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Need barefooting help


martho

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I have decided it is time to go backward. I tried a few pulls 4 years ago, but just got dragged around on my belly and swallowed half of the lake.

I spent this past Friday working with another footer and really found how to make a nice trough by pushing my upper body down and creating a nice place to ride. The difference is huge between just dragging and working to push my upper body downward to make a place to breath.

However, every time I go to take my feet of the rope, I end up losing balance and my legs go straight into the water. I was able to get one foot on the water and start to have that ankle ride on the water while leaving my other foot on the rope. However, once I take the other foot off the rope, my legs go straight to the water.

I am looking for some tips on how to transition softly without burying my legs.

Thanks

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Oh boy....this could get long. :)

Are you sure you don't have someone nearby that can go backwards, and help you in person?

It's late, but here's a quick synopsis.

Learning to backwards barefoot starts as 80% driver and 20% skier, and slowly transitions into 80% skier and 20% driver, when up and riding. In my personal opinion, if you are teaching yourself to go backwards, and teaching the driver to drive for you at the same time, it may be a long battle. ;)

I assume you know the basics to the start - and laying in the water you're holding the handle behind your back, with one leg wrapped around the line.

Driver puts the boat in gear and you roll over.

At this point you simply need to make your body rigid and straight, as if you were doing a front start.

The driver advances the the throttle SLOWLY....we're talking about the speedo likely isn't moving yet.

You need to arch your head back and attempt to touch the top your spine with your head.

(position is everything to ensure no bouncing and a smooth start)

At the same time you can lean away from the boat - ie, push your chest down into the water in order to take the weight off your leg(s) that's laying on the rope.

As you take your legs off (AGAIN _ SLOWLY), you are learning into the water enough and keeping your body rigid enough to hold your feet OFF the water.

...at this point your arms are fully outstretched, the handle is below your butt, and your body is half in the water and half out.

You might have reached 10 mph at this point, but I doubt it.

Your body (chest in particular) is making a trough and with your head still arched WAY back you can open your eyes, breathe, and see the water coming back together behind you.

This is the point that many will get hung up on.

In one slow and SMOOTH move, you need to SLOWLY spread your legs wide and lay the inside edge of your feet on the water.

- As you spread your legs you are now going to catch some serious water. The driver needs to be advancing slightly here otherwise you'll drag the boat down like an anchor.

- You can help this by again pushing down on your chest to make your feet touch the water as LIGHTLY as possible, making sure it's the inside edge that lays on and begins to slide along. It may feel like you are simply hanging all your weight on the handle at this point.

- Do NOT stick your feet in vertically. Do NOT paddle your feet (pushing one or the other). Your feet need to slide along until more speed creates a hard surface.

Now that your feet are on the water and sliding, and you are STILL hanging all your weight on the handle by pushing down with your chest, and STILL watching the water flow behind you since your head is imbedded into your back.....

...the driver can smoothly bring the throttle in and increase speed in a nice steady and smooth motion.

(If the driver advances too fast he'll pull your weight onto your feet and they'll simply submarine and you're toast.)

As the driver is advancing the throttle, you need to again push down on your chest, allowing your crotch to rise up off the water just enough to ride a three point, which is your feet and chest. If you do not rise up into the three point you WILL start to bounce, porpoise, or flop around like some serious face fisherman.

You're in a three point - speed is still increasing slowly. Yes, SLOWLY.

If both skier and driver do this right (during the learning process), you will feel like you're doing 90 mph and have traveled the entire lake by now.

...and in reality you might be doing 25.

This is the point where the boat is increasing speed a touch faster now (the acceleration rate), and you need to start sticking your butt up towards the sun.

Dryland practice with a back barefooter is a big help here.

You need to start squeezing your legs togther (slowly), and pushing your chest down more. (Yes, DOWN)

The idea here is you need to get your butt to come all the way up so you are in a near pike position before your chest (and perhaps chin) leave the water.

If you try to lift your upper body your feet will slide out.

If you squeeze too hard with a straight body the force of you plowing water like a clydesdale will stick your feet right down to the bottom of the lake.

So, push down more on your chest, literally leaning away from the handle, and as your legs come together your butt moves up.

If your chest is still on the water at this point.....bend your knees and it will magically rise up.

...but my money is it won't be on the water anymore -

If you come up too fast you may keep going right on over.

To stop the rotation.... bend your knees.

Take a good look at some videos of back barefoot position, and have someone compare your back position on dryland to that in a video. It's the most awkward position on dryland....

Good luck.

Peter

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Thanks Peter -

My ski partner was a show skier and back deep is no big thing for him. He is the driver and the "instructor" for me so I know I am good in that department. I don't have any concerns about the driver or the teaching.

I am just trying to find that balance point. Pushing my chest down really makes a great trough and I feel like I could ride there all day. However, as soon as that foot comes off the rope, I am going to plug into the water like a torpedo. I need some kind of mental thought process or "trick" to help me get balanced. I was hoping there was a simple answer, but I know there is not. It will just have to come in time.

Hopefully, we can get out a few days this week I can get some additional attempts under my belt.

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I knew I shouldn't reply so late at night.

Don't take your feet off if they have weight on the line.

You either need to -

- make your body more rigid

- lean further away from the handle

- push down just slightly with your hips (I'd advise using a cup)

***You may also be leaving your legs on the line too long. If the driver has pulled you onto plane and out of the "hole", you won't be able to get them off the line. It's a fine line between too early and too late if the driver is accelerating too fast.

Peter

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Thanks Peter -

My ski partner was a show skier and back deep is no big thing for him. He is the driver and the "instructor" for me so I know I am good in that department. I don't have any concerns about the driver or the teaching.

I am just trying to find that balance point. Pushing my chest down really makes a great trough and I feel like I could ride there all day. However, as soon as that foot comes off the rope, I am going to plug into the water like a torpedo. I need some kind of mental thought process or "trick" to help me get balanced. I was hoping there was a simple answer, but I know there is not. It will just have to come in time.

Hopefully, we can get out a few days this week I can get some additional attempts under my belt.

we need some video of the learning process Martho!!!

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Very good advice from Peter.

These two things can cause your legs to torpedo the water when you take them off of the rope. As Peter said your driver may be pulling you too fast at that point. If the boat speed is slow enough usually your legs will naturally point upward when you take them off of the rope. Or you may be pulling the handle up your back. Keep your arms straight so the backs of your hands are on your butt. If you pull your arms up higher to the small of your back it will put too much weight to the lower half of your body. If one or both of these do not cure the problem get some video and we will get it figured out.

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