How to Barefoot Water Ski Backwards

First learn to get you barefoot boom at the right height. The barefoot boom should be at the skiers head if he was barefooting forwards.

Make sure you are wearing barefoot water skiing shorts that have 19mm padding built in. The barefoot suit should be the best one you can get that should be guaranteed to make you ski better or you can return it.

Attach your five foot handle to the barefoot boom. Practice floating in the water floating your entire body near the surface with legs, arms, and torso completely straight. Practice rolling over keeping only one foot on the rope and your entire body as rigid and straight as a ski. The boat driver should accelerate to no more than 10mph.

If you perform this stage properly, even though it looks like you are under the water, a stream of water is coming up like a fountain in between your legs. If you cannot breathe, speed the boat up slightly ad then slow down until the fountain returns.

You should not attempt the next stage until you and the driver are comfortable with the driving and the skiers body position. Once you can breathe and there is no bouncing, slowly take off the one foot from the rope and keep your legs straight, shoulder width, and your legs about 8-12 inches above the water.

The final step of stage one is to practice the "Point and Flex" method of practicing your foot position while planing in the above position. With your feet at shoulder width, point your toes as pointy as possible while keeping legs straight. Next, flex your ankles without lifting up on your toes. When you flex your ankles, you should feel your shins working. Your feet should be turned to the outside at a 45 degree angle while in the flexed position.

Once you are very comfortable with this stage with no bouncing problems, you are ready to proceed to step #2 of learning to backwards barefoot without falling ... Planting Your Feet...

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