BKistler

I never get totally square to the boat on TO. My trailing shoulder lags behind.

Good advice. I always lead with my head which is how I’m getting ahead of the ski.

 

Your comment about the TS position is identical to how Benny Lohr describes how he does a wrap-in TO. I sort of lag just past 90 degrees and pull-pull-pull to the front.

 

I use a Robbins release in practice.

Hello Eric. Good to hear from you. I knew that my posts would get a response from you. Having lurked here on occasion in the past, I have seen some of your generous and helpful posts. You are to be commended for your selfless contributions.

 

Anyhow, I was amiss by implying that the pull should be the same at all times. What I was trying to convey was rope control. Ideally, even on a dead rope there should be some light tension on the rope to avoid a bow of slack, or at least that bow of slack should be under control so that there is not a fall-producing shock when it takes up.

 

I’ll have to play with your drill. Wouldn’t mind adding some of your tricks to my run. However, on wrap-in TO (perhaps the best example) I have had some very ugly and dangerous falls trying to turn on a dead rope like most skiers do. I have had better success with a long, slow, continuous pull.

 

Good description of advancing.

How does one advance the ski without pulling? I’m not trying to be cute. I just want to understand your/her approach. Thanks for the thanks BTW.

I don’t want to give out contact information for individuals without their permission but you might try sending an email to the Lakeland Water Ski Club. lkldwaterskiclub.com

Lake Parker is a very large, shallow lake. No course on it that I’m aware of, although it’s possible. Lake Gibson is smaller and clearer. Don’t know if it has a course. Probably pretty thick with Wallys. There must be a course on Lake Hollingsworth, the home of the Florida Southern ski team. The tournament skiers in Lakeland shifted to private Ski Paradise in Mulberry years ago. You’re in luck, Ski Paradise is for sale.

Others with kids can probably be of more help than me. I’m old school, so I would start them on two skis with a typical SS, B, F, O, WB, WF progression. It’s out of print but you might be able to find a copy of my book Hit It! which covers those beginner tricks. Finding a suitable pair of skis can be a problem these days.

 

I really don’t see the connection with slalom. In my opinion, they should trick for the joy of tricking.

1. Visualize the trick.

 

Before you can do a trick on the water, you must be able to see it in your mind. Work on imagining yourself performing the trick correctly. Update your vision to incorporate what you learn. You will see top trick skiers doing a sort of pantomime on the starting dock, going through the motions of their trick run, mentally practicing before ever putting on a ski.

 

2. Study Video.

 

One of the best ways to learn is to study video. Look at video of the better skiers in your division at full speed and in slow motion. Notice their posture, how they pass the handle, how they turn their head, how they pull in the toe leg. Sometimes very subtle movements can make big difference. What is the key to that trick? (Watching skiers that are the next level above you can sometimes be more helpful than watching the 10K plus superstars. The technique that the elite skiers use to achieve such speed and power may not be what you need to learn the trick initially.)

 

Study video of yourself. I have a GoPro mount on my pylon and my wife videos every practice session. I review the video afterwards to evaluate what I’m doing right or wrong. It can be revealing. Sometimes the way the trick looks is a whole lot different from the way it feels. When you successfully perform a trick, make note of what you did right so that you can visualize it and repeat it the next time. Keep a notebook.