What do you do with your arms and handle at end of glide/turn in for the gates

[MISkier]

I am curious about how a skier manages the handle toward the completion of the glide and into the turn in for the gate. The main reason I ask this is due to some focus on maintaining width in the glide and also turning in to get good angle while also getting good body position immediately.

[MISkier]

My theory on the action with the handle is that, as we all know, the last few moments of the glide require some ability to resist drifting back in toward the boat. The drift causes several problems in lost width, lost connection to the boat/slack, and some issues with establishing good angle. But, there is something that can be done with the handle to counteract/prevent this.

 

I previously thought keeping the handle in as close as possible always would be required to ensure I had it on my hip while pulling through the wakes. But, I began to notice that I drifted in, didn't turn in like I wanted, and really didn't like my gate much. Often, I even had slack or turned on the tail of the ski as I seemed to sink in. I would even say that I went through the wakes with the handle away from me, even though I started with it very low and close.

 

I tried to point my ski and belly button to 11:00 near the end of the glide to maintain width, etc. However, I found that having the handle low and tight seemed to restrict how effective that was (possibly more so for LFF). By raising it slightly and allowing myself to "ski away" from it, I kept the width and, as a bonus, maintained better connection to the boat. One final benefit was that I found the turn in to be more complete and I was able to get the ski under the rope and finish the turn with my upper body to fall into a good position for the pull. Surprisingly, the handle dropped in low like I wanted. Since I've implemented this, my gates seem a lot better and the turn in doesn't feel rushed or like I am sinking. My one ball has been much better (more space) also, without the need to crank that turn and crush into the ski like I would do when skiing narrow. I can only assume my angle through the gates has improved.

 

Other thoughts?

[John Brooks]

I found that holding the handle low and tight was limiting my ability to rotate and turn. The solution for me has been having the arms up and long which has allowed me to turn in nicely and get the handle and arms in position crossing the wake.

[MISkier]

@John Brooks, I think you are accomplishing what I was describing, although it sounds like you are doing it in a more pronounced and prolonged movement.

[RazorRoss3]

I try really hard to feel back arm (left arm/shoulder) pressure in both the pull out and glide. I also try to keep my handle low and tracking about 6 inches in front of me. My theory behind keeping the handle ahead of me is that by having space between my hip and handle there is room for me to turn in behind the handle without having to fall backwards or raise it up. If it is already in front of my then I just turn in, my line is already tight, and I am immediately in a leverage position against the boat and am accelerating from the moment I turn in rather than making unnecessary/inefficient moves on the ski.

 

This is a full time piece though, I always try to have my handle a little ahead of me so that I can move forward on the ski and turn into a tight line rather than having to fall back to the handle.

[chris55]

I try to keep the handle at the same level of my hip but in front of me and I try to engage my ski like the handle is a pivot point and I try to sort of turn around the handle getting angle and back arm pressure too