Water Skiing

Water skiing is definitely the epitome of water fun! This water sport has the added benefit of providing a complete upper and lower body workout. It simply involves a towboat pulling you along as you skim through water. Many parks have a cable system, which you grab onto that pulls you around a lake too.

After you get the basics down, you can advance to the challenge of trick skiing, slalom skiing (using one ski), ski jumping and even racing.

Learning is easy and can the basics can be learned on still water without worrying what do when a wave comes! There are a lot of books and videos to teach more advanced techniques, including slalom skiing and jumping and performing tricks.

A complete upper and lower body workout!
Water skiing builds upper body strength, as you work the strain against the ropes using your back, shoulders and arms. The lower body gets toned up quickly when you control direction and bend/half-squat to ride waves.

Once you are jumping and riding waves, join a water skiing club! You don’t have to be an expert or even intermediate water skier to join a club and most simply divide the groups according to different levels.

Let’s look at what you need to get started.

First - you'll need a boat that can reach speeds of at least 20 to 25 miles per hour.

Second - you'll need skis. There are several types of water skis to fit different styles of skiing. Combination skis are the easiest to use and are recommended for beginners. They are wider on each foot to increase stability. Slalom skis are used for skiing with only one ski at faster speeds and are recommended for more advanced to expert skiers. Trick skies are short and wide and do not have fins, making them harder to control but easier to turn and slide. They are recommended for intermediate to expert skiers.
What else do you need?

Ropes and Handles - a typical water ski rope will be 70 to 75 feet long and strong enough to hold 800 pounds.

Wetsuit and Lifejacket - life jackets are recommended for water-skiing due to their ability to turn unconscious swimmers face-up. Wetsuits can also be beneficial for cushioning hard falls and provide warmth.

Safety Equipment - An orange flag is required in all ski boats. It is used to signal other boats when someone is in the water. Goggles are also highly recommended.