Riding on One
During the summer of 1997, I learned to ride on one foot. I haven't mastered the Rope on Foot trick yet but hopefully, that will come during the 1998 season (it did!). Here again, the boom is a great training aid. I learned riding on one foot by hanging directly on to the boom. Then I went to the 5' line and eventually to long line. One foots are best accomplished on GLASS calm water (especially when you're learning) and about 5 mph faster than your ideal barefoot speed.
- From your normal forward barefooting position, simply pick up your foot bending at the hip. This is critical. Don't try to pick your foot up by pushing your foot forward or bending at the knee. You don't need to pick it up very far at first, just enough to get it off the water.
- Once you've mastered bending at the hip and picking your foot up off the water, you can pick it up higher and bend at the knee (once the foot is off the water). This is a prerequisite to the Rope on Foot trick.
Concentrate on where the water is breaking on your foot. If it's breaking at midpoint, you're skiing on your heel and you're probably getting a lot of spray. The water should be breaking at about the ball of your foot. In other words, you want all of your foot on the water (except your toes of course!). To do this your back will need to be almost perpendicular with the water. Video of yourself will really show this.
Easy huh? Now pick up the other foot. Practice with both feet right away as you're learning. You don't want to be good on just one foot though you will probably find that you favor one foot over the other. (Did I say "one foot" enough there?!?!).
