that couldn't get up until we swapped out a pullover vest for a CGA vest)

[Ed_Johnson]

@evala: If you are looking for Clincher Style Gloves I have a Brand New, still in the plastic container, Goode Clinchers XL. These are also used with their Powervest and sell for $85.00. Will sell for $50.00. eaj38off at aol dot com.

[lpskier]

Your fingers are the first components of your water ski safety mechanism. Clincher style gloves may compromise that component. If you must use them, remove the dowels.

[DW]

How is your handle? I have seen people be sensitive to the handle, is yours slippery, old, wrong diameter? Also, get that squeeze ball out and start using it! Pretend you are getting out of a chair when you are getting up and let the boat do the work, standing up to quick is a recipe to go down.

[evala]

Hi all,

 

good news! We bought a new set of doublies (yes, this was embarrasing, but needed to be done), and I got some Williams clincher gloves.

After four goes I still hadn't got it, on the fifth I held the crouch longer and felt myself bob up... and promptly went under again.

On the sixth go - success! Once I knew the 'feel' of popping out of the water it seemed easy. YAY!

 

Managed to go three bends in the river and negotiated a double wake board wake and didn't stack, but I will admit my muscles were screaming by then - who knew skiing was a full body workout? Crossed the wake and tried to elegantly glide back to the beach but ended up sinking like a rock.

 

Thanks to those who suggested holding the crouch longer, this definately helped!

 

The gloves were good too (even though they tore on the first wear, they will be replaced). The gloves, by transferring the 'effort' from my fingers to my wrists meant that I didn't fatigue as quickly as I had in the past.

 

So excited! Can't wait for Sunday so I can have another go. :o)