First year slalom advice

[Diben44]

So I ended up on a waterski for the first time last summer, 2018, and got hooked on the idea of slalom skiing pretty quickly. Earlier this year I picked up my first ski, a 2018 Senate Alloy, and so far am loving it. Here is a video of about where I'm at, currently skiing at 15 off and between 29-30 mph. I only have access to free skiing right now but am really hoping to get on a course at some point in the (hopefully) near future. I'm thinking that's the only way I'll develop any sort of timing, or fluid rhythm (but correct me if I'm wrong). With only being able to self coach videos based on things I've read/seen online any advice, tips, or tricks would be greatly appreciated.

 

[BraceMaker]

Great to start off with video +1 - someone else is going to say it so I might as well, tell the photog to flip the camera horizontal for you and then get em a sixer to keep on filming.

 

As far as what to do when freeskiing for success in the course - I'll give you my suggestion which is that slack tells the story. When you turn you'll see the rope is slack goes pop then you start to cross the wakes turn slack pop cross the wake.

 

To get rid of slack freeskiing you have to increase your intensity from the turn in to the wake crossing and then control your direction and ride. Getting so you turn in smoothly with no slack on both sides even if you don't "turn" then increase your intensity and build up the speed till you are turning both sides no slack. If you have that the slalom course will feel great when you get to it.

 

If you practice those slack turns you'll be skiing right past the balls managing slack then skiing inside the next ball while you manage slack on repeat.

[BlueSki]

Because you are new to this, you may be able to avoid many bad habits if you can find a way to get to a good ski coach. They tend to be in decent vacation spots and will focus on getting you into a good position and developing good habits before worrying about a slalom course. If you can pull it off, you will ski better with less risk of injury and less exhaustion. The training will be more valuable than any new equipment.

[PacMan]

I'd suggest looking at some instructional and tips video. Maybe Google Seth Stisher and try to find some drills that will help get you in the right position on the ski and thinking about the right things.

 

What many people seem to struggle with early on is attacking the wake. A lot of new skiers tend to slow down and flatten out, when your on edge the ski will cut right through it. As for the slack in the rope I think a lot of that is because your pulling so much after the wakes right up until you turn.

 

Doing good for a new skiers keep it up and hope the advice helps.

[escmanaze]

I love it. I'm not good enough to give you advice. To me it seems like you need some more pre-turn, but only do that if somebody better than me says so. Welcome to the sport. Glad to see you here.

[ReallyGottaSki]

Hmm. I don't see the krnetic energy for a proper preturn yet, so trying to force one would be counterproductive me thinks

 

Work on stance, and Crosswake speed and confidence attacking the wake. The turn is the easy part and will cure itself to a high degree when the cut is properly developed.

 

Right now it's wobbly like a turn on a bicycle thats too slow.

 

For now don't hammer a turn any more than the angle you can maintain while progressive increasing line tension through the wake, thus accelerating.

 

If youre letting off in the wakes like that, reduce the turn intensity as well as width, and get back to proper body mechanics in the cuts unlill your crosswake energy restores the width.

 

 

[DenimUsa]

I suggest you to hire a coach and watch some tutorials on youtube.

[DenimUsa]

Ive asked at the club a couple of times and they've said that they rarely get rid of skis because they use them until the edges are so far run down that they are pretty much unusable anymore! I thought going for new ones would hopefully last a bit longer and they seem to be a really good price!