learning to barefoot

Been a slow season so far on this thread. Any you guys out there footing?! Andy (GlassSeeker)and I have been ripping it up. Took a ride on Sunday at my ski club. Had a few setbacks: broke an alternator belt. Went to town for a new one. Fixed it. 3 runs later my driver (wife) hit a rock and jacked the prop. Only bummer other than the 400 bills I had to lay out is I was skiing out of my mind!

Hot Sunday Footset

Hollywood, you oput there footin'? Kapla? Mark?

Roy, looking good! You're doing all those tricks MUCH faster than some of your earlier videos, it's amazing. Also, I'm very glad you ditched that birthing position 3-point.

I have finally gotten my back step offs and back deeps going this year. No pics though because the only time I get good enough water to do this stuff the weather is crap or it's dark. Also, the dog refuses to run the camera.

Short line flips coming soon...

I've been working on our show ski footing mostly. We've got a 4 man bomb out line, 3 flyers and 3 beach starts for the show this year. Hopelly a 15 man foot line by state. Of course the Koehler girls are still ripping it up out there too! You can expect more barefooting for our 2010 season.

Wow nice video, looks very clean!
I haven't had another chance to try yet, would love to though.
A (stupid?) question: how do you steer...? I never managed to get away from straight under the cable when I footed there, no matter how much weight I put on one foot, one side, whatever. Enlighten me please!

Another 100 degree day in California, another opportunity to rip a barefoot set on the Sacramento River Delta. In the midlle of the video, I am finally getting on my feet with regularity, skiing backwards. I went to using the "shoe skis" v, barefeet after a friend of mine learned to ski backwards on them in a weekend, and I had struggled for 6 months on my bare feet, with little success.

Another Killer Day

I highly recommend the use of shoe skis on the back deep. I never came across any instructional videos pitching the use of shoe skis for the back deep water start; that's why I stayed away from them.

show us the sideslide!!!! video!

trip: steering starts at the hips which will turn the knees and feet, push more pressure onto the foot closest to the boat(longline)...from skiers point of view: if you are out on the left side of the wake turn hips/knees/feet to the right and put more pressure on the left foot(more pressure in your right hand too but don't pull in on the handle just loosen grip on left hand 3 fingers) after you cross wake turn hips, knees/feet towards left push harder on right foot, loosen grip in right hand(you want the pull to go diagonal through your body)....just to prove this to yourself try a one foot one hand just going straight, it's best to use a right hand and a left foot and visa versa, try left foot left hand...its waaayyyy harder and unstable.(this is a tip I learned from Keith St Onge) I paid cash...you're getting the info free right here.


prerequisite for front to backs...both back one foots SOLID, both back toeholds SOLID, and a back to front barefoot....then work the shoeskis on front to backs, I would recommend Scarpas big shoes first for both the B2F and F2B(breed some confidence!) then move to either Scarpa cutdowns or BFC chotas (like Lakeboy is using) then to the feet.

Oh boy do I have a long way to go. Hard to progress much only going once a week. lol

Don't under estimate the value of dryland practice, its easy, its free, the "falls" don't hurt(usually!) but be carefull about slippery surfaces. get in a backwards barefoot stand and shift your weight from one foot to the other, picking up the foot by bending at the knee only, practice balancing there on one foot then the other as still and relaxed as you can, do the back toeholds to get used to where the strap is...on any of this stuff there is always some fine tuning but the dryland practice will make the most of your water time.

Well, I finally made my first attempt to barefoot a week ago... After lots of face plants, sore legs and arms, I succeeded for the first time to remain standing for a whole run!!

What a rush!! I just love it!!
Here are some pics:

Here's our(Lakeboy's) newest teaching to foot video....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykW3e3hY3dE&feature=channel_page

Looks good Kristof! Don't worry about the smile

Looking good Kristof. As a novice, the only advice I can give you is look down, go down. In that one pic you're looking at your feet, you may not have bit it that time but I know from experience, look down, go down. ;)

Mark Mel wrote: Looking good Kristof. As a novice, the only advice I can give you is look down, go down. In that one pic you're looking at your feet, you may not have bit it that time but I know from experience, look down, go down. ;)

That happened five seconds later
My buddy in the boat said the exact same thing...

Kristof, that's great. You are going to find there is no single "right" way to learn. You have to try different things and see what works for you. I have been learning to ski backwards the last few months. There are lots of ways to learn. On the back deep water start some say plant your feet at 10-12 MPH, others say 25 MPH. How can both be right? It is right if it works for you.

I take lots of video and post it to get feedback. Also find good footers to ski with. That will help you the most. The last 12 months I have been skiing with some really good footers and they have helped me. 12 months ago the only thing I was able to do was a deep water start with a 5 foot rope on the boom. Now it's long rope, one-foots, toe holds, wake slalom, one-foot stand-ups, and backward skiing.

I made a video that chronicled my first 6 months skiing with these guys, roughly July '08 through Jan '09. Take a look:

What a Difference

We skied through the winter, which a lot of the "drysuit" footage came from. That helped to. Now I am focused on skiing backwards and I will post my progress here as I go.

Excellent video, Roy. I've been out most mornings for the past 2 weeks with my sons that have just started barefooting. They are starting to think about going to short line and that video helps a lot!

They can go about 2 miles on the boom before they have to stop. This morning my youngest son went about 1 minute 1 hand while he fiddled with the straps on his suit. He was holding on lefty and righty and didn't seem to have any trouble doing it. I'm guessing he may be ready.

"What a Difference 6 Months Make". It shows a short line start.

I'm not a footer. It was TimB, Keith and Brad (Barracuda) and maybe others that have taught them at the last 2 NE reunions. They were motivated to buy their own equipment this year. They're up every morning at 5:30 - 6:00 for the glass.