frontside/backside

MOST of the time goofy footers prefer lefts (frontside), but not everyone. Id pick a left over a right any day, while my friend actually prefers rights for some reason. i guess its all a preference thing but skill level may also play into it

 

try a longboard.it will at least give you more time to adjust and understand the pattern of moves you must use to drop in, bottom turn and trim out in the speed zone.

Once you figure it all out, you'll realize how much easier a backside cutback/snap is than a front side cutback/snaps. I'm a regular foot, and prefer backside becuase I can turn harder off the top and fully extend my legs. Plus, almost every world class wave is a left so...

 

Most surfers prefer front side I guess because the wave in front of you vs behind you and they feel more comfortable doing a hard bottom turn front side. My advise would be to surf right breaking waves till they become second nature. Also, if you have a skate board practice hard rights letting it all hang out. One day it will click and you wont give it a second thought.

 

the skateboard idea is actually great. i used to take my longboard to my friends quarter pipe and just practice doing backside pivots on the coping (to replicate a snap)

 

I dont try to stick to going Frontside (left) or Backside ( Right) for a whole lot . I switch it up alot so there isnt any awardness when going one way or the other

 

Leeeeeeeeeeeeeee the Stud will tell you what you need to know.

 

I ride regular and find that dropping in and bottom turning are extremely easy for me on rights (frontside) but the hard powerful turns are a little harder, while on lefts (backside) i find dropping in and bottom turn a little harder, but powerful turns come a lot easier, also i find getting shacked is way easier frontside, but all i do is practice going backside and it will get easier which i have found

 

I think it's alot of personal preference. I prefer my cutback and lip manuevers going frontside, but I prefer going backside when Im tucking into a barrel. I find it so much easier to grab a rail and drag a hand in the face going backside...I think everyone has their preferences, but when your skill level gets up you can equally enjoy a left or right, so just keep surfing til you get there.

 

I am also a lefty, and then I moved to VB, where a majority of the waves are rights. I learned to surf them pretty well. I think the tricky thing with surfing backside is that you don't get a full view of the entire wave, and that the bottom turn is not fully drawn out like it would be if you were surfing frontside. The initial turn, whether a big bottom turn or just a small one to get yourself going, is really where it all starts.

Try surfing smaller waves going backside. Try to do the pig-dog at first and then once your on the wave stand up. Rinse and repeat. It'll eventually come to you.

 

Just force it on yourself. ONLY go right. For like a whole month. Only sit on right handers etc... Its a comfort thing... But once you get your pumping down and stuff, you will realize that there a EASIER moves that you can do backside... Like the backside round house etc... You can lay so much more power and torque into some backside moves, and visa versa, but once you feel the power and drive of the different turns, you will be much more confident.... backside Barrels are easier to line up. Backside top turns are easier to fan. Backside Roundhouses are 100 times better backside cause you can slam all your weight down through the turns...

So, force yourself to play with it, then you will froth at those right handers... Do the pig dog to get your barrel riding down. Take a nice drop, hold your rail, hit one knee if you have to and line up under the lip... There's a big upside to backside turning, you just gotta find your rythm and keep trying it.

 

what he said...last fall with all those nor-easters was the best thing that ever happened to my back side. and watching dane rip back side. he has a patented blow tail going backside. (or whatever you wanna call it)

 

Its all in the hips.

 

i tend to struggle more on my backside as well. i have no problem pumping for speed and getting some solid turns frontside but backside is a whole different story, i can never seem to keep up my speed to get past closeout sections.

i recently got a carver skateboard which has helped a lot, it really does have a surfy feel to it and ive been taking it to some banks and ditches and just pumping and carving around and i feel much more comfortable on my backside. i definitely recommend a carver for anyone that surfs, its super fun

i just need to practice backside more though, its much easier to just stick to what you know and go frontside but you have to force yourself to work more on what you need to improve

 

One thing that I read Kelly Slater talking about that was a revelation for my backside was "taking the high line" when you take off. Frontside, this come naturally, but backside, it's sorta counter-intuitive since your visibility range of the wave is cut down by like 1/3. So, when you take off backside, really focus on taking that high line to get your speed up, then drop down to your bottom turn and bash the lip. You'll also figure out how to mimic your frontside pump but backside, since that's the ideal place to pump on a wave anyways.

This doesn't necessarily apply to stepper waves, but more so for rippable surf.

The main thing is that backside surfing is less natural, so you have to tell yourself what you're going to do "okay, take the high line" then do it. It pretty much get's ingrained in your surfing instincts after like 1 session if you go backside the whole time.

 

All good advise... I ride regular (sounds weird but goofy on longboards and skating) ...anyways I PREFER backside surf. I surf tighter, push turns harder, get more vertical, more radical, more comfortable in size, link maneuvers better... hell all my best combos are backside. The only thing I do better front-side is get barreled. Ugh! My front-side surfing is inconsistent and kinda weak. Not even sure how it happened cause I have surfed a mix of lefts and rights my whole surfing life. If you want to see good back-side rail surfing, get any Occy video.. I studied those things when I was a kid.

 

Wanna really blow your mind? Try an asymmetrical.

I can get more power on a backside snap off the top, cause you're going from heel to toe, and you can add more leverage with your ankle and foot. As for pumping, you can't do it the same way both sides. It's ergonomically impossible.. all your joints a facing the wrong way. I find the best way to pump backside is to point my toes more toward the nose, and turn my hips more perpendicular to the stringer. I seem to be able to pump faster, and pumping out of sync with the natural flex of the board just does not generate speed effectively. When it comes to pumping, timing is everything!

 

as a Goofy Foot my simple rule - aim with your right hand going frontside and with your right foot when backside

 

well the surf has been flat so iv been working more on YANKEE's girls backside. She seems to prefer it when i grab rail pony tail and pull out late.

as far as your surfing... good luck with all that