Mike Seipel's Corner

Question #1:
Please explain how to do a Toe-turn (Toe back)?  At what point in one's skiing level would you recommend learning the toe-turn.

Question #2:
You got me to the back, now how do I get back to the front?  Explain the two styles of Toe Fronts, (Toe front to your butt, and Toe front Feet-to-Feet).

Mike's Answer to Question #1:

The way I teach a toe-back is I tell the person once they can do a good Front and Back toe on the same foot, they are ready to learn a toe back. What I mean by good front and back toes on the same foot is you should be able to do front and back toe ups on the same foot and it is best to get good enough at your toeholds that you can move around in any position while riding them.  You should be able to un-weight a lot while riding them on the same foot, and better yet, even learn to do a little surface hop while riding them. When learning to do these things when doing a back toe, you should have your driver pull you at front toe hold speeds. 

Once you have developed your front and back toes this good, to do a toe back on your left foot, I tell people while riding the front toe hold, put your left arm straight out in front of you and put your right arm down low and behind your body a little so your right hand is back behind your butt on the right side. The most import thing is to keep your left leg relaxed the whole time thru the turn and after the turn. If it tenses up before or after you turn on it, it will not continue to glide smoothly on the water.

To turn I recommend that you swing your arms from the position I have you start with them in, around to your left and this will help you initiate the rotation and turn you around backwards. Starting with your right hand low and behind you will help initiate and time your un-weight. Once you get around backwards, I recommend staying broke at the waist with your arms out to the side for balance, keeping the leg you turned on relaxed with your foot flat as possible without it catching in the water. If you tense up and push your foot toward the boom, or push on your toes like you would on a gas petal of a car, you will fall.

Once your learn to swing your arms around starting with them in the position I explained, and when you learn to time your un-weight keeping the leg you are turning on relaxed, (instead of tensing up and pushing your foot toward the boom or pushing on your foot like you would against a gas petal of a car after your turn), you will make the toe back .

Everything is visa versa if you are learning the toe back on your right foot. Learn this all on shoe skis first until you can do it all good so the falls are at slower speeds. Only learn this in glassy calm water. Learn this all on the boom first.

Mike's Answer to Question #2:

The way I teach people to do a toe front feet to feet when doing it on their left foot is I tell them to start in their most comfortable back toehold position. Don’t try to stand up more, don’t try to lean down more, don’t pull in on the leg in the toe strap. Just get in your most comfortable back toehold position.

To turn to the front, just give a little un-weight and turn to the front, and as you get to the front, keep the leg you are turning on relaxed and straight. Don’t try to bend it.  Keep leaning over to your left a lot.  Don’t square off after you get forwards. Once you learn to keep your leg straight and relaxed and keep leaning to your left after you turn around to the front, you will stay feet to feet.  If you end up not making it feet to feet, you will end up sitting down, and that’s how you do a toe front to your butt. I wouldn’t recommend trying to go to your butt on purpose. Always try for feet to feet and if you end up not staying feet to feet, you will score a good toe front to your butt. 

Everything I explained here is visa versa if you are learning the toe front on your right foot. Learn these all on shoe ski first until you can do it all good. The falls on shoes will be at slower speeds. Only learn this in glassy calm water. Finally, I recommend learning this all on the boom first.

Mike Siepel

Visit Mike Seipel's web site at www.barefootinternational.com