Is There a Weight Limit on Barefoot International Booms?
People for years have asked if there is a weight limit on Barefoot International Booms? It is a great question. Who would want to invest in a boom only to find out that they can’t pull uncle Bob up on his slalom ski as he tips the weight at 270lbs after finishing off all the leftovers at your lake house?
Is There a Weight Limit on Barefoot International Booms? If it is not one of ours, your dam right there is. For years, we have pulled as many as 5 people at the same time squeezed together on one of our booms, but when I was about to take on my next student, I definitely thought alot about what is the weight limit on Barefoot International Booms. I called Mike Seipel just to be sure I was not making a grave error…
Let me make one thing clear, I had my doubts about what I was about to take on when 6′ 8″ 385lb 2006 World’s Strongest Man, Phil Pfister, approached me about learning to barefoot.
I also need to make sure you understand that I would not take on something like this without first asking me or Mike Seipel because this could have gone VERY wrong if the wrong people were doing what I was about to do here.
In the hands of the wrong people, the wrong equipment, the wrong boat driver, the wrong conditions, this would have been a fiasco…
Try this on ANY OTHER BOOM except our Barefoot International Boom, and I promise you, it will fold like cheap lawn furniture under the full weight of Uncle Bob!
#1 I have taught more people to barefoot over 300lbs than anyone in the world and I invented techniques from my experiences that led to my No Fall Barefooting Method which people now use worldwide to learn to barefoot at super slow speeds and without falling!
The Easiest Way To Learn How to Barefoot explains this in an article format in my free Barefooting Tips ebook.
Almost anyone who has heard about barefooting has come across this formula:
Your Barefooting Speed = Your Weight /10 + 20 = mph needed to barefoot
Well, Phil Pfister found this formula and was terrified because here is what he calculated…
385lbs/10 = 38.5 + 20 = 58.5mph
YIKES! I would be terrified as well, but that is not how I roll. Check out this series of videos and see how I taught this gentle giant how to barefoot on the 7-foot rope at 35mph and more importantly… without falling!
“Practice does not make the athlete. It is the quality and intensity of practice that makes the athlete, not just repeated practicing.”
Ray Meyer, College Basketball Coach
“Lane,
Thanks for the e-mail asking what I would personally like to have help with. As for me, I feel comfortable at my current level. I have been using your video and coming along at a good pace. I will be down for personal instruction soon. The area I would like some help is in teaching first time barefooters. I have watched your tape and studied how you use the step off method. I have been able to get my wife up on Dawg Paws holding directly on to the boom off a wakeboard.
Do you think it would be easier for her to learn on her feet doing a step off? I have a Barefoot Nautique (V Drive) and the boom on those is not located in the best position. The boom is also kind of low and there is a good deal of spray. Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Bill Dolan”
As you know from the video, I used the step off method as the ideal way to teach beginners while on the boom only! The reason why I taught this method is that so many people get injured trying to tumble-up while holding directly on the the boom. The reason for these injuries is two-fold; first, they attempt too many starts and their grip gives out at the worst possible time. This leads to an untimely fall when they knew to hold on, but were unable. The second reason is that after tumbling around, they sit-up too far forward and their feet hit the water in a straight leg position causing their heels to dig in. This also causes a horrendous crash even though they know they will be safe if they do not let go of the boom. The problem is that this crash comes as such a surprise that it crushes them before getting to a safe butt glide position.
Since I published my instructional video, I have changed what I believe the best way to teach a beginner. By far the safest way to teach a beginner is to put them in a swing such as a barefoot slalom handle or even better yet, The Easy Footer (877 685-6270). The Easy Footer allows the skier the ultimate in safety as long as some guidelines are followed that are not included in the video that Mike Seiple ships with it.
#1 Boom Height: with the skier in the handle (sitting like they are on a swing with the handle on their tail-bone), the skier’s butt should be about an inch off the water while the boat is at a stand still. If it is not, adjust your boom height accordingly.
#2 Driving: The driver is responsible for the safety of the skier! As long as the skier knows not to take their hands off of the boom, the driver becomes the one responsible for the skiers safety. If the skier ever catches a toe or looses footing the driver must respond immediately by turning the boat in a direction away from the boom so the skier is lifted out of the water long enough to get back into their posture and glide. The driver may then lower the skier back into the driver using a gentle turn towards the skier until their feet are safely back in the water. A slightly arced boat path is very helpful for getting the boom height right where it is most helpful to the skier.
The worst case scenario is that the skier catches their toe, their feet get swept behind them, and the inattentive driver does not rectify the problem quickly enough by lifting the skier out of the water before the skier gets pulled into the boom. This is especially critical with smaller skiers such as children.
#3 Passengers: Many times passengers think they are helping me out by moving closer to the skier to put the boom lower. This in turn puts more weight on the skiers feet and not so much on the handle that they are sitting on. While this is a good idea in time and with attentive driving, warn the passengers to only help in a coordinated effort to keep the skier safe. The driver calls the shots and should ask for assistance when the boom should be lowered or raised. One thing that I ask of passengers is never to move quickly as this can cause too sudden of a change in the boom height for the skier. Also, I like at least one experienced passenger to carefully watch the skier with me so that if they fall, the passenger then immediately moves away from the boom in order to raise it along with my driving away from the skier to get them quickly out of a bad situation.
#4 Before first attempts: Always go over correct Posture and Glide so that the skier knows what the end position is to look like. Using the instructional video and dry-land practice, carefully go over a perfect Butt Glide and Three-point Position. It is critical that the skier has perfected this on dry-land before attempting it in the swing.
The best way to practice the butt glide is to hold a small Gatorade bottle between the legs as high above the knee as possible. This will keep the skier from opening the knees. Then have the skier extend the legs and lean back a bit until they are balanced on their butt without the use of a handle. Keep the feet and knees no more than six inches off the land (water). This balance point is the key to a great butt glide. This will take some abdominal strength so it is not a bad idea to get the sit-up program in gear. While in the Butt Glide position, practice keeping the handle next to the hips with the knuckles on the skiers’ legs.
To practice the Three-point Position on dry-land, go from handle tucked in to the handle up and out to the top of the knees while sitting forward, raising the knees and bring the heels wide and close to the outside of the hips. If this is done properly, the skier should never lose the bottle between the legs.
Once these steps have been practiced to perfection on land, have the skier sit in the swing and practice the Butt Glide and the Three-point Position in the handle BEFORE taking off.
When you feel the skiers confidence is good, have the skier lean back to a Butt Glide position holding their feet out of the water until you have accelerated enough to get the skier out of the chine spray (from the side of the boat). This speed should not exceed 20-25 mph for adults and 10-15 for small children. (Many times if I think the child is nervous, or if I am really concerned to gain some extra confidence between the skier and I, I simply put the boom high enough to allow the skier to assume a good position while the boat is at an idle. While doing this their should be a constant stream of praise and reinforcement while attending to good position and making sure the skier keeps the water line right below the ball of the foot consistently.) Then have the skier lift their knees without losing the bottle so that they can bring their heels back to their butt in a wide stance. Make sure the skiers’ ankles are fully flexed to keep the ball of the foot from pushing through.
After the skier is comfortable in the Three-point Position, and not before, have the skier squeeze their feet closer and stand to a good position as practiced on dry land.
Tips:
#1 Major dry-land practice
#2 Be alert with the driving so that at any given moment you can lift the skier out of the water if they catch a toe.
#3 Constantly monitor the attitude of the skier reassuring them that they can stop at any time if they are uncomfortable or nervous. Do not push the skier at this stage! This is simply a confidence outing and the skiers good state of mind (happiness), and most importantly their safety, is quintessential.
#4 Slower is almost always better than faster, when it comes to boat speeds!
#5 A carefully planned outing that has nothing but good vibes is the key to keeping the skier interested in barefooting. Most barefooters are very tough and they try to force toughness on family members and friends who do not appreciate it or do not respond well to it. Remember, it is always better to end the set one pass too early than one pass too late. I know I have been successful when the skier does not want to stop. This is a good thing!
Good luck to you in either learning or teaching someone else to barefoot in this manner which I believe to be the safest when the proper homework is done!
Please help me out and forward this to as many footers or even potential footers as you can. This will help to make this newsletter a BIG success! We want everyone to have a GREAT chance to achieve their own miracles!
I am available to personally help you achieve your skiing goals by calling 877-685-6270 or visit our website @ https://thefootersedge.com. Feel free to email me personally with any requests that you have and I will try to make time to help you achieve your true potential!
2006 MasterCraft X7 Barefoot International Boom Options If you have a 2006 MasterCraft X7 and you want to know which barefoot boom fits your boat, you came to the right place. We specialize in helping families learn to water ski, wakeboard, and barefoot water ski without falling and at super slow speeds. The Boom is …
Who would have thought that a wetsuit could unleash your barefooting potential? The Fly High Barefoot Suit is not just the world’s best barefoot suit. It is also the safest suit available for water skiing, wakeboarding, and slalom needs! With a money-back guarantee, you have nothing to lose. The difference is in how it’s …
Barefoot International’s Twas the Night Before Christmas an actual account of a visit from St. Nicholas by Lanemus Maximus from Barefoot International “Twas the night before Christmas and out on my lake Not a creature was stirring, not even a …
Is There a Weight Limit on Barefoot International Booms?
Is There a Weight Limit on Barefoot International Booms?
People for years have asked if there is a weight limit on Barefoot International Booms? It is a great question. Who would want to invest in a boom only to find out that they can’t pull uncle Bob up on his slalom ski as he tips the weight at 270lbs after finishing off all the leftovers at your lake house?
Is There a Weight Limit on Barefoot International Booms? If it is not one of ours, your dam right there is. For years, we have pulled as many as 5 people at the same time squeezed together on one of our booms, but when I was about to take on my next student, I definitely thought alot about what is the weight limit on Barefoot International Booms. I called Mike Seipel just to be sure I was not making a grave error…
Let me make one thing clear, I had my doubts about what I was about to take on when 6′ 8″ 385lb 2006 World’s Strongest Man, Phil Pfister, approached me about learning to barefoot.
I also need to make sure you understand that I would not take on something like this without first asking me or Mike Seipel because this could have gone VERY wrong if the wrong people were doing what I was about to do here.
In the hands of the wrong people, the wrong equipment, the wrong boat driver, the wrong conditions, this would have been a fiasco…
Try this on ANY OTHER BOOM except our Barefoot International Boom, and I promise you, it will fold like cheap lawn furniture under the full weight of Uncle Bob!
#1 I have taught more people to barefoot over 300lbs than anyone in the world and I invented techniques from my experiences that led to my No Fall Barefooting Method which people now use worldwide to learn to barefoot at super slow speeds and without falling!
The Easiest Way To Learn How to Barefoot explains this in an article format in my free Barefooting Tips ebook.
YIKES! I would be terrified as well, but that is not how I roll. Check out this series of videos and see how I taught this gentle giant how to barefoot on the 7-foot rope at 35mph and more importantly… without falling!
“Practice does not make the athlete. It is the quality and intensity of practice that makes the athlete, not just repeated practicing.”
Ray Meyer, College Basketball Coach
“Lane,
Thanks for the e-mail asking what I would personally like to have help with. As for me, I feel comfortable at my current level. I have been using your video and coming along at a good pace. I will be down for personal instruction soon. The area I would like some help is in teaching first time barefooters. I have watched your tape and studied how you use the step off method. I have been able to get my wife up on Dawg Paws holding directly on to the boom off a wakeboard.
Do you think it would be easier for her to learn on her feet doing a step off? I have a Barefoot Nautique (V Drive) and the boom on those is not located in the best position. The boom is also kind of low and there is a good deal of spray. Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Bill Dolan”
As you know from the video, I used the step off method as the ideal way to teach beginners while on the boom only! The reason why I taught this method is that so many people get injured trying to tumble-up while holding directly on the the boom. The reason for these injuries is two-fold; first, they attempt too many starts and their grip gives out at the worst possible time. This leads to an untimely fall when they knew to hold on, but were unable. The second reason is that after tumbling around, they sit-up too far forward and their feet hit the water in a straight leg position causing their heels to dig in. This also causes a horrendous crash even though they know they will be safe if they do not let go of the boom. The problem is that this crash comes as such a surprise that it crushes them before getting to a safe butt glide position.
Since I published my instructional video, I have changed what I believe the best way to teach a beginner. By far the safest way to teach a beginner is to put them in a swing such as a barefoot slalom handle or even better yet, The Easy Footer (877 685-6270). The Easy Footer allows the skier the ultimate in safety as long as some guidelines are followed that are not included in the video that Mike Seiple ships with it.
#1 Boom Height: with the skier in the handle (sitting like they are on a swing with the handle on their tail-bone), the skier’s butt should be about an inch off the water while the boat is at a stand still. If it is not, adjust your boom height accordingly.
#2 Driving: The driver is responsible for the safety of the skier! As long as the skier knows not to take their hands off of the boom, the driver becomes the one responsible for the skiers safety. If the skier ever catches a toe or looses footing the driver must respond immediately by turning the boat in a direction away from the boom so the skier is lifted out of the water long enough to get back into their posture and glide. The driver may then lower the skier back into the driver using a gentle turn towards the skier until their feet are safely back in the water. A slightly arced boat path is very helpful for getting the boom height right where it is most helpful to the skier.
The worst case scenario is that the skier catches their toe, their feet get swept behind them, and the inattentive driver does not rectify the problem quickly enough by lifting the skier out of the water before the skier gets pulled into the boom. This is especially critical with smaller skiers such as children.
#3 Passengers: Many times passengers think they are helping me out by moving closer to the skier to put the boom lower. This in turn puts more weight on the skiers feet and not so much on the handle that they are sitting on. While this is a good idea in time and with attentive driving, warn the passengers to only help in a coordinated effort to keep the skier safe. The driver calls the shots and should ask for assistance when the boom should be lowered or raised. One thing that I ask of passengers is never to move quickly as this can cause too sudden of a change in the boom height for the skier. Also, I like at least one experienced passenger to carefully watch the skier with me so that if they fall, the passenger then immediately moves away from the boom in order to raise it along with my driving away from the skier to get them quickly out of a bad situation.
#4 Before first attempts: Always go over correct Posture and Glide so that the skier knows what the end position is to look like. Using the instructional video and dry-land practice, carefully go over a perfect Butt Glide and Three-point Position. It is critical that the skier has perfected this on dry-land before attempting it in the swing.
The best way to practice the butt glide is to hold a small Gatorade bottle between the legs as high above the knee as possible. This will keep the skier from opening the knees. Then have the skier extend the legs and lean back a bit until they are balanced on their butt without the use of a handle. Keep the feet and knees no more than six inches off the land (water). This balance point is the key to a great butt glide. This will take some abdominal strength so it is not a bad idea to get the sit-up program in gear. While in the Butt Glide position, practice keeping the handle next to the hips with the knuckles on the skiers’ legs.
To practice the Three-point Position on dry-land, go from handle tucked in to the handle up and out to the top of the knees while sitting forward, raising the knees and bring the heels wide and close to the outside of the hips. If this is done properly, the skier should never lose the bottle between the legs.
Once these steps have been practiced to perfection on land, have the skier sit in the swing and practice the Butt Glide and the Three-point Position in the handle BEFORE taking off.
When you feel the skiers confidence is good, have the skier lean back to a Butt Glide position holding their feet out of the water until you have accelerated enough to get the skier out of the chine spray (from the side of the boat). This speed should not exceed 20-25 mph for adults and 10-15 for small children. (Many times if I think the child is nervous, or if I am really concerned to gain some extra confidence between the skier and I, I simply put the boom high enough to allow the skier to assume a good position while the boat is at an idle. While doing this their should be a constant stream of praise and reinforcement while attending to good position and making sure the skier keeps the water line right below the ball of the foot consistently.) Then have the skier lift their knees without losing the bottle so that they can bring their heels back to their butt in a wide stance. Make sure the skiers’ ankles are fully flexed to keep the ball of the foot from pushing through.
After the skier is comfortable in the Three-point Position, and not before, have the skier squeeze their feet closer and stand to a good position as practiced on dry land.
Tips:
#1 Major dry-land practice
#2 Be alert with the driving so that at any given moment you can lift the skier out of the water if they catch a toe.
#3 Constantly monitor the attitude of the skier reassuring them that they can stop at any time if they are uncomfortable or nervous. Do not push the skier at this stage! This is simply a confidence outing and the skiers good state of mind (happiness), and most importantly their safety, is quintessential.
#4 Slower is almost always better than faster, when it comes to boat speeds!
#5 A carefully planned outing that has nothing but good vibes is the key to keeping the skier interested in barefooting. Most barefooters are very tough and they try to force toughness on family members and friends who do not appreciate it or do not respond well to it. Remember, it is always better to end the set one pass too early than one pass too late. I know I have been successful when the skier does not want to stop. This is a good thing!
#6 Make sure you have a great boom because this put a tremendous amount of pressure on the boom. The safest boom out there is available for FREE Shipping for my members at our equipment page.
Good luck to you in either learning or teaching someone else to barefoot in this manner which I believe to be the safest when the proper homework is done!
Let me know how you do!! Email me your success stories!
Please help me out and forward this to as many footers or even potential footers as you can. This will help to make this newsletter a BIG success! We want everyone to have a GREAT chance to achieve their own miracles!
I am available to personally help you achieve your skiing goals by calling 877-685-6270 or visit our website @ https://thefootersedge.com. Feel free to email me personally with any requests that you have and I will try to make time to help you achieve your true potential!
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