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WATERSKI MagazineBelieve it or not, the front toe-hold is really no different than a front one-foot. What makes the trick so intimidating is letting go of the handle – you don't feel comfortable hanging on with just your foot.
But if you look at the photos below, you'll see that my one-foot position is almost exactly the same as my toe-hold position. I'm crunching my abdominals very hard to keep from dropping my shoulders backward or forward. This keeps a nice upper-body posture (Photo 1).
Your line of sight stays the same too. My eyes are focused straight ahead. I don't look at the toe strap when bringing my foot in either. I feel my way into it (Photo 2). To do this, I tilt the handle gently and slowly, which allows the pull to go into the strap (Photo 3).
When you're ready to let go, stay close to the handle. Your body position stays the same (Photo 4). Once your foot is in the strap and your hands are clear, continue to glide in the front position (Photos 5 and 6).
When you're done, don't rush. Slowly take your foot out of the strap and set it down gently, just as if you're returning your foot to the water after a one-foot.
Eliza Scarpa is an Italian national champion and married to the best barefooter on the planet – Raging Bull Ron Scarpa.
