# Goofy vs Regular



## KnoxBoarderX (Aug 26, 2011)

If you longboard goofy and feel comfortable, stay goofy on your snowboard.


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## BigmountainVMD (Oct 9, 2011)

Stay goofy, you want the weak knee in front.


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## Snowboard_Otaku (Oct 12, 2011)

Sorry to piggie back ur post but what's the best way you think to figure out for someone who is new to snowboarding to figure out if they are regular or goofy ? Because I know many people who have right Dom foot to kick soccer balls and such but they feel more comfortable goofy which places their Dom foot in front


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## KnoxBoarderX (Aug 26, 2011)

Snowboard_Otaku said:


> Sorry to piggie back ur post but what's the best way you think to figure out for someone who is new to snowboarding to figure out if they are regular or goofy ? Because I know many people who have right Dom foot to kick soccer balls and such but they feel more comfortable goofy which places their Dom foot in front


http://snowboarding.transworld.net/1000187373/how-to/how-to-find-out-if-you-snowboard-regular-or-goofy/


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## krankedmusic (Nov 15, 2012)

What ever is most comfortable. Got a bummed left knee I keep that one in the rear never really had any issues.


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## gjsnowboarder (Sep 1, 2009)

The dominant foot should be the lead foot on a snowboard. If it isn't most likely the rider is riding and steering from the back of board which while it can be effective, isn't efficient.

Your dominant foot is the foot that you most feel comfortable balancing on. if you make contact with a soccer ball kicking it with your right foot,the it typically will be the left foot ( or regular). if you wakeboard, long board it usually the same stance. I would stay with the goofy stance since that is what you are comfortable with already long boarding. Don't worry about all the other tests. You already participate in a sideways sport so stay with that. Some people are so close/even it really doesn't matter. It would be a good idea to ride switch a lot. It will make you versatile.


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## EatMyTracers (Sep 26, 2012)

I am regular in everything else and even snowboarded regular for a pretty long time but I am actually goofy. So I say go out and try both and see what you are more comfortable with.


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## zeeden (Sep 29, 2008)

i started out learning to ride goofy but i couldn't seem to link my turns comfortably. I tried regular and it was night and day. 

You should try both and feel whats more comfortable. Since you are starting to learn i'm pretty sure will be riding both ways anyways since you won't know how to turn yet.


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## Sick-Pow (May 5, 2008)

gjsnowboarder said:


> The dominant foot should be the lead foot on a snowboard. If it isn't most likely the rider is riding and steering from the back of board which while it can be effective, isn't efficient.
> 
> Your dominant foot is the foot that you most feel comfortable balancing on.


That is not always the case. Many old schoolers ride with a dominate rear foot, and make more back foot turns. Surfing can be more rear foot dominated too.

I personally am goofy, and my front foot is dominate. I skateboard and surf goofy, so that helps. I find my style is both rear foot in the deep pow, and pretty much neutral in all other conditions. With some of the new dual rocker and tapered shapes ( Never Summer Summit), I feel REALLY comfortable riding basically centered in the deep pow. It is truly revolutionary.

The whole sliding on the wood floor trick works for many. More athletic dudes can go both ways, and they should go with what feels more comfortable when skating to the lift, or if they ride a true twin etc....

pray for snow.


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## boarderaholic (Aug 13, 2007)

gjsnowboarder said:


> The dominant foot should be the lead foot on a snowboard. If it isn't most likely the rider is riding and steering from the back of board which while it can be effective, isn't efficient.
> 
> Your dominant foot is the foot that you most feel comfortable balancing on. if you make contact with a soccer ball kicking it with your right foot,the it typically will be the left foot ( or regular). if you wakeboard, long board it usually the same stance. I would stay with the goofy stance since that is what you are comfortable with already long boarding. Don't worry about all the other tests. You already participate in a sideways sport so stay with that. Some people are so close/even it really doesn't matter. It would be a good idea to ride switch a lot. It will make you versatile.


That's weird you mention that. I am right foot dominant when it comes to things like kicking and such, but I longboard/snowboard regular. I am tempted to say I have pretty decent form as well with minimal to no rear foot steering.


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## Codyh4250 (Sep 11, 2011)

Yeah I am right foot dominant but I ride regular. It might also be that I have been wakeboarding regular since I can remember Haha. 

But for the OP, I suggest that you just go with goofy because you already long board goofy.


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## Alex B (Nov 12, 2012)

Could someone clear up which foot forward is what? 

I'm left foot forward which according to what I've read in magazines and been told, is goofy, but reading on here it seems thats regular?

Alex B


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## hktrdr (Apr 3, 2012)

Alex B said:


> Could someone clear up which foot forward is what?
> 
> I'm left foot forward which according to what I've read in magazines and been told, is goofy, but reading on here it seems thats regular?
> 
> Alex B


In which magazines have you read that left foot forward is goofy? It is not.

Left foot forward = regular
Right foot forward = goofy
(unless you are riding switch - in which case I will let you work it out yourself)


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## Alex B (Nov 12, 2012)

Whitelines, (may be a UK mag, I'm not sure).

Alex B


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## gjsnowboarder (Sep 1, 2009)

Sick-Pow said:


> That is not always the case. Many old schoolers ride with a dominate rear foot, and make more back foot turns. Surfing can be more rear foot dominated too.
> 
> I personally am goofy, and my front foot is dominate. I skateboard and surf goofy, so that helps. I find my style is both rear foot in the deep pow, and pretty much neutral in all other conditions. With some of the new dual rocker and tapered shapes ( Never Summer Summit), I feel REALLY comfortable riding basically centered in the deep pow. It is truly revolutionary.
> 
> ...


Making back foot turns doesn't indicate dominant foot. Dominance is more about the side of your body that is use to being the balance point and start of a side of the body from left and moving through space. For instance a back foot rider maybe using the back foot to kick the board around but its in an attempt to allow the front foot side of the body to travel in a certain direction. In back foot steering a person has to unweight the back of the board to lighten up the back of the board to be able to move it. at this point they aren't balancing on the back foot they are actually balancing more on the other foot.

When talking about surfing or say droping on a skateboard into a pipe a rider has to get play a delicate balance of not to far back or forward. They need to get their board/deck to match the angle of the wave or pipe wall. to far back and they bannana out or two war forward and the nose augers in and over the nose the rider goes. The movement toward the nose and toward the tail doesn't indicate dominat foot. Just balance point along the board that is dictated by the type of substance being ridden, and slope of angle being ridden on.

SO in replay what is meant by dominant leg is either the left or ride side that a person feels more comfortable about moving through space first.


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## gjsnowboarder (Sep 1, 2009)

boarderaholic said:


> That's weird you mention that. I am right foot dominant when it comes to things like kicking and such, but I longboard/snowboard regular. I am tempted to say I have pretty decent form as well with minimal to no rear foot steering.


Not to weird at all. Dominant foot is't about the foot that is in the air. ITs about the side of your body you place forward more often and balance on. When kicking a ball with the right you usually step forward with your left and plant it. As you swing through with the kick you are rotating with that plant leg and balancing on it. In skate boarding "typically" the foot you kick with is the back foot. Thus the foot being balanced on and leading is the foot on the deck. 

In snowboarding the best form for dynamic turns is a steering motion from the nose of the board that follows along the length of the board and is finished towards the rear of the board at the end of the turn. In the past I have taught lessons where we explore this only doing turn with the front foot using the ankle or rotating the front leg and then trying again but only using the back leg. The trying to do turns starting from the front finishing with the back and vise versa. It can be a great lead into butters, tricks, bump riding,etc.


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## ARSENALFAN (Apr 16, 2012)

Now you guys are getting me thinking too much. If I was going to kick you in the nuts, I would use my right foot. If I was going to balance for an hour it would be on my right foot. All the power is in my right foot. I throw a baseball with my right hand, catch with my left hand and shoot hockey left. I reel my right hand.

I ALWAYS THOUGHT THE MOST POWERFUL FOOT WAS AT THE BACK OF THE BOARD TO KICK IT AROUND.

AM I JUST FUCKED?


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## ARSENALFAN (Apr 16, 2012)

knoxboarderx said:


> How To Find Your Snowboarding Stance | TransWorld SNOWboarding




this is the best site i have found for determining stance. AND I AM STILL CONFUSED.


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## davidj (May 30, 2011)

Emkoz said:


> Hi! So I recently had surgery on my right knee a year and a half ago, however it's healed up pretty nicely but still has its weak moments. This week I am going snowboarding for the first time! (I was a skier but made the switch because its easier on the knees) I'm so excited and got a new board for a great price. And they set it up goofy style. I did all the "tests" so that I step out with my right foot, kick with my right, slide on the floor with my left and start a handstand on my left foot. Basically I have no idea what my stance is, but I want to keep my weak knee safe, soooo should I ride regular or goofy? What do you think?
> 
> P.S. I typically longboard goofy
> 
> Thanks for the help! It's greatly appreciated!!


OP, here's a slightly different approach...

Center your bindings. If you've got a twin board, great. If not, it's not too much of a handicap. Set your binding angles symmetrical, for example, +12/-12. Ride both ways and see which feels more "natural", don't worry, your body will let you know. There you have it.

PS: If you are somewhat ambidextrous (sounds like you are), you're in for a lot of fun - learn to ride both ways equally well.


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## gjsnowboarder (Sep 1, 2009)

ARSENALFAN said:


> Now you guys are getting me thinking too much. If I was going to kick you in the nuts *left foot plants forward followed up by right foot*, I would use my right foot. If I was going to balance for an hour it would be on my right foot *your stationary no forward motion so stance doesn't really matter*. All the power is in my right foot. I throw a baseball with my right hand *LEft foot plants forward right side of the body then move through and forward*, catch with my left hand *probably left foot moves forward to help close distance between incoming ball and you *and shoot hockey left *I'm assuming that your left foot is closer to the puck and the left hand is behind the stick closest sport to relate to better that uses a stick is side of plate you bat from*. I reel my right hand.* which hand is forward on the pole *
> 
> I ALWAYS THOUGHT THE MOST POWERFUL FOOT WAS AT THE BACK OF THE BOARD TO KICK IT AROUND.
> 
> AM I JUST FUCKED?


This is why it's not about power and not always about balance. Its about left and right side of the body.


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## ARSENALFAN (Apr 16, 2012)

gjsnowboarder said:


> This is why it's not about power and not always about balance. Its about left and right side of the body.


EXCELLENT POST!! So I am regular stance after all. No wonder I have been kicking some ass out there on the hills.....lol!


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## Edge (Sep 30, 2012)

Why over complicate things?

Try both. Stick with what works naturally with you. I like having my strong foot (regular) at the back. Helps me kick the board around with sharp turns, spins, and feels better in powder.

Do what works for you.


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## jennifer (Dec 18, 2012)

I am super new to the sport. Have only gone up 4 times, had 3 lessons. ALL the tests say I should be riding regular. My husband has been boarding for like 20 years, and after all the testing we did he agreed I should be riding regular so that is how we set up my bindings. That is how I have been taking my lessons. During my last lesson my instructor had me doing falling leaf, which I had done before. But this time it was just kicking my ass. I could not make it 10 feet without falling. He then tells me that he is 100% sure I should be riding goofy. He said that when I got up from fall and was ready to begin down the hill again I naturally gravitated to a goofy stance. I honestly was to frazzled and to focused on not falling on my ass again that I took no notice of which stance I started in...I just wanted to get down the hill. lol 

So do I follow what all the tests tell me...or do I follow what this instructor is telling me and move to goofy? 

I did worse on this last lesson than I did on my very first one. Seriously...it was an embarassment. But that is a whole different topic.


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## NWBoarder (Jan 10, 2010)

jennifer said:


> So do I follow what all the tests tell me...or do I follow what this instructor is telling me and move to goofy?


I certainly would. It's his job to pay attention to how you ride and then correct the things that need correction. Plus, if you absolutely cannot stand riding goofy after trying it, it's easy to switch back to regular. No test can truly tell you which way to ride. You will know after trying both though because one will be more comfortable than the other.


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## that1guy (Jan 2, 2011)

Here is a sure fire way to tell if you ride goofy or regular.


Get a razor scooter. Hold on to it and run super fast with it, jump on and start scooting with what ever leg you are most comfortable with. This will make your subconscious kick in and tell you what leg you want to lead with and what leg you want to kick with. 

Your kicking leg will be your back foot (or power foot) The foot that you put forward to steer the scooter will be your front foot.

This will be the same on your snowboard.


Now that you have figured out what way you ride, have a beer because the hard part is over (at least it is until you decide to learn switch)


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