light on the line?

[Ilivetoski]

ok so my coach keeps telling me that im not light on the line at 32.... running 28 consitently but 32 is another beast. so how do you become light on the line? also when i start a new a new line length my immediete problem is switching edge. I am on an RS-1 now (sharp bevel ski) would getting on a strata (round/sharp bevel) help with that problem??

[Than_Bogan]

Step 1: Read everything ever posted by Razorskier1. He's been working on this a lot lately and I've found his comments insightful.

 

Do you have any video? In some cases there are form-specific issues that result in overloading the line, but just making a huge list of those would be pretty confusing I think.

[6balls]

I believe to be light your arms need to be straight in the lean...can't pull w/your arms or you are pulling, not leaning. Razor1 talks about "handle pressure" only, which is very helpful once your arms are straight. My guess is he will chime in here, too.

Just lately I have found protection from the overturn and thus overload with staying higher off the water at the very finish of my turn. Just as my ski comes in past the ball, the hips coming back to the handle...kind of at the last second I keep my upper body up instead of digging in close to the water. The line tension connects with my shoulders just a bit higher and more level than before. Helps set an angle I can ski light on with straight arms and handle pressure instead of taking too much.

Lots of different ways to say the same thing...hopefully one of us says something that connects in your head and with your skiing.

 

[Marco]

One thing I do to control my load intensity is to have soft knees at the finish. As the load begins to build, I settle closer to the water (knee and ankle flex), to help soften the intensity of the accelleration. I know that Horton will disagree with this, but Wim does not (I asked him this specific question at our clinic 2 weeks ago).

[jayski]

Light on the line...very little handle pressure through the turn itself is what he's telling you, it is wrong to be light/pressureless after the turn and into the wakes (as the line gets shorter you need to start edge changing in the wakes)... this is only where a person should feel any load/pressure, or another way to look at it is he's telling you that you are impatient at the buoy and forcing the turn...or your loading at the ball...there are lots of ways you can create 'patience/light line/' through the turn, Marco softens his knees, this creates more time letting the ski finsh the turn and inhibits him from forcing a 'pulling' action too soon...pressure in the pull "behind the boat" (a term which is a misrepresentation of applicable area to "pull") is an absolute, it's when the application of pressure that is instituted in your path through the course that affects your skiing results.

 

Marco you are so right with the soft knees and lowering stance is a superior position to be in the pull rather than a tall stacked position...a lower CG will always require less effort on a skiers part in comparison to a taller straight legged position...Does a person stand tall during a tug of war? Worlds strongest man comps, always low in any pulling comps...