Baller_ swbca Posted December 17, 2021 Baller_ Share Posted December 17, 2021 [Age 40, 1985] Just found the only video ever recorded during my decades of skiing. Its pretty bad, but it was the summer I ran 35off in 5 consecutive tournaments including the 1985 Nationals. Now after a 35 year gap, I am trying to regain some part of this slalom score but without the bad habits. Click on YouTube icon, then FULL SCREEN for larger view. Unfortunately, when I ski now, I have a perfectly clear memory of this flawed technique and repeating it is automatic at this point. I study videos of good skiers and see how its done now. One obvious difference is my off side preturn starts very early compared to many current skiers. They get wide early, stand up almost straight with weight forward, then turn. What can you tell someone who is starting over after 35 years of no skiing ? So far I have my weight down to the same 170 and do a lot work in the gym. Free skied most every day for 2 months. And corrected my reverse grip. One advantage in skipping 35 years of skiing . . . two guys I know who have competed for 50 consecutive years have had bad injuries . . somewhat inevitable with so much time on the hour-meter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller braindamage Posted December 17, 2021 Baller Share Posted December 17, 2021 I feel for ya! I spent 38 years free skiing before meeting some awesome ski buds who ski the course. The only thing worse than old school course muscle memory with cobwebs is open water no instruction muscle memory burned in by decades of doing it terribly wrong. My advice…ski a lot with people willing and able to give small one-thing-at-a-time corrections. It would also accelerate you dramatically if you went to a ski school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller LeonL Posted December 17, 2021 Baller Share Posted December 17, 2021 What I can tell you is old age is a bitch. I started late (40) course skiing. Progressed steadily, albeit slowly. Never missed any appreciable time, skiing regularly, in course every year. Same weight but due to additional gym time over the last 5 years, stronger. Why my skiing performance has dropped off is somewhat of a mystery. After much thought and consideration, I've come to believe that it's loss of reaction time, and that any bad form is only magnified when one is slow to react to any glitch. My .02. And yes it is troubling and depressing. I could post the same in your other poll thread, I this should suffice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Andre Posted December 17, 2021 Baller Share Posted December 17, 2021 Great skiing...and those were big balls! My ski finish in 16.95 but my ass is out of tolerance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ The_MS Posted December 17, 2021 Baller_ Share Posted December 17, 2021 It’s too bad they can’t put a course on Christmas lake today. Awesome pretty lake with clear water Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ swbca Posted December 17, 2021 Author Baller_ Share Posted December 17, 2021 @The_MS Surprised you are familiar with the lake. If I had stayed on the lake with the motorized submersible course I suspect I would be grandfathered in with this fairly small community of friends. In Minnesota, a course can be UP without a permit except over-night and the Christmas lake owners didn't care since our family had been part of the scenery for 40 years. On my current lake, the locals haven't assumed any Jurisdiction and the DNR says I can have a course during the day and it doesn't require any approval from anyone else. Of course if there are justifiable complaints, all bets are off. So, when were you here ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ Jody_Seal Posted December 17, 2021 Baller_ Share Posted December 17, 2021 @swbca you invented the one handed gate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ The_MS Posted December 17, 2021 Baller_ Share Posted December 17, 2021 @swbca I grew up in Victoria and used to fish trout on Christmas way back in the day. Had a permanent course on Wassernan that was awesome. Moved to Pine island around 05 and then to FL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Horton Posted December 17, 2021 Administrators Share Posted December 17, 2021 that ski looks painful Goode ★ HO Syndicate ★ KD Skis ★ MasterCraft ★ PerfSki Radar ★ Reflex ★ S Lines ★ Stokes ★ Baller Video Coaching System Drop a dime in the can Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ swbca Posted December 17, 2021 Author Baller_ Share Posted December 17, 2021 @Jody_Seal I invented the world's first submersible slalom course, but not the one handed gate. I have switched over to two hands now and reversed my previously "wrong" grip. It feels much better on my off-side hookup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ swbca Posted December 17, 2021 Author Baller_ Share Posted December 17, 2021 @The_MS Did you ever see us out there skiing on the east shore ? You could have stopped by for a beer, a brat and ski. And did I see you at the Minnesota tournaments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ The_MS Posted December 17, 2021 Baller_ Share Posted December 17, 2021 I never saw a course on there but always thought it was a perfect place. I didn’t ski a course till I was 35 so I probably missed you at events. Skied INT until 2004. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ DW Posted December 17, 2021 Baller_ Share Posted December 17, 2021 Puffy vest, wake BB’s and pylon!! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ DW Posted December 17, 2021 Baller_ Share Posted December 17, 2021 And yet, how little this sport has actually changed. Nice skiing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller BrennanKMN Posted December 18, 2021 Baller Share Posted December 18, 2021 I have been on Christmas a few times and always wanted to put a course on it, but lakes like that are impossible unless you live on it. Unfortunately the Wassermann course was slowly killed by the homes the took over the south shore. Great skiing! Pretty cool to see my local lakes with courses on them from 80's! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller teammalibu Posted December 18, 2021 Baller Share Posted December 18, 2021 The older I get the faster I was! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller ALPJr Posted December 18, 2021 Baller Share Posted December 18, 2021 That’s some great skiing @swbca Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller CBR51 Posted December 20, 2021 Baller Share Posted December 20, 2021 Great skiing. As Jody mentioned. I don’t think I can remember anyone doing 1 handed gate back then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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