"REQUEST PERMISSION FOR FLY-BY" INVERTED JUMPING

BY LANE "DAWG" BOWERS

There is nothing that captures the attention of spectators like jumping, and nothing is as exhilarating as watching an inverted barefooter flying through the air precariously upside down, and apparently out of control. As the crowd anticipates what could be a tremendous crash, the skier pulls in on the handle at the latest possible moment to land smoothly onto his feet again.

Yet, there are many people who want to learn this "inverted style" who have been lured into the fallacy that this is a new and different technique. Inversion, in fact, is not a new style but a simple and natural progression that involves the most efficient use of the barefoot jump. To learn to jump inverted is not a super-human effort put forth inches before the jump but carefully calculated use of basic jumping skills that i am going to explain to you.

To understand the "how" of inverted jumping you must first understand the "why" or philosophy which will help you to fly. The first principle that must be mastered is the principle of force. If you want "the force to be with you," then you must understand how the force works! The jump is your friend and it will accelerate the force that is applied to it. There are three forces that should be studied; horizontally forward, horizontally backwards, and vertically downwards.

Horizontally forward force(h.f.f.): if your body position is such that you are heavily resistant in your approach to the jump, then your feet will be exerting the above force. With our understanding of how the jump will help accelerate our applied force, we can project that this horizontally forward force will be exaggerated. In other words, the feet will "slip" forward which will cause the skier to fly through the air on his back. This is not good! Slippage means ineffective use of the jump and thus low distances( not to mention surprised and somewhat fearful facial expressions).

Horizontally backwards force(h.b.f.): if your body position is such that you are dangerously forward with your body, then your feet will exert a slightly backwards force that will cause a different type of slippage that will cause your upper body to "slip" forward prematurely. This is not good. Although this gives a visual appearance that might appear at first glance to be correct, it is in-fact dangerously incorrect. Although this will produce longer distances than the "h.f.f.", this can cause brutal falls and is an ineffective use of the jump.

Vertically downward force(v.d.f): when your body position is in the safe and correct position that i will teach you then "the force will be with you." This position maximizes your potential and it allows the jump to give you major lift that will produce the greatest possible distance.

The three phases of inverted jumping

Approach, raise, landing

The approach:

The proper ski position is the primary concern of the approach. In order for this position to exert a "v.d.f.", then the body position must be one that is secure while incorporating a "glide" on the water as opposed to a heavy plowing position or a dangerously forward position. As you can see in the picture my knees are safely over my feet, my thighs are parallel to the water, my lower back is arched, shoulders back, chest out, and my arms are relaxed.

This position must be mastered first directly on the boom, then mastered on the five foot extension, and then finally on the long-line before any actual jumping is attempted. Do not take any short cuts here as you will only be jeopardizing your own safety and consistency. This is the biggest mistake that most of the jumpers that come to me for help make.

The raise:

This is actually the scariest part of the process to learn, but if you follow my instructions to the tee, then it can be the most exciting and fun part of this process. The raise must be perfected directly on the boom and followed up with massive repetition until it becomes so natural that it is instinctive as to when and how quickly you raise.

First begin by raising your butt about six inches from the position that you have mastered while keeping yourself from 1) being pulled forward or 2) by resisting the pull of the boat. Do not try and visually mark a distance at which you must begin to raise. By simple repetition, video analysis, and professional help, you will develop a timing in your raise that will feel natural. Start with timing the raise so that fifty percent of it is done before the jump and fifty percent is done on the jump. As you progress, and your ability to maintain your position while you raise increases, you will be able to do more of your raise directly on the jump.

As you perfect your six inch raise, slowly keep increasing the amount that you raise until you are able to perform a complete raise by the top of the jump. This will take time, patience, and practice. I highly recommend seeking help from a qualified instructor who has a good track record for teaching with safety as the main concern. After perfecting this raise on the boom, perfect it on the five foot extension by alternating between your feet and jaskis. The next logical step is the long-line. If you have done your homework properly, then you will have a reverent respect for the jump while not feeling petrified as you approach it. If you have any problems on the long-line, then you simply need to take some more time on the boom, five foot extension, and on the jaskis.

The landing:

Although many people believe that the landing is the most difficult part, this is usually not the case. A bad landing is usually the result of a poor take-off( approach or body position). If the raise is the problem it is most certainly because the correct body position was not maintained throughout the raise. Assuming that the above procedures were followed, then the mechanics of the landing must now be studied. Landing, in short, boils down to timing! Proper timing is the result of relaxing in the air until the very last minute when you must aggressively pull the handle into your hips just as your feet hit the water. Try to absorb as much of the landing on your feet as possible while continuing to slide into a forwards deep water position in which you eventually are gliding on the "slipperiest" part of your wet-suit which is the part of your butt closest to you tail bone. Stay in this position until you are sure that you have gained control and then simply stand up!

Problems and answers

Problem: feet slip forward as soon as they touch the ramp.

Lane dawg: adjust position as described above so that knees are over feet. Perfect this before returning to jumping.

Problem: handle "pops" out of hands as soon as body touches water.

Lane dawg: although this could be one of several problems, the basic problem is that more of the landing must be absorbed in the feet and then quickly transferred into the slippery forward deep position. Also make sure that your approach position is maintained throughout the raise. A poor position will cause an uncontrollable flight that can not be landed within reason.

Question: what speed should i use?

Lane dawg: comfortable forwards speed. Increase gradually as proficiency increases. Always confirm with a professional.

Question: when should i begin learning to jump?

Lane dawg: it is safe to begin learning on the boom as soon as all forward tricks have been perfected on the long-line, but never begin a jump program without first seeking the advice of an expert jump instructor. Unlike learning tricks or slalom, jumping could cause severe injury if you are not first taught by an experienced instructor!

Lane Bowers is available to personally help you achieve your skiing goals. Call 800 665-3188. Look out for Lane's Instructional Video and CD ROM available May, 1996.