regular or goofy?

thanks to all for the previous round of slowboard advice. it really made a difference.

next question...

i've been riding regular footed for no particular reason. it seems relatively comfortable. however, how do you REALLY know whether you should be riding regular or goofy? i've tried all the tricks i've read... sliding across the floor in your socks to see which foot goes forward, letting yourself fall backwards and see which foot jumps out first. it's really pretty random with me. i go both ways (slooooow pitch).
i have little problem riding the board switch, it's just not as easy when your feet are pointed the wrong way.
i'm guessing the only way to know for sure is reverse the bindings and see how it feels?

The way my husband set me up is he told me to run and pretend I'm going to kick a ball. The foot you kick w/ is supposedly your forward foot.

I was initially set up regular but have switched to goofy now. I still can't ride for shit though, but am hoping for some local snow so I can get out on the golf course and practice!
Sprite

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Originally posted by snowsprite
The way my husband set me up is he told me to run and pretend I'm going to kick a ball. The foot you kick w/ is supposedly your forward foot.

I was initially set up regular but have switched to goofy now. I still can't ride for shit though, but am hoping for some local snow so I can get out on the golf course and practice!
Sprite

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I think the reason why you're having difficulty could be that I was always taught that it was your standing foot when conducting that exercise that should be the forward foot.

have someone push you square in the shoulders backwards, whichever foot goes back that is your back foot.

This has been by far the best way I have ever found to figure goofy or regular.

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Originally posted by bad_roo
I think the reason why you're having difficulty could be that I was always taught that it was your standing foot when conducting that exercise that should be the forward foot.

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That's what I was tought by our snowboard rental guys. This was 13 years ago, however. Maybe that's "Old School" now. ;)

Just buy a true twin-tip board, set up your feet "new school" style: centered, shoulder width stance, toes slightly pointing outward equally... and just shred whichever way suits you at the moment. If you're truly ambidextrous in your legs, so much the better!

f*ck it, just mount your bindings duck footed. Sounds like you're somewhat balanced and can go both ways easily *snicker*. But honestly, if you can ride with either foot forward from the get go you're already a step ahead.

I ride regular with my front foot at 9-12 degrees forward, rear foot at 3-6 degrees backward.

I agree with Roo, the foot you stand on goes in front the foot you strike the ball with goes in back.


Jibij I think you should reverse your bindings and try a day riding the other way. If you have a skateboard around the house try that out and see which way feels most comfortable. Good luck !

Dammit!

I (generally) kick a ball with my right foot . . . .
It's been a while, but I skate right foot forward . . . .
I waterski right foot forward . . . .
I snowboard right foot forward . . . .

Since I was a young'un I've always skated right foot forward. For water play, I was taught that standing with feet together (hip width) you push someone from the back and whichever foot they put forward to catch themselves is their forward foot.

And now, I'm reading that I should be riding left foot forward?? because my left foot is my "standing" foot when kicking the aforementioned ball??? :(

Unlike everybody else on this board that's an expert rider :rolleyes: I don't snowboard that well and I certainly don't relish the idea of starting over.

Hey inspector what's with the "expert" sarcasm ? The devices we are talking about using are a good but of course not perfect way of determining reg or goofy so lighten up

If you don't do any other board sports then it probably doesn't matter. And even if, I know a guy back east who skates regular and rides goofy, and he rips.

Test it oot, and remember, like skiing there's not going to be any quick fix. Just, like, practice and stuff.

Oh, and also remember: Snowboarding's gay, so it's OK to go both ways.


J-

Really! i am not kidding.
I found out i am goofy when i tried to stand on a surfboard.
I never tgought about it( i bodyboarded a bit before), but when i tried to stand up and was so happy i didnt fall and drink another liter of saltwater again, i suddenly noticed my right foot was in front.

But i guess since its winter the football trick will do. ;)

ditto on the skateboard thing. the potential pain of falling onto the concrete will probably force your brain to decide which stance to use.

interestingly, i have always skated/surfed/snowboarded goofy, but when i "push" my skateboard i do this weird switch-stance thing where i push like a regular (left foot in front, pushing with right foot) then switch to goofy for riding. go figure. problem is, this leads to difficulties skating on a snowboard where your lead foot is locked down. too bad snowboarding isn't like it used to be where the ski areas wouldn't let us ride there and we had to hike for all our turns...

i'm going skiing now. werd.

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Originally posted by el_jefe
this leads to difficulties skating on a snowboard where your lead foot is locked down.

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Why don't you just unbuckle your front foot when skating around?


J-

i think i'm slightly more regular, than goofy (story of my life). but i want to be sure i'm getting all i can out of the experience, so i'm just going to try duck footed again, see how that feels and then reverse the bindings for full-on goofiness.

thanks all.

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Originally posted by board
Hey inspector what's with the "expert" sarcasm ?

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Honestly? My sarcasm is part self-deprecation and part astonishment. It has nothing to do with the tools one might use for determining whether you're goofy or regular.

As a snowboarder, I'm a bigger threat to myself than any of the hot riders out there. And, while I would like to be a better rider, I am reluctant to start the process over. Poor me - maybe I should stick to skiing - Boo-hoo.



Damn, I hate editing to correct spelling airers.

don't ride duckfoot. fuckin stupid.

...and if you want me to tell you why, i will, but Honc has heard it a million times, so i will hold off...

jibij -

my 2 cents - do what feels most comfortable, but get proficient riding both directions. Personally, I don't think there's a right or wrong foot forward for each person. Typically, it just comes down to which feels better. I snowboard goofy and surf regular. Bizarre, I know, but for some reason on the hill I want to be facing left and in the water I want to be facing right. strange.

I don't think you should mount your bindings duck footed. Again, in my opinion, I'd advocate that you set them up in a pretty standard position that will give you the most leverage/advantage to make solid turns, but still to be able to ride switch when you want to . maybe 15 front, 6 in the back. You'll have enough angle to make good turns, but when you ride switch you'll still be able to cut good turns.

Mostly, do what feels comfortable and fun.

gonzo... i'm interested, why not duckfooted?

wsd... yea, i figgered the answer was to just get out and try stuff and see what feels best. i hate wasting days doing something stupid though, which is why i wanna know why duck is no good.

tap... you're such a Potsie. :D

Although this can be a can of worms amongst snowboarders, most PT's/athletic trainers/Dr.s say that it is bad for your knees but there are also plenty of boarders who swear that it is biomechanically ( sp? ) correct for them. I personally would go with the Doc's advice. I hate duck foot, I ride 18 in the front and 3 in the rear. This feels good going forward and switch to me.

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don't ride duckfoot. fuckin stupid.

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Why's that? I do, have for years, and so do plenty others.

Something I don't know?

edit-

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most PT's/athletic trainers/Dr.s say that it is bad for your knees

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Really? Haven't ever heard that, but there's always room for more. I've been on a board for 14 years, set with a slight negative angle on my rear foot for the past 8 or so. No noticeable consistant pain in either knee so far.

I love it, and wouldn't change even if it were conclusively bad for da knees. I'm (((almost))) to the point where I'm as good fakie as regular. Feels solid to me.

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Originally posted by board
Although this can be a can of worms amongst snowboarders, most PT's/athletic trainers/Dr.s say that it is bad for your knees but there are also plenty of boarders who swear that it is biomechanically ( sp? ) correct for them. I personally would go with the Doc's advice. I hate duck foot, I ride 18 in the front and 3 in the rear. This feels good going forward and switch to me.

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I don't feel like I'm in total control if I am at 0's or duck foot. I ride about 15 in the front and 10 in the rear, regular foot. I kick a ball with my right foot. I learned on a 173 square tail Burton with plate bindings and hardboots, so the so called "racing" set up on the bindings feels right to me. Now on a 163 with Salomon S4 bindings, which have a very wide strap over the ankle to reduce the pressure in that area. I love em.

BUT, the way I have my bindings, I can't ride switch very good at all. But that is also ok with me as I'm a tree/pow monkey and not much into tricks at all.

But I'm no expert either. Do what feels right. If you can ride either way without any problems, that will simply make you a better boarder quicker, as you will feel comfortable both ways.

Oh, and snowboarding is gay. :p

-Buzz Boarder :D

So Mickey & Minnie are having marriage problems,

Mickey goes to a therapist for help & tells the Dr' all the issues
concluding with & Doc recently, well she's been fuckin goofy.

The doc replies,
Mickey we all have our eccentricities, hell you wear pants & white gloves, cut her a little slack.


Mickey replies no shes FUCKIN GOOFY!
http://www.wethefans.com/goofy.jpg

the other thing to remember is that how you mount your bindings can change - daily, for some people. Depending on what you want to do, how you want to ride, the conditions, etc. Unlike skiing where you really won't be shifting things around much, so it's more important to get dialed in from the beginning, on a snowboard you may change things to accomodate your riding.

If you want to spend time in the park, and will be taking off/landing switch, duck footed may make more sense. If you're in deep powder, mounting your bindings further back on the board will help. If you think you'll be carving, you'll want to up the angles on both your front and back foot.

Carry a tool with you, and try to remember what settings you like (including the width of your stance) and then just play around.

bump for gonzo...
i really want to hear your shpiel on duck-footedness dood.

btw... that shot of you dropping off the cliff at the last summit whilst tweaking the mute has been my desktop for the last couple weeks. you are the wind beneath my wings man.
(damn... snowboarding IS gay)

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