Starting RTP

[JAS]

How many skiers using RTP start both feet in?

Just wondering

[skialex]

Both feet in, my RTP is so tight that I have to work my foot in and when I feel my heel block with my toes, I know that foot is exactly where I want it.

[MattP]

I’m the same as @skialex.

[VONMAN]

Both feet in.

[dvskier]

Both feet in, HRTP.

[Ski_Dad]

both feet in with RTP - i could never get the dragging my foot thing.

[Kelhooten]

I start one foot in, it’s so much easier and burn way less energy. At 180lbs I’m up at the hit of the throttle. I use to start with both feet in cause I learned that way and figured out the one foot thing and I never went back to using both feet.

[dbski]

Always drag rear foot. This allows you to keep the ski more parallel to the surface of the water. Reduces drag and really relieves strain on the back.

[pregom]

Both feet in. I'm with @Mitzysman, dragging a foot never worked when I was learning deep water starts and I have never tried since.

[jjackkrash]

Dock starts are easier with one foot out, but double-boot dock starts are cooler.

[vtmecheng]

Both in, I get up without gettiny hair wet but I'm only 176 lbs. Like @skialex, I keep my RTP tighter.

[david_quail]

Both feet in.

I learned with double boots and have never tried with one in

[BraceMaker]

@dbski that's something I never did figure out. When the boat goes I sort of just push my butt towards the handle as the boat accelerates and that flattens the ski and puts my hips and chest on top of the water. I don't even get my upper chest wet. So I think people just assume you have to plow the water?

[skibug]

both feet in but my RTP has a heal stap....so....sort a gotta.

[vtmecheng]

I agree with @BraceMaker. For years I was told to keep the tip way up. That led to major plowing and a lot of wasted energy. Once I changed to focusing on keeping the back of the ski high and my weight a bit more forward, I got up with almost no effort using a soft boat pull. Not saying this works for everyone and maybe it's more of a mindset and not what I actually end up doing. If you feel you put a lot of effort into the start then try some different things to save that energy for the course.

[dbski]

When I drag my rear foot I really extend my rear leg back and point my toes. The top of your foot acts like another planing surface and aids getting up faster. I let my chest come up over my bent front knee. The older I get the more important it is to lessen stains on the back. I've had one back surgery already, don't want anymore!

[BraceMaker]

@vtmecheng ya that doesn't make sense to me either. If a raw beginner keeps dropping the tip under water they need to keep the tip up. But the ski is all surface area.

[Stevie Boy]

Both feet in, I cannot be faffing around, useful on short lakes.

[parkerc2112]

Both feet

[Ski63]

One foot in. Drag the rear foot. Been doing it that way for almost 40 years

[pregom]

I agree with @vtmecheng, @BraceMaker -- keeping the tip way up doesn't seem to be efficient. I do remember seeing a video on youtube of a burly skier that started with the ski almost vertical: the boat seemed to give him a hard pull and he was out of the water in no time. For me, what works with little strain on my back is to touch the back of my ski with my butt and the top of my front boot with the handle. I'd say the ski is 25-30 degrees from parallel to the water. Starts in this way are easy now, but I struggled for a long time when I was learning...

[CharlieWhiskey]

I like to kick it in good on the platform. For tournament skiing you don't want to have an issue getting set right while you are going into the course.

 

[Chef23]

I am a dragger. I have been dragging since for 44 years and don’t see changing now n

[braindamage]

Can do both. I drag cuz it’s easier. My son keeps his back foot in.

[SkiOrDie]

Always have gotten up dragging the back foot. Tried the both feet in and can do it, but was harder to stay steady in the water and not as fast up.

[rayn]

Been both feet in since I injured my back leg kicking in. Plus it is much better for short set ups.

[Chef23]

Getting up as a dragger definitely runs some risk on short setups. I haven't missed in a tournament yet. I have missed in the past at home with a short setup but very rarely.

[swc5150]

Both in

[dwfrech]

I started doing the both-feet-in start about a year ago. I agree with @Stevie Boy that you don't always have time to basically put your rear foot in after you get up. I used to kick it forward (trying to get into the RTP) all the way til just about the pull-out for the course, which was kind of unsettling. It was a lot harder at first when I started with both feet in. But I changed how I get up and it's no big deal now. It helps to not keep the ski straight up when you are just finding your start position. It needs to be somewhat across your body (point the tip about 30 degrees toward the side for your front foot). That keeps you from falling over when you are getting dragged. Once the pullup starts, you will straighten out naturally (no effort ... it just happens). I also try to put the handle about on top of my front boot. Basically don't separate the pulling point (handle) from the fulcrum or lift point, which is your feet. That helps keep you from getting pulled around any direction (sideways, over the front, etc.). I also built my own heel strap, so now I can keep my rear foot in pretty much the same position all the time. That helped me and it might be mental but it feels more secure/consistent that way.

[MuskokaKy]

I typical drag my second foot; however on short courses where the gates are close i start double but not by preference.

[OldboyII]

Never tried to rotate rear binding.

Want to try to pivot it a little.

What is standard recommendation - toe inward or toe outward?

[Bookm_dano]

Either way works fine. Dragged a foot for decades... Usually both feet in now. If I'm wearing a shin guard on my back leg, it won't stay on if I'm dragging it.. .Now that I'm learning to ski the course, I prefer to have both feet in rather than risk the last second struggle to get foot in place.

[Fraser]

I have dragged forever and find my back foot is in before I am on plane. However, wearing a rear knee brace now I may start back foot in as the drag pulls hard on the brace as @Bookm_dano noted with his shin guard.

 

@BraceMaker and @vtmecheng you are basically using techniques to get the tip of the ski down/flat on the water without submarining it at the start if I read your tips correctly?

[vtmecheng]

@Fraser, that's correct. It's all about not getting water up my nose.

[eleeski]

@OldboyII Rotate it like a trick ski (RFF - the left rear foot twists counter clockwise). Twisting it the wrong way destroyed my hip.

 

I switched to a toe kicker because I couldn't get up two footed after my hip surgery. Actually I couldn't ski on a RTP so I made a hardshell toe kicker.

 

Hurt my front knee this spring. Now I have to get up two footed on my clever kick in hardshell. Go figure.

 

On tricks, I always get up one footed. Much lower energy. Plus it reinforces the habit of keeping your weight off the back foot.

 

Eric

[BraceMaker]

For me I don't really think about the tip. It is just that the end result of the position is that once the rope is taut and you start to press your hips up while keeping your knees bent the ski will initially come down and you will go up.

 

I think my start changed when I started trying to learn trick skiing. It's all about surface area and being on top of it, and there is no need to hold a tip way out of the water, even if it goes under it will come up.