learning to barefoot

Hey Tom: Thanks for the post. Looked cold and dreary out there when you skied. Your skiing looks real good, so I don't think you have far to go to "get there." I learned my wakes principally from Dave Small, with Andy and Willie chiming in. First I will tell you how I learned, and then give you a pointer or two:

1. Get on the shoe skis first (WBC type, or equal). Practice slow, methodical wakes, back and forth, with emphasis on SLOW. I mean slow cuts. I practice at 36 MPH with shoes. Force yourself to really bend the knees since it is so tempting to ski high on shoes. Do this til your thighs burn, especially the reverse foot which for me always lacks strength. Keep the rope low and focus on the pull coming from the hand that is opposite the foot that is on the water. (left foot, right hand pull) Also focus on smooth transition from foot to foot, like a dance.

2. On your barefeet get your one foots DIALED in. Do this: get on one side of wake do both basic and reverse one foots; ski to other side of wake, both onr foots. Focus on fast yet proper technique.

3. Now, lets get down to business: get on one side of wake, at least a few feet out, lift your one foot, now "steer" it across the wake; on other side of wake, lift your one foot, and "steer" it across the wake. Over time you can build on this, quickening the transition time from one foot to the next. The key is to make both side (basic and reverse) equally strong and smooth. Dont' fall into the trap of a "good" and "bad" side.

Ok, that should give you a lot to work on. Here are a few comments on the video: Slow down your cuts and focus on getting both sides equally sound. When you lift your foot, it appears you are straightening your knee to lift the foot. You need to lift the thigh, and keep the same angle at the knee and bend at the hip. I am not sure how it works, but the legs are connected. Crazy movements in the lifted foot, create crazy movements in the ski foot, especially the foot angle at the ankle.

Post again; good luck!

Good pointers so far, some other drills you can do is cut away from the wake on one foot, which gives you the feeling of cutting with your foot non directly underneath you without the wake to contend with. It also looks like you are picking your foot up without a full weight transfer. This can get you in trouble down the road. When you are doing your (2 to 1's) practice cutting through the wake with 90% of your weight on your outside foot. So that when you go to lift your foot. The weight is already transferred. Definitely a good start, good luck!

In addition to all the other good advise:

Your feet will get "broke in"

Time On The Water...that's all you need. Get out and barefoot exactly like you are doing in the video AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.

The shoe skis will help your reverse try them at about 36-38 just to get body position figured out for 1 foot reverse crossings...then go on feet right after.

Wakes soak up energy like crazy, remind yourself to breathe while you ski...this is harder than it sounds...you may be holding your breath more than you think.

I liked your start- no worries about getting outside, just let feet slide til speed comes on and stand up right in the wake and ski out.(Exactly how Willie does it)

When you go out have a plan of what things you want to work on, it might change depending on how smooth the water is. We joke around impersonating Willie--Whatcha goin do out there? What's your plan? Whatcha workin on?

Bottom line: we need more videos Tom, then we can start to tweak the finer points.

Tom, water still cold up there? Surprisingly we are having springtime weather, we can ski with the wet suit and a heater shirt below...

Sebastian the water is not cold....just cool. But overcast days I try to stay warm so I wear the drysuit with just shorts and flanel under it.
Ryan you are right...I get into a defensive posture and lean away. It is a hard habit to break. Been working on pulling handle into small of my back and skiing "taller". I will try your suggestion.

Andy makes a very good point about having a plan. Matter of fact last summer I skied with B.Paige a few days and he said the same thing. I dismissed it thinking it was only for the pros. Mabey we could discuss/share ideas of what plans you guys work to. Even if not the same tricks but the concept. Practice the harder tricks first or do not repeate the tricks you know every outing! Save your energy for something new. Here is my routine.
First set:
1. Warm up run on boom-5 foot rope doing basic and reverse 1 foot and front toe (basic and reverse) and may sit down and toe up at end.
2. Back run with basic and reverse 1 foots.
3. Back run with basic and reverse back toes.
4. May do a run of tumbel turns also.
Second set:
1. Long Line 1 foots and basic/reverse toe holds.
2. Front wake slalom (working on 1 foot crosses.
3. Another wake slalom run
4. LL Back deep up basic/reverse 1 foots (mabey some wake crosses)
Last set: (Kinda mixed bag Throw anything in there)
1. LL back deep up- back ones and a back toe hold
2. May get back on boom and practice toe ups and more toe holds, tumble to 1s....etc.
This last set is also dependent on how I feel and energy level. I try to stop before I take any unessary falls.

GlassSeeker wrote: add arch to your back. totally expected that right now you are skiing dirty get some ski time in and comfort level up...then kick it up a notch

Yes....trying not to take any back falls so I get all defensive and gas pedal. Ryan hit the nail on the head. That is why I skied 2 days this past weekend...just trying to get over the new season jitters.

Here is the perfect spot to say this:

For me, first and foremost is to have fun!

Don't make it a job or too regimented.

I've seen people turn barefooting into drudgery.


At my ski club we are limited to 15 minutes a set, usually that is 6 passes. I mix it up usually. Maybe front wakes, back wakes, tricks, repeat tricks then a couple boom runs doing tricks again.

Something I've noticed is that newer footers want to ski 50/50 weighted all the way down the lake, like they are trying to perfect it. So I've been leaning on them to start favoring one foot(s) because I spend so little time evenly weighted on my feet...it's almost always one or the other has more weight which stops foot burn. My feet never burn.

Working on my back toe holds this weekend. Normally I am not this shakey and and unbalanced but here it is. Input please. Thx....Tom

shoot you don't need no help



pretty plain to see that when you got up, head up, eyes up, that that is a fine back toe...now just do a bunch.

I would say it might help if you think of scissoring your legs(squeeze the cup) to get skifoot directly under you and rope foot/rope directly over the skifoot---so the skifoot and rope are in line. This really helps front toeholds too.

My comment didn't post last night, but I echo the sentiments, of your practice one foots aren't going straight to the rope. You are lifting to the side and very rushed. Take it slow and controlled, as if you were going into the strap. In addition, you are tugging on the handle with both arms quite a bit as you are reaching for the strap. You have a bent arm style like Keith, but you aren't skiing relaxed as he does. You have the "pull" coming from the opposite arm as the ski foot, but you shouldn't be tugging and letting go. That will help you feel more controlled and not a frenetic approach.

It shouldn't be a toe hold until you are in the strap (as lake boy said, scooping your foot in). Think of it as a back one, that you are lifting higher and farther away.. slow and controlled. The same as getting out of the strap. On the first one, you grab with the same hand as your ski foot instead of the opposite. It throws your balance off. the second one you grabbed opposite and it was smoother. YOu are also diving away and breaking at the waist, thus also gas pedaling as you leave the strap. This can cause you to almost skip or "load the line" as you leave.. putting you in a precarious position. (been there done that haha) Remember, it is just a one foot again as you leave the strap. don't rush out and jam your foot to the water, break at the hips and it will be smoother. Some exercises would be toe touches, and on the shoes, opening up at the hip, turning your toes 90 degrees to the water, heard to track straight, but you will have a short leash on the short line, so you won't get into too much trouble until you learn to track. This will make you more stable on a std. back toe on your feet! Good Luck. Keep up the good work

Basically haha.. yeah, review the video before you get your foot in the strap, you are pulling on the handle and releasing multiple times with each hand.   Relax and let the pull come from the opposite hand as the ski foot. You will have a tighter grip with that hand, feeling the pull of the boat (like a one foot-one hand) with the opposite hand, but you aren't (pulling in and relasing) just staying steady with the handle. Then when you are reaching for the handle, reach with the opposite hand as ski foot, that will help you stay over your foot and track straight on the long line. You will do an oblique crunch as you reach for the handle. as suggested earlier, dry landing will help, especially if you get some stiff bungies to simulate the pull from the boat. Mix in shoe work, especially as stamina leaves, and you will get it dialed in with less falls hopefully.

Could we get you to ski with your arms let out a bit more?

When you get loaded into the toehold with just your bigtoe hanging on it will tend to straighten your leg out which pulls the handle away from where your hands want to find it. Don't let the leg get stretched out at all hold it solid. (Dryland will get you used to finding the strap fast and smooth)

If you are up high and gliding the backtoe the handle is easy to recover...as long as you don't get stretched out.

Ryan....The handle is a std BI handle.
Dry practice it is.....
For the hands and handle I got it......Use opposite hand vs. ski foot to recover handle.

The goal is to ski tall so things I think about is pulling handle down and toward me with toe hold leg. Also bend the knee more of the ski leg and do not gas pedal.

damn clean. yeah!