When learning board sports like skateboarding and snowboarding, the first thing you need to figure out is your stance. There are two possible stances—regular foot and goofy foot. Both stances are valid, although regular foot does tend to be more common. We chatted with certified snowboarding instructor Kent Bry to tell you the difference, show you how to find and confirm your stance, and get you started on your boarding journey with balance practice.
Determining Your Board Stance
Find your stance by standing straight with your feet together, then have a friend push you gently from behind. Whichever foot moves forward to catch you is likely your dominant foot, and goes on the back of your board.
Steps
Confirming Your Stance
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Stand on the board and have someone gently push you. Get on the board and put the foot you think is dominant in the back and the other forward. Have a friend stand behind you. Once you're on, grab your friend's hands to steady yourself. Have them slowly push or pull you in the direction of your lead foot to see how it feels. [8] X Research source
- Then switch feet and try out your other foot as the lead.
- Do this several times until you're sure which stance is the most comfortable for you.
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Test how your dominant foot performs while riding. Bry suggests trying both stances to see which feels most comfortable. [9] X Expert Source Kent Bry
Certified Ski & Snowboarding Instructor Expert Interview. 24 July 2020. Find a nice, open space where you can work easily. Mount your board very carefully, putting what you think is your dominant foot in its position at the back of the board. Then, try riding! Push off gently on a skateboard, or find a slight slope on a snowboard, and get going.- How does it feel? Are you comfortable? Does it feel natural or awkward?
- Now switch the position of your feet and try it the other way. Does that feel more or less comfortable?
- Make sure to wear a helmet and protective gear!
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Stick to your confirmed stance until you’re comfortable. Once you've figured out your stance, stick to it until you’re totally comfortable and can ride that way without thinking about it, just to get the fundamentals down. Once you’re confident, feel free to try riding in the other stance to mix things up.
- Your stance for one board sport will most likely be your dominant stance for all other board sports, such as windsurfing, snowboarding, wakeboarding and so on.
- If you already know your stance, it makes learning another board sport that much easier!
Getting Your Balance
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Stand on your board on a level surface. Start out on a level surface. Stand on your board with your feet about shoulder-width apart on a skateboard. [10] X Research source Stand a little wider on a snowboard. Then, bend your knees, shimmy a little—the idea here is just to get comfortable being on your board and learning where to put your balance.
- Remember: a lower center of gravity means more stability, so bend those knees.
- Shift your weight back and forth a bit so that the board moves slightly, and practice keeping your center of gravity over the center of the board.
- When you first start out, being on the board feels a little awkward no matter how you're standing on it. Once your stance is stable, you'll start feeling more comfortable.
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Practice pushing off on a skateboard, or stopping on a snowboard. Once you feel stable, incorporate a little motion. While riding a skateboard : use your back, dominant foot to step off the board and push forward off the ground, then bring your foot back onto the board. Go slowly at first, and make small pushes until it feels comfortable.
- While riding a snowboard , forward motion comes with a slope, not pushing. Practice sliding down easy, slight slopes, and stopping yourself with a heel turn—shift your weight to your heels until the board turns perpendicular to the hill, and you stop.
- Make sure you are pushing smoothly and with confidence. By now, you’ll probably feel absolutely sure about whether you are a regular or goofy foot.
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Avoid pushing with your front foot on a skateboard. “Mongo foot” is when you use the front foot to push yourself on a skateboard while the back foot stays on the board. [11] X Research source It’s sometimes tempting for beginners, but it throws off your balance and limits your mobility, so stay away from this technique.
- If you catch yourself being a mongo foot, try to break yourself of it before it becomes too habitual.
Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow do you know which foot is dominant?Kent Bry is a certified ski and snowboarding instructor and the director of Adventure Ski & Snowboard, a school based in the San Diego, California metro area. With over 50 years of skiing and snowboarding performance and instruction experience, Kent is certified by the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA). Adventure Ski & Snowboard is a member of the PSIA and the American Association of Snowboard Instructors (AASI). Kent holds a BS in Recreational Therapy from San Diego State University and is also a California-registered recreational therapist.A good test is to have a friend come up behind you and gently push you forward. Whichever foot you step out with to catch yourself is probably your dominant foot.
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QuestionMy right foot is my dominant foot, but I prefer to ride with my left foot in the back of my board. Is this okay?Nishat BlaghCommunity AnswerThat's fine, everyone has different preferences with what we find comfortable.
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QuestionIs there anything wrong with being goofy-footed?Community AnswerAbsolutely not -- it just means you are more likely to be left-handed, or you just feel more comfortable riding that way.
Tips
- Make sure to wear proper safety gear whenever you ride a skateboard, snowboard, surfboard, or any other board.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
- I'm left footed but ride goofy. There's no right or wrong stance. Whichever feels best for you is the one you should use.
- Some of the world's best snowboarders ride goofy! It's not better or worse, but it does often impress other people.
Video
References
- ↑ Kent Bry. Certified Ski & Snowboarding Instructor. Expert Interview. 14 July 2020.
- ↑ https://snowboardhow.com/goofy-vs-regular/
- ↑ Kent Bry. Certified Ski & Snowboarding Instructor. Expert Interview. 24 July 2020.
- ↑ https://snowboardhow.com/goofy-vs-regular/
- ↑ https://snowboardhow.com/goofy-vs-regular/
- ↑ https://www.dopesnow.com/mag/goofy-vs-regular/#goofy-or-regular
- ↑ https://www.dopesnow.com/mag/goofy-vs-regular/#goofy-or-regular
- ↑ https://www.skateboardershq.com/goofy-or-regular/
- ↑ Kent Bry. Certified Ski & Snowboarding Instructor. Expert Interview. 24 July 2020.
About This Article
The easiest way to figure out whether you’re regular or goofy foot is to do the “slide” test. Put on your thickest, slipperiest socks and find a smooth surface, like a hardwood floor. Once you’ve found a good spot, get a running start and slide across the surface and see where your feet land. Usually, the foot that you put in front will be your dominant foot when you skateboard or snowboard. If your right foot is dominant, that means you’re regular foot and should stand on your board with your right foot on the back. Alternatively, if your left foot is dominant, you’ll ride goofy with it near the tail. To confirm your test, hop on a board and try out both positions, noting which one feels more comfortable. For more help, like how to perfect your stance, read on!
Reader Success Stories
- "I am a 13-year-old goofy-footed, surfer. I was curious to find out since I am right handed, then am I really goofy footed or does my mind just make me think I am since my right hand is my dominant hand? This helped a lot." ..." more