A practice set I need to do a lot more of

[Than_Bogan]

I have a self-imposed ban on 38s during practice this week, because I slightly tweaked my shoulder and don't want to make it worse. This caused me to put together a couple of sets last night that were unlike anything I've done before:

 

set 1: 28, 32, 35, 35, 35, 35, 32

set 2: 28, 28, 32, 32, 35, 35

 

(All passes successful.)

 

It's really rare for me to repeat 35 -- I always want to take a shot at 38! I'm nearly certain I had never previously run three back-to-back-to-back, much less the four I did in that first set. Another thing I had almost-definitely never done before was run six 35s in one day. But I'm at a stage now where I can practice things and learn from 35s, and where I *can* attempt them repeatedly and expect to make essentially all of them. It also allows me to build strength that I can use at 38, whereas repeated 38 attempts usually mix in some 1-3 scores and so aren't the same type of workout.

 

Plus, I had a variety of "interesting" challenges, like a shifting cross-wind and whacky lighting changes (storm on the way), weeds all over my handle one time, and backwash (especially in the second set as we hit a patch of dead calm in the middle of the storms). Getting all those 35s with all those factors has got to be helpful somehow, right!?

 

I need to find the patience to do some more sets like that. Getting really freakin' comfortable at 35 may be the key to finally completing more 38s.

 

Do others do things like this? How often? What do you feel are the benefits?

[Horton]

1/2 of my rides are one 32 and five 35s. 35 is where I can learn and enforce habits. Since 38 is my limit if I spend too much time there I am practicing my mistakes.

[ski6jones]

I almost always run repeat line lengths after my opener. If the passes feel good and clean I move on, otherwise I'll stay at that length and practice a bit.

[Marco]

I'll usually start at 28 to stretch out, then if I don't run a really clean 32 I'll run it again to clean it up. If I run my 35, I'll almost always shorten, cause you never know when that shot at 38 is going to be "the one". I'm still waiting for "the one"........

[Wish]

@Than_Bogan. That's funny, I was gonna start a thread for the very same reason. Was gonna call it "A few steps back to make that leap forward." and wanted input on how others did this. I tweaked my back two weeks ago. After some recovery, I did nothing but 28s for 2 sets on 2 different outings. Did NOT want to break forward for any reason. Then a few days later one 28 and then just 32s. Same reason. Yesturday a 28 then a couple 32s and 4 35s all successful. No bowing to the Queen. What it alowed me to do was think. Get all the form back and stopped me from chasing the buoys. More importantly, it got me think about those passes and not just see them as a warm up to 35. I had to for my back. Stacked meant everything. Going into and out of the turn meant everything. I get to complacent with 28 and 32. Bad habit. The 35s were some of the easiest of the season. So quick to shorten it that I've been over skiing that pass up till yesturday. But no 38. Agree with what @Horton said. Just bad habits come out at the limits. Not sure I'm gonna risk a 38 before MW Regionals. At this point if I get through a 35 there, anything past that is just gravy. Thought i once heard that Bob LaPoint would ski a pass over and over to the annoyance of his ski buddies. Great thread.

[GOODESkier]

In the last 3 weeks I have made a jump forward and have been running about 90% of my 35' OFF passes. Probably have run 10 or more in the last 2 weeks. And a few 5 @ 35' OFF after missing a handle somewhere in the pass. Anyway, it is becoming expected for me to run 35' OFF. I have been taking cracks at 38' OFF but have mostly run 2 @ 38' OFF with a few glimpses at 3 ball! I ran 2 @ 38' OFF in the practice round of a tournament this last week and then ran 5 @ 35' OFF in 2 rounds of the tournament. So I am feeling more comfortable in 35' OFF

 

I have been running this practice routine:

 

1st Set:

22' 28' 32' 35' 38' 38' (tournament simulation)

 

2nd Set:

28' 32' 32' 32' 32' 32' (practicing where I know I can have at least consistently good habits)

 

I think I am going to start trying this about every 3rd day or so:

28' 32' 35' 35' 35' 35' (see if I can get good habits on the 35's in a row)

28' 32' 35' 35' 38' 38' (trying to figure out the gate and 1 ball at 38' OFF)

 

I agree with practicing and reinforcing good habits at a longer line length, cause I have no habits at 38' OFF other than survival quite yet...........

[6balls]

geez @than ya gotta run some more 35's. Should be able to back to back 'em no problem or even run 3-4 in a set. You don't have to get all crazy like my brother and knock out 10 of 'em. I like going back to a smooth 32 as a finisher as well.

 

I like the sets you described and also like the sets of @goodeskier

[acmx]

Might get slaughtered here but.....while I agree with backing up your 35's, does that really translate to 38? They kinda seem like two different sports to me. I'm fairly successful @35 but very unsuccessful @38. Maybe @Horton could get some open skiers or Big Dawgs to weigh in.

[ral]

7 passes on the first set???

[The_MS]

I agree with @acmx. I think that you need to practice what you need to perfect. At the same time, it does no good to do the same thing over and over but if you try different approaches to get better, that may be the best bet. 35 and 38 are very different.

[ral]

I saw Thierry Malhomme training here. His usual training was a St load of 32's (his opener in tourneys) and a few 35's. For a skier that gets into 41 off in almost every tournament.

 

On the other hand, I heard Nate does tournament style sets every time...

[GOODESkier]

I think the basic "good habits" like staying stacked, staying open at the turn, and allowing the ski to finish are all the same through every line length. In my world, it just all falls apart once I get a few balls into 38' OFF. So that is why I try to perfect those good habits at 32' and 35' OFF.

 

4 years ago, if all I did was try to run a 22' OFF pass, I would never have gotten there in my mind. I had to work on 15' OFF. So on and so forth. I am with @Than_Bogan and suggest that the path to 38' OFF is a WHOLE LOT OF GOOD CONTROLLED SKIING at 35' OFF (even though they are different). Good ski techniques are good ski techniques at any rope length.

[Than_Bogan]

@ral Yes. I typically do 7 or 8 in each set, but was beat after all those 35s!

[GOODESkier]

been sticking to 6. In my head that limits me reinforcing bad skiing habits as I get tired.

[Wish]

Well, I skied at a new site with a new driver (super nice guy and site, much thanks to him) new boat and a head tail. The plan was a couple 28s and some 32s and done. But the 28 felt so good I cut to 32. Did a couple of those, they felt great so cut to 35. Ran what felt like 2 of the easiest 35s to date. So did what I said I was not gonna do and shortened to 38. Was running so early into ball 3 I thought the pass was in the bag and then did a stupid head turn shoulders follow and over turned and the tail popped out. Have not been that early to 3 all year. I am convinced it's the time I spent this last week or so at the longer loops honing in on form/stacked/and smooth to protect my back that got me wide and early to 3 ball. May not shorten again to 38 but I might.

[jipster43]

I usually start my season by sticking to the same pass for at least a couple of weeks before shortening, but this year my season was waylaid by injury and my first wake crossings were at a tournament. After that I sorta' got conditioned to tournament sets and began to really slump. Last week I went back to keeping it at my opener to groove my stack. My slump vanished immediately, but I'm gonna keep it there for at least another week.

 

I'm dreaming of the day that running 32's and 35's net me similar results!

[6balls]

38 IS different for sure and @MS has pile more of 'em to his credit than me. Having said that I think you need some 38 gate shots but if you really can't run it much, then it's not a primary training pass. Take some shots as you need to learn the differences and figure out first and foremost how to get a good 1 ball...then go back to 35 and 32.

Hopefully getting good 1 balls translates to 2, then 3, then far enough down course that you might have a shot to run it sometimes.

[jipster43]

What about slowing the boat down or shadowing at 38? I know that works wonders for me when I reach a new line length. I'm curious if some of those beginner tricks get forgotten by the time you reach 38 off.

[Horton]

@jipster43

 

Can't imagine going intentionally going inside the balls. That seems like a very bad idea.

 

36.5 off rope yes - Slow no

[ral]

8 I do. 5 or 7 would mean to finish at the end of the lake and get back a full lake lenght in my lake w/o skier, only allowed with a crippling injury...

[Bruce_Butterfield]

I'm a big fan of backing up your next to hardest pass and running it smoothly before shortening. In the spring, I normally do back-to-backs of every line length. During the season, I probably do half my sets straight up the rope and half trying to run my next to hardest pass twice (and smoothly). If you are barely scrapping through any given pass, your chances of completing the next pass are really small. You will learn a lot more by running easier passes than falling at 1 ball on your hardest pass.

 

My site has a prevailing head/tail wind, so the first pass into the wind lets me get away with mistakes, but the next pass with the tail wind forces me to focus on technique.

 

I've also known skiers who go out and run a full set of a medium difficulty pass (32 or 35) for endurance and form. A good idea to mix up the routine.

 

If you think you may get into a run-off situation at Regionals or Nationals, its a really good idea to practice those as well. Try going out again 30-60 minutes after your set and start 1 pass below where you fell. When you fall, you're done. The mental and physical preparation are very different than most people practice.

[gsm_peter]

@horton

Why not shadow bois?

 

My trainer wants me to shadow and start to take bois from the end before I can run all six at that speed.

In ordet to always practice 6 turns and keep rythm and timing.

Maybe not applicable to those short lines?

 

[RichardDoane]

@gsm_peter shadowing buoys will give you the bad habit of being narrow

[RichardDoane]

@bruce_butterfield great advise, I backed up a -35 tonight, and ran the first practice 38 so far this season, it's a big help to have confidence during your hardest pass