learning to barefoot

thats why i like the images.. one image says more than thousands words....
i'll keep that in mind for my next time....

That looked really good! I'll echo what Mark said with the feet, you want to glide across the water, not plow and fight the boat.

you scored!
a boom will make it way easier
take a few pictures of it and post them...it will either bolt on or clamp on to your pylon and then a cable will clip to your bow eye, you need to make those cables the right length for your boat, its pretty easy.
Then just do what you have been doing with the wakeskate but hold onto the boom, it will steady things real nice, you will get right up if the water is smooth...find smooth water...or you may be better off behind the boat...you have to get smoother water than your video showed.

Well I went for the boom on saturday in the morning... it was a little bit choppy but it was possible... now thats a difference... boom makes it way easier.... after solving some posture things with the feet hips I was barefooting... but men after 3 minutes run i was busted... my forearms were bursting... to much force over there..I did 3 - 4 runs total that day and i was enough.. then i tried to wakeboard and couldn´t do much...
then i went sunday afternoon.. water was almost flat and did like 3 runs.. and the more i ride the more comfortable it feel... I still grab the bar but next i will go for the start with the short handle ...I have a couple of vids from the saturday ride that will upload this nigth....
My arms still hurt... to much force graving the boom, gloves are a must for the boom...
more to come...

yeah...death grip will go away as you get more relaxed/comfortable with the whole situation...gloves really are not necessary.

Remember to breathe, barefooting is high intensity so after a few runs it is best to stop, before you eat it, your best efforts will be your first 3 or 4 times...and its quickly downhill from there and leads to crashes and injuries so know when to stop...before you are too tired out...it takes it out of you very quickly.

You should be able to knock off a few mph when you are on the boom, too.

Yes. Good job!

The gloves may actually create more strain on the boom. The big problem is the large diameter of the boom, the gloves will make it even harder to get you fingers all the way around it. Even when you switch to the handle, you should try to stay away from the gloves. You really do not need to grip the handle all that tightly and if you fall, you don't want such a sticky grip that you'll tear your shoulders up.

LB that amazing... what lenght are u using behind the wakes... and speed looks very high... I hope to be doing that by spring...

only 2 barefooters that I know here..not common to find them...

some videos


the profesor...

Kapla:

I got to hand it to you: That is the ROUGHEST freaking water I have ever seen ANYONE try to learn in. El Professor had some serious courage to attempt a toe-hold in white caps and was rewarded by a tasty face plant!

Your second video showed a lot of improvement by getting your butt off the water, and your arms were longer and straighter which is good. Try to keep your ankles under your knees, not pressed too far forward.

I think if you try to find a way to get good water, you will have more success. Barefooting really is meant for smoother water. GOOD JOB!

Here is some footage of my friend Craig his first time last summer:

Craig on the Boom

If you want to see what is possible on the boom, here is GlassSeeker last summer. Beats the notion booms are for babies:

Andy on the Boom

Bump... What happened to K.O.?

After reading the last couple pages of this thread last week I just had to give it a shot while we were out last saturday.
I have done some barefooting on the cable about 10 years ago or so, and tried once or twice behind the boat back then.
The first try the surfer started bouncing so I had to get up to save my nuts while the boat wasn't at speed yet. However, I managed to ski about the same distance as my 2nd try.
Any comments or suggestions on bodyposition or whatever? Thanks!

Haha good idea, however I don't think a cup will stay in place wearing just boardshorts. Anyway, thanks very much for the advice. Looking forward to try again, won't be within 1,5-2 weeks or so though.