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Kristin
Anyone who has run the slalom course knows it can be addictive, but that addiction can be a skier’s greatest downfall to long-term success. Seth Stisher teaches you to balance your water ski training to make long-term changes for the better.
The Game
For those of you who have participated in other sports throughout your life, you understand that practice is made up of drills, fundamentals and flawless repetition of effective technique. This can only be achieved by abandoning the gut-wrenching routine of always chasing the slalom course in hopes of getting that one extra buoy.
Perfect Practice
There are several ways to make your practice perfect. Here are four examples:
1. Get out of the slalom course and work on the rhythm of skiing back and forth across the wakes. Use symmetrical turns and a patterned rhythm where you power on the cutting edge of your ski from the turns and back through the wake.
2. While remaining out of the course, work on stance and mechanics on the ski. Start with a balanced stance and then either do drills where you practice pullouts beside the boat or powerful wake crossings while maintaining the stance. Repeat this until they feel flawless.
3. Videotape both of the previous scenarios so that you can put a picture with a feeling. This will make it easier to repeat the moves once you start to apply your newly improved technique to the course.
4. If you are an avid course skier, you may benefit from working in the course at either a slower speed or longer rope length than normal. Athletes need time to turn thoughts into feelings in order to perform well in competitive situations.
Training Balance
Make the gains you want by balancing your training and ensuring you use your water time effectively. Spend some time working on technique and rhythm and then push yourself a little in the slalom course. When you experience a breakdown in technique, be humble enough to back away and go back to fundamentals.
Seth Stisher is the co-owner of H2Osmosis Sports. For coaching information, check out h2osmosis.com or call 866-213-7993.
