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WATERSKI MagazineIf you're in the elite group of footers who pull off front deeps, tumble turns and front one-foots, you might say, “Been there, done that,” about the world of ski-lessness. Au contraire, mon ami. There is a whole new world to explore that is looking in a completely different direction – backward. Who doesn't remember seeing a footer in reverse for the first time and thinking what it would be like to look into that watery inferno and feel the water rushing between the toes?
The back deepwater start is the first step to treading in reverse. And here's the amazing part – it's easy, given the new technology and learning methods I incorporate into my teaching.
You will need the following equipment: a good-quality, tight-fitting wetsuit designed specifically for footing. I recommend a cup for all guys, a high-quality 15-inch barefoot handle and a barefoot boom. (An extended pylon can work well too because of its upward pull.) A video camera isn't a bad idea; footers learn best from seeing both good and bad techniques, rather than just listening to instructions.
There are three very important stages to learning the back deep. To be successful, you must master each stage before going on to the next.
Stage 1: Planing – Think of this stage as transforming your body into a ski. Lie with your entire body floating on the surface of the water. Reach underneath your legs and hold the handle as if you're sitting on a rope swing (Photo 1). Take a big breath of air and roll over with one ankle over the rope. Your arms, legs, and torso should be very straight (Photo 2). The key here is to be very stiff until you are planing. With the correct body position, you should be able to breathe and open your eyes once you stabilize somewhere between 8 and 12 mph. This position should be mastered with the feet on and off the rope.
Driver Tip: The boom should be around hip- to shoulder-height (given a stand-up position). The driver should accelerate smoothly to a speed in which there is a fountain of water shooting up between the footer's legs, but not so fast that the skier is bouncing. If the skier starts to bounce, slow down until the bouncing stops.
Stage 2: Planting Your Feet – This stage is considered to be the most important. While still balancing with your feet in the air, flex your ankles so that your toes are pulled up (your heel becomes the closest part of your foot to the boom) and your feet are angled at about 45 degrees to the water (heels facing each other). Your feet should be wider than shoulder-width (Photo 3). Next, gently plant your feet on the water so that the waterline is just below your ankle (Photo 4). Do not place your ankle bone on the water. As soon as your feet are relaxed on the water, pick your pelvis out of the water by pinching at your waist.
Driver Tip: Accelerate about 3 mph more and hold until the footer proves that he or she can maintain the relaxed feet position on the water indefinitely at the slow speed. This stage may take some time to master.
Stage 3: Bending Over – This stage can be summarized best by trying to get your body into the configuration of the capital letter “A.” That is to say, your butt is the top of the A, your feet are one side of the A, and your chin is the other side of the A.
To make the “A,” push your butt up as you drive your chest and chin down into the water and closer to your feet. As you begin to bend, the driver should accelerate gently. If you are having trouble getting your butt up to the top of the letter A position, start squeezing your legs together as you rotate your feet to a more parallel position at about shoulder-width (Photo 5). Your arms should be completely relaxed throughout Stage 3. And as with all backward barefooting, drive your hips into the handle.
As you reach the A position, the driver may begin to reduce the acceleration so as not to pull you “out the back” (i.e., heel catch).
When the only thing on the water is your feet and your chin comes off the water, go through the following checklist. This will ensure that your chin leaves the water cleanly and you stay in good position during this critical movement:
1. Chin is up.
2. Chest is out, and shoulders are back.
3. Lower back is arched so that hips are pushed into handle.
4. You have a 90-degree bend at the waist.
5. Knees are bent.
6. Feet are parallel and have maximum flex at the ankle.
I find it helpful to pull my toes up to help my feet to relax. This habit will be very useful down the road in your backward footing career. By the time you have gone through this checklist, you should have ridden on your chin with the 90-degree bend at your waist for no less than five seconds. (Many of my students find it helpful to count to five or 10 at each of the three stages.) You should always let the boat pull you out of the water, as opposed to lifting your head up yourself. This will allow you to achieve the right amount of resistance. Sticking your chest out into the spray is the best way to control your balance. Keep your chest low to the water until you have built up some frequent flyer miles; then you can look a bit higher.
Driver Tip: At this point, the boom should be higher than the footer's head, and the minimum barefoot speed should be applied. As a rough estimate, take the footer's weight, divide by 10 and add eight. That means a 150-pound footer should become comfortable at around 23 mph before going any faster. The waterline should be just below his heel. If it is in the middle, tell him to use his knees – not push on his toes – for balance.
For additional information about training with Lane Bowers, call The Barefoot Company at 800-665-3188.
