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What do you need to change next year


Horton
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I just got done editing some photos of me skiing and I have to say there is some stuff in there that makes me pretty unhappy.

 

I am not sure how I am going to fix it but I am going to re-invent my on side turn next year. No more butt dragging - tip in the air and scaring the boat driver at on side.

 

What do you think you need to fix?

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Mine is maintaining width and connection to the boat in my glide before the gates. My angle into one ball is the differentiator between completely smoking the pass and not getting past two ball. I'll do this by pointing my ski/belly button to 11:00 and getting my arms extended to allow me to ski away and then turn under them.

 

After that, it is moving my right hip up and away as I transition into that edge change going to one ball. It is the difference between just rolling from one edge to the other to ski directly at the ball (bad) or getting the ski to move forward/outbound and on a trajectory that creates space before the ball (better).

 

Third is to get good body extension, good reach, and straighter legs into the preturn on my onside (1,3,5). That will allow me to carry more speed into the turn, so I do not force the finish and crush into the ski at hookup.

The worst slalom equipment I own is between my ears.

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I need to work on my gate and my stack. I could make most of my gates this year, but my execution was far from consistent. That is going to start to catch up to me sooner rather than later I believe.

 

Oh yea; I also need to get involved in the tournament scene next year.

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1 - Connected and tall before the gate turn-in.

2 - Stacked over (like almost ahead of) my front foot on all accelerations.

3 - Connected beyond the edge change out to the apex.

4 - Vision downcourse and see myself ride the ski back inside the 135 and 246 line to connect (that means "stay level and don't turn my head"). Repeat starting at #2.

 

Made some progress this year thanks in part to the D3 ARC yellow and the above.

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I was skiing with Chet a few years ago now and sitting in the boat while he coached my dad, I can't remember if it was as I was getting in the water or after a pass or two but I said should I be trying to do what you were having him do. His response was I'm giving you your own lesson, don't steal his lesson. This discussion seems like an excellent way for everyone to accidentally steal everyone else's lesson.
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My back. MRI showed nothing and I have a follow up with the back guy to figure out why my back hurts every day. Not debilitating disk pain but it makes it hard to ski and sleep. Already hitting the gym trying to lose some weight and strengthen the core.

 

I have had two years wasted. I am hoping to figure it out and get back on the water next year.

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Get my left rotator cuff fixed.

Get the carpal tunnel/de quervain's in my left wrist fixed.

Lose 60.

 

Running into mid-35 with all of the above, even at slow times in practice, was a major accomplishment!

 

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I need to find a way to ski more than 4 passes a set. Rarely can I get in 6. Problem I have is my rear foot cramps up to point that I can no longer ski. Sometimes I pull my foot out for a bit to rest. But putting the binding back on in the water is a pain and doesn't help. It's not binding size as I already use a size larger than I can fit in. If I go larger I cannot ski. Have tried a variety of other systems but the only bindings that I can ski well on are the d3 leverage. It's been a awhile since ive experimented and have not tried any new systems. Hopefully 2017 I will find something.
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@Chef23 - bummer about your back. Remember to keep your hamstrings, quads, and piriformis stretched out. Lot of back issues come from tweaked hips because of those muscle groups pulling when they are short/tight. I'm no PT, I've just got a s-ton of experience dealing with a myriad of injuries and aches and pains.
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Get into good position coming out of the turn and then pull much harder than I have been this season. I made 15 off 34mph passes for the first time in my life during the past few weeks (have run it three times) and, after watching video of myself, realize that if I don't get a good stacked position and pull harder before the first wake I'm not going to be able to progress much further.
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I'm in it for the fun...and I want more...that's right, Bro-tato chip.

 

I need to shoot more 38's if I wanna run more of 'em. About 2 of 20 this year...good part of the year having fun but chasing settings hopefully more honed in out of the box next spring.

 

Need patience, need to let the ski finish rather than trying to rip the back off of everything, take manageable angles, keep foot pressure on the ski longer while being connected. Ya know would help to bend my knees some...keep my head up, face down course, don't murder 2 and 4, quit jumping on the front at 1,3,5...don't hold onto stupid stuff no one should, try not to break a ski, hit at least two 6 round slalom tourneys, don't pull so stinkin' hard...read my post-season notes that have said the same crap for 5 years in a row...I think that's enough.

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@jimbrake no worries most suggestions have good intentions here and yours certainly was well intentioned. I hadn't thought about the hip until recently and am asking some questions about that now that I hadn't before particularly given that the MRI doesn't show any structural spine issues.
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What I should do is truly improve my diet. It's not horrible, but top performance really requires an elite diet.

 

What I will do is continue to experiment with crazy stuff, and I have a soft goal of coming up with some minor piece of tech that actually works.

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@Chef23 -- I have had (historically) lots of back issues. Hip flexors matter. Started doing the "death stretch" (a crossfit term) recommended by Jenny LaBaw. I do it every morning and it has helped a ton. In general, any time my back gets tweaked, hip flexors tighten up and make it worse. Death stretch is awesome -- Google it if you haven't done it.
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1) stand tall

2) hips up

Basically resist my "safe mode" or hips back position when working on new pass or skiing a different boat.

Maybe even get to #3 which is PP upgrade for the boat.

Hoping to get from 30&32mph to 34mph 15 off. Sounds easy but ingrained habits are tough to break

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I'm pulling early and therefore letting off early. Gotta get my intensity down in the wrong place and up in the right place, behind the boat.

Other than that, better hips up stack offside. @RazorRoss3 posted some good info on pulling drills pinching the shoulder blades together. I think my offside could improve using that.

And looking for a 200

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Ski more, quit playing head games with myself and just ski. I tend to vision the pass I want to make, then I start thinking about all the things I need to work on and things I don't want to do, then it usually all falls apart. Most of the time the days I don't really feel like skiing and don't think, I ski best.
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Sometimes it is less about what needs to change than what I need to remember. Probably the single biggest improvement for me in the back half of this season was getting high on the boat AND maintaining some back arm pressure in the glide. This combination fixed about 100 other little problems I have had in the course for years. Did it immediately increase my buoy count? No, although I haven't pushed it. What it did do is increase the consistency of my buoy count, and the ease with which I get there.

 

@DmaxJC_ski said he needs to quit playing head games. Exactly! Here's what I tell my driver. "All I need to do is pull out right, turn in right, and then ski". No more head games!

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