learning to barefoot

kapla wrote: my guess is you will foot the same in a $30 or a $300 suit! might be a little more comfy on the 300 one though! 40 years ago they footed with none so go figure!

agreed, it's just that the $30 Craigslist suit lasts a season...the $250 new suit might last 3 or 4 seasons and will be more comfortable?   maybe wishful thinking. From the purely economical, I'm guessing the ebay/craigslist deals are the way to go. My small crew shares the same suit/shorts.   It's too big on the skinny guy and he deals with water instrusion. It's snug as hell on me as I'm the fattest of the bunch. Like stuffing a sausage casing when I zip up and takes the rest of the crew to help me out of it. LOL.

NCH20SKIER wrote: In my opinion, if you are going to ski often spend the cash and get a suit that fits you correctly and save some bodily abuse. Will let you know what how the BI performs

What happened to the "good old days" when we would go out and BF in "cut offs" and just a belt type PFD??? You guys are just wimps and can't handle it!!   

Yeah, where IS my PFD? Oh yeah, at the chiropractor...or was it the orthopedic surgeon...hmmm..

OK time to check the facts on footin' and suits:

1. Barefooting techniques and the equipment have changed from your old man's barefoot days. So it is time to get on board, ski safe, and get the best equipment you can afford.

2. The cost of a good suit pales in comparison to owning and operating a boat, so go buy one if you need one.

3. Barefooting is enhanced by better equipment. You CAN do with out it. A friend of mine really struggled with tumbles and butt-glides beacuse his suit was loose and constantly grabbed at the water.

4. A good suit is going to last a long time. With care, maybe 10 years. I DID buy my BI used for 125.00, I ski like a madman, 50 days a year (you see the videos) and the suit is in decent shape. A bit loose, but gets the job done. I am in the Market for a new one, though.

I do like the sleeveless myself. GlassSeeker says the sleeveless catch a bit more on the water in tumbles. He has both. I like the flexibility in the sleeveless. Plus you look muy macho.

JMHO.

Steve - a couple "Contradictory points" if you well. Go to a ski shop that has suits in stock and try them on. you might be surprised. I think you'll probably fit in a L just fine, maybe even a M, again better to be snug then loose. Remember part of the break in results in some stretching/molding to fit your body, so they start out really snug and end up pretty comfortable.

Shorts - they actually go under your suit for "extra" padding. Also there is a big difference in padding thickness of the suits. I think the BI is a little thicker (which makes gliding easier) but some say they limit movement. As a beginner I haven't noticed much, but I never get any bruising on the torso, soooo. My neighbor, who has been footing for years, said he noticed a big difference in the "glideability" (how's that for a word) between Eagle and BI versus all the others, BUT that was 10 years ago, everyone might be using the same material now.

Ok guys, Thursday I had one of those days that Roy always talks about. I had talked a couple of guys from work who have been messing around with the barefooting into heading up to the Blue Moo for a day of Skiing with Elaine Heller. After having to cancel two attempts through out the course of the summer, we finally made it happen. The two other guys in the video, Dan - has been messing around on the boom, and Wayne hasn't barefooted in 20 years did absolutely great. Me I got some great help on tumble turns, one foots and even started back deeps. Back Deeps were way more fun then I could have imagined, I am HOOKED.

Elaine is the Greatest, the three of us had a riot, we finished the day with her taking a couple of runs. I got elected to drive, a little nerve wracking pulling a world and national champion as well as world record holder - I made her promise she wouldn't get injured - HA!

Video is a little long, but it was a long day and TONS OF FUN!

Steve, awesome video. What kind of camera? Cameraman deserves the applause as well. Good stuff

BTW, the footing was great too. I'm heading out tomorrow for an early mornings session and this has me all jacked up and ready to go

Careful you might get spoiled by the Heller's Sanger

Here are some highlights from footing with David. Sooooo stoked on the front one-foot wakecross right now. Time with the world champ definitely tuned them up. Found my speed too: 44 MPH.

2001 top end with footer in tow/on the boom?

HW, Barracuda, others? I get about 42mph (confirmed with GPS) with me on the boom.   I weigh 194. Is this about what you guys are getting? It's fast enough for 1 foots directly on the boom. Leaves me wanting just a little more when on the shortline.

Swatkinz wrote: 2001 top end with footer in tow/on the boom? HW, Barracuda, others? I get about 42mph (confirmed with GPS) with me on the boom.   I weigh 194. Is this about what you guys are getting? It's fast enough for 1 foots directly on the boom. Leaves me wanting just a little more when on the shortline.

42 sounds strong and close to one foots. I would suggest in the mean time get a good set of trainer shoes till your one foot(both) are strong and clean. Then maybe consider a prop change. I lost the slightest bit on the low end, but p/u about 2.5 - 3 mph with the new ACME 2065. I however have a much different hull/boat/and set up than you though.

The "wanting more" is my imperfect technique I'm sure, but I borrowed a line from A DeVilliers (or some other badass) when I tell my buddies that "I can ski slower, I just prefer to ski faster." LOL. I think they bought it too.

Hollywood wrote: SN206 - pics or it didn't happen

well said! haven´t seen ryan in action no even once in the 56+ pages of this thread!!! lol though I heard he nailed his first back deep!

SN206 wrote: I lost the slightest bit on the low end, but p/u about 2.5 - 3 mph with the new ACME 2065.

I think you mean 2068?

Youre telling me that you dropped 1/2" of pitch coming from the 422 and you lost holeshot? That seems counterintuitive to me. Im not surprised to hear you gained top end, but 2.5-3mph is a tremendous gain... did you verify the speed with a GPS? Getting 49 on the boom yet?

I love the topic of barefoot speeds. There are a lot of purists out there; I am NOT one of them.

* OK, too fast and it may be too easy without the right technique, right? Too slow and you are drowning and not having fun. I believe the same skier with the same weigh COULD have an optimum speed difference of 2-3 MPH. That is, not ALL 190 LB guys are going to have the same one foot speed. So, find your speed and work it.

* I recall a Lane Bowers video of him teaching the "worlds strongest man" to barefoot. I can't recall all the details, but I DO recall Lane dragging this 300 LB. man through the water at 36 MPH to prove it was all about the "glide." I think he made the point, but did his student have the MOST enjoyable experience? Not likely. My point his he could have put the speed up a notch, get this mountain of a man on his feet, gain the confidence, then lower the speed. More to the point, what is the point? Being a purist, or having FUN on the water? It is BOTH I believe! Have fun, but don't create really bad habits or short cuts to good technique.

I learned one-foots at 40-41 MPH. I could have probably skied them at 39 MPH, but 40-41 MPH was a lot more fun. If I learned them at 45 MPH, I would not have learned them as well.

I was doing my one-foot front wake crosses at 43 MPH, because that is was Willie does them at. David Small bumped me to 44 MPH and it made a huge difference. I mentioned to David was it wise to bump the speed up. He said, "If you were doing them wrong I would have told you. I do mine at 45.5 MPH." Nuff said there. 1 MPH made a huge difference, it was more fun and I am more stoked on the technique. That is WHY I barefoot: It is FUN. I will not likely compete, teach, or go past the point of this being fun for me. So, pick the speed you have the most fun at!

Steve:

Looking good out there! I would not get hung up on the spray at this point. Your friend is skiing "over his feet" a bit more. Less spray, but see how he got his feet swept out later? His posture was less "defensive." I could say you are "plowing" a bit more, but not in a way that will be detrimental. I would encourage you to progress to the short rope and long line. Try to do at least half your skiing longline.

This is what I saw on your skiing:

- you are "stabbing your feet" into the water when you plant. set your feet slowly down, let the water push them back to your butt and slowly stand up.

- One foots are good, definitely ready to get on the short rope on those. Try to lift your foot off the water from the hip/thigh and keep the knee bend the same in the air as on the water. That is, the angle between your thigh and calf should remain the same in the air as if on the water.

*(here is a big time secret: your separate feet are CONNECTED! What the foot in the air does, the foot on the water does. If your foot gets floppy in the air, your foot on the water gets floppy. You maintain good KNEE and ANKLE bend on in the air, so it will be on the water)*

- Avoid kicking your lifted foot out to the side (as in the doggie pee-pee position). Squeeze the thighs together, as you lift the foot. Your foot in the air should be over the foot on the water. When you get on the short rope, you will lean onto the one-foot, and your foot in the air WILL be over the foot on the water.

Get on the short rope and let's see some video!