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Water skiers and surfers make it look so easy, but now anyone can learn to keep their feet under them by following this expert advice.
Water skiing, wakeboarding, and wake surfing are excellent ways to have fun while getting a great workout. But many individuals learn by trial and error without developing an understanding of basic techniques. They develop bad habits, which impede progress.
Whether you’re new to tow sports or have been doing them for years with some ingrained bad habits, everyone can learn the correct basics. Implementing optimal techniques will enable you to expend less effort, decrease falls, increase success, and allow you to keep improving your skills. Here’s how.
Error 1: Heavy on the heels
In tow sports, everything begins with your feet. How your feet are positioned in relation to your knees and hips – and how your weight is centered over your feet – determines your success. In the early days of waterskiing, skiers believed that steering or turning a single ski was accomplished by applying additional pressure on the rear foot. This error, still prevalent today, causes the tip of the ski to be up and the tail of the ski to be deep in the water. Additionally, when novices are learning to get up on a ski or board, they typically push their heels toward the boat as a defensive measure, thinking this is a safer position. It actually creates a slippery feeling, which makes the skier or rider feel uncoordinated. This happens simply because the skier or rider is not positioned correctly.
For optimal balance, your hips should be over the middle of your feet with your back and head upright and your body weight distributed evenly over your feet. Keep ample bend in your knees and flex in your ankles. This is known as a “stacked” position. Recreational skiers often have their weight on the back foot or are heel-heavy.
To get into the stacked position, simply relax your calves and instead of pushing your feet toward the boat, retract them under your knees. As you do this, raise your hips directly over both feet. This body position provides the best balance and control over the ski or board.
Top row: 1. This photo demonstrates good skiing position: eyes looking just above the boat’s windshield, feet under the knees with hips over the middle of the feet, and not relying on the handle to support body weight. 2. This surfer is properly balanced over her feet with a lot of flex in her ankles. 3. This wakeboard rider’s ankles have a lot of flex, which distribute his body weight over his feet for better balance, control, and power. Bottom row: These three riders are heavy on the back foot and relying on the line and handle for support.
Error 2: Leaning on the line
The previous technical error leads to this one: leaning away from the boat and relying on the handle and line to support your body weight. Even proficient slalom skiers and wakeboard riders may incorrectly lean against the line when they cross the wake. This is because it’s easy to use the handle for support, particularly when you’re not standing on the ski or board correctly.
Understand that the purpose of your feet is to support all of your weight, while the purpose of the line is simply to tow you along and not to support your weight. Cross the boat’s wake by using your leg strength to apply pressure through the edge of the ski or board.
Relying on the handle and line for support can also occur during the start. Beginners tend to be apprehensive, resulting in tension in the hands, arms, shoulders, and chest. This leads the beginner to pull on the handle during the start. Instead, exhale just before the boat starts, releasing the tension from your upper body. Keep your knees and ankles bent with the ski or board close to your chest, using only your leg strength to get on top of the water. Let the boat, through the line and handle, bring you over your feet.
Error 3: Looking at the water
Once you’re up, you may become mesmerized by the water, causing you to look down. This creates improper body position as it makes your upper body bend forward. In addition, looking down at the water opens your mind to negative thoughts such as, “I don’t want to fall.” This apprehension in turn leads to poor body position and more falls.
The remedy takes very little effort. As you get up, simply lift your chin and focus your eyes on the horizon. Look just above the boat’s windshield. This might feel unusual at first, but once you consistently keep your eyes on the horizon, your body awareness and position will improve immensely. You will have replaced fear of falling with positive thoughts and that will let you think about improving and having fun.