Note: This article first appeared in the Spring 2024 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports.

Written by Corey Vaughn

Fresh of my first tournament of the 2024 season, I was reminded that competition nerves are a real thing! Whether thousands are watching on site and by webcast, or merely a couple dozen familiar faces at your home club, if it is called the “T-Word” (tournament), our mind can start doing some funny things. The purpose of this article is to help make tournament sets consistently among your best performances and to help you close the gap between tournament results and practice results. As psychologists, gurus and musicians tell us, “It is all in the mind.”

1. Better Practice

If you are looking for different results, it stands to reason that you need to employ different tactics. If you already ski better in tournaments than in practice – Congratulations! You are among the few and you can put this article down and move on. If you are like most skiers, however, your tournament results lag, annoyingly, behind your practice results. So, what is up with that?

Let’s start with the obvious fact that in tournaments you only get one shot to go down the line. If your best practice scores often come on the eighth pass of the set, it means you are capable of that performance, but it is not reasonable to expect that you are capable of it in tournament conditions. If you expect to enter a tournament and equal a personal best or “PB” that you set in practice after missing your hard pass a couple of times, you really are not being fair to yourself. You are setting yourself up for disappointment.

Let’s stick with an example for the remainder of this article. Let’s say your best practice score is 3 at 32 off.

If your primary aim in practice is to increase your PB to 4 at 32 off, you are not training for tournaments. You are training for practice scores. If it often takes you two or three tries to run the 28 off pass in practice, it is not reasonable to expect a score near your PB in a tournament. Your subconscious mind never loses sight of this fact. Therefore, as a tournament approaches, it begins flooding you with doubt and exposing the chasm between your hopes (tying your PB in the tournament) and reality (being a pass behind that score). This background doubt can cause skiers to self-destruct in tournaments or, worse yet, leading up to tournaments.

If your goal is to run 3 at 32 off in a tournament, you had better be running clean back-to-back 28 offs in practice. Putting the priority on the clean back-to-backs is going to give you the result you are looking for, but how often do you train that way? Likely the 28 off pass causes some anxiety even in practice. You hope to get through it on the first try. If you run it, even sloppily, you immediately shorten to 32 off, so as not to experience anymore of that stress. If it takes three tries to run it, the reality is that you require two warm up attempts to be able to run it and that is not how tournaments work.

Add Pressure to Your Practice

Some sets should be skied purely for fun and with no goal, outcome, stress, or pressure. These sets are critical. When preparing for a tournament, however, we need to do something to simulate tournament style conditions. We need to purposely dial up the pressure. That could mean committing to going right up the rope and coming in when you fall or miss (a true tournament set). To add pressure, you can even make yourself swim to shore and walk back to the dock, just like a tournament.

Alternatively, you can commit to running your hardest pass back-to-back before shortening. Again, solid and consistent 28 off passes are the key to 3 at 32 off in a tournament. You could also practice an opt up scenario or take your hard pass in a tailwind. Seek out opportunities to train behind a different boat, at a different lake and/or with a different driver. The purpose of adding pressure in practice is to build confidence that you can perform under the gun. You need your conscious and unconscious mind to be on the same page, both possessing full belief in your abilities no matter the variables.

Oh, and if you are nonchalant about missing your gates in practice, that is fine until it is not. Early in the season, it is no big deal. Within 10 days of a tournament, it is a major problem. Do not let tournament day creep up on you only to remember that you actually have to make the gates now!

2. Ritual

I cannot over emphasize the importance of ritual and routine to bring out the best in tournament performance. If your pre-ski ritual is reaching your arms out in a “morning stretch,” groaning “ahhh, let’s see how this goes” and strapping on the ski, I can forecast how it is going to go – subpar. Maybe there are a few who can peak without preparation, but trust me, it is just a few.

Ideally, you want to develop a pre-ski routine that you can perform before practice sets and tournament sets. Having the same ritual for practice and tournaments makes the two feel more like the same thing and quiets the mind’s attempt to make them seem different. The course is the same dimensions everywhere we go. Sure, some factors change (boat, driver, water), but the most crucial factors are the ones you have control over (mind, body, ski).

I perform the same physical warm up routine on training days and tournament days. There is no magic formula for how long the warmup must be or when you do it. I warm up for an hour, preferably 1 to 4 hours before I ski. You might prefer 15 minutes of warming up 30 minutes before you ski. Let curiosity and experimentation guide you, as you refine your warmup routine. My physical warm up also prepares my mind. By always sending the same signal to my nervous system prior to skiing, my subconscious knows how to get in gear. It knows what is coming.

I also practice mental imagery before my practice and tournament sets, too. If you decide to start visualization practice, start by pairing it with your practice sets. I used to make the mistake of reaching tournament day and feeling like I needed to do something “extra special,” so I would try to visualize, which is something I was not used to and was not good at. It was like putting the cart before the horse. Do not try to do anything extra for tournaments. You are not fooling your subconscious; you are just freaking it out.

A few quick pro tips to consider along with your pre-skiing ritual:

A) If you got on a plane, check all your equipment the day you land and before you even think about skiing. Boots, screws, fin, and handle length. Make sure you have everything.

B) If your mind is racing and your nerves are taking over, find your breath. Chances are you are shallow breathing. Take a few deep breaths and then do a few rounds of box breathing or count 10 deep breaths to calm down. This is the one exception to “do not do anything extra.”

C) Consider a music playlist. You can couple this with your warmup routine to help you get in the zone. Also, if you do not like talking to people before you ski, you can just wear headphones or earbuds in silence, so people do not initiate conversation with you.

D) Figure out when to go to the dock. I like to go to the dock five skiers before my turn. That gives me plenty of time to get dressed without hurrying or worrying about missing my ride. If you hang out at the dock for too long, the nerves are going to start talking louder.

3. Trust Your Training

This is the simplest, yet most difficult key. I have had times when I have been skiing lights out in practice but for some reason, the night before the tournament my mind starts questioning if I even know how to ski at all. Haunting visions of missed gates and courses that seem two feet too wide start pouring in as I try to go to bed. My mind starts spinning a web of “what ifs,” as if all the variables might work against me. These hallucinations are just good old-fashioned self-doubt. The key is to recognize it as a pattern of thought and realize that it is O.K. to be a little nervous, but there is no reason to freak out. It is like a dream, and you can wake up, open the closet door, and realize there is no monster in there. You have put in the work, trained smart and you have your plan and ritual to rely on.

Keep your keys simple. You want your mind clear and focused. Having too many thoughts about what you are going to do will only get in the way. I have been guilty of leaving the dock with five keys in mind. The results were not good. Three keys are the absolute max and ideally, you just have one or two simple ones.

When you leave the starting dock, remember that nobody cares about the outcome as much as you. Nobody is at the tournament to judge you (other than the judges responsible for calling your score, but that is a different kind of judging). Those who care about you just want to see you happy and they will love you whether you run a PB or miss your opener. At the end of the day, it is just water skiing. The fact that it can mean so much to us is the reason we love it, and it is the reason that PB is going to be so sweet when you get it. It is the reason to challenge yourself with smart, disciplined training. Then when you are coming in for your first pass, let everything go and just ski. You know how.

Corey Vaughn skis for KD Skis, MasterCraft and S-Lines, and for love of the sport. He runs a water ski school in Bumpass, Va. Visit peaceloveandwaterskiing.com to ski with Corey.

Note: This article first appeared in the Summer 2024 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports.

Written by Seth Stisher

You’re a slalom skier…at least I hope you wouldn’t read this otherwise. As a slalom skier, no doubt someone has critiqued your gate and told you how you need to do it. Generally that is often given to you in a very absolute way, but to be clear, there are a lot of ways to create the energy and rhythm you need. Slow Gate, wide gate, one-handed gate, two-handed gate, lefty gate, righty gate! So much to discuss, but let’s start with the goal and objective of the gate and then work toward the method.

What should we be creating?

As with most things in life, a certain understanding of the end goal is necessary to understand the means to achieve that goal. As for the gates, it is key to understand what the important results are we want from our gate. Here are what I consider to be the three main things we need to create with our gate:

• Energy to carry through the course: Energy can be closely and simply defined as speed, but it is also the direction of that speed. With that in mind, you get different ideas of how to hit the gate. Many people believe you should be super wide in order to create speed, but they often overlook the next two items.

• Connection with the boat: The boat is your power source and maintaining a good, clean connection with the boat can make or break you for sure. It is often overlooked that you need to feel the boat towing you and utilize the boat rather than breaking so free from it. Ignoring this need will have people turning in against a loose line and breaking free from the boat too early off the second wake.

• Space such that the course is attainable: I would be lying to you if I skipped the fact that we do need some width in the course in order to be able to safely round each buoy, but I, for one, have overemphasized this for many years and skied with a poor connection in my effort to get excessively wide and create too much space. Yes, we need space, but we also need to control that space in order to not lose the aforementioned connection. Oftentimes the attempt to create space results in excessive load and an early spacious path with a dangerous lack of control and lack of connection to the boat.

How do we get there?

With all of the above ideas taken into consideration, there are many ways to accomplish our object, but there are certain things that need to be the center of your focus. I have outlined these items below. Feel free to get creative with your gate as long as you continue to consider these main principles.

• Glide speed is critical in order for you to be able to allow the ski to be able to do what it was designed to do. When you are too slow, the ski can be stuck, which limits its ability to carve in under the line. Conversely, when you are too fast, you may have to force the ski to turn, which can throw you into an awkward position/stance on the ski. When this happens you also overlook the connection with the boat. The ultimate goal is to generate enough to speed to be in sync with the boat as you turn in for the gates. You want to feel the boat and be towed by it without being taken advantage of by it. This is sort of a Goldilocks prescription…speed…not too much and not too little.

• Stance on the ski plays a critical role as well. This can vary slightly for a lefty and righty. Left foot forward skiers will need to stay more heavily focused on being over the front foot because the ski will not carve under the line efficiently while standing on your back foot for a lefty turning in at the gate (which is essentially an off-side turn). By standing over the front foot you allow your body mass to stay over the ski and “over the boots” in order for the ski to carve in efficiently, but also such that you are balanced on the ski as you head to centerline, which will give you the most efficient creation of power through stance. Right-foot-forward skiers can be a little more relaxed with their stance on the ski. Since the gate turn-in is an on-side turn for a righty, it is much easier anatomically to move toward the gate and therefore ensure that you are balanced when you hit the centerline. Additionally, due to the fact that your leading hip (right hip) can move effectively toward the gates in order to pressurize the right edge of the ski and create the carve in. For either skier (lefty or righty) it is essential that your body mass keeps moving in order to stay over the center of the ski as you approach centerline. Dropping in and back on the turn in will always create an early excessive load that leads to lack of connection and an inefficient path after the second wake.

• Width on the pullout seems to be a bit controversial among the water ski population. I have preached width for years of coaching and more recently have been warned about excessive width from more cutting-edge and scientific coaches. In playing with the two concepts with my own skiing as well as with students I coach, I have learned that both can be right “within reason.” The key is what you do with the width. First and foremost, you have to have some width to be able to get from one side to the other without excessive work and load. Conversely, with excessive width, it is too easy to turn in with no connection whatsoever to the boat. This may cause you to fall in a hole and overload resulting in a slingshot effect that may get you across the wakes quickly and easily, but then have you traveling down course as you wait for the buoy to approach. At this point there is no real connection with the boat. The key is to move deliberately, but with consideration of where the boat is if you are excessively. If you are wide, your turn in may need to begin early and take place slowly so that as you turn you give the boat a chance to get in front of you so the pull of the boat can give you the appropriate energy as you head to the centerline. So, overall, you need enough width to feel comfortable carving into the gates without being dragged, but not so much that you have a big turn into loose line.

Admittedly, I have just told you to have speed but not too much speed, and to get some width, but not too much width. At first glance it is obviously very ambiguous, but the real point is that there are no absolutes when it comes to a clear solution. Just like anything, we are all different builds, different skillsets, different aptitudes, and different skiers overall. There is not a catch-all solution. However, if you arm yourself with the basic concepts of what we are trying to accomplish at the gate, then you can collaborate with your coach or training partner to craft a specific gate concept that works for you.

Seth Stisher is sponsored by Connelly Skis, MasterCraft Boats, Eagle Wetsuits, and H2OProShop.com. He is available for coaching at your site and can be reached by checking out SkiSeth.com.

Note: This article first appeared in the Spring 2024 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports.

Written by Seth Stisher

Spring skiing always humbles skiers quickly. First, it is that initial ride when you realize that your gym routine might not have been as targeted and valuable as you may have thought. Second, some of the details slip away whether you know it or not and oftentimes it can feel like you are chasing a greased pig through the slalom course where you are constantly playing catchup and feeling like it keeps getting away from you. Obviously, you cannot decide on April 1 that you want to go back and redo your winter training, but you can focus on a few things that will give you a little head start for the new season.

Here are three areas of focus that may get your season started off a little more effectively than you may have expected. All of these center around the same idea of how to become more efficient, but they can often be overlooked in the spring, which leads to bad habits throughout the season.

Get on Your Feet

Do not skip this one because it sounds so basic. Basic is what we are often missing in this game. It is easy to jump on a slalom ski and be 100 percent dependent on the rope. We lean against it even when we are just following the boat down the lake.

Take a second before you even set foot in the course to force yourself to stand up over your feet. An athletic base is a requirement if you do not want to feel like you are being dragged behind the boat. Think about getting up over the balls of your feet, which may feel like you have more weight on the front foot than the back. This will provide two basic things for you:

• It will put the ski up on plane so that you are creating unnecessary resistance against the boat. I like to think that when you are up over your feet and balanced you are “riding the water” instead of “pushing water.”

• When we are balanced on our feet, we are more efficiently set up to utilize our athleticism and react with agility.

Stack and Utilize the Power

Once you know you are over your feet, pay even more attention to how your body is aligned above the feet. We talk about stack all the time, but it is critically important to focus on it in the spring because our bodies have lost the feel and touch they once had. By getting stacked I am referring to aligning your body such that not only you have upright posture with bones “stacked” on top of bones, but also more specifically, holding that stacked, aligned position through the wakes and especially through the transition right through the second wake and the white water. If you give up your alignment through the transition, the boat will crush you in a way to rob you of the energy that carries you not only out to the buoy line, but that also keeps your body propelling up and over the ski into the turn. When you maintain alignment and the connection with the boat through the transition, your body does not get left behind and the boat will do a lot of the work for you.

Move with the Boat

As you approach the apex of the turn, your mindfulness needs to be hyperfocused on continuing your forward-movement through the turn to keep the aforementioned balance over your feet as well as the alignment without overloading the boat. To be more specific, your body mass must continue to press forward in the direction the ski is traveling to “move with the ski” even as the ski is changing direction to head across the wakes to the next buoy. The biggest mistake we can make here (and it is exacerbated in the spring) is to fall back or fall too heavily to the inside of the turn, which causes you to lose your speed. When this happens, you overload the boat, and the result includes the boat pulling you out of your aligned position. In this case, you will no longer get the efficient speed and energy to carry you through the next wake crossing.

None of this is rocket science, but if you are like me, it is the basics that disappear in the spring. By focusing on these three simple concepts, you will get off to a cleaner and more productive start to your season and who knows…you just might be a better skier come August than you ever thought you could be!

Seth Stisher is sponsored by Connelly Skis, MasterCraft Boats, Eagle Wetsuits, and H2OProShop.com. He is available for coaching at your site and can be reached by checking out SkiSeth.com.

Written by Corey Vaughn

In my last article, “Seven Deadly Sins of Slalom,” I pointed out how many of us allow our ski addiction to go overboard and hinder our progress. I cautioned against turning too hard, leaning too hard, skiing too much, and letting confidence spill over into arrogance. I hope readers found these warnings resonant and took heed. I do not, however, want to dampen the flames of passion and cause skiers to overcorrect. Finding an optimal balance is our goal on the water and off. I’d like to use this article to delve into the technical elements involved in striking that balance.
Overturning

Executing the turn with tempo, balance and continuous commitment is one of the biggest bugaboos I witness as a coach. The majority of slalom course skiers seek too much, all-at-once in the turn. When I point out to skiers that they are using too much force (head/shoulder dropping, body English, back-foot-pushing) in their turn, the next pass tends to become overly passive. By shying away from “too much,” skiers follow up by doing too little. There is no time in the course to be passive, so how does one find that golden mean?

The slalom turn is a uniquely challenging athletic move. It combines rhythm, timing, balance and trust. Overturning is typically a product of a sub-par approach to the buoy and can become the default if this approach is not improved. Here are some common flaws in the approach:
          1. Getting separated off the wakes during the edge change.

          2. Following a straight path into the buoy, rather than skiing wide.

          3. A late edge change or release off the handle.

          4. Lack of commitment to letting the ski cast out to full extension.

5. Imbalance (usually back foot or to the inside) through the edge change and release.

Any of these or a combination of these faults set the skier up for an overly aggressive finish. They create a situation in which the skier has to do too much turning in too little time and space. Instead of placing our attention on the finish of the turn, let’s address the approach and let a strong finish be the natural result.

Fact: Pro skiers don’t have the smallest turns. They have the biggest. The ski finishes tight on the ball, pulling itself into ever more angle, because that skier was committed to that arc from the moment they exited the wakes.

I see far too many skiers hold a solid lean and get a balanced wake crossing only to give up their trajectory into the buoy by letting the arms float up and away during the edge change, or ski directly toward the buoy through the edge change. This produces the sensation of being fast and narrow into the buoy. This feeling triggers the skier’s instincts to retreat toward the back foot to slow down. When they let go, the tail of the ski has sunk too deep to allow the ski to cast out naturally, so it is no wonder that they try to turn the ski like a wrench at the ball.

Instead, I want them to trust their speed out of the wakes and allow that load to swing them outbound. By maintaining connection to the boat through the edge change, the pull through the handle brings the skier over the middle of the ski and allows the ski to continue on its swing toward an early apex. Taking this approach they will discover unchartered space and time in front of the buoy allowing them to remain committed to the turn at all moments, rather than all-at-once at the buoy.

If the skier is not getting a solid lean and wake crossing, the result is to stay on the cut too long, edge change late, fall to the back of the ski and tip inward to manufacture the turn. The result, again, is an overturn. The skier is attempting to do too much in too little time around the buoy.

If this sounds like you, the best thing you can do is to improve body position and balance under load before progressing to more difficult passes. It is the best investment you can make for the future of your skiing.

Overloading

Often born of overturning, the next most common way to overdo it is getting too deep in the lean right off the ball. If the finish of the turn is like dropping a bomb, the skier is going to find themself with tremendous pressure from the boat immediately. Most often, this load at the backside of the buoy will either disrupt the skier’s body position right away, or it will make the lean unsustainable and the skier will get pulled upright by the wakes. If the skier manages to hold leverage through center, they are almost certainly in for an uncontrolled edge-change. In either case, the approach into the next buoy will be fast and narrow, setting the conditions for another overturn. Do you ever feel like you just lose a little ground all the way down the lake? If so, you are in the over-turn/over-lean cycle.

Breaking the Cycle

To chart a new course, we have to start at the beginning – the gate. Rather than a committed carving turn-in and a progressive load into the wakes, too many skiers make an abrupt turn in and slingshot themselves toward the gate. When this happens, the vicious cycle begins. Just as with the finish of the turn, the goal is to merge seamlessly with the boat, not to start playing tug-of-war.

Rather than trying to quickly pivot the ski at the turn in, try to trust a more subtle carve into power that can continue to drive direction and power into the first wake. This tactic sets up a timely, balanced and controlled edge change. It makes it easier to trust the speed out of the wakes and to maintain the connection to the boat that fosters a fluid, outbound release off of the handle. From the release, the skier merely needs to trust the outward cast of the ski. By doing so, the rope will stay tight and the skier will stay centered on the ski so that it naturally arcs on its edge from apex back under the line and toward the wakes. In other words, they are getting the ski to turn as it was designed. The line should remain tighter at the finish, reducing the instinct to over-react and load up. Thus, the skier can, again, drive speed and power into the center and set up another controlled upswing into the next buoy.
When a skier achieves this virtuous cycle at any line length and speed, they begin to look “scalable” to my eyes. By scalable, I mean that they have laid a foundation that will work as the boat goes faster or the line gets shorter. From here, they simply need to continue practicing, enhancing their timing and their awareness as they grow accustomed to more challenging passes.

Confidence

Tapping into this virtuous cycle breeds a quiet confidence. Consistency spikes. Those frustrating falls and piles of slack begin to vanish. The skier can quickly feel that they are walking a better path (literally skiing a better path) and trust that more buoys will soon come. Contrast this assuredness to the skier who is identified and attached to their rugged style – “I turn hard. I lean hard. Yeah, I’m not always in control or consistent but at least I don’t look wimpy.” Hey, if you like your brick wall, by all means keep crashing into it. Your self-aggrandizing attitude is your glass ceiling. We all know confidence is paramount, but false, egoic confidence is a dead end. It takes some farther than others, but it never allows for continuous growth.

Self-Awareness

Skiing is like looking in the mirror. It’s an opportunity to get honest with yourself. Take stock of your tendencies. Are you timid by nature or are you a bruiser? In either case, skiing provides a means of stepping outside of your comfort zone. Do you know your habits on the water? It’s hard to plot a journey of continuous growth and progress if you don’t know how to orient your compass. Try keeping a ski journal. It will help you reflect and realize your current habits. Watch video of your skiing. As painful as it is, the video doesn’t lie. You don’t have to do it every time, but once every week or two will give you a barometer of where you are and which direction you are going. Using video in conjunction with journaling can be a powerful synergy.

Resources

For more detailed exploration of turn dynamics and gates, I would encourage you to dig into the online archive of The Water Skier available in the Members Only Portal and check out the following articles:
1. “Letting go: Reach vs. Release”

2. “In and Out; Off and On”

3. “Gates 101”

Finally, if you want some key words in mind when you go out for you next set, try: “Controlled aggression” and “Calm, Continuous Commitment.” Hopefully, I’ve made it clear that hyperactivity and passivity on the ski are equally problematic. We are seeking a rhythmic, persistent intensity. At our best, we are humble, black-belt ninjas, not barroom brawlers or harmless flies.

Corey Vaughn skis for MasterCraft, KD Skis and S-Lines. He runs his own ski school in Virginia. Visit peaceloveandwaterskiing.com to schedule some incredible skiing with Corey and his team.

Note: This article first appeared in the Summer 2023 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports.

Written by Corey Vaughn

I often tell people that water skiing is the greatest addiction I have ever found. I have struggled with addiction at times in my life, and more than once water skiing has been the force providing me the purpose and motivation to correct course. I am addicted to those buoys and that addiction has generally served me well, maybe even saved my life. Skiing gives me a reason to eat healthy, workout, hydrate and put myself to bed on time. It is possible, however, to abuse the practice of water skiing and certain aspects too far. With an activity as powerful as water skiing, the line between virtue and vice becomes vanishingly thin. When we slide into the vice, we lose the path of progress.

As individuals, we all have our strengths and weaknesses both on the water and in life. Examine these seven pitfalls and orient your approach to avoid them. If you care to go a level deeper, realize that your skiing often mirrors your life and vice versa. If you find a vice showing up in your skiing, look for where it may be creeping into your life as well. How great is this sport that it is not only thrilling but can help us lead a more virtuous life?

Lust

“Stop lusting for the backside of the buoy.” I can’t tell you how many times these words have left my mouth during a lesson. I recognize that lust because I experienced it too. At one point in our skiing journey, learning to backside the buoys was a crucial skill. It helped you preserve space in the course, and you felt more in control of your path. The feeling of scraping the backside of the buoy, became so rewarding that it formed a miniature addiction. This addiction served you for a while, but as you progress to new speeds and line lengths, keeping your rhythm, width and timing in the course might mean letting go of that backside. This surrender may only be temporary, as you master that new pass, but you will fail to gain that mastery if you remain a slave to your lust.

Wrath

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard someone say, “you’ve just got to ski like you’re angry,” I would be able to fill my boat with gas. Somehow this terrible advice has survived for decades. Honestly, does anyone do anything better when they are angry? Even a heavy metal band that writes angry songs relies most heavily on their technical skills, rhythm and knowledge to record a song. The drummer and guitarist did not achieve mastery over their instruments by angrily banging away at them. It’s the same with riding your ski. We don’t want to make abrupt or forceful moves. We want the intensity and power that comes from great balance, timing and trust. Next time you feel tempted, or someone tells you to ski with anger, substitute “intensity” for anger. Remember that intensity is a product of great focus and the complete application of all of your skills. If intensity is related to an emotion, it is excitement, not wrath.

Gluttony

Oh, I’ve been a ski pig. I am so hard-headed I had to fall into gluttony’s grasp numerous times before I realized that it was a trap. Ever felt like you skied your way right into a slump? You probably did. Did you, then, try to ski even more or even harder to get out of it? Let me guess, that approach only dug you in deeper. I held the belief that skiing was such a good thing, no amount could be too much. Like anything, it’s a razor’s edge between a robust approach and an addiction. I generally take things too far and then, hopefully, reel them in to an appropriate level. Learn from my foolishness and don’t let your desire to improve become a compulsion to just ski more and more. To continuously make new breakthroughs you’ll need to ski with focus, intensity, curiosity, strategy and energy. These traits go right out the window when you over ski. Moreover, you’ll be a better ski partner or club member when you keep yourself in check. You may even be able to save someone else from being swallowed up by their gluttony.

Sloth

In my experience, gluttony is far more common behind the boat than sloth. If you take a mellow approach to your skiing, I think that’s great. Thank goodness everyone isn’t type-A about their progress. We have enough of that vibe already. If you are casual about your skiing or have a phobia of falling, that’s fine but you don’t get to complain about your progress being slow. You are just taking the slow road. Stop and smell the roses and enjoy it.

The offseason or off-water time is when and where sloth most intersects with people’s water skiing. If this is you, you already know your list of “shoulds.” I should workout. I should practice visualization. I should warm up before I ski. I should eat healthier. I should drink more water. I should drink less alcohol; should, should, should. I know I find myself guilty and hear that word “should” ring in my head. When I act to silence that ringing, it’s always worth it and provides me a foothold on that slippery slope of sloth.

Greed

Slalom is an inherently greedy sport. We all want more buoys. When we get more, what do we want? More still. There is no end to the number of buoys we want. In a way, that’s what makes this sport so great. Nobody can “beat the game.” Even the best in the world will fail at some point, and even they crave more. So what are we to do?

Avoid doubling down on your existing strengths. At one point, learning a strong lean position gave you huge returns, as it is one of the most critical skills in slalom. However, leaning harder and generating more speed is only beneficial if it is matched with a controlled edge change, fluid turn and clean hookup. You can keep leaning harder, but if you can’t translate that power through the edge change, it’s just excess speed and a loss of control.

The same is true if your strength is turning tightly. At some juncture, grabbing more angle always seemed to set you up better for the next turn. As you level up, however, simply turning harder and harder is going to give you less and less.

Turning harder and leaning harder are ways that we allow greed to steer our approach. It’s a trap. There is nothing wrong with wanting more buoys and working for them. Just be mindful and work smart, as well as hard. Striving is the only way to explore your full potential both in the course and in life. Do you admire people in any domain whose accomplishments seem based on greed? Passion and greed are easy wires to cross, but you can always pause, rewire and make sure that it is your passion carrying you forward.

Envy

Whether you are a tournament or recreational skier, it is hard not to play the comparison game. It’s so easy to see how other skier’s grass is greener. “They grew up doing it.” “She can afford the best ski.” “He trains at a better site.” “I wish I had that level of natural talent.” This voice is in there and it doesn’t like to shut up. It’s the vein voice of the ego making excuses so that it can feel good about itself. What do excuses do for your skiing though? And what is comparing yourself to someone else in a favorable way other than a step toward complacency.

I have continuously referred to “your skiing journey” because that’s how I see it. Every skier is on his or her own athletic pilgrimage. Everyone improves at different rates, excels at different things and stumbles on different hurdles. It’s just like life. There is no one way to do it correctly, no magical plateau to reach. It’s going to end at some point for everyone – no beating the game.

Though giving in to that envious voice will help the ego push itself along, it won’t make you a better skier and won’t add joy to your journey. So, take ownership of your own path and take pride in walking it to the best of your ability.

Pride

Here is another instance where a good thing can go too far. Taking pride in your skiing, in your community of friends, in the work you do to maintain your site; these are all great. Let that feeling spill over to your every performance, however, and you can quickly become the person at the lake that nobody wants to be around. Water skiing is full of life lessons, and humility ranks at the top. No matter how good you are, this sport will humble you. Everyone has bad days. Learning that through skiing is an emotionally low-cost way to deal with the fact that life’s ups and downs are often beyond your control.

You may also see pride’s ugly side. If someone rejects the lesson of humility and would rather protect their image, their bad performance will be someone else’s fault or the fault of the equipment. They will start at a line length and speed that is too difficult for their ability and act surprised when they miss their opener. Naturally, they will have an excuse ready. They are too proud to take responsibility themselves. Don’t be that guy or gal.

I have committed every single one of these sins at some point, and some of them many times over. How else could I write about them with such intimate knowledge? I also know how I’ve suffered for these sins, whether in embarrassment, regret or through arrested progress. I’m deeply thankful to this sport for revealing my weaknesses to me so that I might work on them. Indeed, I have a long way to go both on the water and off. But there’s no endpoint; no beating the game. So what else can we do but keep trying and keep pulling each other along?

Corey Vaughn skis for MasterCraft, KD Skis, S-Lines and for love of the sport. He runs a ski school in Bumpass, Va. To ski with Corey, visit PeaceLoveAndWaterskiing.com.

Note: This article first appeared in the Summer 2021 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports. 

Written by Corey Vaughn

I love coaching skiers of all levels and I am often struck by parallel themes that affect beginner, intermediate and advanced skiers, alike. Throughout our water ski journeys, we learn new skills and then refine them at higher and higher levels. One common thread I see at every level is a tendency to wait for visual certainty before committing to the turn. This lack of faith affects skiers attempting to learn the slalom course, as well as highly advanced skiers cutting to that new, unchartered line length.

Skiers just getting into the course tend to underestimate the actual amount of space and time that a turn takes. They wait until they are practically or literally at the buoy before attempting to change direction. A seasoned skier knows that this hesitation will cause the turn to end up going way down course, and though the skier will get that buoy, they have sabotaged their chance for the next buoy or the one after that. If you can remember your first time running the course, you may recall how surprisingly early you had to start your turn to complete the pass.

This tendency, however, is just as common among skiers attempting to run 28 off or 38 off for the first time. As skiers gain proficiency in the course, they build skills to create wider, earlier looks at the buoys and start the turns sooner. But in the never-ending challenge of slalom skiing, those looks change with faster speed and shorter rope lengths. That means the look that you have grown comfortable with is not going to work at the next level and may not even be possible to achieve. You may have the look for less time or the best path through the course simply may not give you that look at all. This is where the trouble for some may begin.

Let’s say you finally mastered your 22 off pass and are starting to take more attempts at 28 off. At first you may feel like 28 off is physically impossible, except that you know other people can do it. The fact is that you are never going to get the same look at the buoy through the pre-turn that you do at 22 off. The problem is that your mind wants that comfortable visual reference. This desire leads most people into bad habits like holding the cut too long or riding flat after the wake (neither cutting nor committing to the edge change). On a theoretical level, we all know that as the speed gets faster and/or the rope gets shorter we need to be starting the turn sooner, but that knowledge rarely overrides our intuition in the moment when we come out of the wakes and do not trust the picture we see.

When it comes right down to it, we get addicted to our visual reference points. Take the buoys away from many advanced skiers and you will see some sloppy free skiing. Similarly, take some rope away from a progressing skier and you will see good form and rhythm go haywire. To become a great skier, we need more than what our eyes, alone, can tell us.

So, what is the cure?

Sure, vision is crucial in the course. If you have ever skied in sun-glare or in the dark or without your contacts, you know how critical good vision is. However, equally important is the feeling of rhythm with the rope and boat. A consistent rhythm gives us the ability to make predictions. Rhythm gives us something to trust besides our visual input. Placing faith in your rhythm is the key to staying ahead of the course rather than waiting for your eyes to dictate or validate the timing of your movements.

Think about clapping along to a song or playing music with other people. How do you know when to clap or at what tempo to play? You feel the rhythm. Each line length and speed have their own unique rhythm. Becoming attune to that rhythm is paramount in order to master that pass. The more challenging the pass, the more critical it is to rely on rhythm rather than your visual cues.

Skiing with rhythm is the foundation for committing to an early edge change, a properly timed release, achieving full extension or apex and finishing the turn with a tight line. To run that next pass, you are going to have to trust that early edge change and release off of the handle before your eyes validate these movements. Most likely, you will not even be seeing the buoy as you achieve your full extension, nor do you need to. In fact, this is about the point in time that you will want to start shifting your gaze to where you are going, rather than trying to look at where you are. You would not look at the front tire on the ground while mountain biking, would you? The fact is that you do not need to see your ski go around the buoy, nor do you need to take your head around the buoy to make a good turn. Can you imagine a concert pianist having to watch his fingers strike each key? It would be hard to play a complex symphony that way, and slalom is a complex symphony.

It is important to realize that as the boat speed gets faster and the rope gets shorter, the skier is carrying more swing or momentum when exiting the wake. That means, the edge change and the release off the handle are going to achieve more lateral or outbound direction more quickly. Thus, you need to trust the speed that you are carrying and let it move toward that apex at a faster tempo. Waiting until you have visual certainty that you are going to make the upcoming buoy means your turn is heading down course (or into slack rope if you decide to abruptly turn on the buoy despite your down course speed).

In short, your eyes are trying to trick you into remaining in a narrow comfort zone. Do not let them. Realize that you have a whole other set of sensations on hand to help you progress. Your sense of feel and rhythm is your friend and the more you cultivate these senses, the faster you will improve. Plus, skiing with two senses (sight and feel) is far better than skiing with just one. Pay attention to your rhythm and let it inform you. Do not wait for the evidence of your eyes, it will always come too late. Like so many things in life, to reach mastery you will need a healthy dose of faith and trust.

A couple of other prescriptions:

1. Give yourself a guarantee of width by generating sufficient speed and power into the wakes. Do not rely on a long cut, a double pull, or a delayed edge change to get to the buoy. Build speed and edge into the centerline so you can trust that your timely edge change and release will get you wide enough.
2. Keep the handle close to your body through the edge change. All of your hard work will be lost if you allow your arms and handle to separate and move away from your body as you edge change.
3. The edge change is not a change in direction. You want to keep pressure on the rope and continue on an outward path as you stand up and let your ski transition to the turning edge.
4. Start learning the next line length at a slower speed. For some reason, most slalom skiers only practice at tournament speeds and rope lengths and follow the traditional tournament progression of passes (up the rope). It is called practice for a reason. If you want to learn 28 off, do not try to learn it at max speed. If you are running 22 off at 34 mph, you should also be spending a lot of time at 28 off at 31-33 mph. You should also be tasting 32 off at 29-31 mph. You will learn skills at these line lengths that 22 off cannot teach, and it will make you a better skier much faster. If you have a rope with training loops, you can involve even more variety in your training.

Corey Vaughn skis for MasterCraft, KD Skis and S-Lines. He owns and operates the Bum Pass Water Ski Club in Virginia and welcomes skiers of all ages and abilities. Visit PeaceLoveAndWaterskiing.com for more information.

Note: This article first appeared in the Winter 2021 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports. 

Written by Seth Stisher

Whether you just started or you have been skiing since you were a kid, chances are a coach or fellow skier has barked at you about your body position.  In fact, it is often harped on to the point that we are no longer able to move athletically. I have seen more skiers than I care to count stand tall on their skis with their back arched in a hyperbolic effort to “get their hips up.” If you have ever skied with me you probably know that I try to avoid that phrase at all costs, but there is truth in the concept. Read more to find out where and how to focus on the proper body position to truly utilize the boat’s power in what I like to call “The Opportunity Zone!”

What Is It?

The moment of time spanning from the end of your turn to the moment you feel the swing from the boat as you make a strong and proper transition is what I refer to as THE OPPORTUNITY ZONE. I am sure you have been told to stay strong behind the boat and this is true, but it is the space just before and just after this that gets overlooked. To keep it simple, the opportunity zone is the time that both hands are on the handle with the ski between you and the boat. This is where we are to capitalize on the boat’s power in order to swing yourself from side to side.

How Do I capitalize On It?

• Prep your position: It is paramount to be in a balanced stance with your body stacked as you finish the turn so you are ready to take full advantage of the pull from the boat. To ensure you do this, keep your center of mass moving in the direction you are trying to go (this is not to be confused with arching your back to the point that your weight is on your heels). 

• Stay stacked and balanced: If your body is stacked (structurally aligned) and you are balanced on your feet, the pull from the boat will create an equal amount of pressure on the ski, which will create the acceleration that you need to get side to side faster than your opponent.

• Power through: As you pass through the centerline of the wakes, the load from the boat will feel as though it is pulling you apart if you have either failed on the aforementioned points, or if you choose to stay too static. Most people give up here and get cast directly toward the buoy thereby wasting all the work that has been done and creating a loose line with a forced turn at the next buoy. Instead, if you can maintain the stack of your upper body while allowing your legs to slightly unweight the ski, the ski will pass through and out onto the other edge while you maintain direction.

What did I miss?

If you take nothing else from this article, note the following key points that are critical in utilizing the boat’s power:

• If you maintain a balanced stance with equal pressure on both feet you will be able to resist the pull from the boat [ITALICS]and [ENDITALICS] transition out onto the other edge without losing direction. If you are unbalanced, you are fighting a losing battle not only because you cannot accelerate efficiently, but also because you will lose the connection during the transition and start traveling down course

• Use the boat rather than fighting it! Balance and alignment allow you to do this.

• Be mindful of the stance through the turn so you finish in a stance that yields efficient speed.

• Never over-exert to the point that you are not able to maintain your direction and connection after the second wake.

The overall point is for you to find a way to utilize the pull of the boat rather than adhering to the old school “tug of war” mentality.

Seth Stisher can be found coaching at his SkiSeth Training Center at Oz, in Charleston, South Carolina, or at any number of locations around the world through his traveling waterski clinics. Check out SkiSeth.com, or email bookings@skiseth.com to arrange ski sessions with him.  He is sponsored by Connelly Skis, MasterCraft Boat Company, Eagle Wetsuits, PureFood and H2OProShop.com.

Note: This article first appeared in the Winter 2020 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports. 

Written by Corey Vaughn

Completing all six buoys with entry and exit gates is the greatest milestone in the sport of slalom skiing. Indeed, it is an incredible athletic feat involving balance, strength, timing, rhythm and coordination. Running the course is skiing’s equivalent of bowling a perfect game, nailing a handspring back flip, or becoming a scratch golfer.  

As a coach, witnessing a skier’s first full pass is an incredibly gratifying moment. The ecstatic smile that overtakes the skier’s face expresses a contagious and visceral joy, which can be shared by coach, driver, partner, friend or stranger. We can all agree that the world could use an added dose of joy, so let’s get more people through the course this summer.

Over the last few summers, I’ve had a growing number of students striving for this milestone. In the process of trying to help them achieve their goal, I have developed a systematic protocol for attacking what can seem like the impossible. Moreover, I’ve noticed that most skiers’ do-it-yourself attempts are almost the exact opposite of what I recommend. Whether you are hoping to master the course yourself or just share in that incredible joy as a coach or ski partner, follow this guide to accelerate the progression.

Free Skiing

The fundamentals absolutely start outside the course. Before letting the buoys control your mind like a high school romance, let’s make sure a few fundamental skills are in place:

1) Pendulum-Like Rhythm

- Ideal: Rhythm is the most important skill for attempting the course. A skier must be able to accelerate from the widest point of the turn across the wakes and then begin transitioning to the next turn, as momentum carries the skier outward. 

- Problem: Slowing down at the first wake and then cutting again after the wakes to get wide is the most common mistake and will not work in the course. 

- Fact: Rhythm is also the cornerstone of solid body position and one-handed turns. One-handed turns are not necessary to run the course but can be a very helpful tool. One-handed turns are best learned and ingrained into habit free skiing. 

2) Body Position

- Ideal: Our body is the conduit between the power source (the boat) and our primary tool (the ski). To harness the boat’s power effectively, our body must act like a lever - receiving the boat’s pull through the shoulders, then transferring that power down the body through the torso, hips and legs to the feet and ski. 

- Problem: The asymmetrical stance of slalom skiing makes proper body position unnatural and different than almost all other sports. Thus, most people begin with a sort of squat or crouch with hips back, chest down and shoulders forward. This position makes our body into a hinge, rather than a lever. Consequently, much of the boat’s power gets stuck in the lower back in the form of strain, rather than passed through the body to the ski. 

- Fact: Standing straight behind the boat or even leaning away from the wakes is a good place to practice a leveraged lean, but the crucial skill of slalom skiing is cutting toward and over the wakes with this strong position. In this pursuit, rhythm is key. If you aren’t in a consistent rhythm, the wakes (and fear of the wakes) will compromise your solid stance. 

Speed: Slow Down!

You should not expect to run the slalom course at your normal free-skiing speed. The Holy Grail to running the course is the ability to generate one’s own speed from a solid lean. Although the wakes may get taller, running the course for the first time will come more quickly at a slower speed. My typical default speeds are 25.5 mph for women and 27.7 mph for men. Somewhere between 24-28 mph is the sweet spot for most adults. Kids, being lighter, commonly learn the course between 12 and 20 mph, depending upon weight.

Choose the Right Stick

More expensive does not mean more beneficial at this stage. In fact, high-end skis that are designed to help pros at the highest speeds and shortest ropes will make your task of learning the course more difficult. To learn the course, look for a wide, stable, and forgiving ski with a safe and comfortable boot and rear toe plate. 

Mini Course and Shadowing

So, your free skiing is rockin’. Body position, rhythm, wake crossings and one-handed turns feel dialed. You are ready to test your skills on some buoys! One attempt at the full course will probably be enough to realize that it’s WAY harder than it looks. Don’t be intimidated – Rome was not built in a day.

- Master the Mini Course: Learn to time the first buoy perfectly for an optimal start. Finish the turn at the buoy, rather than starting the turn at the ball (this is called “back-siding”). Run the mini course at various speeds and rope lengths. You will be able to stroke the mini course at 32 off before you are even close to running the full slalom course. 

- Shadowing: Also known as “spraying the buoys” is the next step after you have conquered the mini course. This drill teaches you to keep up with the six-buoy rhythm required in the full course, while riding a wider path than the mini course. Ideally, you should be able to drop in on one ball with perfect timing and then hit every buoy with your spray, trying to be as close as you can to each buoy. It is more important to be equidistant from each buoy rather than close to some but far from others. We are aiming for symmetry.

Six-Buoy Strategy

You are taking down the mini course at short-line with no problem and can easily shadow all six in the full-course. It’s time to start turning some buoys. Despite the temptation, DO NOT just start trying to run the full course from start to finish, this approach is the proverbial brick wall. Also, DO NOT attempt the entry gate until you are consistently running all 6 buoys. So, let’s break down the strategy that will get you to that point quickest. Here are six steps to get you around the six buoys:

1) Perfect the one-ball drop in. There is no substitute for getting an optimal start in the course. When the boat enters the gate, progressively pull out to the right and then stand up into a glide. As you glide, you should coast out about 5-8 feet wide of one ball. As you near the buoy, the rope should be coming tight allowing you to drop into your cut and practically brush one-ball with your boot as you begin your swing into the wakes.

2) DO NOT GO FOR TWO! It sounds counterintuitive, but we are not striving to get two-ball just yet. The next buoy we want to get is ball six. This is where all the shadowing practice pays off. Turn early at each buoy so that you stay ahead of the course and can pick up six-ball.

3) Add 5. The next buoy we want to go for is five-ball. Still shadow 2,3 and 4.

4) Now go for two! Get that perfect one-ball and pick up two. Shadow 3 and 4 and then make 5 and 6. 

5) Get either 3 or 4. You can see what’s happening now. We are working from the ends of the course to the middle. You are ready to fill in one of the middle buoys. Depending on your stance (right or left foot forward), one of these will likely be easier than the other for you. 

6) Let it Happen. Now there is just one buoy left. Stay true to the process; don’t try to force it. Keep shadowing closer and closer to the middle two boys (balls 3 and 4), alternating which one you turn and which you shadow. Then one time you will have a totally optimal start, a nearly perfect turn at two, pick up three easily and find yourself coming into four-ball wide and early. It’s happening – go with it and stay on your game until you round six. Then it’s time to celebrate!

Congratulations! You should remember this day and this feeling for the rest of your life! If you have come this far, you probably realize how deeply gratifying the practice of slalom skiing can be. Good news: there is always the next challenge. In your case now, the next challenge is the gates. Check out my “Gates 101” article for a crash course on your next step (The Water Skier – Spring 2019).

Corey Vaughn operates the Bum Pass Water Ski Club in Bumpass, Va. Find info at: PeaceLoveAndWaterskiing.com or contact h2oSkiJunkie@gmail.com. Corey skis for MasterCraft, KD Skis and S-Lines.

Written by Rachel Normand

Standing Up

DON’T: Stand up from a deep-water start by dropping the feet off the rope, having the legs straight, and jamming the heels into the water causing the butt to immediately pop up off the water.

DO: Take the feet off the rope and transition into a 3-point position where the butt and two feet are on the water before standing up. Do this by bending the knees, bringing the heels to the butt, and crunching forward while moving the handle to the knees. Keeping the butt on the water will prevent falling forward and help the skier to stay in control. Having the feet flexed back with the waterline just behind the balls of the feet is key to gliding and not catching in the 3-point.

Barefoot Position

DON’T: Push the feet out in front of the knees, drop the hips back, or have the shoulders forward. This barefoot position is unstable and can cause a lot of unwanted falls and spray. Don’t speed up to get rid of the spray.

DO: Keep the speeds slower and execute the proper position by rolling the shoulders back, pushing the hips forward, and flexing the feet so they are gliding under the knees. Flex the feet back to where the water comes to just behind the balls of the feet - this will help prevent falling by catching the ball or as some say, “catching a toe!”

Boat Driving/Water Conditions

DON’T: Make unnecessary waves when driving the boat by going in circles or doing power turns back to the skier. Also, don’t try to barefoot when the conditions aren’t right, and the water is too rough - it’s not worth the risk.

DO: Drive in a straight line when barefooting. At the end of the run, slow down to idle speed then turn around to the skier and stay at idle speed or below until going again. Be conscious of the waves you make and teach others about how boat wakes impact barefooting.

Equipment

DON’T: Use just any old thin wetsuit or a typical stretchy ski rope attached to the low pull cleats on the boat. All of these will make it significantly harder to learn how to barefoot and be successful in the sport.

DO: Use a wetsuit that is designed specifically for barefooting, which will have the right amount of stiffness and padding on the chest, butt, and back. In addition, wear padded barefoot shorts under the wetsuit. Having a padded wetsuit and shorts will allow the skier to glide on top of the water, which will make learning deep-water starts and new tricks, like tumble turns, easier. Using a Spectra or Poly-E non-stretch rope designed for barefooting will prevent a bungy effect, making it more stable for the skier. Attach the rope to a tower or fly high to achieve the proper pull angle for barefooting. A 75-foot rope (including a 5-foot x 15-inch handle) is recommended for 3-event barefooting and a 100-foot rope for endurance.

Rachel Normand is a USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Foundation Water Ski Hall of Fame inductee, five-time world individual champion, and four-time world team gold medalist. She lives, trains and coaches on Lake Wylie in Tega Cay, S.C. The World Barefoot Center and Barefoot International sponsor Rachel. You can contact her at rachelnormand@gmail.com.

Note: This article first appeared in the Spring 2022 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports.

Written by Rachel Normand

Now is the perfect time for you to set goals and decide what tricks you want to achieve this summer and perform at a competition. If you know how to do a one foot, a great goal is to take that trick to the next level by adding a wave. A one-foot-wave will give you an additional 50 points - 100 if you do both sides! Here are steps to get you started.

Step No. 1: Start in a strong front barefoot position with your shoulders rolled back, hips forward, and knees bent. Your elbows should have a slight bend with your shoulders and hips facing forward throughout the trick.

Step No. 2: Turn your handle down toward your support leg. Van (pictured) is turning his handle down over his left leg, which will be his support leg. Turning your handle down will initiate a weight shift of your hips and shoulders over that leg allowing the other leg to be free to slide forward and lift.

Step No. 3: Completely transfer your weight over your support leg by turning your handle down and shifting your hips and shoulders. Your shoulders and hips should face forward but angle down over the leg on the water. When lifting your right leg, your right hip and shoulder will be slightly higher than the left to keep you balanced on one leg. Once you have shifted your handle, hips and shoulders, slide your free leg forward and off the water in front of you into a one foot.

Step No. 4: After you have established a stable one foot, it is time to release and wave one hand. If your right foot is in the air release your left hand very slowly making sure your shoulders, head, and body stay facing forward and do not twist. To prevent twisting keep your right elbow bent, engaging your arm and core muscles to keep you forward. While maintaining your position slowly release one finger at a time from the handle.

Step No. 5: As your hand releases the handle, hinge at the elbow and bring your hand up by your head to wave. It is especially important to resist the pull of the rope to prevent twisting and coming out of position. Resist by keeping your arm, chest, and core muscles tight, as well as squeezing your thighs together keeping your foot in front of you and under the rope. Also, make sure you are waving with the opposite hand as the one foot in the air.

Step No. 6 (Optional) Turn slightly and smile. Once you are comfortable doing a one-foot-wave, rotate your shoulders an inch or two toward your audience. When doing this, it is particularly important to keep your right arm bent, core muscles engaged, and hips facing forward. Turn slowly, staying in control of how much you rotate and not allowing the rope to twist you out of control. You did it! Enjoy your achievement and new trick!

Rachel Normand is a USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Foundation Water Ski Hall of Fame inductee, five-time world individual champion, and four-time world team gold medalist. She lives, trains and coaches on Lake Wylie in Tega Cay, S.C. The World Barefoot Center and Barefoot International sponsor Rachel. You can contact her at rachelnormand@gmail.com. 

Note: This article first appeared in the Winter 2022 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports.

Written by Rachel Normand

A flying dock start is a fantastic way to get an extra 50 points at a tournament, stay drier longer during these cooler months, plus gives you a great WOW factor! Before learning a flying dock start, it is important to master a deep water start behind the boat. Once you have, you are ready to add the flyer.

Step 1. Put several coils of rope in one hand making sure the rope is feeding out toward the boat (the rope closest to your handle should come out last). With the other hand, hold one end of the handle. Place yourself two to three steps away from the edge of the dock. 

Driver Tip: Get the boat lined up with the skier directly behind you. Once half the rope is out, put the boat in gear and tell the skier.

Step 2. Watch the rope as it feeds out of your hand. As the last coil is coming out, drop the rope and put both hands on the handle. At this point, the most crucial step is to make sure the rope gets completely tight before you step. When the rope is tight, take steps to follow the taught rope. 

Driver Tip: To help keep the rope tight and pull the skier away from the dock, increase your throttle slightly to a fast idle when the rope is almost tight.

Step 3. As you take two to three steps, keep the line tight. Resist the pull by having your shoulders back, and not allowing yourself to get ahead of the rope, causing slack. When you get to the edge of the dock, jump up and forward toward the boat. When you jump, yell “OK” for the driver to accelerate. 

Driver Tip: When your skier says OK, steadily increase your speed like you would for a normal deep water start.

Step 4. Once you jump off the dock, focus on getting horizontal, bringing your feet to the rope, and your handle to your waist. You want to land in the same position you would begin for a deep water start. In this position your body should be horizontal, like floating flat on your back, but with the arches on your feet crossed on the rope and the handle pulled into your waist.

Step 5. Once you land in the water, arch your back, and push your hips up into the handle, which is at your waist. Most importantly, find the rope and keep the arches of your feet on it. Having your feet on the rope and body flat will help you come out of the water and get you going in the right direction. From here all the steps are the same as a front deep water start.

Step 6. Smile and enjoy your accomplishment! You earned 100 points for your flying dock start!

Rachel Normand is a USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Foundation Water Ski Hall of Fame inductee, five-time world individual champion, and four-time world team gold medalist. She lives, trains and coaches on Lake Wylie in Tega Cay, S.C. The World Barefoot Center and Barefoot International sponsor Rachel. You can contact her at rachelnormand@gmail.com. 

Note: This article first appeared in the Summer 2021 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports.

Written by Rachel Normand

Turning on your feet from back-to-front is not for the faint of heart or beginner barefooter. First, I highly recommend becoming a strong barefooter with the ability to proficiently execute both front and back one-foots and toe-holds. Once you are, it is time to turn! Here are tips to help you learn.

1st Tip: Begin in a slightly modified backward position by doing these four things. 1.) Bring your legs and feet very close together. 2.) Bend your arms and bring your handle to your butt. 3.) Roll your shoulders back and bring your chest high. 4.) Bend your knees, bringing your legs under your hips. Having your chest high and legs under you allows you to have more weight on top of your feet.

2nd Tip: Initiate your turn by letting go with one hand and turning from your hips. Resist the urge to turn fast, especially with your upper body. Your shoulders should not come forward, instead they should stay back and just flip on themselves 180 degrees. Keep your core tight and resist the pull by having your arm on the handle bent and close to your hip. Bring your free arm to your side.

3rd Tip: Continue rotating, thinking about your hips turning first and your head last. Focus on turning slow and keeping your feet under you. This is a critical point where you do not want to allow your shoulders to come forward or your arm on the handle to get pulled out from you. Keep your arm bent and strong and flip your shoulders 180 degrees instead of letting them swing around to the front.

4th Tip: As you come to the front, reach your free hand to the handle. Keep your hips and knees strong; do not sit down. The slower you turn, the more control you will have to stay on your feet and in proper form.

5th Tip: At this point you should have both hands on the handle and be barefooting forward. If you resisted turning fast, you should still be on your feet and in great shape to ski it away.

6th Tip: Recover by getting in perfect front barefoot form with you head up, shoulders back, chest out, hips forward, knees bent, and ankles flexed and gliding under you. Congratulations you just did a back-to-front!

Key Tips: Maintain elbow bend throughout the turn. Turn slow and with your hips first. Keep shoulders back and flip them 180 degrees.

Confidence Booster: Before learning on your feet, first do a back-to-front on shoe skis. Shoe skis allow you to go at slower speeds (suggest 5 to 10 mph slower) while focusing on the correct form and technique.

Advance Technique: Learn to turn on the proper foot. This is critical when progressing to multiple turns and helps prevent potential falls from stepping around, through your spray, on the wrong foot. To help you learn, put one shoe ski on the foot you should turn on. When turning to the right, most of your weight should be on your left foot; put the shoe ski on your left foot. Practice turning while going slower shoe ski speeds. This will force you to put more weight on the shoe ski foot rather than the bare foot.

Rachel Normand is a USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Foundation Water Ski Hall of Fame inductee, five-time world individual champion, and four-time world team gold medalist. She lives, trains and coaches on Lake Wylie in Tega Cay, S.C. The World Barefoot Center and Barefoot International sponsor Rachel. You can contact her at rachelnormand@gmail.com.

Note: This article first appeared in the Spring 2021 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports.

Written by Rachel Normand

Once you have mastered a back one foot, it is time to progress to a back toe hold. A back toe handle is longer than a front toe handle and a key element to have when learning a back toe hold. Riding backward one-foots for longer periods of time, as well as lifting your foot higher and touching the rope, will help prepare you for a back toe hold.

1 – Begin in a strong back barefoot position having your shoulders rolled back, chest out, butt to the handle, knees bent, and ankles flexed. Squeeze your thighs and bring your feet close together.

2 – Transfer all your weight to one leg by doing these three steps. First, have your feet very close together. Second, shift the handle over and down your supporting hip and leg that will stay on the water. Third, angle your hip and shoulder up on the side of the leg you are lifting. In picture 2, I am shifting the handle over the left leg that will be my support leg, then angling my right hip and shoulder up higher than my left. If you do all three of these steps you should feel the weight come off the leg you want to lift.

3 – Now that all your weight is shifted to one leg, lift your foot off the water by bending your knee to do a one foot. Keep the foot in the air flexed. Remember to keep the handle angled down on your support leg with your other hip and shoulder angled up.

4 – Next, lift your leg higher by hinging at the hip. As your leg goes higher your shoulders and chest should lean into the spray while keeping your head up – do not look down. Bring your leg up directly behind you, going in-between the handle’s stiffeners and above the toe strap. To maintain your balance, remember to keep your hips and shoulders angled and knee on the water bent. To prevent your foot from pushing on the water keep your ankle flexed back.

5 – Find the toe strap with your foot. Securely put your foot all the way into the toe strap. Do not just hook your toes but push your foot all the way in so the strap is at your ankle. Once your foot is securely in the strap, immediately bring your shoulders and chest upright and bend your support knee as much as possible.

6 – Now it is time to release your hands. Rest your handle on your upper leg then slowly let go and bring your hands to either side of your chest keeping the same angle as your shoulders. Your toe hold leg should stay slightly bent, do not allow it to get pulled away from you. Remember to keep your hip and shoulders angled, head and shoulders up, chest out, knee bent, and ankle flexed back and not pushing on the water.

Recovering: First, bring your hands back to the handle. Then, as you lift your foot out of the toe strap lean slightly away into the spray. Finally, bring your foot back to the water, square your hips, and settle into a great back barefoot position. You did it!

Boat speed notes: I recommend glass calm water for practicing this and a speed that is firm for back one-foots. I typically call 38 mph for this trick and I weigh around 120 pounds.

Once you have accomplished both front and back toe holds behind the boat, record a video and submit it to your local American Barefoot Club (ABC) examiner to be awarded a Master Barefooter Badge!

Rachel Normand is a USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Foundation Water Ski Hall of Fame inductee, five-time world individual champion, and four-time world team gold medalist. She lives, trains and coaches on Lake Wylie in Tega Cay, S.C. The World Barefoot Center and Barefoot International sponsor Rachel. You can contact her at rachelnormand@gmail.com.

Note: This article first appeared in the Winter 2021 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports.

Written by Rachel Normand

Barefooting behind the boat is an amazing achievement that gives you more freedom of movement, is required to compete in tournaments, and feels like you are flying! If you have mastered a deep water start on the boom with a short rope, it is time to learn behind the boat. A few things to consider that can greatly increase your success: wearing a barefoot wetsuit layered with padded shorts underneath, using a non-stretch 70-foot rope with a 5-foot handle, and having a tower or extended pylon to make the pull of the rope higher.

1. Begin by floating on your back with your head relaxed back and hips up. Put one foot on the rope by pointing your toes and putting the arch of your foot on the rope (do not put your heel over the rope). Keep your knees straight with your free foot close to the rope. Have your handle pulled tight against your waist.

2. As your boat driver gives you a steady acceleration, arch your back by pushing the back of your head and shoulders down on the water. Keep your handle at your waist and hinge back from there. Yes, you will get a little water in your face! To prevent getting excess water in your nose, tape your nose closed with flexible clear tape (Nexcare) and tilt your head back. The initial plume of water will only last a few seconds. As you arch back count one-one thousand, two-one thousand, three-one thousand, then slowly sit up to your butt.

3. Once you are on your butt, you should be able to open your eyes and look around. Your driver should slowly increase your speed, getting you over the boat’s stern rollers, then accelerate to 25-30 mph (not too fast) while you cut outside the wake. It is best to learn how to cut out into the smooth curl of the wake to avoid standing up in the roughness directly behind the boat. Cut out by pointing your free foot in the direction you want to go, transfer your weight, leaning to the same side as your free foot. Having one foot off the rope aids as a balancing point and allows you to lean further giving you a better cut. Keep cutting until you are all the way outside the wake. *If you are having trouble getting outside the wake, cut in the opposite direction first to give you more momentum in the direction you want to go.

4. Once you are outside the wake, stabilize in the curl by squaring your hips forward and bringing your free leg close to the rope. You may sling side to side a few times before settling into the curl. Be patient. This is where padded barefoot shorts protect you and allow you to ride on your butt as long as needed! Keep your handle into your waist and eyes looking forward.

5. Next, transition into your 3-point position (3-points are butt and two feet). Focus on a smooth continuous motion by simultaneously doing these three steps: 1. Flex your feet back bringing your heels to either side of your butt 2. Bend your knees up toward your chest while keeping them together. 3. Move your handle from your waist to the tops of your knees by straightening your arms and bringing your chest forward. It is important to not drop your legs, but to use your core strength to control and make every movement intentional.

6. Finally, it is time to stand up. As your boat driver increases speed (30-35 mph depending on weight), keep your chest up, squeeze your legs together, and push down on your heels to stand up. Imagine someone putting a hook in your ribcage and pulling you up. In your final barefooting position, you should have your head up and looking forward, shoulders back with a superman chest, hips forward, and knees bent with your feet flexed back and gliding under your knees. Enjoy the ride and your big accomplishment. Now you are ready to compete in a tournament!

Rachel Normand is a USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Foundation Water Ski Hall of Fame inductee, five-time world individual champion, and four-time world team gold medalist. She lives, trains and coaches on Lake Wylie in Tega Cay, S.C. The World Barefoot Center and Barefoot International sponsor Rachel. You can contact her at rachelnormand@gmail.com.

Note: This article first appeared in the Fall 2020 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports.

Written by Rachel Normand

A fun, crowd-pleasing trick to learn is a 360 degrees tumble turn. If you want to impress your friends and family, then this is the trick for you. Having a barefoot wetsuit with padded shorts underneath is a critical component to gliding properly on your butt and successfully completing the trick.

Step 1: Begin by riding in a controlled and comfortable butt glide position. Do this by having your handle pulled into and touching the center of your waist with your elbows to the side and down. Your legs should be squeezed together with your knees straight, ankles touching, and feet about one foot off the water. Tuck in your chin and look forward.

Step 2: Initiate the tumble turn by moving your legs in the direction you want to go while pushing your handle down on your hip. As your legs go from 0 to 90 degrees, keep your leading hip angled up - when your legs go to the right your left hip should be slightly higher.

Step 3: As your legs move passed 90 degrees to 180 degrees, your hips should flatten out, similar to the beginning butt glide position. Your handle needs to transfer from one hip to the other. As you move your handle, try to push it down to the center of your waist, keeping it as close as possible to your body. Letting your handle out away from your waist or up by your head will cause you to lose momentum and requires a lot of arm and core strength to recover. Remember to keep your legs straight and together with your chin tucked in.

Step 4: Continue the momentum of your legs by shifting your handle from the center of your waist to your other hip. As soon as you move past 180 degrees your leading (right) hip should angle up, keeping your hip from catching on the water. In picture 4 my legs are coming around my left side with my right hip higher and my right arm pushing down on my right hip.

Step 5: It is time to finish where you started in a butt glide position. Do this by pulling the handle from your hip to the center of your waist. Make sure you are in a controlled butt glide position and facing forward before standing up through a 3-point position.

Key Things to Remember: 1) Legs should stay straight, together, and about a foot off the water throughout the tumble turn. 2) Maintain handle contact with your waist and hips. 3) Keep your leading hip angled up. 4) Have your chin tucked in and eyes looking forward.

Driver Tip: Tumble turns do not require faster speeds. In fact, once your skier goes into a butt glide position it is helpful to decrease the speed 2 to 3 mph for the trick. Once they have completed the tumble turn, and go into a 3-point position, increase to normal barefoot speed as they stand up. Depending on the skier’s weight, 30 to 35 mph is all that is usually needed for speed.

Rachel Normand is a USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Foundation Water Ski Hall of Fame inductee, five-time world individual champion, and four-time world team gold medalist. She lives, trains and coaches on Lake Wylie in Tega Cay, S.C. The World Barefoot Center and Barefoot International sponsor Rachel. You can contact her at rachelnormand@gmail.com.

Note: This article first appeared in the Winter 2020 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports.

Written by Rachel Normand

After learning to barefoot forward, I was intrigued by backward and wanted to learn. While learning, people thought I was drowning, but I wasn’t! A back deep requires patience, proper timing, and using the right technique. It is not something you can just muscle. Here are eight key steps to learning a back deep-water start. Give it a try, like me, you may like barefooting backward more than forward.

1. Begin by floating on your back and putting the rope between your legs. Hold the handle under your butt with your hands at the widest part of the handle. Lift one leg up and hook your foot under the rope.

2. Roll over toward the foot that is not hooked on the rope and take a deep breath. Keep your knees and body straight and legs close together. Your driver should slowly accelerate to 10-12mph.

3. As the boat pulls you out of the water, your body will create a pocket of air near your face – yes you can breathe! Bring your free leg close to your leg on the rope. Make sure your legs are straight and knees aren’t bent. As your body planes on the water, completely straighten and relax your arms. Roll your shoulders down into the water and suck your stomach in. Look straight back and push your chin into the water. The boat driver needs to increase the speed enough so you can breathe, but if you start bouncing, it is too fast (recommend 10-12 mph).

4. Once you are smoothly riding without bouncing, practice pointing and flexing your feet. Then, slowly take your foot off the rope, flex both feet and keep them flexed. Rotate your legs and open them in a wide V so your toes are pointing out and the inside arches of your feet are facing the water. Keep your legs straight, arms straight, shoulders rolled down, and chin pushing down on the water.

5. Slowly place your feet on the water. Do not reach for the water by pointing your toes. Instead, keep your feet flexed all the way back and slowly lower your legs, putting the arch of your foot through your toes on the water. Resist the urge to push on the water with your toes, which will cause your feet to dive to the bottom of the lake. Instead, allow the water to assist in further flexing your feet toward your shins. Once your feet are planted and stable, push your butt slightly up by sucking your stomach in and pushing your chest, shoulders, and chin down. Maintain this position as your driving starts to increase your speed.

6. Use the increase in boat speed to help pull you up while pushing your chest down and bending at the waist to pinch your butt up higher. Imagine your butt going up though your arms, this will help keep your arms relaxed with your shoulders rolled down and butt going in an upward direction. As you are coming up, squeeze your thighs so your legs stay in a V and don’t split wider and go behind you.

7. At this point, bring your legs closer together by rotating your feet to parallel (not turned out) and squeezing your thighs together. You should feel the water getting firmer under your feet allowing you to start putting more and more weight on your legs. As your weight transfers, your chest will start coming off the water. As soon as your chest leaves the water, roll your shoulders back, arch your back, stick your chest out toward the spray, and bend your knees. Doing this is very important to keep you from catching a heel. Your back needs to go from being turtle backed and pushing down to arching and lifting off the water.

8. Continue squeezing your legs closer together, lifting your shoulders up, and pushing your butt to the handle by bending your knees and arching your back. Your final back barefoot position has your head up, shoulders rolled back, chest out, butt to the handle, knees bent, and ankles flexed. Keep resistance by pushing your chest into the spray and having your hip/leg angle slightly toward the handle – greater than 90 degrees. Final speed is high 20s to low 30s (depending on weight).

Remember: Be patient, keep arms relaxed, feet flexed, push butt up first by hinging at the waist and pushing chest down, then arching into a strong back barefoot position. Enjoy the journey and a whole new world of backward barefooting!

Rachel Normand is a Water Ski Hall of Fame inductee, five-time world individual champion, and four-time world team gold medalist. She lives, trains, and coaches on Lake Wylie in Tega Cay, S.C. The World Barefoot Center and Barefoot International sponsor Rachel. You can contact her at rachelnormand@gmail.com.

Note: This article first appeared in the Spring 2020 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports.

Written by Rachel Normand

It’s important to be a solid forward and backward barefooter with a good, strong position before progressing to the front to back. A strong front barefoot position starts by having your head up, shoulders back, chest out, hips forward, knees bent, and ankles flexed and under your knees. Backward is similar by having your head up, shoulders rolled back, chest out, butt pushed to the handle, knees bent, and ankles flexed back and relaxed, not pushing on the water. Starting and ending in a strong position is key to a successful turn.

Once you have established your strong forward and backward barefoot positions, it is time to do a front to back. The most important things to think about when turning are: initiating the turn from the hips, turning slowly, and keeping the handle in. Here is a breakdown of five steps describing what to do in more detail.

Step 1. I like to start by practicing the lowering and raising of my hips, since this is how I initiate the turn. To do this, bend your elbow more and bring it closer to your hip. Bend your knees and lower your bottom to 90 degrees as shown in the first picture. Practice going down to 90 degrees and back up to barefoot position a few times before turning. This will help you develop a rhythm for a smooth turn. Keep a strong position with your elbow in and chest big – only your hip and knee bend should be changing.

Step 2. After you lower your bottom to 90 degrees, slowly come up and start turning at the same time. Initiate your turn by pushing your hip to the handle and pulling your handle to your hip. The turn should always start from your hips. Throughout the turn, keep your elbow bent and pull the handle into your hip. When turning to the left, your right hip should go to the handle. Remember to keep resistance on your legs by pushing your feet slightly in front of you as you turn.

Step 3. As you continue your turn focus on keeping your feet close together with slightly more weight on the foot you are turning toward. For example, if you are turning to the left, more weight will be on the left foot. Your head should stay up and eyes should focus on the horizon the whole way around.

Step 4. Keep the releasing arm close to the body throughout the turn. Also, remember to keep the arm holding the handle in by bending your elbow and bringing your hip to the handle. This will put you in the best position to grab the handle near your lower back.

Step 5. Recover by bending your knees and focusing on a strong back barefoot position with your head up, chest out toward the spray, and butt pushed to the handle.

Although there are many key things to focus on when making a successful front to back, remember to start and end in a strong position, initiate the turn with your hips, turn slowly, and keep the handle in. If you do these key steps you will have success!

Rachel Normand is a Water Ski Hall of Fame inductee, five-time world individual champion, and four-time world team gold medalist. She lives, trains, and coaches on Lake Wylie in Tega Cay, S.C. The World Barefoot Center and Barefoot International sponsor Rachel. You can contact her at rachelnormand@gmail.com.

Note: This article first appeared in the Summer 2023 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports.

Written by Tom Kohl

Today, it seems like boats and wakes are getting bigger and bigger every year. What we see on social media only reinforces that notion. While new technology and years of research and design allow us to do amazing things behind the boat, it is easy to forget how wake sports began not so long ago. There was a day when direct drive ski boats and outboard cruisers were the “go-to” for kneeboarders and wakeboarders alike. The maneuvers and wake crossings from back then were not all that much different from what they are today. Whether you are a kneeboarder or a wakeboarder, if you have a direct drive ski boat or a recreational runabout, here are a few ways you can get the most out of your small wake boat.

1. Shorten your rope and slow the speed of the boat down. Speed and rope length vary from boat to boat. Typical rope length for wake sports behind a 22-foot V-Drive is between 60 and 75 feet. Speed is usually around 20 to 22 mph. On smaller boats the wake’s shape and size is very different. Most traditional direct drive ski boats form the best wake for jumping around the 18 to 20 mph range and usually somewhere around 45 and 60 feet behind the boat. Each boat is different. Pick a speed you like to ride at, throw your rope out behind the boat and let it drag. Adjust your speed until you see the wake shape you think will be best for your riding style; then adjust the rope to be just in front of the peak of the wake.

2. Attach your rope at the highest possible point. On a traditional ski boat adding a pylon extension is very beneficial. If you have more of a recreational runabout, look for options to add a ski pylon or even a wakeboard tower and avoid pulling from a ski bridal at the back of the boat. The upward force created by an elevated tow point allows you to slow down your speed and helps pull you up out of the water.

3. Make the wake bigger! How? Just ask your friends! An easy trick to creating a larger wake on your boat is to put more weight in it. Check the capacity of the boat and add friends accordingly. On an outboard or sterndrive style boat, use the adjustable trim of the drive to change the pitch of the boat to help create a larger wake. Trimming the drive up just a little will drive the back of the boat down, making a larger wake. If the nose of the boat starts bouncing, you trimmed too far.

4. Practice loading the rope. Loading the rope means creating tension on the rope as you cut toward the wake. The more load you can create on the rope, the more of a popping effect you will feel as you lift off the wake. To do this, start about half to three quarters of the way out of the wake. Make a gradual cut toward the wake and increase the pull against the boat as you get closer to the wake. As you cross into the trough of the wake, let off your cut about half way, keep your arms in close and prepare for take off! One way to know if you are getting the most out of your cut is to observe the “splash” created as you launch off the wake. The more you load the rope, the bigger your splash will be. For more info on this, see the instructional titled “Can You Make the Cut?” in Volume 71, Number 4 in the online archives available in the Members Only section at USAWATERSKI.org.

I hope these four tips will inspire you to push yourself regardless of the boat you are riding behind. Not everyone has the opportunity to ride behind a huge state of the art wakeboard boat, but that should not stop you from progressing your riding and chasing your passion. I grew up behind a 16’7'' Outboard, Fish and Ski Combo, and I still regularly ride behind our water ski club’s outboard towboats. Ride because you love to ride, take every opportunity to take a pull behind any boat you can find, and just have fun!

Feel free to reach out to me via social media if you ever have any questions.

Note: This article first appeared in the Summer 2021 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports.

Written by Tom Kohl

Throughout the history of kneeboarding, coaches, parents and athletes alike have dubbed the surface tricks in this article “The Basic 10.” Learning these tricks will help develop proper technique for advancement in kneeboarding and other towed water sports. The basic skills used in the Basic 10 translate to skills and building blocks used in more advanced tricks, as well as a sense of accomplishment, for young and old. We can all admit, it feels great to learn something new. So come with me and let's learn the Basic 10!

Before you get started on the water, a great way to practice is on land. Tie a rope to a tree or post. While standing, flow through each of the moves. After standing and working through the tricks, try doing the moves on land but on your kneeboard. It will help if you are on a hard surface such as a dock. 

The Basic 10 is an array of spins, starting with a 90-degree spin, all the way up to a few variations of a 360-degree spin. All of the spins build off one another, so as you learn the first trick, remember what you learned and incorporate it in the next.

The first trick on the list is called the Side Slide. This is a simple 90-degree rotation from forward facing to the 3 o’clock or 9 o’clock position. With both hands on the rope in a palm-down grip, the kneeboarder should pull the handle to the right hip to turn left or the left hip to rotate right. Keep the head and shoulders facing the way of the rotation. To return to the forward-facing position extend your arms and rotate them back to the center. After you have rotated either left or right, go for the reverse and try it the opposite way. 

The Front to Back 180 is the natural progression of the previous trick, and it works in the same way. For this one, use the same grip on the rope again. Remember to always keep your back straight. Instead of pulling the rope to just your hip, pull it all the way to the small of your back and hold it there. Try to spin all the way to the 6 o’clock position. Turn your head in the direction of your spin until you are facing backward. When you get to that position look straight ahead and keep your eyes on the horizon. When you want to face forward again, simply pull the handle back to the forward position.  When you can comfortably spin backward one way, go for the reverse. This trick also comes with a bonus! The spin from backward to frontward is also a trick. It is called the Back to Front 180. So really, by doing both a left and right 180 you are actually doing four tricks! So far you have learned a total of six new tricks!

After we can spin 180 degrees in both directions it is time to connect the tricks with a full 360-degree spin. The Back 360. This is one of my favorites! Now that you know how to do it, start with the Front to Back 180 first. Once you are backward, move the handle in one smooth motion from the small of your back to directly in front of you and around to the small of your back on the opposite side. This should get you right back to where you started. Again, try this in the reverse, and you just accomplished tricks seven and eight!

The last spin of the Basic 10 is the Front 360. This is initiated in the same way as the Front to Back 180. Pull the rope to the small of your back. As you spin around to the 6 o’clock position, let go with your front arm and reach around your body and grab the rope behind your back. Once both hands are secure on the rope, let go with the other hand and you will spin right around to forward. Learn this trick in both directions and you will have the final two tricks for the Basic 10. 

The Basic 10 can be learned in a short amount of time, but the value that comes with it will last for a lifetime. The sense of accomplishment that a new kneeboarder will gain will build confidence and inspire growth. The spins and motions associated with these maneuvers can translate to not only more advanced kneeboarding, but other aspects of towed water sports as well. If you are looking for more instruction on this topic, search “The 10 Beginner Kneeboard Tricks” with John Haile on youtube.com. He has put together a great instructional video that goes over the same tricks.

If you have more questions, feel free to reach out to Tom via social media - Instagram tks_h2o and Facebook @Tom Kohl!

Note: This article first appeared in the Fall 2020 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports.

Written by Tom Kohl

The Wake 360, sometimes called the Wake “O,” is a 360-degree spin while jumping the wake. It is a great intermediate level trick to learn and can be done with many variations. I will focus on the front to front Handle Pass Wake 360. I chose this trick because it is a classic maneuver that looks great but is easy to learn. It also has many variations and can be done on a smaller scale and taken to the flats. This instructional will get you on your way to successfully landing the Handle Pass Wake 360.

For this trick, you must be confident and consistent on your wake jumps and your surface spins. When trying a maneuver like this, if you are coming into the wake unsure, you are asking for disaster. Feeling comfortable with just the thought of attempting the trick is half the battle.

The Approach: Start with a palm down grip with your hands toward the middle of the rope. (I find if my hands are at the edges of the handle, I tend to hit the handle on the board when attempting the handle pass.) Make a smooth, gradual cut into the wake. Make it hard enough to clear the wake, but not so hard you will land in the flats. As you approach the wake flatten out, straighten your back, and keep a slight bend in your arms.

The Launch: As you come up the wake, pull the rope hard into your hips. This will give you a good pop and help release the rope tension, which will allow you to pass the handle without pulling it out of your hands.

The Spin: The easiest way to learn this trick is to spin toward the boat. This direction gives you the most pull from the rope to initiate your spin. At the top of the wake, look hard over your shoulder that is closest to the boat. At the same time, pull hard with your back hand to get the handle to the small of your back. As you begin to spin, reach around your back with your other hand and grab the rope behind you. The hand with the rope (your back hand) should almost make the motion of pouring out a glass of water as it passes around your hip. Keep the handle as close to your body as you can and bend your wrist down and around your hip. Try to place that hand right at the small of your back with a palms out/up grip. As you pass the handle behind your back, make sure you grab the rope with both hands for just a millisecond before letting go with your leading hand. As you pass the handle around your opposite hip, repeat the same motion with your hand of “pouring out a glass of water.”

The Landing: Once you have successfully passed the handle from one hand to the other, the hard work is done! Use just your eyes to spot your landing. Try your best not to look down by tilting your head. This will cause your body to shift off axis and likely lead to a crash. If you can, grab the rope with both hands as you rotate back around to forward as this will help solidify your landing. If you cannot get that hand back on the rope, do not worry too much. Concentrate on keeping your arm(s) bent and your elbows as close to your hips as possible. If you time it correctly, you should come down for a smooth landing on the down slope of the wake. If not, be ready for a bounce and remember to keep your arms in tight to your torso, with your elbows close to your hips.

Next Steps: Once you get the hang of the Wake 360, you can start working on taking it bigger by adding a grab before or after the spin. You could try any of the variations to the Handle Pass 360, including the wrapped 360, back to back 360, or back to front to back 360. You can also work on spinning faster and take it to 1-½ spins for a 540.

Why do I keep falling? There are a few common mistakes people learning this trick make that have easy remedies. Mistake No. 1 is dropping the handle during the handle pass. This could be because of two reasons. If you do not pull up on the rope as you come up the wake there will be more line tension when spinning. This can pull the rope out of your hands. The other is rushing the spin and letting go of the rope before grabbing it with the opposite hand. I still remind myself to “grab the rope with both hands.” Just repeating that in my head is all I need. It may work for you too! Mistake No. 2 is getting off-axis during the rotation. This could be from leaning too far forward as you come up the wake. Remember to straighten your back as you approach the wake and keep your head in line with your back as you turn it. You could also be getting off-axis from working too hard to clear the wake. If you make a hard cut to cross the wake you may have your rope too long. Shorten it up a bit, so you do not have to cut so hard.

If you have more questions, feel free to reach out to Tom via social media - Instagram tks_h2o and Facebook @Tom Kohl!

Note: This article first appeared in the Summer 2020 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports.

Written by Tom Kohl

The Wake 180 is a great beginner wake jump trick. It can be learned in a very non-intimidating way and can be added to other tricks to bring your riding to the next level. There are two versions: the front to back and the back to front 180. The idea of landing backward or hitting the wake backward may seem scary, but if you can do a surface 180 and you can jump the wake, you are ready to start doing wake 180s.

Technical Terms

Before we begin, we need to make sure we have our terms correct. The American Kneeboard Association (AKA) identifies the two tricks by the riders landing position. The front to back 180 is called the Wake Back and the back to front 180 is the Wake Front.

The Foundation

The basis of this trick is the surface 180. Practicing this trick on land and on the water is a great way to build muscle memory. Even if this trick is a no brainer for you, it is always good to refresh. Starting in the forward position, look over the shoulder of the side you are spinning to and pull the rope to your opposite hip. When you get backward, hold the position for a few seconds and spin back. Then try the opposite direction.

Jumping the wake is the second part of the trick. You do not have to go huge to start. Just a small jump is OK. If you can get a little bit of air and land in control consistently, you are good to go. If you can clear both wakes, even better!

The Wake Back

For the Wake Back, you will be hitting the wake forward and landing backward. You may feel like you will catch your tail and have a terrible crash, but this is rare because your center of gravity is closer to your knees than your back. If you ever do land tail heavy, the board usually just pops off and you land softly on your back.

Ok, let's get into it! Start small. The first few tries you may not even get in the air! Make a gentle cut toward the wake. As you come up to the wake, give a firm pull in on the handle. At the top of the wake, look over your shoulder that is closest to the boat, and pull the handle of the rope to the opposite hip. Keep your chin up, neck straight and your eyes looking back at the wake you just came from. Hold the position through the landing. Once you land, let the rope tension pull you back forward.

The Wake Front

The Wake Front is opposite of the Wake Back. This time you will be hitting the wake facing backward and rotating forward in the air, and landing in the forward-facing position. Again, one may have doubts about the success of hitting the wake backward. However, science is in our favor again! Remember that center of gravity thing, our natural tendency is to lean forward when we are turned backward. This puts less force on the tail of the board, causing it to push off the water.

To start this trick, you will have to use a little more space outside the wake than the Wake Back. Make a slightly more aggressive, but shorter cut than before. This will give you time to coast in and turn backward before you hit the wake. Remember, you can start small, so do not think you have to make a hard cut. At first, it should be gentle, just enough to get you over the wake and into the air. After you make your cut, turn backward by looking over the shoulder that is closest to the boat. At the same time, pull the rope to your opposite hip. This should be done as you cross into the trough of the wake. Once backward, again keep your chin up, neck straight and your eyes looking back from where you came from. After you have left the lip of the wake, move the handle to your other hip. This will automatically twist you forward. The last thing to remember is to keep your back straight and elbows into your hips. Then just hold on for the landing!

The Next Level

Once you get the basic trick down, start going bigger. On the Wake Front, hold your cut longer and turn backward later. This will give you more line load and more air. On the Wake Back, make a harder cut toward the wake and wait longer to initiate your spin in the air. Add a grab to either trick or add either trick to the beginning or end of other tricks you may already have. This trick is easy to learn and fun by itself. It can be done with so much style and grace, plus it creates an entirely new chapter in the trick book. Have fun learning and get creative.

If you have more questions, feel free to reach out to Tom via social media - Instagram tks_h2o and Facebook @Tom Kohl!

Note: This article first appeared in the Spring 2020 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports.

Written by Tom Kohl

The layout is arguably one of the most iconic kneeboard tricks in the book. This stretched out superman-type maneuver is one of the most visually impressive tricks. However, kneeboarders secretly know, the layout is one of the easiest tricks to learn and one of the easiest tricks to land. While this trick will score big points with your friends at the lake, the American Kneeboard Association gives this trick a fairly low point value because it is so easy to learn. Follow along as we help you conquer your fears and start stretching it out for all the glory on the lake in this step-by-step tutorial.

Mindset

The layout has two big factors that come into play when starting to attempt this trick. Your mindset and your cut. Both go hand-in-hand when it comes to execution. It may seem scary to imagine inverting your body face-down toward the water, opening your chest and torso, soaring across the wake and then somehow pulling your legs back for a smooth landing. Some say this is impossible! However, this is no magic trick, it is physics! With the right cut and full commitment, your body will act as a pendulum - whipping your legs out to the apex of the arc and snapping them back at the instant of maximum tension. Unlike the Flat Earth Theory, you can trust this science, it has been proven!

The Cut

If you can trust the science and believe me when I say, “let physics do the trick for you,” then it is time to talk about your cut. Your cut has everything to do with this trick - it is what will create the centrifugal force that will whip your body out, up and back in. The layout requires a very aggressive cut toward the wake. A common misconception is that you need to make a big, fast cut toward the wake from way, way far out. That is not the case at all! Start small - a short, powerful cut will keep you in control and make the approach less intimidating. You need to create as much line load or rope tension as possible as you approach the top of the wake. To do this, start your cut from about half to three quarters the distance out, compared to a regular wake jump cut. I like to use the spray coming off the boat as a visual guide. I try to line myself up with the outside edge of the spray. With a palms-down grip on the rope and a slight bend in your elbows, look right down the rope and make visual contact with the tower tow-point. Make a strong cut into the wake, lean hard against the cut, keep your back straight and pull from your shoulders. Don’t let up for anything! Imagine yourself pointing away from the boat as you reach the top of the wake.

The Launch

As you come up the top of the wake remember to continue to cut hard, look directly up the rope to the tower tow-point, and keep your eyes there through the duration of the trick. Keep your elbows slightly bent and lean forward gently. The slight shift in your center of gravity from leaning forward should be all you need to start the motion of your body rotating into the layout position. Start with just a small layout, as you become more comfortable with the trick, lean forward more, relax and stretch out your legs and arms.

The Apex and Descent

At the apex of the trick, when you are in your most extended position, you will feel a strong pull on the rope - hold on tight! This is your cue to pull the rope in to your waist. Spot your landing and keep your rope tight to your waist to brace for impact.

The Landing

There are three ways the landing could go. You may come up short and land on the top of the wake. If this happens, remember to hold on tight and keep the rope tight to your waist. Hold on through the bounce. Or, you may overshoot the wake and land in the flats. In this case, the rules are the same. Keep the rope into your waist and hold on for the bounce. Finally, the smoothest way to land the trick is to land perfectly down the face of the wake. In this case, you may get a little slack in your rope as you come down the wake. Again, keep the rope tight to your waist. This time you won’t have to brace for the bounce! Have I said, “keep your rope into your waist” enough?

What am I doing wrong and what is next?

* I am coming up short!

* If you are coming up short, widen out your cut a little more or try to hold your cut longer, maybe even bump your boat speed a mile or two.

* I am twisting in the air!

* If you are twisting or rolling in the air, you may be forcing the trick. Let your cut stretch you out, and remember to keep your eyes on your tow-point.

What’s next?

If you are feeling comfortable with the layout, keep stretching it out, or making it bigger. Add a grab or try landing it backward!

If you have more questions, feel free to reach out to Tom via social media - Instagram tks_h2o and Facebook @Tom Kohl!

This article first appeared in the Summer 2021 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports. If you are not a member of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports and you are interested in receiving the quarterly magazine, join now.

Written by Megan Lambert

How many skiers do you know wear a back brace when they ski, or complain about lower back pain?

You can probably name a few skiers in your club or at your lake that fit this description.

Because of the intense nature of slalom skiing, lower back stiffness can be a common problem and I think it is important to look at the root cause. Is your lower back tight because of an injury to the bone, joint or muscles? Or is the stiffness caused by overuse, imbalanced muscles, or standing with one foot in front of the other on a slalom ski?

If the answer is an acute injury or a disc issue, then this article is not for you. But, if the cause is muscular imbalance, fatigue, or the unnatural athletic stance of water skiing, then stay tuned.

So, what do you do if you have a tournament coming up and your lower back is feeling tight and aggravated?

The answer…sit on the couch and watch TV. Just kidding.

Although there are times when passively resting for an acute injury is important; you can actively help relieve tension in your lower back to help your muscles feel better. Here are several exercises and stretches you can do to feel stronger and prepared for your future practice sets and competitions.          

Stretch Your Hamstrings

It is no secret that tight hamstrings lead to a tight lower back. Your hamstrings attach to your pelvis and are one of many muscle groups to do so. If a muscle group is consistently applying more tension to the pelvis than the surrounding muscles, then imbalances occur. In this case, tight hamstrings can lead to a rotated pelvis and painful lower back.

Regularly stretching your hamstrings is one way to prevent these muscle imbalances. One of my favorite hamstring stretches is to lie on your back with one leg elevated off the ground. Wrap an exercise band or towel around the ball of your foot and gently pull your leg toward your chest until you feel a moderate stretch in the back of your leg.

Mobilize Your Hip Flexors

Just like the hamstrings, your hip flexors also affect your lower back. While the hamstrings are located on the back of your leg, your hip flexors are located on the front and attach to your spine. Much like the hamstrings, this means that tightness in this muscle group will have an affect on your pelvis and lower back musculature.

One of my favorite ways to relieve tension in your hip flexors is to do a half kneeling stretch. For this stretch, kneel on the ground with one foot behind you and one foot in front. After engaging your core and maintaining an upright posture, slowly shift forward until you feel a stretch in the front of your hip.

Spend More Time Standing

Lastly, a lifestyle tip that I alluded to earlier to prevent lower back pain is to stand as much as possible. Remember my joke about sitting and watching TV? Well, the sitting position promotes tight hip flexors and disengaged hamstrings. So, if you have a career where you sit most of the time, getting up and taking a walk at lunch can do wonders to give your back a break and promote proper biomechanics for water skiing.

Megan Lambert, CSCS, can be found competing in local tournaments.

This article first appeared in the Spring 2021 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports.

Written by Megan Lambert

Spring is here, the water is getting warmer, boats are coming out of storage, and I am sure you are just as excited as I am to get back on the water.

As we begin the ski season, I want to share a few tips to help reduce the amount of soreness you might feel after your first ski sets of the year.

Plan Your Training

During ski season, planning your ski sets and gym days is crucial to prevent overtraining. This is especially true at the beginning of the season. Including rest days in your plan allows time for your body and muscles to recover.

Warmup On The Dock

It is common for skiers to use their first pass as their warmup. However, including even a 5-minute warm-up routine before you ski can reduce your injury risk as well as decrease muscle soreness after you ski. Dynamic movements like jumping jacks, lunges, push-ups, and squats prepare the body for skiing.

Warmup On The Water

Although it is tempting to start attacking the slalom course and attempting your goal line length or speed for the season, it is more beneficial for your body to start at a slower pace. You will get more benefits starting out at a slower pace.

Doing pull-out drills, free skiing, decreasing the boat speed, and lengthening the rope are beneficial ways to focus on body position and form at the beginning of the season. Not only does this help you focus on techniques that will help you reach your goals in the long run, but it also decreases the load and strain placed on the body.

Plan Recovery Sessions

As an athlete, I hate stretching. As a strength and conditioning coach, I highly recommend planning regular recovery sessions…yes even ones that include stretching. Modalities like massage, foam rolling, and static stretching are great ways to reduce muscle soreness, prevent injury, and prepare your body for a long ski season.

Megan Lambert, CSCS, can be found this summer competing in local tournaments. 

This article first appeared in the Winter 2021 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports.

Written by Megan Lambert

By nature, slalom skiers are creatures of habit. For example, think of how many skiers will only put on their gloves in a certain order, will only hold the handle with a specific color on the left side, or will only wear a specific swimsuit because he or she skied a personal best in it at some point.

Although you can argue that those behaviors can be beneficial for slalom skiing, as an athlete, I believe it is also important to consider the recovery habits you practice after a ski set.

So, what do I mean by “recovery habits?” 

In this case, I am talking about techniques that help to reduce muscle soreness, decrease overall inflammation, and get your body ready to ski again.

Here are five ideas to help you start thinking about your own post-ski recovery routine.

1. Drink lots of water

Water promotes muscle recovery and ligament and tendon health. Daily, you should drink a minimum of half of your body weight in ounces of water. For example, if you weigh 100 pounds, then you should drink a minimum of 50 ounces of water every day. 

2. Eat a healthy snack

Consuming a diet rich in natural, unprocessed foods and refueling your body with healthy carbohydrates, fat, and protein reduces inflammation and promotes muscle recovery. Although there are many healthy snack options, one is a handful of almonds and an apple.

3. Go to bed early

Did you know that your body spends the most time in recovery-mode when you are sleeping? That means that getting enough sleep has a huge impact on sports performance!

4. Practice yoga

Yoga can be a great way to mentally unwind and physically restore joint range of motion. One of my favorite YouTube yoga channels is called, “Yoga with Adriene.”

5. Foam roll tight muscles

Targeting stiff tissue with a foam roller or a lacrosse ball brings blood flow to a specific area and works to increase joint range of motion. Performed on a regular basis, these exercises help reduce the risk of injury. 

Megan Lambert, CSCS, can be found writing exercise programs and competing in local water ski tournaments.

Note: This article first appeared in the Spring 2020 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports.

Written by Megan Lambert

The No. 1 reason skiers should take care of their feet is to prevent injury. Not only can an injury reduce your training time in the gym, but it can also limit valuable time on the water (a skier’s worst nightmare!).

Although common feet and ankle injuries like plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, heel spurs, and bunions cannot be completely prevented, taking care of your feet can greatly reduce the risk of them occurring. 

Common Problems

A few common mobility concerns are listed below, so, I encourage you to take off your socks and shoes and study your feet for a moment. If you answer “yes” to any of the following questions, then your feet may need some TLC. Please note, this is not an exhaustive biomechanics list, just a few questions to get you thinking.

* Are your toes smooshed together instead of spread apart?

* Do the arches of your feet collapse when you walk?

* Do your ankles “pop” when you walk and feel immobile?

* Do your Achilles tendons feel stiff?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, then you may need to strengthen your lower leg and foot muscles.

Corrective Exercises

That being said, here are a few exercises to strengthen your feet and ankles:

* Walk barefoot

* Stand and roll a tennis ball back and forth from your toes to your heel

* Stretch your calf muscles

* Pick up marbles with your toes

* Draw the alphabet in the air with your foot and ankle

If you would like to learn more about foot mobility, injury prevention and corrective exercises, check out Dr. Kelly Starrett’s book, “Becoming a Supple Leopard.” 

Megan Lambert, CSCS, can be found competing in water ski tournaments throughout the Midwest this summer.

This article first appeared in the Fall 2020 issue of The Water Skier magazine, the official publication of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports.

Written by Megan Lambert

When you go to the gym, what is your typical workout routine? Most workout routines consist of taking an exercise class, lifting weights, or getting on a piece of cardio equipment. By all means, these exercise methods are effective. However, I believe calisthenic movements should be another tool in your exercise toolbox this offseason.

What are calisthenics?

In short, these workouts consist of body weight exercises. They are a popular choice among gymnasts and other athletes that play sports that require agility, mobility, and strength (Does this sound like three-event water skiing to anyone else?).

What are the benefits of body weight exercises?

* Increases strength

* Promotes natural movement and agility

* Improves cardio and endurance

* Can be performed anywhere – no equipment needed!

Which exercises are best?

Slalom, trick, and jump require that every muscle in your body is engaged while maintaining fluid motion. For example, when a slalom skier approaches the gate in the slalom course, the muscles in your upper body, lower body, and core are activated. This occurs while you are pulling out for the gates, initiating the turn in for the gates, loading behind the boat, and moving your ski through to turn around the first buoy.

With that being said, exercises that require you to engage every muscle while fluidly performing a movement pattern are beneficial for skiers. For example, during a push-up, your core and leg muscles are engaged to maintain proper form while you are completing a repetition. The same is true to maintain good form while performing a pull-up. Check out the workout below for a total body strength, calisthenics workout.

Workout:

Circuit: 5-10 rounds

10 push-ups

5 pull-ups

10 squats

5 lunges

10 glute bridges

1-minute front plank

Megan Lambert, CSCS, can be found competing in local water ski tournaments.