If you’re very new to the slalom aspect of water skiing, and you’re only used to free skiing, you might be unsure about exactly when to initiate your slalom turns.
If this is you, I have a simple exercise which will help you get the feel for where and when to execute your turns. It goes “bump bump turn”.
As with so many things in life, it’s all about the timing.
Here’s what to do:
Get going on a nice long straight stretch of water, with the boat doing a speed that you’re comfortable with.
Start crossing back and forth over the wake. As you change direction and head back towards the wake, count out a “1” just as your ski bumps through the near-side wake. Continue across to the far wake, and count “2” just as your ski hits that second wake. Continue skiing out past the second wake while you keep that steady cadence in your head, and when you get to “3” in your head, initiate your turn.
Bump (1); bump (2); then turn (3).
Now simply repeat this counting game as you re-cross the wake in the other direction, and continue until you run out of strength, time, or water (whichever comes first!). Remember: the first wake is “1”, the second wake is “2”, and when you count “3”, commence your turn.
The beauty of this drill is not only its simplicity, but also in the fact that it works for any boat speed, ski speed, and ski angle (that a beginner skier is likely to encounter, anyway).
Once you’ve mastered this timing drill, you can start to work on extending your inside handle while you turn. Don’t be in a rush to this – it definitely does make you look the part, but people gave a tendency to want that look before they’ve taken care of the fundamentals.
Once you’ve got the “bump bump turn” timing well and truly nailed, check back on this article I’ve written for you with everything you need to know about extending your inside arm.
Let me know how this drill goes for you, in the comments section below.
Your virtual water ski coach,
Todd
PS – Before you go, why not:
