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1.
What causes me to get stuck half way
up?
2. What equipment do I need?
3. Is there any way to practice this
on dry land?
4. What driving tips are helpful?
1.
What causes me to get stuck half way up?
Click
here to read the entire article!
Getting
"stuck" can be caused be several things;
#1
Incorrect "angle"
in the shoulders, hips, and hands.
#2
Not grabbing far enough forward on your leg with
the hand that is helping to pull you forward.
#3
Not enough explosive power in your attempt
All
of these problems can be solved off the water by
reading and studying my article below.
Great Front Toe-ups
are Made in the Off Season
I know a lot of you
are not able to barefoot now because the weather
is just too cold, but that does not mean that you
cannot make huge improvements in the off season!
I am writing this article to serve two purposes;
#1 learning the front toe-up
technique while safely on
dry-land
#2 great conditioning for
explosive leg strength and
abdominal strength
I am getting a lot
of requests for ways that I recommend to improve
conditioning. This is a great one! Even if you cannot
do your front toe-holds or one-foots, this is going
to be great conditioning as well as the proper muscle
memory for one of barefoot water skiing’s most difficult
starts.
Even if you already
are good at front toe-ups, this will help you to
explode into a whole new level with this trick!
If you need to brush
up on the proper technique for front toe-holds,
go to my Trauma Center which is now easier to find
on your all new Members
page at http://www.thefootersedge.com/members/index.htm
(remember to click on the ‘Bookmark this page!’
link on the right to avoid having to sign-in each
time).
The key to this technique
is keeping your “angle” in the hips, shoulders,
and handle during the entire process of the toe-negative’
and the ‘toe-positive.’
After achieving the
perfect front toe position you have your first big
decision to make. What am I going to use to help
me create leverage?
If you have the flexibility to reach your ankle,
then you will be making this start about %50 easier
on yourself because you will be starting with your
upper body further forward than the other ‘old school’
option like I was
taught by grabbing under your knee. You can also
hug your knee in order to get further forward.
After you have made
this decision (don’t be afraid to try all the variations),
you are ready to do the toe-negative!
With your hand firmly
grasping your favorite grab site, take your other
hand and drop it towards the ground. You will also
want to turn your hand so that your fingers are
facing backwards. If you were on the water you would
want to avoid catching your fingers!
Make sure not to
start lowering your butt UNTIL you have positioned
your hands properly.
Next, begin lowering
your butt very slowly while crunching and leaning
towards the hand that is reaching towards the water.
At ALL POINTS during this maneuver, your need to
have your side that is reaching lower than the side
that is supporting your weight in order to maintain
the proper “angle” and thus the proper weight distribution.
You should take about
5 seconds to sit down and no more than 2 seconds
to get up. That requires the explosive strength
that this exercise will help you to build.
When you are ready
to perform the “toe-positive,” make sure you set
your angle by leaning onto your butt cheek that
is attached to the leg you are going to stand on.
Next make sure your free hand is on the ground ready
to be used as balance.
To get up, you need
to have a grasp on your ‘grab spot,’ plant your
standing foot next to your butt cheek, lean on your
free hand, and get ready to explode by contracting
your abs aggressively, leaning your hand, and pressing
down aggressively on your planted foot. Do not be
afraid to use your grab hand to pull your body forwards.
I am adding the additional
bonus of including some dry land pictures of me
performing this maneuver with the various grab options,
the toe negative, and the toe positive! Check them
out at http://www.thefootersedge.com/positions.htm
I hope you commit
to this program so you can enjoy one of the great
starts in barefooting!
Equipment needed
on Christmas list; barefoot
wetsuit or dry
suit,
barefoot
shorts, front
toe handle, boom,
Fly
High, instructional
video
all available at http://www.thefootersedge.com/equipment/index.htm
Gift
Certificates available for lessons!
Let
me know how you do!! Email
me your success stories!
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2. What equipment
do I need?
I
believe that the very basics for barefooting are
as follows;front
toe handle
#1
The best
barefoot wetsuit you can afford. I believe
the best wetsuit on the market is Barefoot International's
Iron Man wetsuit. I personally wear this suit and
guarantee it to be at least 30% more protection
than any other suit. It is an enormous advantage.
You can see these suits and receive the best pricing
anywhere along with free shipping by clicking here!
#2
I also believe that you MUST use padded shorts and
that the best shorts out there are the Iron
Man shorts. I unconditionally guarantee
these shorts to be the best shorts of any kind in
bare foot water skiing.
I
highly recommend getting the best boom on the market
since this also is a major safety issue. The Barefoot
International boom and Fligh High extended pylon
are the best out there. I also guarantee these to
be the best out there.
Although
I do not normally start barefooters out on shoe
skis, it is critical to learning the more advanced
tricks and are an absolute must for the serious
barefooter. The Dawg
Paws are the best shoe skis on the planet
and I also have a less expensive shoe ski which
you can see by visiting our Pro
Shop.
If
you have specific questions about any equipment,
please submit them on the form below and I will
post the answers here!
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3.
Is there any way
to practice before getting on the water?
Yes!
Read the article above and get additional monthly
tips in my Virtual
Ski School
This trick must be practiced extensively
on dry land in order to maximize your efforts on
the water!
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4.
Are there any driving tips?
When
you are first practicing, your should be doing your
"toe-negative." To do this properly, drive
the normal tow-hold speed, and then slow down as
the skier sits down on to the water. I would say
a 5mph slow down as the skier slowly sits down will
be perfect. The driving must be done smoothly enough
that the skier does not feel the change!
Email
me with your progress. I am expecting a miracle
for you!
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