Calling all coaches - Please help me get better (video)

[daryl]

Hi all, I read a lot here, don't post very often, but here goes:

 

After reading advice on here about how to improve, I have decided to try and improve a pass that I can run almost all the time, rather than shortening and missing and struggling with all kinds of bad habits and having my weaknesses exploited by the slalom course.

 

so here are two clips, both at 34.2MPH, both at 15off.

 

Tell me what you see! I have thick skin - so let me have it.

 

for what it is worth, I'm 205lbs, 6' tall, and I'm riding a 2016 71" Lithium Senate. (I would love to hear what everyone thinks about this ski size after watching the vids)

 

Although my intent is to get feedback on these passes, I run 22off most of the time, but I really struggle at 28off because I seem to ski straight at 1 ball. If I can get a good 1-ball at 28off, I might run it, but I just haven't spent a ton of time at 28 - just because I've been working to make 15 off smoother and smoother.

 

pass #1

 

pass #2

 

P.S. love the site - keep it up @Horton

[gregy]

Looks pretty good. Seems like a lot of ski for you at 205 lb but you look good skiing.

 

You need to work on getting your hips up. You hips are back and weight biased back from the start as you are setting up for your pull out. You need to start by standing tall with hips up in a good stacked position. As you pull out stay tall with your weight bias to the front. Then as you come out of the pull out stay in that same position in you glide. I'm LFF forward like you and the turn in to the gate is like an offside turn where you want to use the front of the ski to turn in. Turn in with some speed (but not were you get slack) so that your work area is more behind the boat. You want to create angle without a lot of speed.

 

I've gone from struggling at 15off to running 28off regularly over about a 2 year period by just working on the gates and getting a better stacked body position.

[markchilcutt]

Some better quality videos would help. And maybe if I was viewing from a bigger screen than my phone I would see more. Your turns look really good on both sides and you don't seem to be over pulling going to the bouy which is really good! Getting a good start is a big deal in slalom skiing.Watch video of pro and top amateur skiers and notice how wide they get on the boat during the pull out/glide for the gates. Our work zone is from the bouy to the center line of the course so we should be done pulling by center line. If we can figure this work zone out we can make great progress with out slack rope at the bouy. Also let your arms go straight and lean away from the boat as you pull towards the gates I noticed your arms are bent heading towards the gates on your start. We will never pull the boat with our arms so let them go straight. Straight arms,hips up, soft knees, even pressure on both feet. There is always a lot to work on in this sport but until we have a good wide gate and a solid one ball you shouldn't stress about a lot of the other things. Keep this in mind and keep shredding. I also think your ski is on the big side. Prob not a big deal until you start shortening the rope. A 68 will support you great at 34mph. Hope this helps. MAKE SURE ITS ALWAYS FUN!

[bkreis]

@daryl i'd like to see you get through both wakes on a cutting edge which will put you wider and earlier consistently.

[Deep11]

I like your second pass better, lots of good stuff. Your gate issue to me is a lack of acceleration - from turn in you are being pulled all the way. If your gate load point was to look like the exit of your 2,4 it is likely you will find things coming together better. In answer to your question all you need to know about body position - straight arms etc is here :