Stance: Skiing vs Surfing

[fu_man]

I went surfing earlier this week. (The proper way. At a beach, not behind a boat.) It was awesome! I ski RFF and ended up the same way on the surf board. Didn't put much thought into it, that's just the way it happened. Apparently this is "goofy-footed" in the surf world. It worked pretty well for me. The direction of the wave meant I was on my toes rather than on my heels which felt pretty automatic.

 

In skiing the front foot dominates. In surfing apparently this is not necessarily the case. I could be wrong about this; I'm a complete noob at surfing. For those of you that surf, do you ski and surf with the same foot forward?

[Chef23]

I don’t surf but I snowboard and grew up skateboarding and I do those LFF the same as I ski.

[oldjeep]

Ski, surf, wakeboard and snowboard left foot forward. Having your right foot forward is goofy no matter what sport you are doing ?

[lakeaustinskier]

I surf LFF same as I ski. Much like you I didn't think about it - I just did it. IMO when I use my upper body with either sport - bad things happen. I also find that with surfing I need to be more aware of an actual heel-side and toe-side.

[MISkier]

Water ski LFF. Snowboard RFF. Surf RFF. Skateboard LFF.

[Jetsetr]

RFF for everything....

[Bookm_dano]

Learned to surf first.. LFF; Slalom skiing several years later, did it same way.

With surfing it makes a difference which way the wave breaks. Right hand break (as seen from rider's view) seemed easier to ride LFF because you're facing the wave and can see what's going on. When you're on a 'backside' wave, you're looking over your shoulder to see what the wave is doing. Some guys were 'switch foot' ...something I never mastered.

[Drago]

Used to ski with a really good surfer. Same foot forward. The key was breaking the "steering" with his back foot. Ran 28 his first year skiing

[Hallpass]

Ski RFF. Surf, LFF. LFF also dominant for wakeboarding. (Also kick a football right foot, but punt a football left foot :) )

 

[Midvkski]

Ski LFF, surf, wakeboard, snowboard RFF. Sounds familiar MIskier

[Horton]

After a lifetime of skiing I surfed for a couple of winters in the late 90s. I ski RFF so it just made sense to learn to surf RFF

[radarboy32]

Most people I've seen do it the same both ways. As you said, in skiing, the front foot dominates turning. In surfing, however, you push the back foot around to "skid" across the wave. Almost like drifting a car.

[ski6jones]

Ski LFF, skateboard and wakeboard RFF. Pretty sure I'd surf RFF also, although never have.

[swc5150]

I ski RFF, and everything else LFF. I always thought that was odd.

[Joeprunc]

Yes, regular footed for all sports. Surfing your back foot is your power foot....that's why I suck and skiing.

[jimbrake]

LFF slalom skiing. RFF surfing and skating. Left-leg dominant except when kicking a soccer ball, then I'm right-leg dominant. An in-line stance and a toe/heel stance have nothing to do with each other.

 

Now, snow skiing, that's a whole different deal - I'm RFF and I turn better on my heelside except in the southern hemisphere where I reverse everything.

[lpskier]

I water ski LFF. I telemark ski LLF, then RFF, then LFF, then..... etc.

[mikegile]

LFF on all things water, but RFF on the mountain bike for some reason

[Hockdog]

LFF on my skateboard, but RFF when I knee board .......... go figure.

[Shark]

LFF for everything. BTW, surfing is the hardest sport I've ever tried.

[swbca]

I still surf down stairways in public buildings RFF. Learned it at k-12 schools and never stopped. Need slippery shoes.

[swc5150]

I ski RRF, but LFF for everything else (skateboard, snowboard, surf, etc)

[Fastguy888]

I slalom waterski RFF but skate, surf, wakeboard, snowboard, skimmboard all LFF. To me it seems natural, my dominate foot is in the place doing the most work. I once tried LFF Slalom as I think its an advantage on the course; my feet felt fine but my upper body and hands were very confused, back to RFF waterskiing.

 

On a side note, living in Southern California it's on my bucket list to surf early am, waterski mid-morning and snow ski afternoon all on the same day.