# Beginner Angles



## Guest (Oct 27, 2009)

I know angles are personall and everyone should see what he likes best. But I wonder what angle is most common used by beginner (or easiest), I hire my materials because I don't go boarding a lot (yet). I started out on +15/0, but after some reading I see lots of people advice duck stance for beginners? Is duck stance easier/advisable for beginners? And what should I think of, +15/-15 or more like +15/-5...


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## BEC61408 (Jan 28, 2009)

BoardingBanana said:


> I know angles are personall and everyone should see what he likes best. But I wonder what angle is most common used by beginner (or easiest), I hire my materials because I don't go boarding a lot (yet). I started out on +15/0, but after some reading I see lots of people advice duck stance for beginners? Is duck stance easier/advisable for beginners? And what should I think of, +15/-15 or more like +15/-5...



starting at 15/0 is good for people to learn one direction. but its kind of bad too because then you get used to that comfortable stance and when they they start to ride switch its hard. So IMO, I suggest doing like a 12/-3 or 12/-6 or maybe 12/-9. That will get you at least riding in that position, then as you get better slowly bring the back out more. 

I rode 12/-6 most of the last season. I ended up going to 12/-12 in the end and my thighs were on fire from the change but it wasnt too bad. For this season I set it up at 12/-9 and I'm going to graduate to 12/-12 after a few weekends.


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## Bones (Feb 24, 2008)

Snowolf said:


> The best place to start is your normal stance. That is how you normally stand when just talking. Most people are slightly duck.


Yeah, I'd go with that to start. Just take a glace down when you're standing comfortably and try to duplicate those angles. They probably won't be exactly symetrical, so don't force one knee or ankle to twist just to make it so. As a beginner, you want your shoulders to be parallel to the board's edge, that way you don't start off with a counter-rotated stance. It'll just make it that much harder to learn to turn one side or the other. 

After you get comfortable linking turns, you can start to move things a few degrees at a time and see how it feels. Just keep the adjustments small or the variables will be endless.


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## alex is w0rd (Aug 26, 2008)

i started with around a +15 -5ish. not saying thats how you should start, basically my advice is just loosen your bindings, and rotate them around and stand in them till you feel something thats comfortable. bend your knees and see how it feels. if its awkward, change it up till you hit a spot that you would like to stand. 
for beginning id say you want your front foot a little more angled than your back foot. like snowolf said, try positive 12 and neg 6. if its awkward just move it around till you get a nice spot. once your on the hill and you try a few things im sure youll find one you like. you can tweak your stance as much as you want as long as your comfortable with it.


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## arsenic0 (Nov 11, 2008)

The easiest method i found for new people who didnt know how to set their bindings is similar to the pushing to see which is your lead foot ...

Basically just doing a running jump and landing on both feet and looking where they land...its hardly scientific but it does make sense because..everybody's body memory just reacts to landing a jump to do it in a comfortable stance..nobody(well maybe long jumpers!) jump way out with their feet stuck together


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## Grizz (Nov 10, 2008)

arsenic0 said:


> Basically just doing a running jump and landing on both feet and looking where they land...its hardly scientific but it does make sense because..everybody's body memory just reacts to landing a jump to do it in a comfortable stance..nobody(well maybe long jumpers!) jump way out with their feet stuck together


Instead of a running jump, have them jump straight up three times in a row and have them freeze in their landing position of the third jump. It's easier for them to accurately stop if you eliminate the forward motion. Works well if you have them do it on cardboard, plywood, or something else you can draw on, marking the sides of their feet. Then set up the bindings on the board matching the marks.


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## jlm1976 (Feb 26, 2009)

I usually start beginners out with a forward facing stance, somewhere around +18,+9. This gives the board a clear front and back and generally makes it easier to move their weight forward into their turns. After they are linking turns on greens, I'll move on to helping find what stance angles work for them.


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## paul07ss (Dec 29, 2008)

mpdsnowman said:


> +15
> 
> -9
> 
> Thats a good all around stance


thats exactly what I use ! I tried the +15 -15 and didnt feel right but I am sort of a beginner still..


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## Halborr (Oct 5, 2009)

Maybe it's just the wakeboarder in me but I've always gone ducked- none of this non-symmetric stuff. I did have it at 12 but moved it out to 15 (anyone else jump around their living room strapped into their board?) recently. If it feels good on the hill I might play with my WB bindings out at 15 too.


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