WaterSki Magazine

WATERSKI Magazine
2003-02-09 20:00:00 | 369 views | 0 Comments

She looks familiar, right? Yeah, April’s our favorite HO
model too. No, not that kind of HO— HO Sports, you
testosterone-laden pig! Now, she definitely makes us want to slalom
every time we see her in a water-ski ad, but what about seeing her
learn how to barefoot? We concur! So we conducted a test. Could
gazillion-time world barefoot champion Ron Scarpa teach this
delicate flower how to barefoot in a couple of hours? And could we
prove that barefooting is a lot easier than everyone thinks and
erase the misconception that you have to be as tough as nails to
walk on water like Jesus? It was a cold morning in Florida terms –
45 degrees. Luckily April was a great sport. With our barefooting
equipment essentials we hit the water.

Swing Lesson

The swing is the best way to feel how your feet really work on
the water, without the discouraging face plants. By beginning with
100 percent of your weight in the handle, slowly transfer weight to
your feet. If you’re comfortable, add weight to your feet; if
not, use the handle more. This is a great way to control your
progress based on your comfort level.

The boom should be high enough that in the event of a fall it
completely supports your body weight. Then you can simply pull your
feet around in front of you without dragging in the water. Proper
boat driving and equipment will make your introduction to
barefooting easy and enjoyable regardless of your skiing
ability.

Shoe Skis Lesson

The natural progression from the swing is shoe skis. I cannot
stress the importance of using shoe skis at this stage. Starting
with your feet out in front of you and your toes pointed in the
direction you will be traveling makes this start easier. The
initial pull from the boat is very strong; however, once you plane
off, holding on is easy.

The large bottoms of the shoe skis allow you to perfect your
barefoot position at a slow speed. After a few passes directly on
the boom, it’s time for the handle. Start on the boom again,
and move out to a handle that is wrapped around the boom for added
stability. The handle should be no farther than 4 to 6 inches from
the boom in the beginning. You can eventually lengthen the handle a
few inches at a time – not exceeding 2 feet away from the
boom.

Once you make it to the handle, your forearms will thank you.
Don’t rush this stage. Take your time and become very
comfortable at this rope length. The wrapped handle is harder than
the boom, yet easier than a full 5-foot handle.

Three-Point Position

The best place to practice the three-point position is in the
boat. The three-point is possibly the most important position you
can perfect next to actually standing. Notice how April keeps her
feet back near her rear and her chest close to her thighs (in print
edition–go pick it up). You should have equal weight on each foot
and your rear at this point. Practice standing up and sitting into
the three-point position with two hands on the handle, and then
with one hand. By keeping your knees together and feet apart you
can eliminate getting spray in your face and prevent knee
injuries.

The swing is the best way to feel how your feet really work on
the water, without the discouraging face plants. By beginning with
100 percent of your weight in the handle, slowly transfer weight to
your feet. If you’re comfortable, add weight to your feet; if
not, use the handle more. This is a great way to control your
progress based on your comfort level.

The boom should be high enough that in the event of a fall it
completely supports your body weight. Then you can simply pull your
feet around in front of you without dragging in the water. Proper
boat driving and equipment will make your introduction to
barefooting easy and enjoyable regardless of your skiing
ability.

Shoe Skis Lesson

The natural progression from the swing is shoe skis. I cannot
stress the importance of using shoe skis at this stage. Starting
with your feet out in front of you and your toes pointed in the
direction you will be traveling makes this start easier. The
initial pull from the boat is very strong; however, once you plane
off, holding on is easy.

The large bottoms of the shoe skis allow you to perfect your
barefoot position at a slow speed. After a few passes directly on
the boom, it’s time for the handle. Start on the boom again,
and move out to a handle that is wrapped around the boom for added
stability. The handle should be no farther than 4 to 6 inches from
the boom in the beginning. You can eventually lengthen the handle a
few inches at a time – not exceeding 2 feet away from the
boom.

Once you make it to the handle, your forearms will thank you.
Don’t rush this stage. Take your time and become very
comfortable at this rope length. The wrapped handle is harder than
the boom, yet easier than a full 5-foot handle.

Three-Point Position

The best place to practice the three-point position is in the
boat. The three-point is possibly the most important position you
can perfect next to actually standing. Notice how April keeps her
feet back near her rear and her chest close to her thighs. You
should have equal weight on each foot and your rear at this point.
Practice standing up and sitting into the three-point position with
two hands on the handle, and then with one hand. By keeping your
knees together and feet apart you can eliminate getting spray in
your face and prevent knee injuries.

Get Up, Stand Up

1. Now it’s show time! Take the bindings off your
wakeboard and sit slightly behind the center of the board (you can
also use a kneeboard). Place your feet beside the tip of the
wakeboard and lean back slightly as the boat gently accelerates.
The boat will want to pull you forward until you plane off on the
board, so resist the boat’s pull.

2. The boat speed should be very slow at this point in order to
eliminate bouncing. Scoot forward and plant your feet gently on
either side of the wakeboard. You will notice that this position is
quite similar to the three-point position. Once you have
established a solid plant, have the boat driver accelerate smoothly
to 30-35 mph depending on your weight. Do not try to stand up; the
added water resistance on your feet will take care of that.

3. Keep your knees well bent, and maintain forward pressure on
your feet. It is common to want to stand up clear of the wakeboard.
Relax — the wakeboard will be swept behind you without your help.
With your eyes focused ahead, keep your knees bent, arms straight
and relaxed and hips forward.

4. Smile — you can now walk on water!

This full story is in the March issue, on sale now! And there
are 13 photos of April learning to barefoot. Actually, just 12
shots of her learning…one shot can best described as…a beauty
shot. DON'T MISS IT!