learning to barefoot

Steve: Nice work on the LLBD attempts. Honestly I have shied away from that one myself. You remind me of me in that we have the same difficulty and shortcomings with that start. And when I say "you" in this post, I also me "me"!

You gotta work on your plane-out. Your feet spread as soon as the boat starts. Ride that plane for a few seconds before you spread your legs. On your last attempt, it acutally looked pretty good. Last summer I worked a set on this with David Small and actually learned a lot. I learned that I like a slower pull-out. When he pulled me slow, and I mean slow, I made 6 for 6 on the starts. The reason was I got a good plane out. I also learned I was not "engaging the core" when I planted. You gotta will this thing, and a tight firm core, with your cup pooched off the water is a great way to start taking on speed. Lastly (and aside from needing to be patient) I was not looking out the back, I mean REALLY looking out the back, every start, every time. This helps with balance, even foot pressure, and oddly, it slows things down. If you are not sure if you are looking out the back, you are not. On a couple of those attempts, your feet were stabbed in vertical, not turned out, pulled back and sliding on the water. Andy and I had a long conversation about this one on Sunday. It was a one-way conversation, him telling me I am not doing it.

Anyway, nice effort, and hail to progress!

Hollywood wrote: Johnny's first LLBD.

Congrats Johnny! Looking good.

makes me wanna give it a try...yeah! probably next outing...

Thanks for all this on the LLBD. Prodded me to ski it yesterday. Skied my first attempt away. 2 for 3 otherwise. Andy has been like a Nazi prison camp guard on me about the BD start. The take away: 1. the plane matters. 2. plant with feet turned out, cocked back and 3. Patience, Patience PATIENCE! If I doo those things I will ski it away every time. If I blow one of those I don't have a very good chance. I also explored what Andy means by riding the cup (sorry Hollywood, won't apply to the non-cuppers, I suppose you could try it if you want mush for a nut-bag). All these years of him saying, I finally asked him what do you mean by "riding the cup." I am going to work on it and I think it is going to help me. More later. Oh, yeah, I am skiing some really nice basic an reverse one-foots on the boom.   

How do you get consistent on LLBD ?
Always put in maximum effort to do it correctly just like when you do your first one. It's a huge mistake to think oh I got this down because then you drop intensity levels below maximum effort it leads to failed attempts and frustration. Maximum effort both mental and physical every time

The whole cup v. no cup is an interesting discussion. (By the way, the cup is useful on the BD during the plane; I agree with Bowers on lifting the hips off the water. By the time I plant, any discomfort in the groin has already happened.) But I digress.

Barefooting has enjoyed a macho image dispite the fact that the macho image has also driven people out of or away from the sport. We are big tough barefooters for crying out loud! We ski on our bare feet. Protection, I don't need no protection, what do you think I am? A wimp? Heck no! Old suits, poly-E rope, 45 MPH with 2 pair of denim shorts on! Sound familiar? Yes, indeed.

Me, I am pain adverse. As a matter of fact, I am adverse to most forms of discomfort. Especially my private parts. I wear a jock when I run. Why? It is more comfortable. Could I not wear a jock? Yes, but it would be uncomfortable. As a matter of fact, it may be a distraction to my running. Same with barefooting. I wear a cup. Why? It is more comfortable. Could I foot without one? Yes. Have I footed without one? Yes, quite a few times when I either lose or forget my cup. I don't like it. My tumble up start is not a comfortable because my nuts are getting pounded by the fast water. Back deep goes without saying. One foot wake crossing at times a laser stream of water off my one foot blasts my nut-bag. This is all personal experience not speculation.

So when I do wear my cup, I am free from the distractions of those items listed above.

I can say the same thing about a neckbrace, too. It is there for my protection, I don't ski without one, and when I am skiing backwards, trying something new, I am not distracted with falling. JMO. Bottom line, wear it if you want it.   

TRBenj wrote: I was just way too wide.

P0RN0 wide?

LakeBoy wrote: Boom can cover some errors.

This may be where I percieve it to be easier than you particularly when using the boom. So far, I have limited boom experience with both feet off of the rope. I had to call it quits with attempts last time out b/c when I took both feet off of the rope, the lack of cup made it pretty miserable. I may be back on the forums next week asking about the plane yet. Stay tuned.

Thanks for the reply. I'm hoping to get back out there on Saturday and work it again. I'll post my progress, hopefully with video.

Swatkinz wrote: [ As to the cup or no cup debate, Tim and Hollywood must be planing differently as I don't see how the cup could be optional.

Just maybe you have more junk in your trunk then those two have.

Steve, theres a huge difference boom to LL... things you can get away with on the boom just wont fly behind the boat.

Maybe it is a geometry thing... I cant recall the last time I took a shot to the boys when footing. Neckbrace on the other hand, I never leave home without it!

They don't all have to be perfect all the time. Eventually you'll ride out some sloppy ones too.

Ill say this, driving for Johnny I hardly notice him back there. Steve on the other hand is like dragging an anchor. I'd guess a 50# difference but at the wheel it feels like much, much more. I think it's mostly form, starting with the early leg spread. He's already admitted to too much stabbing and not enough planing as well. This is also evident in the bobbles and spin outs. In theory you could ride the 3 point plane all the way up to top speed, but you probably don't want to do that. Right Tim?

Ill be a late arrival to ski club tomorrow but arriving at the dock only to witness Steve long line back barefooting out of the bay would make my day!

Oh I'm not sure either, but I am sure I won't be trying it.

I'll throw my .02 worth in here.
The difference between a short line BD and LLBD is pretty significant. Might not seem like it should be but it is. The angle of the rope from the handle to the boom is significantly steeper (when you're laying flat on the water) then the angle from the handle to an extended pylon or a tower. Shortening the rope long line helps to make that angle closer to short line. Adding a 10' extension to the short line on the boom makes a really good transition to the long rope. Just be warned that you better be on your toes when driving for that scenario. The side pull is dramatically increased and any steering wheel adjustments must be minimal. For you guys that have an '80s CC without a boom extension, you're SOL because the side spray will take out your ankles every time so you can disregard that idea and don't bother trying.

Going backwards on your bare feet is one of the most unnatural things you could ever do. Your brain just can't naturally process the concept because it's something that it's never experienced. You know you need to stay patient and wait, but your brain says "no way....ain't happening". 15MPH feels like 50. Three seconds feels like three minutes. You think your toes are pulled up toward the knees (or your chin like Gottaski says), and they aren't. My point is, everything is not as it seems. The one biggest mistake that everybody makes is their legs are spread way too wide when they try going long line. You can get away with it on the short rope but it'll lead to a torn hammy or groin when going long line. It feels like your heels are practically touching each other when you're planing but in reality, your groin is one click from being a turkey wishbone.
I stress to everybody...As soon as you get your toes turned out and your feet flat on the water and the speed starts to increase, think about trying to touch your heels together. You'll never be able to actually do it and in reality you're only pulling your heels together a few inches but that's all you need. Remember that your brain is telling you your feet are fine where they are. You also have to do it as soon as you start planing. If you wait too long and have too much speed you'll never be able to make that adjustment. The water pressure is pulling your legs farther apart and superman couldn't pull his legs together at that point. An inexperienced driver will still keep running up the speed putting more pressure on your legs instead of shutting it down. Just pull your heels together a little bit and you're good to go.

As for the cup/no cup debate. When I first started barefooting I was insistent on using a cup. Just wait 'till the first time one of the boys pops out from under it and practically rips your sack off. I guaranty it'll be the last time you ever wear one. Ask me how I know. Never had an issue without one in twenty years.

The boom let's you get up without planing , longline you must plane some , if you bounce push the cup down into the water...like when you start off a kneeboard and push down the front to stop the bounce

This is a family site. That's someone's daughter. Keep them coming!

I still can't make sense out the "ride the cup" part. Your hips need to go up so why ever push them down? That's not really a question, don't answer it. With narrow legs like Eddie says there really is no crotch discomfort. Less crotch in/on the water also means less bouncing. When I first was trying llbd I also was doing the REMOVEo wide stance. After skiing with Eddie and John and watching my video it was so apparent. Told myself to get narrower (really just repeated what Eddie told me) for the rest of that winter and stuck my very first one in the spring.

I knew Tim had been working on his llbd for some time and we were going to make sure he got it at the CT mini. The guy toughed out try after try. After each turn around my one and only comment EVERY time was "better. still too wide though". Well, he finally made one (still too wide)!

Off the rope and down. No mention of spreading your legs.