Stance or posture is a critical element that would determine an athlete’s success in any given board sport. So, it would help if you determined your most natural stance before you begin surfing, skating, wakeboarding etc.
As a rule of thumb, any limb you would subconsciously place at the back of the board is your dominant limb and this limb supplies momentum for steering as you sport. While the other limb you put in the front of the board merely guides and balances the force from your dominant limb.
The relevance of understanding your stance as a sportsman cannot be overemphasized; therefore, pay attention at this stage to get it right and regardless of the suggestions from experts, ‘ stick to what works best for you.
What Is A Regular Foot?
We say someone has a regular foot if he straps into his snowboard when his left leg leads with his right leg behind. This boarding stance is the most popular among athletes.
What Is A Goofy Foot?
An athlete is a goofy border if when he mounts his snowboard, he always places his right leg in front and his left leg behind. This goofy stance is also called ‘ fakie’ riding. The goofy name stems from Walt Disney Cartoon Character Goofy, who placed his right limb forward as he surfed in a TV show, the Hawaiian Holiday.
It was also previously thought that the regular foot borders were more than the goofy borders. Still, it is generally accepted now that the numbers of goofy and regular foot borders are equal.
How to Determine Your Stance?
Determining your stance can be much easier than you anticipated. If you wish to know your natural board stance, then carry out any of the following:
- Place a soccer ball on the floor some distance away, run towards the ball and instinctively kick it. The foot that kicked the ball, whether left or right, is your dominant foot and is what you should place at the back of your board the next time you mount it. While the other foot that was firm on the floor after your kick is your least dominant foot and should be placed on the front of the board when you mount.
- Put on a pair of socks and try skidding on a smooth-surfaced floor. The foot you put out first to gain control over your slide is your front foot that you should place in front as you board. You might also try this test in a different setting, like a snow-covered landscape. After you have slid successfully, the position you stopped tells of the exact posture you would need when you strap on your board.
- Thirdly, with your eyes closed and your limbs placed together, you could ask a friend of yours to push you from behind gently. This push applied to your body would cause you to move forward unplanned. The point you should note here is what foot your body puts out first before the other? That foot is your dominant foot and should be placed at the back when you board so that it can give you balance.
Conclusion
Now that you have been able to identify your snowboarding stance, keep at it, master it and consider ride switching. To ride switch means to be able to use your dominant and less dominant stances easily. Yes, you may not see the use now, but firm control over ride switching will improve your athletic performance and provide you the basis for becoming a pro setting you among the Badass snowboarders.
