We'll I'm qualified to ski Wakes in New Zealand and I've set my sights on qualifying in the Jump event. Jump is by far has always been my weakest event. Why? Because I was scared:
1. I had a friend die from falling on the jump.
2. I've actually fallen and hit the jump.
You see the barefoot jump is made out of very hard fiberglass. It protrudes from the water as much as 18 inches and it's about 8 feet long by only four feet wide. So fear is a big factor in not in me being very good at jumping. Plus, I never practiced jumping, so this was also a factor of my poor performance.
David Small my ski partner happens to be the world record holder in the jump event, so if there is ever going to be an opportunity to learn to jump, now is the time for me to step up to the plate.
I trained exclusively for six weeks to qualify for Wakes at the first tournament of the season for Worlds and I did it! Immediately after qualifying for Wakes, I switched gears and trained to qualify in the Jump event. Davie and I only skied jump for the past four weeks and my first attempt to qualify for the Worlds in this even is this weekend (today is Tuesday) in Atlanta.
The pressure is on me, since David is returning home to the UK Wednesday. David is not only an amazing skier, he's a great coach. Personally, the best ski coach that I've ever had.
Okay, let me get back to the story. "How's jumping going," a friend of mine asked me yesterday. My response is 'I don't know' and I won't know until I actually ski this weekend, but here is how I've progressed:
I started terrified on the physical boom with my hands on the boom with shoe skies at a slow speed. David took me through the basics, then he had me progress to the short rope on the boom, again with shoe skies at a slow speed.
After a few weeks he had me ski directly on the boom, but now on my feet with increased speed.
At each of the progressive steps, boom to short line with shoes, boom on my feet, boom to short line on my feet, long line shoes and long line feet, I basically have to mentally start all over again.
Yesterday was my first day 'long line' on shoes and honestly I felt that I was not ready (but I always feel that when he takes me to the next state), but he's leaving in a couple of days, so I have to start skiing long line.
The most difficult part of jumping is letting go of 'self preservation as requested by David, as I approach the jump, this means raise up and forward on the jump but the mind tells me I’m crazy and it wants me to lean back and stay low so that I don’t face plant on the ramps.
I've been so frustrated during this process because I know that I need to get up and forward but my brain tells me to get low and backwards as I 'hit' the jump. I know the landings are skier and safer if I do as Dave says.
Yesterday I went long line with 'shoes' and something happed that I can't explain; even David is at a loss of words. I rose up and forward before the ramp like I never did on the boom and my jumps were great! Why did I jump so much better on the long line on my shoes than the boom? I I’m still not on my feet and it's not at a tournament.
I didn't mention that the qualifying jump distance I need to qualify for the Worlds is 12.7 meters and my personal best is 10.1 meters with an average of about 7-8 meters. What's going to happen today and tomorrow when I start to jump long line on my feet? Will I be able to transfer the new knowledge in a tournament? Will I qualify for the Worlds this weekend?
So many unknowns, life is so full of unknowns, so exciting. Soon some of these questions will be answered.
1. I had a friend die from falling on the jump.
2. I've actually fallen and hit the jump.
You see the barefoot jump is made out of very hard fiberglass. It protrudes from the water as much as 18 inches and it's about 8 feet long by only four feet wide. So fear is a big factor in not in me being very good at jumping. Plus, I never practiced jumping, so this was also a factor of my poor performance.
David Small my ski partner happens to be the world record holder in the jump event, so if there is ever going to be an opportunity to learn to jump, now is the time for me to step up to the plate.
I trained exclusively for six weeks to qualify for Wakes at the first tournament of the season for Worlds and I did it! Immediately after qualifying for Wakes, I switched gears and trained to qualify in the Jump event. Davie and I only skied jump for the past four weeks and my first attempt to qualify for the Worlds in this even is this weekend (today is Tuesday) in Atlanta.
The pressure is on me, since David is returning home to the UK Wednesday. David is not only an amazing skier, he's a great coach. Personally, the best ski coach that I've ever had.
Okay, let me get back to the story. "How's jumping going," a friend of mine asked me yesterday. My response is 'I don't know' and I won't know until I actually ski this weekend, but here is how I've progressed:
I started terrified on the physical boom with my hands on the boom with shoe skies at a slow speed. David took me through the basics, then he had me progress to the short rope on the boom, again with shoe skies at a slow speed.
After a few weeks he had me ski directly on the boom, but now on my feet with increased speed.
At each of the progressive steps, boom to short line with shoes, boom on my feet, boom to short line on my feet, long line shoes and long line feet, I basically have to mentally start all over again.
Yesterday was my first day 'long line' on shoes and honestly I felt that I was not ready (but I always feel that when he takes me to the next state), but he's leaving in a couple of days, so I have to start skiing long line.
The most difficult part of jumping is letting go of 'self preservation as requested by David, as I approach the jump, this means raise up and forward on the jump but the mind tells me I’m crazy and it wants me to lean back and stay low so that I don’t face plant on the ramps.
I've been so frustrated during this process because I know that I need to get up and forward but my brain tells me to get low and backwards as I 'hit' the jump. I know the landings are skier and safer if I do as Dave says.
Yesterday I went long line with 'shoes' and something happed that I can't explain; even David is at a loss of words. I rose up and forward before the ramp like I never did on the boom and my jumps were great! Why did I jump so much better on the long line on my shoes than the boom? I I’m still not on my feet and it's not at a tournament.
I didn't mention that the qualifying jump distance I need to qualify for the Worlds is 12.7 meters and my personal best is 10.1 meters with an average of about 7-8 meters. What's going to happen today and tomorrow when I start to jump long line on my feet? Will I be able to transfer the new knowledge in a tournament? Will I qualify for the Worlds this weekend?
So many unknowns, life is so full of unknowns, so exciting. Soon some of these questions will be answered.
