-Onside, +Offside

[miski]

I am planning a day to try a few adjustments and maybe a new binding - Looking for some recommendations. I would like to try taking a little off the finish of my on-side turn, and get a little more finish off-side.

I'm on Sixam 1.0, 67.5" w/ Willey probuild wraps front & rear; 

dft=.783", depth=2.500", length=6.905", wing up @ 7deg,  front_heel=29.875+1position forward

LFF, 173lbs, 5'11" @ 34mph, -22'/-28'

Rear plate is max rotated toe out - but would rather do something else than change this as it fixed a rear hip pain I was having.

Skied stock settings (other than rear rotation) for 12 months and worked on form at 30-32mph - had to wait on ski to finish even when staying countered, shoulders level & hips forward in pre-turn. Was not progressing, then July 22 went forward 1 position on both plates and it was huge gain for me. Just got to 34mph 2 weeks ago, made 6 of 7 passes 1 set last week, and am now completing -22' half the time, and ran a smooth -28' for first time in the middle of 5 tries.

Now when I don't make a pass, it is 90% losing handle at hook up finishing 3 or 5 ball - but not from slack... just to much angle to hold.

Just to make sure and over-communicate, besides setup work, I am trying to get quicker edge changes, especially going to 2 & 4 as I seem fast into off-side. Also trying for little longer pull and quicker edge change going to 3 & 5 as I end up a little late from loosing space on my off-side. Also, making sure to stay and or increase counter on off-side.

Thanks ahead for any help.

 

[Thomas Wayne]

It really sounds like a classic case of too much depth and/or not enough length - except that your length already seems generous (assuming you're measuring with the caliper tips).

 There's another thread on the forum about shimming up one side of your binding plate(s).  You might want to look at those posts.

 

TW 

[Horton]

If you are not running passes now and have in the past, I say that you should not adjust anything. My guess is that the problem is not settings. Post some video or get some coaching.

[LeonL]

If I read you right, you're skiing better now.  The problem is not that you're missing passes you used to run.  For me, if I can't hold on or get the handle in it usually is due to loss of speed.  I get too slow and obviously the boat doesn't slow down for me....the line gets tight before I can get my hips to the handle.  Take note of your ski speed.

[miski]

TW thx - I saw the shimming discussion - that's a quick one, so will put that on the list.

JH - do have some good guys coaching me. Definitely working hard on form, which is exactly why I've left setup alone for so long. The one change I did make w/ the bindings forward was a big improvement for me - it got me past a specific problem that I was up against all spring. Right now, if I ski my onside just right, the finish is good, but it seems very easy to get too much - as in unforgiving. I also know my off-side finish is better w/ more counter for longer and am working hard on that.

LeonL - yes on skiing better, but I wouldn't say missing passes I've run before w/ any kind of reasonable form or consistency. For speed, it seems like I'm fast at the ball more often than slow from shorting pull, slow edge change, reaching too fast, etc....

I have some video from July after I moved bindings forward... but this is 32mph -15'... nothing recent. I still have the same problems at 34mph though, so will post it anyway. If this is too low level, just ignore it.  Thx

[Horton]

Chances are that with video, someone here will be able to really help you a lot. I do not think skiers should move from stock settings or tweak much until they can run 28 off. 

[miski]

JH - created a gallery and tried to upload 3 .wmv files. Only one that is 1.6gb went through, the other two are 2.2gb and will not complete the upload... is there a size limit?

[Horton]

You need to get the file size way down. 1500kb works great. Much bigger then that I just do not know.

[miski]

Uploads done - apparently has to be <2mb...     gb in my last post should have been mb...

Please check miski gallery at  http://ballofspray.com/coppermine/thumbnails.php?album=lastupby&uid=147

Worst case, this could make you all feel good about your own skiing!

pass1 - fall finishing 5

pass2 - complete, but didn't finish 2 well, reached for handle early?

pass3 - fall finishing 3, same as pass1

>>>  90% of time I don't complete passes is same fall finishing on-side.

 Thanks ahead!

 

[ForrestGump]

I was going to say the same thing as Brent. Setup of the ski doesn't seem to be the issue. Keep in mind that probably 90% of a problem at one turn are a result of the turn prior to it.In addition to reaching for the handle, I see you sweeping your hand and handle across your body at times to get it to your free hand. I was taught that your reach should almost be like a boxer's punch up to about eye height and about 45 degrees from straight out. Then you should reverse punch back down as the ski comes around. Pulling back the handle should be the exact opposite motion of reaching it out. As the ski rotates back under you, your free hand should naturally land on the handle. When you try and reach for the handle with your free hand, or sweep the handle in front of you to get to the free hand, your body can't end the turn with the natural inclination and load against the boat that it needs. This sets you up fast and narrow into the next turn.  Another thing that has really helped me lately is rather than pull my arms in towards my hip when I get them both on the handle(I'm seeing you do this), is to push them down towards my thigh. This really seems to let my body fall away from the boat and let the ski finish what it's started to do and leave me in a strong position.

[skibug]

One thing to ask or add....are you being coached to swing the off arm back and out to the side to help you counter rotate?  I heard a comment on one of the videos that made me think so.  My comment would be that this is a lot of wasted motion and creates a busy upper body.  It will also promote the closing of the shoulders (agree with Brent and 2gofaster) as you come around/come over the top to reach for the handle.  Until I got it down in muscle memory, I used to literally grab the lower portion of my vest with my off hand.  This will help with the counter rotation and then the skiing or reaching back to the handle comes straight from hip to the handle; instead of reaching over the top and closing the shoulders.  The movement of the off hand back to the handle is actually a very short motion and distance.

[Horton]

I agree with everything above. My question to MiSki is, from what you see, why do to think you get so far out of position? Getting a ski to turn is not really the hard part, being in position at the wakes is. With the comments above as a guide I think you need to find a way to be more "still on the ski" and finish every turn in position to continue. At the moment you are constantly in as state of recovery.

See my old stuff http://ballofspray.com/vanillaforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=25&page=1#Item_0

 

[animal]

The only suggestion I would give is to tell you observers to stop jinxing you by saying how easy you are running the pass.

[miski]

Thanks all - actually that set was good progress with a calmer upper body... earlier in the year I looked like a rodeo star. But that is right on, the better I do at being smooth w/ upper body and keeping shoulders level, the more often I can get hooked up in a good position to pull. I look at it now, and as soon as my shoulders head towards vertical from level is when I get into trouble. Clearly I need to keep the focus on this.

 I will try grabbing my vest, that is similar to something else I've been told - "rub my belly", but maybe grabbing my vest will control it over a longer period of time.

 I've also had the recommendation to press my outside shoulder down at the same time sliding hips forward.... seems like this is consistent w/ above?

Will try to get some 34mph video soon. One thing I believe at 34mph is that my tip is down more, which feels good when I get it right. That makes sense doesn't it - higher speed would be less planning angle?

Thanks again - now I need some more sets!

[DaveD]

Watching your weak side wake crossing, you seem to be popping off the wake and landing flat.  It looks to me that you are flattening out as you come into the wake.  I am doing the same thing resulting in me skiing straight to 1,3, &5 balls.   Last week Oppenlander told me to concentrate on keeping the ski on edge all the way through the second wake to keep the ski from catching air.  He told me this was the biggest thing keeping me from getting into 32off. 

Jepawit sure looks great.