What am I doing it wrong? Slalom problem at 12m/35off

[Ryota]

Hey Ballers!

It is my 5th year since I started waterskiing.

and I had been improving my slalom fairly well.

However, I am struggled running 12m.

Until 13m it's ok. I can't run 13m 10/10 but still manageable.

But at 12m, I just can't get more than 2 buoys.

 

I found myself that

・When i edge change into 1 buoy, my right shoulder rises higher than left shoulder(my shoulders are not horizontal) and gets me narrower straight into buoy.

 

I always try to put my both elbows close to my body but can't do it as I want to do.

also at 12m my ski pops at the wake. this also make ski points narrower.

How can I fix this? I don't understand why pro's edge change is so smooth and engaging to the water all time.

 

Please help! Nobody in Japan knows how to run above 12m!

 

Thank you!!

 

 

[Ryota]

[Ryota]

[Ryota]

My 2018 Radar Vapor is set as

Depth 2.517

Length 6.839

DFT .770

Binding 29.1

 

[jayski]

Gates, need to be a progressive load so your down through the wakes instead of standing up before the first wake as you are doing. Fix that first then one could talk about help in the course

[disland]

Nice ski site

[Chef23]

I agree with the gate. I would like to see you higher on the boat with more intensity into the first wake. That will set you up earlier to 1 ball and make everything seem slower even though it won't be.

 

One other thing that helped me when skiing 35 was to really focus on stretching in the turn. I would think about when I released from the handle letting the ski swing out away from the handle around the ball and back under the rope. At 32 off there is plenty of rope and but at 35 from my perspective the geometry changes a little.

 

It would be good to see your best 13M pass for comparison.

[bishop8950]

Nice skiing out there in Japan. It’s hard when you dont have help so good for you for posting. Great looking site as well.

 

Get your hips up. Learn the totally stacked position and keep your hips locked in from the moment you get up until you drop on the other end. Practice at 14m and 13m and then take it to 12m. You can feel it on shore as well. Your hips are just behind you in a defensive position. Learn to get them over your feet.

 

With your body position locked in you will be better able to dictate how you move through the Wakes. I agree with others you come up to soon in the gate going to one ball. Then, you pull a bit to long into 2 ball. If your hips were up you get more momentum through your edge change and you would get more space to set up the next turn.

 

Your ski looks fine and your turns are good. Clean up the body position through the Wakes and tune where you start to pull and where you change edges and you will get down 12m

[disland]

@bishop8950 If he needs a better stack if you saw mine it might break the internet

[bishop8950]

@disland haha. Look at his hips behind the boat from 1 to 2. Its surprising how much it helps to have your hips totally locked it. Its one of those core issues that once you fix, a bunch of other coachable targets disappear

[skiep]

Swing out for the gates - You need to be as high as the center cone on the rear speaker.

[disland]

@bishop8950 Ya after making a joke, I did that and see your point. Thanks

[The_MS]

Definitely gate and 1. You are trying to see what you see at -32 and you may but if you do it will not work as you pulled to long. Need to stretch it out and don’t chicken wing your arms and let the ski finish.

[aspski]

Beautiful ski site! Try that line length at 34mph before bumping up to 36. Also you need to get more stacked and have better cut across the wake

[eleeski]

Quit staring at the buoys!

 

No matter what, at 35, you won't be able to see them as you go past so just time your turn on faith. It looks like you are skiing to the buoy and turning. You have to anticipate the turn with a good pre turn. If you must stare at something, stare at an imaginary buoy that is upcourse (harder) and inside (easier) than the real buoy. You will overshoot that buoy the right amount to make a smooth turn.

 

Is your season still going in Japan? If so (or for next year maybe) get hold of Kirk Lee in Osaka (working at Universal Waterworld show). He's a savvy coach.

 

Eric

[ski6jones]

I need to get further up on the boat than you are in those videos to run 35. Start your gate turn in from higher on the boat. That way you can achieve better direction Into 1. And what everyone else already said. Just easier to do all that on a better line through the gates.

[MillerTime38]

@Ryota agree with a lot of the comments need a wider gate. Work on it at 14m and 13m get as wide as you can. Looks like you are flat into 1 and not able to handle the load. Wider gate should help you build angle without loading as much through the gate. I will be in Japan May of next year for 3 years would love to come ski with you sometime.

[Chef23]

I forgot to add unbelievable progress for skiing 5 years.

[Ryota]

@jayski @Chef23 @bishop8950 @skiep @MS @aspski @eleeski @ski6jones @MillerTime38

Thank you guys for the advice!

I will get wider on the gates and cut with my hip high close to the handle.

 

@eleeski I work here full time so don't have time to go USA and get coached. I have one of my friend work there!

@MillerTime38 Yes! It would be great!!

@Chef23 I run 12 and got 2@11 last year when I was skiing at Bennett's!

This video is fun to watch :)

[eleeski]

Awesome progression. Congratulations.

 

Kirk is in Osaka, Japan. He might like to get a set with you at your site. He is a great coach having coached college teams and done junior development camps. Good understanding, insight and communication. I'm not sure how good his Japanese is but he's learning.

 

Eric

[Ryota]

@eleeski Thank you for letting me know that!!

[Deanoski]

2.517 is deep try 2.510 or 2.507 it will be easier to handle the load and the ski will turn better

two pluses.

[Ryota]

@Deanoski Thank you!

I just tried 2.510

I was kinda scared at first but found that change made ski turn easily and could do ski first into the wake which made me easy to edge change!

 

[buoyboy1]

Besides hips up everywhere and higher on the boat on the pullout, your driver is also the issue. If you use the first video and start and stop as you are going through the gate they seem to be either way right or way left and rarely in the middle. The driver is a HUGE factor when you get to your hardest past. Great skiing for the time you have been at it!

[bishop8950]

@buoyboy I was thinking the same thing on driving. Driving always matters, but I think 35 is the pass where it starts to really matter.

[JackQ]

everyone will have a different take on this. looking a your last pass rune (13m pass for you) is often more insightfully as what ever bad habits you are getting away with there will stymie you at your 12m pass.

 

1. I agree with the others that you need to be wider, but more critically you need to be more progressive on your turn it, it is too sudden, you want to keep adding load to the wake not fully load immediately and then lose it at the 1st wake. Constant acceleration into the pre-turn, then aggressively jump on the other edge, never flat.

 

2. The above may help where you are on some of the clips getting too wide at #1. We have all been told to get wide and early, but a 12, 11m and beyond you want to be early but just a foot or two wide of the buoy line.

 

3. You need to practice at 13, turning faster at the apex of your turn and then hold your angle solidly trough the 1st wake. Your goal at 13m, is to practice the angle you need at 12, not to run it smooth. I believe 12, 11.25, 10.75 is all about angle and holding it. 13m and longer is algebra, 12M on is about geometry, don't fixate about speed, being fast or slow, but angle, too little or too much.

[Zman]

@JackQ Awesome points!!

[ALPJr]

That's good skiing. As a suggestion you may want to consider signing up with @twisper Train With Terry (Winter) and sending him a video for a virtual lesson.

[Ryota]

@ALPJr Terry Winter sent me a message about that just yesterday!

[Dacon62]

@twhisper will help fine tune.

As mentioned before looks like the ski kind of stands you up around ball 1 and doesn’t allow you to turn fully and get into a nice angled pull. A little fin adjustment should fix some of that.

[Ryota]

@Dacon62 I shortened the depth down to 2.510

the ski became predictable, easier to load, faster by reducing fin area.

I will definitely sign up for Terry next spring!