INSTRUCTION:
INSTRUCTION: Barefooting
Barefooting
The
The Side
Side Slide
Slide
Written by David Small
Written
by David
SmallNovakofski
Photography
by Lynn
Photography by Lynn Novakofski
T
T
he side slide has been around for a while, and while
he
sideoriginally
slide has thought
been around
a while,
and while
it was
to befor
a very
technical
and
it was originally
to be a very
and
difficult
trick, it isthought
now something
thattechnical
can be taught
difficult trick,
it is nowI recommend
something that
be taught
to competent
barefooters.
thatcan
barefooters
to competent
barefooters.
I recommend
that
be
able to comfortably
perform
a one foot
onbarefooters
both feet
be able
to comfortably
a one foot this
on both
feet
on
the 5-foot
extensionperform
before attempting
impressive
on the 5-foot extension before attempting this impressive
trick.
trick.
The first thing you need to do is have the boom set
Theright
first thing
you
needup
toyour
do isboom
have above
the boom
set
at the
height.
Crank
shoulder
at the right
height.
up your
boom
above
shoulder
height
so that
if youCrank
do catch
a foot
you can
hold
on and
height
soathat
youThis
do catch
a foot youtrick
can so
hold
on and
not
take
hardifhit.
is a directional
everyone
not take
a hard hit.
This
is a directional
trick
so everyone
will
be different
with
which
way he or she
executes
the
will be
different
with
which
waybarefoot
he or sheposition
executes
theyour
side
slide.
Starting
from
a good
with
side slide.
Starting
fromover
a good
barefoot
position
your
knees
pushed
forward
the balls
of your
feet, with
take one
knees
pushed
forward
over
the
balls
of
your
feet,
take
one
foot out of the water and ride a one-foot. Gently place the
out of
water
and ride
a one-foot.
Gently
foot that
is the
in the
air back
on the
water, but
turn itplace
a bitthe
foot that
the air back
on the
water,
but turn
it a“pinky
bit
more
thanisain90-degree
angle.
Start
by placing
your
moredown
than afirst.
90-degree
angle.
Startyou
by put
placing
toe”
The more
weight
ontoyour
the “pinky
foot,
toe”more
downyou
first.
Thetomore
weight
you put
onto
the
foot,
the
need
really
push that
same
knee
forward
the more
to really
push
thatto
same
forward
over
your you
toesneed
(“forward”
now
being
the knee
side in
which
over your
toes
(“forward”
to the
side
in which
your
sliding
foot
is facing).now
This being
will keep
your
leading
edge
your
sliding
foot
is
facing).
This
will
keep
your
leading
up and reduce the possibility of catching your foot andedge
up and reduce the possibility of catching your foot and
falling.
falling.
As you continue to transfer more weight over this foot
Asof
you
continue
to transfer
this
foot
(ball
your
foot), you
need tomore
have weight
a breakover
in the
waist
(ballmake
of your
foot),
need
toishave
a break
theside
waist
and
sure
thatyou
your
chest
leaning
overinthis
and make
sure
that
your
chest
this on
side
sliding
foot.
Once
this
foot
has isallleaning
of yourover
weight
it, you
sliding
foot.
thisother
foot foot
has all
ofof
your
on it,
you
can
then
pickOnce
up the
out
theweight
water. The
leg
can
then
pick
up
the
other
foot
out
of
the
water.
The
leg
that is now in the air can be placed back down in the wathatbut
is now
in thean
air80-degree
can be placed
down
in weightthe water,
at about
angleback
so that
your
ter,foot
but at
about an
80-degree
that your weighted
is slightly
backward
andangle
yourso
de-weighted
foot is
ed foot forward.
is slightlyYou
backward
and
your
de-weighted
foot
slightly
are now
side
sliding.
If you feel
likeis
slightly
forward.
You areofnow
side then
sliding.
youlet
feel
you
cannot
get enough
a twist,
youIf can
golike
with
you cannot
get which
enough
ofallow
a twist,
then
you can let go with
your
back arm,
will
more
twist.
your
backyou
arm,
which
will allow
Once
have
mastered
this more
on thetwist.
boom, I would then
Once you trying
have mastered
thisshort
on the
I would
then
recommend
it on a very
lineboom,
off a high
boom
recommend
trying to
it on
a verythis
short
offyou’re
a highable
boom
and
then continue
extend
lineline
until
to
anditthen
extend
this line
untilthe
you’re
to
do
on acontinue
full shortto
line
and then
behind
boat.able
If you
do itcomfortable
on a full short
lineside
andslide
thenposition,
behind the
boat.
you
are
in the
then
you Ifcan
try
arego
comfortable
in the
side slide
position,
thendo
you
can try
to
straight from
a normal
barefoot
stance,
a small
up
to go straight
from
a the
normal
stance,
do a small up
weight
and turn
into
sidebarefoot
slide in one
motion.
weight
and turn into the side slide in one motion.
World barefoot champions Keith St. Onge and
David
Small
instructchampions
first-time barefooters
as well
World
barefoot
Keith St. Onge
and
as
eliteSmall
athletes
at the
World Barefoot
Center
in
David
instruct
first-time
barefooters
as well
Winter
For World
more information,
call (863)
as elite Haven,
athletesFla.
at the
Barefoot Center
in
877-0039
or email
or(863)
visit
Winter Haven,
Fla.wbcbarefoot@gmail.com
For more information, call
worldbarefootcenter.com.
877-0039 or email wbcbarefoot@gmail.com or visit
worldbarefootcenter.com.
­­­­­­­­48 www.USAWATERSKI.org
The Water Skier March/April 2015
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2015