Paul Stokes' 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).

Paul's Answer to Question #1:

The toe back is the ultimate show off maneuver. No single run is more impressive than coming into a show setting in a front toe, executing a toe back, and giving a “no sweat” salute to the crowd. It gives me goose bumps just thinking about it.

The toe back, believe it or not, is the easiest surface turn in the sport. Yes, easier than a two foot back to front. You are ready to learn a toe back as soon as you are solid in a front and back toe hold on the same leg on the boom. Ultimately, it would be nice if you could do all four toe holds long line on both sides of the wake. But, if all you want to do is learn a toe turn on the boom, let’s go for it. To let yourself know that you are ready, get yourself in both toe hold positions and move around as much as possible. You want to explore every possible position, good and bad, and learn how to deal with it. Also, you can have your driver smoothly turn the boat back and forth while in the toe holds for a balancing exercise. If you can greatly manipulate your positions and balance with your driver messing with you, than you are ready for the toe back. Another great practice, though not absolutely necessary, is front and back toe up starts. I would venture to say that if you can do the previous exercises, than the front and back toe up will be easily accomplished as well.

The hardest part of learning a toe turn is getting over the fear. Just like any other trick in barefooting, if you are second guessing yourself while trying to execute the trick, the probability of success is limited. You must do the prescribed homework, take instructions seriously, and execute with confidence

A good start position is pertinant. This entails a nice glide with your foot comfortably under your knee, both knees generously bent, and a nice upper body posture with your hips slightly forward.

Initiating the trick is a little uncomfortable at first. This is where you need to be confident and have 100% commitment. While in the set up position, have your foot on the water already slightly turned. Use minimal arm swing to initiate the turn of your hips. The turn of the hips, as in all surface turns, is most important.

Although it looks like my head is leading the turn, if you look close, you will see that my foot is turning slightly ahead of my body. Use your hips to initiate the turn of the foot. The turning of the foot, with the hips, should be the focus of the trick. The foot turns first because it was set up slightly turned. You should always turn as “one unit” turning your upper body ahead of your lower body will cause your foot to catch at the beginning of the turn. 

When you get to the back you want to make sure that your foot stays flat, your head is up, and your hands are spread for balance. Try not to drop your chest much, and commit to keeping your hands dry. Do not reach for the water for balance. Notice that my hips are never square to the back. You want to maintain a slightly “open” hip, closing the hip will make it difficult to balance.

The trick is finished and its time to set up for the toe front or strike a pose.

Good luck on this trick. Make sure you are ready mechanically and mentally. If you follow these steps and really work the technique on dry land and then on a pair of extreme footer shoe skis, you might surprise yourself and make your first attempt on your feet. Many people find comfort in having a coach in the boat, so don’t hesitate to go to a barefoot school to learn new tricks.

Also on another note, many people are so scared of this trick that they actually avoid it and move on to other tricks like one foot turns. Knee injuries can happen just as easily on tricks such as tumble turns and the basic back to front. This is a risk that footers take. If you focus and execute, your chance of injury is minimal with this trick. Don’t let fear hold back your barefoot career. Just take the time to do your homework. You’re making good progress by reading this instruction all the way to the end.

Paul's Answer to Question #2:

The toe front should be learned feet to feet from the start. While learning the toe front feet to feet, you will end up on your butt enough times. I don’t believe in the “get really low and flop over technique”. From personal experience and speaking with doctors that treat injuries from all sports, most knee injuries happen with an extremely bent knee. Yes you need knee bend, but not too much. Getting low to the water with that much knee bend and then turning spells disaster. It is some times hard to beat into peoples head that the taller you stand (with bent knees), and the taller axis you maintain while doing surface turns, the easier and safer they are. Everyone tends to be defensive and fight the boat and the water pressure, which by the way is a losing battle.

Staying tall is your friend with the toe front.  It is actually very difficult to go out the front on this trick. Go out and ride a front toe hold and try to get as far forward as you can. Unless you let your foot collapse way too far under your knee or if you look down, you won’t fall. So, starting in a tall back toe position, turning on axis, and coming to the front with a shoulder forward position is pertinent to the success of the trick.

All of the following techniques should be practiced on dry land and a good pair of realistic shoe skis before taking to the feet. Just like to toe back, well built muscle memory on shoe skis could result in immediate success on the feet.

1. Start this trick in a nice tall back toe position with your head up, both knees bent, and a nice upper body posture.
2. For rhythm, I like to let my strap leg out slightly before pulling on it to help my hips turn. Use a slight pull on your strap leg to initiate the pivot to the front. Just like the toe back, use your hips to turn your foot.
3. Turn as one unit in a smooth controlled fashion and do not up-weight. Turning your upper body ahead of your lower body will cause your foot to catch. Snapping the turn will make it difficult to finish on balance. Up-weighting makes the finish to the front difficult to stay on the foot with out collapsing to the butt. All weight taken up will come down.
4. As you are coming to the front, bring your shoulders forward and reach for the handle. Do not touch the handle, as this will create a bad habit of bailing out of the trick. You want to ski away clean in a front toe.
5. Continue to maintain your knee bend throughout the trick.

While learning the toe front, your first attempts will most likely result in collapsing to your butt. This is not a problem. Work hard to let yourself down easy. While in this stage, execute a toe up. Do not just grab the handle and stand up, if you do, you will be wasting a chance to make your toe up better and make your leg stronger. As you continue to figure out the axis and rhythm of the trick, you will control your descent to your butt more and more. One day, after the muscle memory of the shoe ski work takes over, your axis will be right, and you won’t believe how easy this trick can be.

Stokeman OUT!!!

Good Luck, feel free to e-mail any questions or comments you have about the back-to-front paulstokes@fluid-distribution.com

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