Best Tips for Improving Slalom Technique ?

[Marcos Andrew]

Hey everyone,

I am relatively new to slalom skiing and looking to improve my technique. I’ve been skiing for a few months now and can get up and make some turns but I want to get better and more efficient. What are the best tips or drills for refining my slalom technique ? Are there common mistakes beginners make that I should be aware of ? Also, any gear recommendations for intermediate skiers would be helpful.

I searched this article on internet: https://www.watersportswarehouse.co.za/slalom-water-skiing-tips-splunk/  it contains helpful tips but I want more tips on it.

Thanks a lot for your help.

With regards,

Marcos

[101driver]

My advice is go and get proper coaching right at the start. I did not do this because I did not know where to go in my country and to go to USA was a few thousand dollars. So I thought I would read a few books practice and if I got half decent I would then maybe have a holiday to a ski school. THIS WAS A HUGE MISTAKE, being self taught I learn't wrong. I have spent tens of thousands of dollars since just in gas trying to unlearn my bad techniques.

IF I HAD MY TIME AGAIN I would book a trip to a ski school for first learning then use video coaching on here for development.

[Marcos Andrew]

16 minutes ago, 101driver said:

My advice is go and get proper coaching right at the start. I did not do this because I did not know where to go in my country and to go to USA was a few thousand dollars. So I thought I would read a few books practice and if I got half decent I would then maybe have a holiday to a ski school. THIS WAS A HUGE MISTAKE, being self taught I learn't wrong. I have spent tens of thousands of dollars since just in gas trying to unlearn my bad techniques.

IF I HAD MY TIME AGAIN I would book a trip to a ski school for first learning then use video coaching on here for development.

Hey @101driver,

Thank you for the response, I am gald that you provide this advice. Sure, I'll search for a institution for it and get proper coaching and calsses. I can understand your concern that you couldn't get proper coaching about it.

[Niles Taylor]

Listen to Spray Makers podcast with Trent Finlynson (sp?) and Chris Rossi. They do an excellent job of breaking down all the mechanics in a way that is easy to understand and relate to. Also record your skiing. The latest phones provide excellent video with stabilization 

[101driver]

I would second what @Niles Taylor suggests about spray makers and video, I made a gimbal camera mount for pylon, you can buy them if you can't make one and I video most sets on IPAD and watch in boat before next set. This is a powerful tool, but I would urge caution..........it requires that your paradigm is correct. I will be sending a video hopefully in the next week or so to Video coaching on here, my first question will be "what do you see" and if and I fully expect this to be the case the coach see's stuff I don't then I will need to adjust my paradigm. In short my expectation is that I am either not working on what I should be or what I think is wrong............. This is normal which is why coaching is so important.

[Stevie Boy]

Forget running the  course, work on, Setup (Width/ Turning in with similar speed to the Boat)  / Gates / 1 & 2 ball, get that right and the rest falls into place.

On the Setup try to get comfortable with getting deeper, before turning in for the Gate.