Keeping weight on front leg / Pro Ski Coach Water Ski Forum

2shay · #1 Wed, Sep 29, 2010 9:19 AM

I have been told that I have way too much weight on my back leg, ski tip is up at points and they say I am dragging the tail. So I tried on a few sets to keep the rope around waist level and tried to keep my knees bent and weight forward, and man it was tough. It felt as if my weight forward and yet the ski slipped right out from under me and ended up on my ass when i fell in a turn. So I was standing in my living room thinking about how I could keep my weight forward and found that when i raised my back foot and stood on the ball of that foot that it automatically forced my weight forward. Would this be the right way to get my weight froward it seems sensible enough? I was going to try it this next time out. What do you guys think?

h20dawg79 · #2 Wed, Sep 29, 2010 12:46 PM

My thought is: it's really all about "Balance" and staying Balanced on the ski through out the course w/o being continually subject to an unreasonable bias to one leg or the other.

Ones ski and set up can have a major effect on how it is ridden. Besides the fin settings, the size of the ski and the placement of the Bindings will absolutely impact your Balance fwd/aft...

Is your dominate (Ball kicking leg) in the rear?

Got any video?

2shay · #3 Wed, Sep 29, 2010 1:30 PM

no video, and not doing the course quite yet, just the mini course mostly. The ski is a 68 HO VTX its and older model but, from what I see I think it was probably the higher end competitive ski back in the day. The bindings are as far forward without drilling new holes as they can get. The guy who sold it to me thinks that it is too small and offered to buy it back, and I will probably take him up on it. But it is keeping me on the water for now, and the weather is about to be too cold as is anyway. everyone from the club tells me to keep most of my weight on my front leg so that I can have more ski in the water. So, I don't know what to do other than what they tell me, and honestly what I hear on these forums and any other sources I can find. I sure hope the new ski I get will help and be more set up for me. I think I will be getting a 69 theory as posted in my other post. It is longer by an inch and a little bit wider than my current.

Andrew1988 · #4 Wed, Sep 29, 2010 1:40 PM

Well even with the right size ski and binging set up it is possible to ride the back of the ski either from never knowing good form or a bad habit. This was my problem until last year when I had a lesson with Thomas Degaspri. He told me to do exactly what h20 said to do, stay balanced on the ski. Also he told me to someone think of it as standing tall over your ski as you start your outward turn. Obviously you don't want to be so tall you are rigid but watch any video of the pros and you can see what I mean. These two tips improved my skiing a ton and I suggest working on anything new in open water then take it to the course and you sound like you are doing that well!

Also like h20 said a video would help us a lot, even if its open water or the mini course it will still display your form. Then you could also use that video and get an online lesson with a pro which is a cheap easy way to have a pro view your skiing and get much better instruction!

Edit: One more thing, well two.. but first of all, don't think you have to get a new ski to ski well. Will it help? Probably, but I personally would not view it as a necessity. And here is the link for online training: http://www.proskicoach.com/pros/

Last edited by Andrew1988 (Wed, Sep 29, 2010 1:43 PM)

2shay · #5 Wed, Sep 29, 2010 1:51 PM

Ok. I was going to get a new ski anyway, and yeah I have a long way to go, no doubt. I have thought about pro ski coaching on this site I will probably do that next season, with it being pretty much over here in wichita, ks. I figured in the mean time get a newer ski, and will be getting a discount as well, and stay on these forums and watch some videos to get me through the cold months. Then next year just get after it.

Andrew1988 · #6 Wed, Sep 29, 2010 1:59 PM

I would suggest watching slalom with Andy Mapple, the video has great instruction and is very easy to understand. Also both Edged in Water movies are enjoyable to watch and show many great angles of different skiers so you can watch their form.

Those three videos get me through the winter, plus Marcus Browns webcasts which I hopeeee will be back on soon.

h20dawg79 · #7 Thu, Sep 30, 2010 12:57 PM

***Just by chance; Is your dominate (Ball kicking leg) in the rear?***

Dominate rear leg skiers "tend" to favor the back leg and this can many times be exploited especially in the turns... Where as the Dominate front leg skiers tend to favor the front leg and this can many times be translated into a propensity for OTF's. (out the front crashes...)

Either way it is something every skier must over come to attain a more Balanced act. The 69" Theory will be a great ski. (I have one) If you can, I would absolutely opt for the RS-1 or Strada bindings mounted on a sequence plate as well. This will give you all the Binding adjustment you will ever need...

I am trying to get a 67" Theory dialed in for the Wide Ride div. next yr. it is waay too short for me and I've had to move the Bindings fwd. past the factory neutral and change my fin set drastically to help achieve "Balance" through out the course. I say that to help reinforce the fact that a too short ski will Not perform properly and will also put you on the tail excessively.

But, in your case it's probably the combo of a few things. ( not to mention, your ski buddy's may or may not be fully correct in their assessment in the 1st place???

I agree with Andrew on the "Open Water skiing" and the fact that a perfect length ski and set up will not overcome wrong technique and form...

AndersonSkiTeam · #8 Thu, Sep 30, 2010 6:00 PM

I am no expert but if I am riding the tail of the ski it is usually because of either a conscious or sub-conscious fear or hesitency. I focus on standing balanced over the ski rather than getting into the defensive lean back and very bent knee approach which leads to riding on the tail. For myself, if you can focus on toe pressure and lifting heals (sounds like to much thinking and unbalanced) it is a lot easier to just tell yourself I am going to stand balanced over this ski and do it. When I do this I get a better turn back to the handle, better angle, and more speed which then starts the cautiousness again and I say to myself, "Stand over the ski you whimp". Not saying this is you but it is the case for me. With lots of repetition it will become easier and then watch out for it again when you try a new line length or speed because that sub-conscious fear will be back and you will be leaning back again. My one disclaimer is that I did 3-4 OTF learning this which then required much more courage to overcome the fear. Once I figured it out though I was actually more stable and secure especially through the wakes.

philgood · #9 Thu, Sep 30, 2010 11:39 PM

i would move towards connely. i love my radar and ski really well on it but my dad, a tail rider, just got a senate and an f1x. the senate had the bindings and fin moved just about as far as you can move them to fix his problem and the connely was basically stock. he rode the f1x really well but the senate was really squirley and it seemed to make him ride the tail even more. A new ski definately helps but the right one is the key. check out ski-it-again.com, always good deals on there. as far as form goes i ride tall on my ski but still leave a little weight on my back foot. i started out balanced and im slowly getting more comfortable putting more and more weight on my front foot. once you do it right you will feel it its just trying to duplicate that feeling every time thats the hard part. practice practice practice.

Pl0tz · #10 Fri, Oct 1, 2010 2:34 AM

2shay - what's your hieght and weight?? that could have a big inpact on how the ski rides.. especially if you have it all the way forward and still ridding on the tail. of coarse there is techique involved but the only way you can impove that is if you have the right size and style of ski you personally need.. i say this cuz i have 68, and my friend who skies is a BIG guy (like tall) and when he rides my ski he's always on the tail rather then when he's on his 70 inch

2gofaster · #11 Fri, Oct 1, 2010 12:23 PM

Some skis jsut work better for different people. On a Strada, I find myself hunting for the balance point. On a Senate C or Obrien Elite, I instantly find the balance point. This is why I'd always want to ride a ski before buying it.

2shay · #12 Fri, Oct 1, 2010 1:18 PM

I am 6'2" 225lbs, and I ski right foot forward. I have heard good things about the f1x, but the guy at the local shop really made a case for radar. I don't know what to do anymore, I hope I just find the right ski for me to learn and grow with for a bit.

Andrew1988 · #13 Fri, Oct 1, 2010 3:22 PM

Like Shane Hill said, I always ride a ski before I before I buy it. Most proshops have a demo program. If they don't though. Contact Tadd or Seth at h2osmosis, http://www.h2osmosis.com/ and they have a demo program where they will ship you a ski or skis you want to try and then the money down for the demo goes towards the ski purchase. Plus they are both great guys and will really help you narrow down ski choices.

I also recommend trying at least two skis and probably 3. Like said earlier, they all ride a little different and not everyone likes the same style.