Rich

The pull from the skier doesn't change as the line gets shorter, however you resist more. If I pull harder I end up pulling long or losing angle off the 2nd wake as the line getsshorter because I can't hold the angle generated. In fact because its easier to generate speed as the line gets shorter its easy to be overly agressive at 28 & 32, at 38 & 39 if Im agressive I generate excess speed from too much angle that I can't hold after the 2nd wake. Since I'm not 6'2" and extrodinarly strong like AM I try to be in a resist mode all the time, thinking just resist and be more patient as the line gets shorter. If I start agressive at 28 or 32 it feels great, but my performance will suffer at the shorter lines Different for us all. As a smaller person I have found what works best for me. I want to think edge change at the 1st wake so it happens at the 2nd wake. I always try to ski as easy as I can, the trick at 38 & 39 is just take the angle you are given, which is more just because the line is shorter, and resist. Like Wayne G says good hockey players skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it is. In slalom we need to stay a step ahead all the time.

At 5'7" this makes the slalom course as easy as possble. My goal is to run as many buoys as possible, how about you?

by being at this spot the line is at least 4.5 to 5 feet inside the buoy line, exactly where you want it on all line lengths if you want to be as efficent as possible. Efficient is good!

1 ball 38' another ankle smasher

toe side turn looks like I'm going to hit it right where I want, at the ankle! 38' 4 ball

You can't choose to ski at 36 in your age division anymore?

thats exactly where you want to be! smash those bouys, being wide isn't where its at, smashing buoys with your ankles is a good thing!!!

Just ski 36 if you want an open rating. at 38' and above the buoy dif is about 2-2.5 from 36 to 34. USA water ski is about the masses and getting the rule changed will take alot of work. If you want an open rating prepare at 36, ski a couple of tournys at 36 ( you can request that speed) and see what happens. It will help you when you go back to 34. That was my experience. What do you have to lose, ratings are pretty unimportant anyway, so you'll have a couple of scores that are below your 34 mph average. That's what I did a couple years back, it was fun

weak core = no good, even though my core was strong the weak link was a tight psoas., once I figured that out I was able to keep my low back in check http://stronglifts.com/the-psoas-is-it-killing-your-back/ http://www.floota.com/PsoasStretch1.html Good Luck!

The better you become you will realize that core stregnth is very important. As I have learned to stay stacked my core is what gets the most sore. Do pilates, Bikram Yoga. 4-6 X's per week and you will be amazed. Of course this needed to start in Nov 2011 if you wanted to have a great 2012 season! Good Luck!

Neck problems, do rabbitt

Bikram Yoga will will help you from being damaged by "hits" I have found through better body control I don't take "hits" and can run 38' consistently, so I guess that's what it does, but it only works if you do it. I have experienced inflamed tendons in my elbow, however since doing the posture I no longer have pain in my elbows. You are only as strong as the weakest link, this kind of yoga will strengthen the weakest links.

The answer to all your ski pain, Bikram Yoga. If you don't have the time for a full 90 minute Bikram class try this posture. Yes it will be painful, very painful to start. Lie face down, your arms under your body palms down. (This is very important and may seem impossible especially to a skier with inflamed tendons) Try to bring your elbows as close together as possible, touch your pinky fingers together under your torso. All you have to lose is your pain. The pain you create in the posture will allow you to ski pain free, good trade off in my mind! If you decide to add the leg raise you will also stregthen your lower back & glutes. Keep your legs together, your knees to together,your feet, heals & toes together. Do this dailey, not once or twice a week. hold the pose for 30-60 seconds to start. Good Luck, you now have a challenge that will provide you with a pain free solution!

I start with a dynamic warm up. Brian Detrick has posted a good one. lunges, with half twists, spiderman, breathing deeply, body weight squats, pull ups, push ups, leg swings, spend 15 minutes warming up, break a slight sweat, paise your heart rate to about 130bpm. I'm a big advocate of Bikram yoga for off season training. I did 5-6 days of 90 minutes per day this off season, 90 minute sessions at 105 degree room. Bikram is all about static hold position, which is exactly what we do in slalom. I'm looking forward to a great season, and if practice is any indication it will be as with less than 10 total sets I have run through 38' with no missed passes on set 6-8. I follow a paleo style diet, have less than 10 percent body fat.

On every line length all you want to go around the bouy is the ski. My experience is that being wide means that you held the leaning edge to long coming into the next turn. If you are 3 feet wide you held the leaning edge 3-5 feet to long. You want to practice running shortline slalom ski as narrow as possible. Having space in front of the bouy is a good thing, or being early. (Being wide is a bad thing) As the line gets shorter you will get more angle as you approach the centerline of the wake. You don't have to set angle wide, the angle will become greater as you approach the wake, try to maintain an open position, push your arms down your body, keep your body over your feet untill the 1st wake, at the 1st wake allow the ski to move faster than your body or shoot forward, which will transistion you into an early edge change. At outside of white water as your approach the bouy make sure you keep back arm pressure, starting to counter away from the rotation of the boat, pulling in on the handle creating a large arc. If done properly your head and eyes will appear inside the bouy line and it will look like you won't get around the ball. This is good. Reach slowly and stay off the handle as short a time as possible. The ski will go around the ball and you will feel like you grabbed a pole, the ski will come around the ball. Ski into the handle and prepare for accleration phase, repeat.

I went to reflex hard shell in the 90's with rubber rear. My sking improved when I went to Goode hardshells with rear heal lifts spring. 2 pros told me no on this set up. By being able to lift my rear heal I get more tip pressure. I have found that if you are good at staying over your feet in a stacked position you will love hardshells. If you move forward and back on the ski rubber works well because it does dont transfer the energy as efficiently to the ski. I would never even consider going back to rubber. I can ski 20 plus passes on hardshells, and do quite often in june- Jul when getting into optimal ski condition. I can't imagine that in the vice rubber. In my hard shells I can tighten them, get increible edge control, be in comfort for over a half hour.

That looks pretty scary! I'm working on a fix for my Ducati Monster. I would love to see posts from others that want to carry a ski on thier bikes!

are you just BS ing about neg wing angle? I'm playing with a ventral on 64 Goode WR. Best set up so far is ventral level and schnitz mini wing at 10 degrees. Prior set up was a regular size wing at 8 degrees.