Establishing Your Snowboard Stance

Every devoted snowboarder knows that having the perfect stance in this sport is crucial. A proper stance will allow you to maintain the best possible balance while on your snowboard.

Choosing the right position will help you have a good time, while being comfortable, easing the strain on your muscles and stabilizing your energy to ride longer. Two fond names for these stances are Natural and Goofy.

Sounds silly, right? In all actuality, you most likely fit into one of the two categories. These expressions basically refer to the foot facing frontward as you glide on your board- left or right? Let me explain further what these stances are, and how you can decide which one works the best for you.

Natural Riders

A Natural-footed person positions his board with his left leg facing in the frontal direction. One way to discover if you are a natural rider (and I don’t mean ‘naturally picking up the sport’) is to literally bind yourself to your snowboard and stand as though you were about to hit a slope. Is that too literal for you? Well, imagine playing softball or kicking a ball. If you happen to skateboard, this will also assist you in determining which foot you naturally use to balance yourself.

The goal is to learn which way feels comfortable with your body. Many snowboarders find themselves to be Natural.

Are You Goofy?

Figuring out if you are a Goofy rider will consist of the same tactics I just mentioned. Jump on your skateboard if you have one or head towards the nearest stairwell. As you get ready to climb the stairs, check out which foot physically takes the first movement. If this is your right foot, then you are considered a Goofy-footer.

Now, just because you use your right foot, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you are a Goofy boarder; some people may use either foot. Note also that just because you are a Natural or a Goofy rider, this does not mean that you will essentially have better skills then someone who riders on the opposite foot. If you are feeling ambidextrous, don’t fret. When you actually begin boarding, your stance will ultimately reveal itself to you.

Understanding which Angle Suits You

So how do you figure out the angle needed to fit your newfound stance? This is pretty simple to locate by checking out your snowboard bindings. The angles (regularly listed in degrees) can usually be found on these. A stance angle is calculated by the direction your bindings point to on your board.

For instance, Freestyle snowboarders typically have angles of about 15-30 ° in their front footing and 15 ° or less for their rear foot. That is generally enough space to ride and carve on almost any terrain.

If necessary you can always use a higher angle. This aids in carving, but limits the opportunity to do other moves, due to since your legs and lower body won’t be able to move as fluidly.

People who have never snowboarded before, and are taking lessons should try stance angles between 21 ° (front foot) and 9 ° (rear), correspondingly. However, this is just a recommendation for starters. As you excel in the sport, you can always switch up to an angle befitting for you.

Stance Measurements (Distance Across)

Let me not forget to discuss the importance of girth. This refers to the space sitting between both of your feet as you stand on your board. A space that is in accordance to the length of your shoulders is ideal (shoulder-to-shoulder) to help you control your board.

If you feel that you need a little more leg room, feel free to widen this space as long as you don’t over-do it. If your legs are too far apart, you will become tired more quickly and may wind up with some soreness. Not including the fact that turns will probably be incomplete, if at all possible. By the time you glide thru a few terrains, you will know what position feels the most relaxed.

Now, if your legs are too close together then your stance will be far too narrow. Besides being uncomfortable, you won’t have good balance and falls are bound to occur. This is due to lower limbs and joints not getting the flexibility they need to move.

All in all, discovering the snowboard stance that works for you is not really that difficult to achieve. At the end of the day, having patience and paying attention to detail will provide you with the best experience in the sport of snowboarding. So just relax and have fun!