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Skisix could not be more correct


martho

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NEW vid

BILL

BTW: in that second run your driver is not helping you at all. The propwash is like watching a military brigade walk. left, right, left, right. While, he is between the balls, it sure isnt in the middle. I think he ran over port side gates, then nearly ran over starboard side two boat lane ball, and then again on starboard side boat lane ball at 6. At our level of skiing, it sure doesnt make that much difference, however that boat is all over the boat lane. Haven't we all learned something since Parrish 2 @ 43' ROFL.gif I think the judges might call boat lane deviation on that full pass ROFL.gifROFL.gifROFL.gif

EDIT***

Can you give us boat speeds and rope length. I cant tell if that is a red section in the second video. It looks black, but I just cant tell

Edited by martho
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Nice improvement July to Sept!

Looks like it is time to bump the speed-you need to get out of the water a bit. Based on the vid, work on your gate. Its really hard to make up angle right from ball 1. Pull out wide to the gates and work on timing. Pull out and watch for 2,4 and 6 balls to line up and try to go beyond that point. You are a little flat on your off side wake crossing, that's why you get that shot of water in the face at the first wake. But that is to be expected as you improve (off-side). Try to hold your position right through the second wake. In July you were steering with your head and in September you were in much better position. Try to think about keeping your eyes parallel with the horizon-that will help keep your head up.

Great Job!

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Bill,

Rip has started with an excellent suggestion. Looking at the video, the rope is barely passed the back of the boat for your pull out. Pull out when the boat crosses the 55 m guides and don't stop until you get lines up exactly on the 2-4-6 line.

Otherwise, it looks good. A few other tips to concentrate on are to drive your elbows into your vest and keep them there, let your forearms drift out because you don't need a lot of lean where you are but get those elbows in. Second, Rip called it- you are sinking and that's why on 1-3-5 you are having to rush to get your down arm on the rope. Stay down a little longer passed the second wake so as to keep that momentum going outward. At first it'll seem like you are screaming into the ball but reach slowly and you will make a great turn and already be in position for the boat to pick you up.

Take your driver to some training. At the rope lengths you are at it still matters, not because you dont' have enough rope to reach out there but what happens is that the boat is taking the rope away from you when you are trying to stay out wide and worse- it's inconsistent. One set you ski great and the next one you think you were doing the same things on your ski but you kept falling or couldn't run the passes you were previously making. Could be the boat is out of position.

I don't mean to bust on your buddies out there driving for you, it just looked like they need to anticipate the load from the skier a little and then the steering corrections aren't as big and they aren't late.

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I don't mean to bust on your buddies out there driving for you, it just looked like they need to anticipate the load from the skier a little and then the steering corrections aren't as big and they aren't late.

This is an excellent point that is not often taken into consideration. Maybe we need to start a slalom driving forum.

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At my level, all I ask of my driver is

1. turn to the left then right in a corner keeping me on the outside

2. consistent speed

3. straight for a few 100 feet before the gates so I have the chance to get out and

ready for the gates.

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This is an excellent point that is not often taken into consideration.  Maybe we need to start a slalom driving forum.

Driving is something better experienced than explained. If anything I think it's more critical to keep practiced than skiing. Even with PP, where the boat is going can make a world of difference.

Try and ride in the boat when you know a good driver is behind the wheel and don't watch the skier, watch the driver to see what he's doing. I think that most drivers make too much correction and too many corrections, too late. With the RLX, and RLXi I find that a little bit of anticipation in the boat is all that;s needed. I'm not saying that you should take the rope away from the skier as they approach the finish of the turn, meerly a 1/32 of a turn to the left as the skier rounds the one ball and a 1/32 of a turn to the right as the skier rounds the two ball repeated 4 more times. That way the driver doesn't have to take significant action, being 1/8-1/4 of a turn, while the skier is loading up. Of course that's all dependent on how the boat is set up.

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Thanks for the info, guys. I love getting tips from people who know.

Here's more info : video#1 - traditional ski, 15 off, 30mph This was the driver's first time driving my boat (and he owns an MC, so what's he know Tongue.gif ) and he's only used to pulling his 12-year-old daughter, so I was quite a bit different for him. He's not one of my regular drivers.

video#2 - wide-body ski, full line, 28mph I do not like the boot on this ski. If my toes(balls of my feet) move a half-inch left or right, the sides of the boot dig into my foot. Sounds like being careful with that indirectly improved my form!! I had been working on some technique issues, including reversing my grip. Wow, that was really hard for the first few runs, but has really become comfortable. It was really hard at first because I had been skiing with my hands reversed for more than 25 years! That was my fourth pass of the day, and it was the first day I had skied that ski through the course. It was also my first decent attempt to ski the course at full line. I've always tried at 15 or 22 off. I was coming off edge early because in the first couple of passes I was getting so wide so early that I was freaking out and my brain was locking up. I guess I'm so used to struggling to get to the balls that when I was way beyond them, I didn't know what to do. As far as the driver in that video, even I can tell things aren't "just right" with him. He has an I/O and only runs through the course when he's with me. I think he just reacts late and overcorrects.

Hope this helps, guys. I'm really enjoying this thread.

P.S. I only switched skis because I had ripped the boot on my good ski.

Edited by billb
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Here's one more tidbit for this thread, but this goes out to Hoover and GT. The first vid takes place at the course at Rough River. The second vid is on the course at Taylorsville. Now you know why I prefer Rough to Tville, big time. Good people at Rough too.

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So, my question is, did it spell anything out for you? Did having the pictures and some text explaining what was going on in the picture make any part of slaloming clearer for you. Did it give you a definite concept to go try and work on the next time you're in the water?

Also, please understand that while the pictures are of me I am not inferring, implying that I am any great skier worthy of pictures. There were two factors that lead to posting my pictures. One, I had the pictures and two, I dont' have to worry about anyone coming to me later saying I violated some copyright. I'm just a regular guy that's burned a lot of gas. To give credit to the site, that is Warmen Lake, Vancouver , WA during the 2005 Western Regional Championship, July 2005

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You're too humble. :) You are a great skier from what I can see and I for one look forward to your thoughts and feedback. Thanks for posting the pictures and instruction-they are a great benchmark!

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Awesome stuff. Thanks for putting it together. I know I need all the help I can get!

I doubt anyone on the board thinks you are "pimping" yourself. Now if you posted that on some of the other boards.....

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Oh sure....post it after I ski this morning. Crazy.gif

skisix, thank you (sincerely) for your instruction here. We went out this morning and first I free skied and worked on your tips (hips forward, shoulders square, elbows to vest,...) while doing short pull & long pull drills. I was skiing at 22 off just because I prefer the wake there (34 mph). Everything seemed to be working so I headed for the course. Had my driver drop to 32 mph for the first pass, ran it easy, bumped to 34 mph (still 22 off) and ran it, though not as easily, nor as prettily. I credit your tips. Thumbup.gif Thanks.

Hope to get out again tomorrow. Yahoo.gif Love the SF Animals.

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skisix is the only one I have ever heard give the "elbows tight to your vest" tip. I think it is great advice that I have never heard from anyone else. There are three things that I tell myself each time before I say "hit it", elbows in, knees bent and hips forward. I am fortunate enough to be a member at the same lake, but have not been able to take much advantage of his knowledge and coaching. Unfortunately next year looks to be even less time on the water.

The posted picture is 2002 INT nationals in the wide ride class. It is probably 28-32 off at 30mph. I got second with 2 @ 35. KD has a ski called the PowerCarve that I think is the best because it still has a narrow tail that lets the ski turn sharper. Wileys has them cheap. I think they are a great training tool. I never have liked HO's wide skis because they are wide all the way through the tail.

There is a huge difference when you watch someone of skisix's caliber, his hips are never dropping or getting behind him and it is very fluid motions. Take advantage of his knowledge base.

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The posted picture is 2002 INT nationals in the wide ride class.  It is probably 28-32 off at 30mph.  I got second with 2 @ 35.

HA, GT & Hoover! See, someone can ride those skis to shortlines Tongue.gif

Just joking, sort of.......

That's great Dwayne, I never knew. The only question I have is why would you be putting yourself through the disappointment and grief you went through this year on a skinney stick and at 34mph when you can have fun like that? You don't go to tournaments so why not just have fun for the fun of skiing?

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This thread is killing me. I want to go ski but we are wrapped up for the winter.

I am curious do you guys think this much during a pass. Maybe it is because I have been skiing the course since I was 8 (although I did take a 15 year break) but I don't have that many thoughts going through my head. In general if I have more than one or two key ideas I can't ski effectively.

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I agree 100% on both comments. It's making me crazy seeing that blue water in SkiSix's photo's.

To me it's like any sport-Golf is a good example.... Too many swing thoughts become major problem. Pick one or two things to think about that have made the most positive change in practice. Eventually they will turn to muscle memory.

This thread is killing me.  I want to go ski but we are wrapped up for the winter.

I am curious do you guys think this much during a pass.  Maybe it is because I have been skiing the course since I was 8 (although I did take a 15 year break) but I don't have that many thoughts going through my head.  In general if I have more than one or two key ideas I can't ski effectively.

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I usually start out thinking about 4 or 5 things as I'm putting my ski on. Then I tell myself as I'm approaching the course to be realistic and work on just one or two things. Then, as I pass through the start gate, all of that goes out the window and I start just flailing from side to side fighting for any buouys I can get!! :(:blush:Biggrin.gifROFL.gif

Edited by billb
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It's making me crazy seeing that blue water in SkiSix's photo's.

You and me both Rip!!! I gotta loose those pictures for awhile. I have a couple friends with vids of me running 38, I need to get those and forward to our very own hoster Martho.

Warmen Lake was the most beautiful ski lake I've ever been to. Grass all the way around and nicely landscaped turn islands. Tall trees lined the full length of the lake and they dyed the water. A wonderful starting dock complete with a huge bbq grill and hot tub. They have three web cams looking over the lake so that the skiers can check in to see if it's worth skiing that day, please! Not a whisper of wind the couple days we were there and no clouds.

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This thread is killing me.  I want to go ski but we are wrapped up for the winter.

I am curious do you guys think this much during a pass.  Maybe it is because I have been skiing the course since I was 8 (although I did take a 15 year break) but I don't have that many thoughts going through my head.  In general if I have more than one or two key ideas I can't ski effectively.

This is an outstanding point. I cannot and have not found a way to tell my body "hips up handle down" during wake crossing. I could repeat it to myself the whole pass, have it blasting on loudspeakers down the course, and still not do it. In the beginning of the season Schnitz had something on his site about what hips up really is- standing straight up and pushing your hips/pelvis forward. For a few passes, this felt like the best tip ever- I felt invincible across the wake- until a couple real bell-ringing OTFs after the second wake. Seemed like I was driving the tip into the water with falls that rivaled my old barefoot falls. So out with that one. Does anyone know how to mentally tell yourself to get the hips up? I heard someone say "punch the water with both fists" to get the handle down, etc... My brain and body will simply not cooperate together on this concept! I will not get past 15 off without it...

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My problem right now is good body position during the edge change and pre-turn, especially 2 and 4 lately (i'm LFF). I think part of my problem might be related to stomping on the ski out 1/3, resulting in a sub-optimal weight distribution on my strong side pull (which I can get away with behind the boat), but being back during the edge change.

I picked up a really bad habit of squatting during the edge change/pre-turn, which throws me back on the ski. I think I understand what I need to do (and sixski's write up really helps re-enforce it), but I'm having a tough time connecting the mental picture to a physical technique. When I think hips forward, I tend to squat instead.

any suggestions? Stand tall, elbows in? I've also heard pinch shoulder blades...

PS. Skied yesterday on a mirror, 58 degree water, first dry suit day.

Edited by Addictedto6
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Skisix - I'm sure there are people out there that can take fat skis into the course, I just said it wasn't going to be me Tongue.gif 

At least you have a sense of humor I can understand.

Damn! 17 seconds must seem like an eternity to you then. Earlier in the year I said I could get you through to 38, now, I'm not sure. You gotta be able to concentrate and execute for 17 consecutive seconds. That's going to be tough on one brain cell. try golf.

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