Hand position experiment over

[TEL]

After many years of holding the handle the wrong way I made an attempt this year with the correct hand position. Five sets freestyle getting used to grabbing the handle. Now five sets through the course I can’t get it. It’s amazing how foreign it feels. I’m turning 60 this year and I should’ve known better. I almost made it through 35 off last year and running many 32 off’s I don’t expect to excel beyond 35 off. I finally became semi comfortable running my 22 offs my opener could not even run a 28 off. Experiment over

[Woodybc62]

I’m 59 and thinking about trying to switch. U may have convinced me not to try ??

[2Valve]

I can't even think about switching over to a new motor oil, let alone grabbing things different.

[6balls]

I think if you give it a little more time you would get used to it. I switched a good 20 years ago and it felt funky at first. Did it get me more buoys? Who the hell knows.

[Stevie Boy]

Rule #1 - If it ain't broke, Don't fix it

[Than_Bogan]

Every person's experience with change will be different (of course). I don't think anyone else should assume it wouldn't work for them to make the change. On the other hand, if you've given it 10 sets and it isn't progressing, and the benefit is not proven to be that large anyhow, it does seem time to end the experiment!

[mfjaegersr]

+1 for a successful hand position conversion after the age of fitty'something. Old Dog=New Trick.

[floridagm]

It was the driver!

[TEL]

@floridagm you are probably right! I blame all my missed buoys on you. Looking for new driver east Orlando, Help!!! Gary's trying to kill me

[Bruce_Butterfield]

@TEL I started out with the wrong grip and made the switch in my 20s - and it took a solid 3 weeks to adjust. Today I have to hold the handle backwards due to a chronic elbow injury. I am certain I would ski more smoothly, consistently, and with better technique if I could use the correct grip.

 

My $0.02 is you should stick with it for at least a month and you will be glad you did.

[UWSkier]

I tried brushing my teeth left handed yesterday just for the hell of it and couldn't believe how much more stupid and uncoordinated I felt than usual.

[ALPJr]

My dad always said “you need to be able to handle the ball and go to the hoop with your left hand (for righties)”. Slightly off topic... think of how baseball players and golfers hold the grip. There’s a correct way to do it.

[MNshortliner]

I think the best time to change stuff up is from your first run of the season. Not having skied for a couple months you don’t have that muscle memory engrained in your body. Once you get that muscle memory back it is skiing uphill against the wind to try and change things.

[TEL]

@MNshortliner That's what I thought and did this year. This old dog can't learn new tricks

[S1Pitts]

Maybe your hands know that its your feet that need to switched? :D

Try both hands down for a while before making the full switch?

[RGilmore]

@TEL @Woodybc62 Good for you guys. Just as there is no "better" manner of twisting a doorknob that you "must" switch to, there is no hard fast rule about how you MUST hold the handle. It's simply NOT a "majority rules" scenario. No matter what anyone here or elsewhere says, there is no such thing as the "wrong grip" - only the grip that is wrong (or RIGHT) for YOU. Hold the handle in the manner that has proven to work best for you.

 

Can you imagine anyone here approaching Robert Pigozzi saying, "Bobby, buddy, you GOTTA get rid of that crazy bent over turn-in for your gate, pal." Or telling Chris Parrish, "Man, that both-palms-down pullout for the gate is RUINING your setup. You gotta switch to normal." ? In the same light, I seriously doubt anyone would have the gall to tell Jeff Rogers he'd have a "much stronger offside pull" if he would just hold the handle "right".

 

All that said, if you're gonna hold the handle "wrong", take time to closely study the top skiers who also use a switch-grip. There are more than you might imagine - Jeff Rogers being one of the most prominent. Notice where THEY position the handle, relative to their hips, during their offside pulls. There are many very successful skiers who ski with a reverse grip - study THEM.

 

 

[MDB1056]

A big +1 for @RGilmore comments. Can't be said often enough. There are plenty of amazing skiers with non conventional grips, that more than prove their approach also works. Don't drink the only one way to do it Kool-Aid. This topic has been beaten to death many times

[MDB1056]

[braindamage]

I made this switch a few years back after about 35 years switch grip.

First 2 sets: this feels impossible. Crazy something so “small” would keep me from skiing well.

Next 2 weeks: I’m starting to not notice, and my offside turn really IS better.

1month: what hand goes up again? Crap...both grips feel both right and wrong

6 weeks. New normal.

 

I think the switch was worth it. Each person needs to decide for themselves.

[Adam Caldwell]

There is a HUGE lesson that can be taken away from skiing with a reverse grip for a few sets. I recommend most skiers do it just to become aware of their "weaknesses" so they have a better awareness of simple and attainable things they can improve on.

 

It should be immediately obvious that your off-side and on-side pulls almost change sides. A big factor in WHY is due to how close together you can keep the leading hand and handle with the center of the body through the back of the boat in one direction versus the other.

 

If you pay attention to that when you go back to a normal grip (normal for yourself), you can work on ways to decrease that gap when your skiing and make some improvements to the mechanics of your connection to the handle, and ultimately realize the benefit of that connection into the swing and turn.

[Sethro]

I had to switch last summer because of an injury. It took a few sets to have the confidence to push it, but I don’t think I’d go back to my old grip even if I could. But, according to you all I was apparently holding the handle wrong for the last 35 years anyway.