Building Balance on a Trick Ski?

[DefectiveDave]

Hey Ballers,

 

I've been messing around a bit more with my trick ski recently and wanted to get some opinions. My trick ski is an old kidder, but it is size appropriate at around 43" (I'm 160-165 lbs).

 

I can get up on the ski easily enough and do both side slides, but that's about it. My main problem at this stage is that I'm not well balanced at any point and I never know when I'm going to take a dive. Anyway, I find the side slides boring but I'm not balanced enough yet to complete other tricks. When I work on new tricks I just end up spending too much time in the water and get annoyed. So I'm not past that first steep learning curve yet.

 

I still work on the simple, beginner tricks, but what I've been doing more often is just skiing around the lake, cutting across the wakes, and sometimes trying to get a little air for fun. I find it more entertaining, I don't spend as much time in the water, and my theory is that I'm building balance and competence on the ski which will help me with other tricks later.

 

So my question is, is there anything fun I can do on a trick ski (other than the simple, beginner tricks) to build basic balance and competence?

[Chef23]

If you access to a slalom course you can run the course on it. My son does that all the time. tricking is hard and takes lots of time keep at it. If you can do a side slide you should be able to do the back in to the wrap position without too much trouble.

 

The key is ride the ski a lot. Try to jump the wake, if you have a friend ride doubles or your friend could be on a wakeboard. Anything that will get you more time on the ski will help.

[eleeski]

Playing around on the trick ski (or any ski) is absolutely critical. Wake jumps, slashing cuts, snow ski cuts, slalom cuts, sitting down, pulling massive slack, twisting around to look backward, getting up one footed, holding the rope upside down, arm ballet, off foot ballet - basically anything that gets you time on the water is critical. Even better is to get a buddy (or kid) on the water with you and do spray wars or play some other game. Once you get a few tricks, add a trick can be fun. No less than half the time on the water is time that should be spent just playing around.

 

Hmmm, I need to spend more time screwing around myself. It's important at any level. I should have at least tried Kirk's SLWLB...

 

Eric

[gsm_peter]

Hi Dave.

I am new to trick skiing as well.

Am just one trick ahead of you with the two SS and the onside back wrap.

There are a few new instructual clips on Youtube for real beginers.

I will try to dig them up.

I have also posted a clip on Eric recently showing basics.

 

I have been told that once one can ski stable backwards several tricks new will come rather easy.

Keep up the trick skiing, it is more fun than it looks.

[DefectiveDave]

Hey guys,

 

Those are some good ideas. Seems like the consensus so far is to screw around and have fun until I get better at the basics. Good to see that I've been doing something at least reasonably productive with my time.

 

I haven't tried going through the course on a trick ski yet, but I like that idea. I was a bit worried at going through the course so slow as I wasn't sure if it could cause damage. Though I don't see how it could do any more damage than the wave-runners and pontoon boats do already.

 

Also, regarding tricks, I don't know the names or the details of many tricks so some of the above was lost on me. Is there a good reference for the various types of tricks?

 

@eleeski,

What do you mean by arm ballet and off-foot ballet?

 

@gsm_peter,

I'll keep an eye out for those videos!

[ToddL]

When Slalom Skiers Start Tricking...

 

There needs to be a book on that subject.

 

Basically, slalom skiers who are learning trick typically need to focus on the following:

1) Get 95% of your weight on your front foot

2) Ride on top of the ski, without leaning away from the boat

3) bend your ankles and knees more, get hips lower

 

Trick requires a lot more ankle and knee bend. There is a lot more moving up and down.

Trick requires more pressure on your front foot. Just look at toe trick skiers, they have 100% of their weight on the front foot and the ski will rotate very well. The back foot toe hold is just a convenience for most beginner tricks.

[gsm_peter]

@DefectiveDave

 

I have stared a new thread on Instructional Trick Ski Videos for beginners.

All videos are from youtube

 

I also got the very old book

The complete Instructional book of Water skiing by Joel McClintoc

Was on Amazon for 1 cent (plus 3,99 shipping)

The trick section seems to be still valid.

 

Keep us updated on your progress?

 

 

[DefectiveDave]

@gms_peter,

 

Thanks! Also, I'll try to post some progress eventually. However, I have a feeling that all of my skiing progress is about to come to an abrupt halt, lol. My wife is due with our first child in about 7 days. I'm just squeezing in as much right now as possible.

[DaveD]

At this point Dave, you should be getting all the sleep you can when you're not skiing and bugging @horton for diaper changing tips.

[bbirlew]

As everyone else already mentioned, just play on it as much as you can.

 

Work on jumping wake to wake.

 

Try skiing around on one foot and jumping wake to wake on 1 foot (really keeps you centered over your ski).

 

Spray wars

 

Slippery slalom

 

Once you get your back position, spend as much time as you can in that position. Don't be in a rush to turn back forwards. Work on your balance in that position. Cross the wakes, etc.

 

most of all, have fun!!

 

 

 

[jhughes]

I started tricking in the 2009 season and it's been a very slow progression. It's brutal, really. My mind and body do not "get" trick, much like they don't get slalom, I guess. I can manage a clean 500 points but my backs are still maybe 65% successful and each one takes a long time for me to mentally prepare for- I can't string anything together at all without deliberate pauses. It's hard to tell your mind/body that you're about to do something that will cause an end to the ride, deliberately. Haven't gotten over that. Just getting to this point has taken hundreds if not thousands of failures. It takes a certain mindset to fail constantly just to finally get something to click.

 

I get all sorts of varying advice from ski schools and much better trickers and it's all over the place. Some will want you to squat down ridiculously which has never made sense to me, and no tricker putting up 10K points is skiing like they have a giant beachball between their legs. They just have a comfortable upright stance with knees pretty close together. Some will say my weight needs to be more on the front foot, some will say it's fine as it is. Again, it's all over the place.

 

Most of the people coaching trick, I've found, have been tricking since they were ~5 years old and are very confused by the middle-aged-new-tricker. Their mind cannot even comprehend what they are seeing. When they see me fall on a basic surface trick, it probably blows their mind. These are kids who were doing B2B wraps before they were 10. I cannot even do a reverse back wrap on dry ground! I always tell them that I bet I'm the only 30-something new tricker they've ever seen. I'm always right on that one! I do truly think that Trick is something best learned at a very young age. Starting at age 30 has been really tough. Lots of un-learning.

 

YET, I keep trying it. I want to be better at it. I still think it's fun. In my mind I would love to be a good tricker. It's SO slow of a progression though and it's tough when 1 mistake means an entire round of getting back up, getting to speed, getting settled in, then falling again!

[dchristman]

@jhughes tenacity is required. You have to want to do it and believe you can do it. Those seemingly super-human trickers had time and energy to spare when they first learned. You may take many falls. You may sometimes get discouraged. Keep at it! We need more trickers!

[Chef23]

@jhughes when those trickers were young they had a more pronounced stance than they do now. Now those guys are just so comfortable on the ski they are in the right spot they have spent thousands of hours on the ski. I do think your basic stance needs to be more on the front foot than a slalom ski and sort of a ballet plea (no idea how to spell what I am looking for) with your knees out somewhat and your ankles flexed.

 

It is hard and you spend way more time in the water than you do on a slalom ski. It is the perfect thing to do when it is windy or there are other boats out on public water. That is when I did my tricking as a kid but I am frankly slightly better than you I can run about 1300 points including some basic toe tricks.

[ToddL]

Also, keep your boat crew happy. Trick practice sets are painfully boring/long/etc to slalom skiers. The driver has to stop and pick you up often because learning new tricks involve falling a lot. Thus, be overly aware of the boat crew's perception of your trick sets. It's best to be grateful, thankful, and gracious to them. Maybe even offer an additional beer or whatever at the end of the day if you had a particularly long trick set... Anyway, just something to keep in mind. Keep your slalom friends happy when you take trick sets.

[eleeski]

@jhughes I started tricking at 20, not middle aged but not 5 either. It took me over 30 years to make it to Open. The learning never has to stop. The fun certainly hasn't.

 

Small tip, spin to pick up after a fall. Maybe even do show ski pickups where the boat doesn't come off a plane. Obviously make sure that you, your pin person and your driver are together on this or any expedited pickup.

 

@Chef23 So wrong! Trick when it's good! And slalom on that front foot too. Plie, with the little thing above the e for the ballet move. Good skiing though.

 

Regarding skiing position, try to ski as if the rope isn't there - don't lean on the rope. Instead cut and turn as if you are on a surfboard not a tug of war. While smooth pulls are important, it is surprising how much of the time the good skiers are on a slack rope - especially on landing. Learn to ride on slack and pull without leaning away.

 

Eric

[Chef23]

@eleeski when I was a kid there was very little calm slalom course water and I couldn't get priority. My son does trick when it is good now. Tricking is also good when you are a little tired and toes are great when my hands are torn up.

 

I like the don't lean on the rope concept and I hadn't thought about much high end trickers having slack line but it seems like they do.

[gsm_peter]

@jhughes

 

Hmm started after 30....

I bought my first ever trick ski late last year – at age 56! B)

I have now almost 25 runs.

 

FWIW A beginners trick experiences to other beginners

 

I slalom first and then run a shorter trick run.

Rather efficient training and I get less bored drivers.

 

It took me some runs to get up on the ski.

I gave each run 5 start attempts and then used a drop ski to get some skiing.

 

Now, I maximize number of starts (falls ;0) to 10 per run not to get too tired.

Start by doing my save tricks and do my ‘normally failed tricks’ just before I plan to rest.

That give me more water time.

 

I found out that the SS is best learned just outside the wake.

Start with onside and when the pull is not centered the rope will pull you in and the wake will push you out.

The off side SS just outside of the other wake.

Go into position and back immediately if needed in order not to fall so often.

Work on stay in the SS longer and longer until you can ski SS 30 seconds any position behind the boat.

Also try to make them one handed.

 

 

Skiing back is more difficult.

I try to make many on side back wraps.

Some folks advice is to train more on the regular back but the BW gives more time on the water standing up so I use a mix.

Turn back immediately just before I am about to fall.

If I bend my knees more I can get my handle more center behind my butt.

I can now ski about 5 seconds in on side BW position.

 

 

The next goal is to ski backwards.

This is when I will fall so I do this before every rest and just outside the starting-pier.

I found that it is very important to keep handle close when turning and elbows 90 degrees when riding.

Look at a spot 10 meters behind you (the ski make a track in the water)

I can get around but only ski a about 5 seconds.

 

 

How about a beginner trick ski video /knowledge sharing tread?

 

[Chef23]

@gsm_peter you have some good thoughts in your post. One thing you mention looking at a spot 10 meters behind you. I generally believe you want to keep your eyes up on the horizon or the boat not looking down at the water. If you look down you fall down. You are also right on about keeping the handle close when you are turning the handle should be pretty much brushing your body.

 

If you are working on the full back position you want to get your hands right in to the small of your back actually touching your back. When you get in that position bend your ski leg, keep your eyes up and try to hold it. Once you can hold it start trying to cross the wakes.

[gsm_peter]

@Chef23

Thanks for positive feedback.

I fall backwards when I try to look at the horizon.

I can try to look a bit higher but it hurts more falling towards the boat so I will do it gradually.

 

Trick on

[Chef23]

@gsm_peter if you are falling toward the boat it is probably two things. First you likely have the handle too far away from your back and that is pulling you over. Your hands should be touching the small of your back in the full back position. Second your ski leg is likely too straight or you have too much weight on your back foot.

[gsm_peter]

@Chef23

Thanks again.

Just back from a trick run (to much waves for sl)

Tried to focus on look at the horizon and handle close to my back.

Worked out better. Now I skied plus 100 meters. Backwards.

I guess that I let the handle out when I get tired and then get a fall.

 

[Chef23]

As soon as you let the handle away from your back you will get pulled over toward the boat. Nice progress.

[Broussard]

Try getting into the back position and skiing around. A drill I use to get beginners to weight their front foot and learn control of the ski is having them remove their back foot and ski around eventually crossing and jumping the wake with one foot.

[DefectiveDave]

Great comments everyone! Taking it in a slightly different direction, anyone have any comments on handle control while connected with the boat?

 

I haven't yet gone through all of the @gsm_peter video thread and maybe there is something there, but I've mostly observed that I want to keep my arms straight-ish and the handle down as low as I can get it. Obviously there probably isn't a hard and fast rule with more advanced tricks, but this seems to give me the best margin of error at my level.

 

Right now my focus while playing around on the trick ski is on handle position (and I'll probably add weight distribution after having read through this thread) while working on balance.

[Chef23]

Generally I like to have the handle low with my elbows in somewhat. All this tricking talk made me fish my trick out last night and go for a ride for the first time in a year and a half. My shoulder was bad last season and I wasn't sure it could survive tricking. It was good to be on it again.

[eleeski]

Fun discussion!

 

Regarding handle position, it is not static. Like knees, your hands have to be very dynamic. You don't force a knee bend and you don't force the handle in or down. (With that said, never let your hands get away from you and go way out - or lock your knees.) I ride with my arms comfortably relaxed to resist the boat's pull. To start a trick, I pull my arms in a bit to accelerate into the boat. Often this involves a bit of a lean away from the boat so before I start a turn I have to level myself back up (come towards the boat by pressure on the front foot (if facing forward)). Once the ski is weighted flat, I start the turn. When the advantage of the little bit of light rope I have tugged for runs out I need to either turn back to front or absorb the shock with my hands (and knees - the whole body dynamic).

 

Too many words. PULL, LEVEL, TURN. Then turn out when the rope starts to get too tight.

 

In the full back, hands should be fairly high on the back and as close to the back as possible. Lots of elbow bend will make this happen. Don't force the hands low on the back as this will straighten the elbows and make it difficult to absorb any hits from the rope. Bent elbows damp the rope pulls. If you are solid enough in full back, practice pulling and absorbing with the arms while around back. Do it on dry land to get the feel first.

 

Sticking reverse backwrap involves some weird hand positions. Popping elbows out or holding the handle down by the knees are tricks to figure out the reverse backwrap. But that is a fairly advanced trick. I do teach a lot of basic kids BB, R without being able to hold the position so do work on the trick regardless of your level. Play with the hand position and you'll find something that works to stick it.

 

@Broussard 's idea of one footed skiing is great. If it is too difficult at first, just take your foot out of the back binding and rest it on top. Jump with a two footed take off and land on one. Progress to pulling your foot all the way off in back and turning to front one footed. FWIW, TB is much easier than riding in back with one foot.

 

Last, practice everything on dry land. Tie a rope off to a tree or doorknob and figure out the movements. Practicing on a trampoline is even more fun. Have fun building tricks and runs.

 

Eric

[SBFL]

i know this is a bit contradictory, but i got on a trick ski last summer and started learning a flip straight away, i feel like "eating it" alot really takes away any fear, and takes away hesitation, so you can focus 100% on your goal

[eleeski]

@SBFL I bet you're not an old guy. Still, I agree with you. Flips are an entirely different class of trick. They don't have a lot of crossover to other tricks. To learn them you just need to do them. Edge and recovery skills are critical so you will need some tricking ability. But a back doesn't help much.

 

Still, learn the basics.

 

Eric

[Chef23]

@SBFL I am 49 years old. I don't see flipping in my future.

[gsm_peter]

When I can trick type 1000 points I will give it a try.....

ok I plan to use every help I can get and choose easiest flip.

I have seen eric do the flip and he is older than me. B)

[bbirlew]

@gsm_peter,

Like Eric said, not much in the way of prerequisites for a flip. Just work on a progressive edge into the wake to build line tension.

And give it a try! Turns out falling on them doesn't hurt any more than any other trick.

 

[gsm_peter]

@DefectiveDave

@jhuges

 

How is your tricking this season?

 

My 2016 trick season starting to be a bit better now.

Managed to do 3 approved offside backwraps.

Also managed to ski backwards for 20 seconds an then turn back to front.

Just need to get into stable back position.

So my pb in one pass is now: SS, RSS, B, RB, O and then a fall on the reverse O (450 p)...

 

What is next for me once I am a bit more stabile on the basic tricks above (LFF)?

 

Trick on folks!

 

 

[DefectiveDave]

I've been grounded from skiing all summer by my wife, haha. I just got back on the water recently, so nothing to report yet. Keep up the good work!

[jhughes]

I had a very late start in life with trick skiing. I got a "real" trick ski for my 30th birthday, a while back at this point. I've often wondered if I'm the only tricker out there who didn't start when they were 2yrs old. It's been frustrating to try to learn from people who trick 8000 points who have absolutely no idea what it's like to be at this level at this age. They look at me ski and really just seem mystified. For example, I might get "Pretend a beach ball is between your legs". Really? None of them look like that, even kind of! Come on. I digress. For anyone who's good that is trying to teach us older folks how to trick, just remember that you probably have long forgotten what it feels like to not have rock solid stability and stance on the ski. What you see and what you have heard others tell you may not really be what the person needs to hear.

 

I guess what I'm getting at here is riding the ski as much as possible is the only way to improve on it as a beginner. You're riding a dinner tray with a binding on it. Nothing about it is intuitive or easy for the body to process. The more I ride it, the better I get by far as my brain figures out the math of riding it. For the past few years I've been able to trick about 500, which is SS, RSS, B, F, RB, RF, O, RO basically. After making it a point to really ride the ski as much as possible this year I'm now getting very consistent with WB (wrap) and just got my first RWB (full).

 

The RB in a wrap is maddeningly difficult but I'm on a mission to get it. That's what I'm currently working on.

 

It's a super fun discipline that you really need to just commit to with regular ski rides.

[gsm_peter]

@DefectiveDave

Great that you are back on the water.

Grateful if you can keep us updated when you have tricked a bit more?

 

@jhuges

You are ahead of me! Have not yet reached the level to start any wake tricks. Congratulations! With the wake tricks you can reach type 1000 points? !?

You have more tricks and you started 26th years younger than me! :#

[david_ski]

@DefectiveDave

@gsm_peter

@jhughes

bumping this thread.  After 5+ years how is your tricking progressed?

 

After several years of prodding by my ski friends, they have convinced me to start tricking now that I am in M7.

I have never tried the trick ski before this year. I have been on the trick ski for just 6 weeks (~22 sets). I deep water start almost every time (+90% success).  I confidently cross the wakes, and I am still working on my first trick the SS.  It is getting close, but not quiet there yet. Every time I am on the trick ski the more comfortable it gets. 

[101driver]

david_ski good to hear, I am reading this thread looking for inspiration. My slalom is going nowhere (actually backwards) and I know what to do but can't do it..............so I need a break. I am approaching 60 years old so I will disregard the comments about start younger.

I tried trick once a few years ago and couldn't get out the water. So last year I bought a pair of trick ski's, they have groves in the base so I figure NOW is the time to try and get up on them. I have no idea what to do if I do get up.

Goal #1 get up on a pair of trick ski's

Goal#2 stay up

if anyone has any thoughts on what to do next. I would appreciate you sharing. Plus any advice on goal #1 and #2.

I do have a mesle (not sure of spelling) trick ski somewhere which is completely flat on the bottom. 

[jhughes]

@david_ski Not doing much tricking these days. Progressing past the basic surface tricks is just more time, falling, and work than I'm willing to do. Most advice I've gotten seems consistently impossible to execute which is really annoying.

[ALPJr]

It’s been 10 years or more since I rode my tricks - used to ride and do a couple surface tricks a couple times a month for a little cross training a fun break from slalom. There were a few different articles in the mag’s many years ago that suggested slalom skiers ride them to help understand and develop balance on your ski.

Edited July 14, 2023 by ALPJr

[101driver]

ALPJr that is my goal just get up and learn a few surface tricks. I become way too slalom obsessive and performance suffers. I can't switch off so I need something else to focus on. I am trying to fix up the jump too.

[david_ski]

@ALPJr  @101driver My suggestion to get up is work on a boom for several days. That helped me get the feeling of where my balance point was once the ski is on top of the water. Actually after just 3 days on the boom once in September, then twice in April I was ready to try long line.  My first long line experience I had a 50% success rate at getting up. I don't worry at all about getting up today. After May and June I could cross the wakes and almost get the side slide. I did score my first side slide in a late June Tournament. My first tournament, success was just getting up and not crashing as we went around the island.

Today, I was successful with  SS, FB, BF. I almost have the Reverse FB. I still can't quite get the reverse SS. It is missing about 10-15 degrees. My plan is to only do surface and wake tricks. 

Tricking has helped me get away from being too slalom obsessive. Other than last week, I have only had 1 slalom + 1 trick set 3x week. Last week I did 2 slalom sets plus the trick set, and I just focused on my 32off's on the second slalom set.  

Last thought, think seriously about using the boom. Even after you have mastered the deep water start,  the boom is a great tool to get the feeling of the ski position for the side slide, and how to execute the back. It all helps to build confidence.  

There is a good set of you tube videos search "Trick Skiing H5 Initial Tricks" by @trickskiing3561. There are 9 videos (H1-H9) from getting up, boat speed, rope length, to initial surface tricks.  

[101driver]

David_ski thank you for the reply and advice. The boom advice seems particularly relevant to me, it's how I eventually learnt to get up on a slalom ski. I hadn't thought of going back to the boom to learn side slide. That is also great advice. I will check out the training video's.

Appologies for the delay in replying to your post I was at work with no access.

[david_ski]

@101driver No apologies needed. I had used the boom to teach new skiers how to get up on a single skis. My boom has been unused for 20 years. My primary ski partner suggested that I use a boom to get the feel for a trick ski.  

Over the last month at tournaments, I have had several trick skiers give me tips on how to manage the boom.  When you are first learning to use the boom, use everything to your advantage to get the feel for your balance point (hands, arms and muscles) and work the side slide.  Bend your knees to get the weight on to your front foot.  As you learn where your balance point is you will be able to do the side slide and hold onto the boom with just your fingertips and not need to muscle your way to get it. Once you are there, try it on the rope.

I would go down the lake on the boom, and return on the rope. Keep going back and forth. It also helps having an observer in the boat giving you real time tips while you are on the boom. (They are going wet). The boom with a realtime coach helped me a lot.

Today at regionals I got my SideSlide, 180 Back, and 180 Front. PB for me. Through a rules misunderstanding, I only got one pass. Hindsight, I should of been allowed a second pass. I scored everything I could do on the one pass. I just didn't get try my questionable tricks at the end of each pass. I now need to work on my reverses and the "O".

[101driver]

@david_ski Thank you for taking the time and trouble to give me the benefit of your experience. You having gone through a learning curve and sharing is of course hugely beneficial to me or any other reader who are just setting out on this trick ski journey.

I have watched the video's that you suggested and found them to be exactly what I needed full of really useful information, So anyone thinking of trying tricking for the first time who does not have the benefit of a good coach these videos contain a lot of answers to the questions I had. Also as a complete novice I don't know what I don't know so the structured approach in the training videos is helpful.

I am a huge fan boy of the boom, for very good reasons. Your suggestions and advice resonate with my slalom experience both learning my self and helping quite a few others start out on a solid foundation. I will be taking your advice on this.

I am making notes and starting to formulate a plan. I need to play safer than my natural inclination as I really must try not to get injured this year as I want to hit my slalom objectives. I think I will start with pair of trick ski's on boom as I have them and have never used them. Progress as normal to deep water start on pair. Get comfortable skiing on them. Go back to boom and try and get the slide slide, take that out on to the free skiing using the method that you suggest. Repeat above starting with boom with mono trick ski. the mono has no groves and my daughter did get up on it eventually last year using another ski but found it very slippery. The video footage which you suggested contains some key information on this about body position binding position boat speed etc. SOOO I now know a little bit more so I can experiment with those and I have some start data.

Just need a weather window now ......torrential rain for my next 3 days off!!! Still I did have a cracking slalom tonight on glass so......

Thank you again for your advice and the videos, both have been most useful

[101driver]

Well the plan worked, went to the storage depot and got the boom. On the water at dawn. Progressed to deep water starts on the pair of trick ski's. Got up every time, no falls. A pair is difficult for me because my right foot is ducked out from rebuild surgery following an accident. Which is why when I wanted to ski I had to start on a mono water ski not a pair. Still really good practice trying to control a pair as I need to learn to do this with my dodgy ankle if I am going to JUMP. Getting less wobbly, the training video's @david_ski recommended really helped. Next steps 1) get more ankle flex, every run I increased this every run I got better. 2) get full control edging out into flats both sides. 3) slide slide. 4) repeat everything on MONO trick ski starting at training pole and alternating as @david_ski suggested at the start.

Thanks I would not have gone through the steps so smoothly with out the advice.

[david_ski]

Another key point to think about is to keep your head up.  It is really hard to not look at where your ski is on the water.  Work on looking forward at the driver or bimini and not constantly on the ski.  As you gain confidence, your vision will move up from the ski.  Looking up is extremely important when you get to trying backs. The instructional videos touches on that, you look down and you are going to fall.  

There is also a Matt Rini Radar video on YouTube about binding placement that is also very useful.  I had Brooks Wilson look at my trick ski.  Since I was only trying to do surface tricks, he had me move my front binding forward a little more, and the rear toe loop backwards a little to give me more stability. 

[101driver]

@david_ski Thank you for your continued support. Your tips and advice are well in keeping with the thread theme of "building balance on a trick ski "so I am sure others as well as me will, if thinking of trying this, benefit from your posts. 

Your advice KEEP YOUR HEAD UP. is really important I feel in my very limited experience (one set). I had noted from the video to stand up and not break or bend over which I took to mean STACKED in slalom speak. Being nervous of my miss-aligned ankle I naturally looked down. Forcing myself and I mean forcing against every natural inclination to look up at the horizon and push my hips forward and flex my ankles was difficult but every pass I did this more and every pass stability increased and with it confidence. Anyone trying this for the first time my thoughts are from reflecting on my first set take @david_ski advice about KEEP YOUR HEAD UP. 

@david_ski advice on binding placement is really interesting for me as I also intend to only do surface tricks. I will check out the video and definitely consider spacing them out slightly when I switch from pair to mono trick ski.

WE HAVE A NEW BOAT RULE "IF YOU SLALOM YOU MUST RUN A TRICK PASS" a pair and the mono are now permanently in the boat. Its been great fun and as I ski with lots of different crew I anticipate the joy growing. Back on tonight at dusk for set 2

[chrislandy]

9 hours ago, david_ski said:

Another key point to think about is to keep your head up.  It is really hard to not look at where your ski is on the water. 

I have written that on my kids trick ski "LOOK UP!"

[101driver]

@chrislandyGood idea, as the pair are going to be the communal ski's which everyone skiing off the boat will have to now use if they want to slalom. That means a lot of novice TRICK skiing. I think I might take your tip.

[101driver]

Well Success Completed step 4 straight up first pull tonight behind the boat on the mono trick ski. Got up first pull every time. Feeling pretty confident on it straight away. Edging out into the flats. Even got some air coming back in across the wakes. 

I can't believe how something that was so totally unstable and just shot out from under me every time I tried to get up can be so different now.

As this post is about building balance on a trick ski. This is my learnings as a complete novice. Obviously the ideal is go and get professional coaching. But if like me that is not an option this is my experience of what worked best for me. Professionals and more experienced ballers feel free to critique me.

WHY DID IT WORK THIS YEAR BUT I FAILED COMPLETELY BEFORE? The main reason was the advice on this forum especially from @david_ski the videos that he suggested above were a game changer. The second reason was the strategy @david_ski suggested of alternating training pole and deepwater start. This was a massive benefit and I can't recommend it enough, keep going back to training pole every other run mean't I reset my newly learnt balance point. Starting out on a pair of tricks first also really helped.

TOP TIPS for me these were the game changers. Deepwater pull out on rope: knees above elbows, back straight, point front of ski at boat ie flex front ankle so toes are away from you. Getting up: slowly and keep head up looking at horizon. Once up: Keep looking at horizon, stacked but relaxed with front ankle really flexed forward and knees bent and soft. 

BEST PIECE OF ADVICE this was on the video "if the ski is unstable flex front ankle more and move weight forward" this feels completely alien at first but because it works so well I was amazed how quickly my brain reprogrammed to do this instead of doing the opposite.

It's been great fun trying something completely new. I can't recommend this enough. Next step start learning surface tricks.