learning to barefoot

Tim
Had some good runs on the shoes as well but in looking at the videos still had a fair amount of gas pedaling but with the additional surface area skiing away was not an issue (5'line).
Back to it this morning with the Nautique. For what it is worth in my opinion the acceleration is much more controlled than with the outboard and hopefully that along with watching yesterday's vid's will help.
Updates to follow

Have Karl work on getting his feet closer together and stand taller. Way to much spray. Back to front is going to be tough until he can stand tall and balance with both feet under him instead of out to the sides. You'll get it. It looked like you maybe needed to bend at the waste a bit more and push your chest into the water while sticking your bum up. Makes me miss footing. Don't do much of it these days.

Greg. I'm no expert but the speed seems off. (I concur with the commenters on FB too about boom height would help). I hate to second guess Carl because he's light years better than me. But I don't think he's helping you with respect to speed. Plant speed looks good but I don't hear any acceleration once you are planted. I know Lane said we can foot bacerds at only 25 (seems slow to me, maybe doable, but I would think sloppy... But he's the pro , not me). But I don't think you have enough speed to stand. Listen to the RPMs in this clip . (Kudos to my son's driving). I still take my back deeps long and slow, very deliberate steps. I hope to speed them up as I improve. But I told my son to smoothly and aggressively accelerate once I am planted and have enough weight on my feet to start throwing some spray. I still take my time (patience, patience, patience) but not because I am eating for the driver to give me enough speed.   (My thoughts aren't contrary to Tim's above. I'm not saying accelerate sooner, I'm saying when you accelerate, accelerate.

Tim is correct that this was more of a plane and ride session. Lots to think about and want this to be second nature (little to no thinking) before trying to stand up and ski away. Patience may not win out here. Boom is going up this week and will be mixing it up with shoes / no shoes.

My ribs feel as though I have been acting as a human pinata.....

that's awesome Sebastian, keep up the good work

not a whole lot of footing at WL this weekend due to weather, chances are you made more progress at the wbc than you would have with us, haha

Since the conference I'm attending was really interesting, I took the PM off and went back to WBC...
Worked on basic position, did my first few one foots (with shoes) and the basic backward pull/plant
Now I'm toast but happily looking forward to more footing time

way to go! congrats!

Andy,
I have been watching every video I can over and over critiquing myself to the point people are giving me funny looks.
I hope to get out with Larry and Carl next week and am after this thing called a back deep.

Thanks for the vote of confidence
I wear one all the time when backwards and most of the time forwards.. Hopefully next weekend I can share some success videos, but if not it will provide video for critique and a source of irritation for others on the plane while I watch and study time after time

I'm gonna try barefooting this summer. Hope all goes well and will have pictures. The bad part is that I have to try it long line. How much harder is long line compared to on the boom?

Chevy350 wrote: I'm gonna try barefooting this summer. Hope all goes well and will have pictures. The bad part is that I have to try it long line. How much harder is long line compared to on the boom?

Keep working on your Dad Justin, these guys would have you on your feet fast at GL .
You know after all is part of your education,and he does want you to be educated right ?

Gary S wrote: Keep working on your Dad Justin, these guys would have you on your feet fast at GL . You know after all is part of your education,and he does want you to be educated right ?

Yes he does want me to be educated..... I hope . I'm still trying to get him to give in and take me. If that doesn't work out, I still want to learn. Hopefully this Saturday we will un-winterize the boat and I can get out and either try to slalom for the first time or barefoot. My dad said I should try to start up on two and drop a ski to slalom before I go and try to barefoot.

Chevy350 wrote: I'm gonna try barefooting this summer. Hope all goes well and will have pictures. The bad part is that I have to try it long line. How much harder is long line compared to on the boom?

Justin, I won't dispute what your dad said, because he's your dad and knows best (remember that) and certainly more rope time is only going to help your advancement.

That being said, I have taught a couple guys to barefoot who hadn't done 1 ski, or had just learned 1 ski, so it is doable.

Long line vs boom? Long line will be a lot harder, but again, doable. My advice would be find a friend with a boom. Very easy to learn holding onto the boom and then short line. I had a guy footing short line in about two 15 minute sessions, one on the boom, one shortline.

Now the oldtimers around here (like me) will say "I learned by dropping a ski long line" Its very doable, but the falls are bell ringers, no doubt. But that was before booms, and barefoot suits, and wakeboards and knee boards....Back when men were men.

Since you are not proficient at one ski, that is kind of out of the question anyway, at least for now. Suggested plan if you can't come up with a boom and you convince your dad to let you try before getting proficient on one ski: Use a knee board or a wakeboard with the bindings off of it. Sit on the board/straddle it. (I would have Quinner continue here as he is Captain Kneeboard, but in his absence, I will continue as best I can) Anyway, straddle the board. Get some tension on the rope and get your legs/feet straight out front. Accelerate slowly to a fixed speed (slower that footing speed, 20-ish maybe) and get comfortable and stable riding like that. Having achieved that, gently set your feet on the water, no weight yet, and get comfortable with your feet lightly gliding on the water surface. Now your knees are bent! Don't plant your feet way out in front with straight legs. (go out on a glassy smooth morning) Once that feels good, driver accelerates to footing speed, low 30s is probably plenty for you. Knees bent!!!! Feet up under your butt. As speed builds up, more and more pressure on your feet. More speed, more pressure. You will start to get the feeling your feet are supporting you. Moment of truth. Slowly rise up off the board.. Keep you knees bent, never any straighter than a "sitting in the chair" position. You're doing it!

Justin
If you scroll back a couple of pages you will see some videos of my daughters old boyfriend coming off an old wakeboard much the same way Larry described. The only thing different I did with Luke was I had him ride my barefoot trainers to help with the feeling of no boom before going to his barefeet

Good luck, stay low and make sure the video is rolling

way to go!
we were out on Lanier and boy what a nice day!
did my first one foot on the boom without a shoeski (no pics but Jimsport93 pulled in the cove and is my witness for the POIDH part ;-))
the short line on the sport puts me right in the spray :-(, so will try long line tomorrow again.
big thanks to my wife who pulled me like a pro. she hates driving fast but did wonderfull!
will try to get pics tomorrow