# Feet really tired and sore, what am I doing wrong?



## caunyd (Jan 19, 2013)

Hi guys. I'm a new rider. I have the following equipment:

1/ Ride Agenda board(2011)
2 Ride Anthem boots
3/ Burton Cartel Bindings


My feet get really really sore and tired after riding even a little bit. I ride in a normal stance, and in particular, my back foot (the right foot) is very sore and tired when riding very short distances. It feels as if I'm using my feet exclusively to do everything, such as balance, turning, and stopping, etc.

So what am I doing wrong? Is the fitting of my boot too loose? Am I strapped into the binding too loose or tightly? Is the boot too stiff? Or is my technique just wrong? What do you guys think?


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

New rider, my first guess would be that you are all tensed up. The small muscles feel it first. You're probably flexing your toes too, trying to claw into the board. It'll come eventually anyway, but you could speed things along by consciously trying to relax and "be the board" instead of trying to control reality by sheer concentration and force of will. :laugh:


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

Yeah, two things I'd check...

How tight are you making your boots? You shouldn't need to crank them, just snug should be fine otherwise you might start cutting off circulation... That brings me to point #2.

For point #1 to be possible, your boots have to fit right. Most people buy boots to big to start. They expect them to be super comfortable right off the bat. They should actually fit more like skates at the start. Your toes should just barely graze the end when standing up straight, and your feet shouldn't really have room to move. After a couple days the liner will pack out and you'll have a good fitting boot.

What usually happens is people buy something that fits in the store, and within a couple runs/days it packs too much and gets sloppy, then they have to crank their boots too tight which gives them really sore feet and still doesn't fix the boot fit issues.

The other thing is, you do use a lot of foot muscles when boarding, like Donutz said it just might take some getting used to!?! :dunno:


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## caunyd (Jan 19, 2013)

thanks for the reply guys 

Donutz, perhaps you're right, maybe I'm trying too hard, but it seems like that's the only way to control the board.

Poutanen, I was also thinking that the boot fit might be a factor in making my foot tired. When I flex my toes, there is some room in the boot and my heel slips a bit. So maybe I'm using extra foot muscle power because some of my muscle power is spent flexing my toes, but that energy is not translated to the board/binding because it's used to just flex my foot out of the extra space in the boot. Therefore, I must flex more and perhaps harder, because my first flex muscle usage is spent on slipping/extra space, so I must flex even further or harder to have that energy be translated to the board.

Does this theory sound ok? And do you have any more suggestions as to what I'm doing wrong? Thanks.


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

For your toe edge, use your shins against the tongue of your boot for leverage and focus on your feet being super lazy and just being on vacation down there.

This is just an example. I've always struggled with working my feet too hard and it just is not helpful or necessary. - all those lil muscles are super tender and ouchy.


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## edlo (Jan 24, 2011)

caunyd said:


> Or is my technique just wrong? What do you guys think?


Without video or pictures how can we tell. Without a board stand straight up on your toes , feel the weight on the balls of your feet and your toes curling up and getting tired , if this is the feeling you get riding toe side , it is all wrong . Now squat and get the weight on the ball of your foot , this should feel a whole lot easier. Eventhough you are attached to the board , imagine that you are not tied to it and you have to maintain your balance over it. Just like the people balancing on a log in the water, if they lean over , they will fall off . 

Also riding slow is more work, it takes longer to turn and you might be trying to force it too much. If it is too step for you and you and just skidding down on a front or back edge , it will get tiring since you are constantly fight gravity, if you are coming across the slope to control your speed and you have bad edges or you will be fighting the urge to skid with the back foot. 

1) think about balance on the board
2) turn using bending you knees and shifting you weight and not kicking your back foot around
3)pick an appropriate slope for you level, you should feel comfortable pointing straight down , if not , it is probably too steep.
4) relax your toes , those muscles are too small and weak.

Hope this helps


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## Mjigga99 (Dec 4, 2012)

Do you have the right gear for your stats? 
Are you generally in shape or doing any exercises of the hill?
Do you warm up your feet, ankles and knees before you ride? :dunno:


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## caunyd (Jan 19, 2013)

Thanks for the great advice guys.

Mjigga99, I think I'm generally in good physical condition, so I don't think it's an issue of being out of shape. 

Edlo, that's a lot of good stuff you put down. The feeling that I get is like when I'm standing straight up on my toes without a board, and when I'm actually strapped onto a board, I feel that the fatigue feeling is even worse, so I guess I'm doing it wrong. 

You also bring up a great point. I'm always trying to control my speed by skidding or trying to stop completely, and most of my muscle fatigue comes from trying to skid/stop with the toe edge. So you're right, maybe I'm having to fight gravity too much as I try to go perpendicular to the hill. My heel edge is better and I don't usually get tired too much from that.

Snowklinger, that's good advice. I'm going to try to use my shin on the toe edge to control the board, rather than using my feet exclusively. That should cut down on the fatigue too.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

Boot, binding, foot interface is important to have set up well, so that you can effeciently leverage. The other is to understand how to effeciently leverage using your big muscles and joints of the knees/hips and quads/pelvis instead of using the small muscles and joints of the foot and calves. For example most newbs use their calves and tippy toes instead of their knees and quads. As you get more experienced you will become a more effecient rider and discover how it all (all your body parts) coordinate to effeciently ride.

edit...if your rear foot is getting trashed...you are using the wrong foot, probably in the backseat and trying to control the board with the rear foot....use the front foot.


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## Mjigga99 (Dec 4, 2012)

I try to get ready for the season with cardio and plenty of squats. But the best excercise I've used are calf raises on a step. My calves and shins are usually the only muscle that gets sore from hard riding.


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## john doe (Nov 6, 2009)

What conditions are you riding in? I ride mostly midwest mademan ice and I know it is a lot harder on the foot muscles then normal snow. Your weight is on a much smaller part of the board meaning more force to stay on edge. My feet don't get tire but that's because I jump on/off a fork lift a few hundred times a night at work. When I get to ride at better resorts it's like a vacation for my foot muscles.


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