Forward loop help, with many videos

manuel · Joined: 08 Oct 2007 Posts: 1158

In my case I have started doing loop exercises without the board. While I was skeptical before trying them, it has helped quite a bit to understand a few things.

At first I was slamming the water pretty hard, it reminded me of wymaroo exercises and was unpleasant. Then I looked to get the sail more powered sheeting out and throwing the mast into the wind while sheeting in. Similar to trying to water start in very light wind. This provided enough lift for me not to slam the water anymore. Now I was craving for more power into the sail looking for stronger gusts (sub planing winds).

The exercise helped me get used to a few things:
- sailing with both my hands back
- sail downwind and sheet out
- throw mast upwind and sheet in to fill the sail with power
- acquire rear foot tucking under habit

Now I feel way more comfortable about what to expect and even what to do to extract more power and rotate faster.

Maybe some loop exercise riders can contribute and let us know whether it's helped them develop better loop sail handing as I feel it's helping me at least get an idea of what to expect.

30knotwind · Joined: 30 Aug 2005 Posts: 239 Location: White Salmon, WA

Thanks Kevinkan, I traveled to Maui last week and took the Pritchard clinic. Mostly sailed light wind waves, but tried a couple forwards and improved my crashes--no medic needed on the last one. I think I am nearly there. May try in the Gorge this weekend. Seems that the real trick to it is 'punching' the front hand forward AND sheeting in with the backhand.

brettn · Joined: 22 Nov 2000 Posts: 114

I like to pull up on the front strap as I'm going up the ramp, to get my body weight coming forward on takeoff. It's the opposite of letting yourself fall over backwards on a stock air, so it doesn't over rotate.

I'm not sure any amount of all the aforementioned techniques are sufficient to overcome a bunch of backwards rotation you're going to have, if you take off like you're going to do a stock air.

harris52 · Joined: 11 May 1998 Posts: 125

So I'm too lazy to read through this thread, but I'd say there were three keys to my learning them.

1) Try them. You have to get used to trying them and losing your fear. This is the only limiting factor why not many people do them. So if you aren't doing them, just keep trying. It gets easier the more you try.
2) Front arm straight because it helps throw you around and you don't have a pulled in sail on top of you after you landed screwing up your waterstart. It keeps your sail upright after landing.
3) Once you are confident trying them, try them in lots of wind. It'll chuck you around even if you haven't learned the full commitment yet. My first ones made were done overpowered.

manuel · Joined: 08 Oct 2007 Posts: 1158

Any update?

30knotwind · Joined: 30 Aug 2005 Posts: 239 Location: White Salmon, WA

Hey Manuel, thanks for checking on my progress.

I did a clinic with Matt Pritchard in October, but the wind was mostly light and I was more focused on wave training, since I can't get that kind of instruction on the Oregon coast. Winter in the Gorge has me focused on other things, i.e. snow, so I'll resume loop learning next spring--big ice cream headache rewards for crashes at Rooster right now.

That said, I think I have the concept down and I'm eager to try again. Matt P says to "punch" your front hand forward, which got me out of the traumatic crash cycle I was in this autumn.

I see you have been pursuing the loop too, good luck!

I am running this video through my head over and over for inspiration!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxorJyd8P4U&feature=youtu.be

manuel · Joined: 08 Oct 2007 Posts: 1158

Thanks for the update!

Yes on the punching, the more upwind you punch the more sideways the rotation, the more downwind you punch the more endo you go!

I can now do really nice strapless catapults repetitively with full force, I just need to find the courage to do them when jumping! It's helped me to do the exercises with some speed (10knots) and timed with a nice ramp, this put me as much in the situation. It feels like I have the sequence of events "programmed in." But you are probably passed this stage.

I liked the video which has full planing loops, you can see that they punch forward as the board lifts off. I like the Sam Ross' video for the angle it shows, we can see where the mast is thrown and its angle through the rotation.

swchandler · Joined: 08 Nov 1993 Posts: 10588

manuel, I'm guessing that when you finally try to loop with your feet hooked in you'll find that the board will just follow you around. As an old guy who would never even try a loop, your out of the straps attempts appear to be a gamble beyond my years. Take a chance and stay in those straps, I'm thinking that you're that close.

J64TWB · Joined: 24 Dec 2013 Posts: 1685

Another good angle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0G_wA38HkI

30knotwind · Joined: 30 Aug 2005 Posts: 239 Location: White Salmon, WA

I do not like that Sam Ross says "the rig must move towards the wind".

This is wrong. The rig must move straight ahead or downwind. I used his instruction earlier and it was counter-productive because if you move the rig INTO the wind it depowers everything making rotation impossible.

Instead--I learned the hard way--the rig must move straight ahead or downwind to maximize power and rotation.

NOTICE BELOW that my sail stays in the same position/angle, I get no push downwind because I sliced the mast into the wind. The other guy is getting whipped around because he is powered.