How to Skateboard - How Skateboarding Works | HowStuffWorks How Skateboarding Works Image courtesy Mary Vogt/MorgueFile At times, skateboarding bears a striking resemblance to surfing . Both share what's known as a "side-stance." There are three main ways people ride skateboards: Regular foot means riding with the left foot forward. The left foot remains on the board, often in the middle section nearest the nose. The right foot is used to push. Goofy foot is the opposite of regular foot. It means putting the right foot forward and pushing with the left at the rear. Mongo foot is when the skateboarder's rear foot remains in place on the board while the front foot pushes. This is considered inferior by many skaters, as it can reduce speed and control. If you don't already know which stance you prefer when learning how to skateboard, see what feels most comfortable. If you're still unsure, pay attention to which foot you use to step forward from a still, standing position. Another test is to have someone push you, as if to knock you over. The foot you put back to catch your balance is the one that should go on the tail of your skateboard while riding.

Up Next The World Cup Quiz After nearly five decades of skateboarding, a few main styles have evolved. Let's take a look at these in detail. Downhill skateboarding is all about speed. There aren't any fancy tricks involved. Just like downhill skiing, the objective here is to finish a run with the lowest time, and at the highest speed. In contrast, Long boarding is most closely associated with surfing. True to their surfboard counterparts, long boards are meant for cruising and "carving" up a concrete wave. They remain a favorite form of transport among surfers, beach goers and on college campuses. Freestyle is as close to dancing as skateboarding comes. It consists of manipulating one's board on a flat surface. The tricks are largely technical and revolved around making the board spin, roll and flip in the most creative ways possible. In the past, freestyle competitions included skateboard choreography to music. Vert skating, also known as ramp skating, rose to great popularity in the 1980s and continues to remain popular today. It's what many people think of when they think of skateboarding. To put it simply, vert skateboarding is all about catching big air and performing technical tricks before landing.

It gets its name from the vertical structures and surfaces vert skaters ride, like half-pipes (large ramps with two inclines on both sides and a flat section in the middle) quarter-pipes and bowls (sort of like wooden swimming pools built especially for skateboarding). Vert skaters have also been known to invade backyards to skate emptied swimming pools, and hop fences to skate in concrete canals and drainage ditches. Street skating, like parkour , makes use of the urban landscape in creative ways. Tricks are performed on benches, hand rails, retaining walls, picnic tables, over sets of stairs, shopping carts and parked cars. And that's just getting started. For the street skater, virtually anything is rideable. Next, we'll look at some of the tricks that you can do on a skateboard. Skate Parks Skate parks, like many other parts of the skateboarding industry, have seen their ups and downs. In the skateboarding boom of the 1970s, specially designed obstacle courses, called skate parks, were built all over the country. Some skate parks are outdoor and primarily for street skaters, while indoor parks often have a lot of ramps and bowls.

Skate parks, when designed well, are good for both skaters and the community. They help keep skaters and members of the community out of each other’s hair. But many skaters complain that when cities build skate parks, they don’t include skateboarders in the discussion. The result is that the parks go largely unused, leaving both skaters and the community frustrated. The other criticism skate parks receive from skaters is that they’re too crowded. This makes it hard to express oneself and push one’s limits, which are the very things skateboarders love about their sport. Goofy Stance in Skateboarding Definition Share By Steve Cave Definition: Goofy, Goofy Stance or Goofy-Foot refers to a skateboarder, snowboarder, surfer or wakeboarder riding with his or her left foot in back, toward the tail of the board. Goofy stance gets this name because most people put their left foot forward, which is called regular . There is no right or wrong way to stand on a skateboard (or snowboard, surfboard, etc.), but most people feel more comfortable riding a skateboard regular, instead of goofy. Not sure which one you feel most comfortable with? Click here to find out .

I've known some new skaters to try to force themselves into a goofy stance, because it's more unique and has a cool name. I wouldn't recommend trying to force yourself to change! Just like writing with your right or left hand, it's important to go with what comes naturally to you. Also Known As: Goofy Foot, Goofy Stance , Goofy Examples: "Sandra rides her skateboard goofy and I ride regular, which makes it easier to talk to her while skating along next to her." Learning To Skateboard Home › Help ›Learning To Skateboard Learning To Skateboard So, you’ve just bought your first skateboard and you’re ready to figure the thing out. By this time, you should be familiar with all of the pieces of a skate setup (trucks, wheels, bearings and deck) and the other gear that will keep you safe while riding (pads, helmet and proper clothes). If not, check out these articles before you get ready to go skate for the first time. Ready to ride? Let’s take a look at some of the basics. GETTING COMFORTABLE No brand new mountain climber would, in his right mind, attempt to scale K2 as a first ascent.

Nor would a first-year medical student be asked to perform a cutting-edge heart transplant. Part of becoming an expert in something is working your way up – starting with the basics and progressing into the tougher stuff only when you’re ready. The same is true with skating: lay a good foundation and you’ll see the results as you become a better and better skater over time. These steps may seem elementary, but take your time with them and get a solid grip on the basics – these are the tools that will eventually take you to the next level. FINDING YOUR STANCE Skateboarding, like all board sports, requires that one foot be in front while another goes in back. Your front foot provides balance, while the back one steers and powers the board. Before you do anything on your skate, you need to nail down your stance. If you have surfed or snowboarded in the past, you may already know which position is more comfortable. Still unsure? Try this trick to figure it out: ask a friend to push you gently from behind and then note which foot you step on to catch your fall. You’ll probably find that this foot is the most comfortable front foot when skating.

If it’s your left foot, you’ve got a “regular” stance. If it’s your right, you ride “goofy.” START SOFT In the spirit of progression, the first step in learning to skate is getting used to the feel of the board. To do this, set your board on a soft, cushy surface (think a grassy lawn or a patch of carpet). Stand on your board and become comfortable with your stance. Make sure that your front foot is over the front truck bolts and your back foot is over the back truck bolts. This will provide balance and is the way you’ll place your feet under most circumstances (of course, several tricks require shifting your stance). Try bending your knees and jumping around a little. Rock back and forth, from your toe edge to your heel edge and back, getting a feel for stiffness of the trucks and the general motions of skating. You might even try balancing on just the back wheels, then just the front wheels. Once you have an idea of the way the board moves, you’ll be prepared to ride on a harder surface. HITTING THE PAVEMENT Now that you have a general feel for your skateboard, it’s time to take it to the streets.

In an empty parking lot or another safe practice area, step onto your board and get your stance and balance figured out while you’re at a standstill. Once again, you’ll want to get comfortable with the way your trucks flex; lean your weight forward onto your toes and backwards onto your heels. If you feel brave, try jumping just a bit – you don’t even need to take your feet off the board at first- just bounce. Essentially, you want to get to know your board. If you can balance on your board without thinking about it, the following tricks will be much easier to master. Starter Moves PUSHING OFF Foot Position: Set up with your front foot placed over the front truck bolts. Since you’ll be moving in a forward direction, your foot should be angled toward the nose of the board, your toe pointing roughly in the direction you’re heading. Your back foot should start on the board as well, in its usual position over the back truck bolts (this foot will be straight across the width of the deck). Directions: Pushing off isn’t too complicated; it’s simply a matter of balance.

Keep in mind that all of your weight shifts over to your front foot when you’re pushing, so focus on maintaining stability over just that one foot. Start off at a standstill, with both feet on the board in the position described above. To push, take your back foot off of the board, and as you lean forward onto your front foot with a bent knee, push off the pavement. Once you begin to roll, replace your back foot and turn your front foot so it too is straight across the width of the board. Now you’re cruising! Once you get the hang of it, try pushing a couple times in row before replacing your foot. After a little while, you should feel confident in the way it feels to push and roll. It’s then time to take it up a notch. MELLOW TURNS Foot Position: You should have your feet set in the “standard” position. Place both your front and back feet straight across the width of the deck, over the front and back truck bolts, respectively. Directions: To make a mellow turn, you need to start by rolling in a straight line. With a little speed behind you, the turn will probably come fairly naturally.

Simply lean in the direction of the turn – forward for a toe-side turn, backwards for a heel-side turn – and let the slight shift in your weight turn your skate. This will cause you to make a long, sweeping arc. For sharper turns, read on. SHARPER TURNS Foot Position: Place your front foot across the front bolts. Set your back foot on the tail of the board, where it slopes upward. This back foot will provide the leverage necessary to make a sharp turn. Directions: Push off and begin to roll. Set your feet in the proper position. Cock back your shoulders in the opposite direction of the turn you’re about to make. Apply pressure to the tail of the skate, raising the front portion of the board off of the ground. Swing your shoulders around and follow the momentum with the rest of your body and the skateboard. If your weight is balanced correctly over the tail, your board should rotate and you’ll complete the turn. STOPPING Foot Position: The foot position for stopping is the same as for pushing off. Set up with your front foot placed over the front truck bolts. Your foot should be angled toward the nose of the board, your toe pointing roughly in the direction you’re heading.

Your back foot should start on the board as well, in its usual position over the back truck bolts (this foot will be straight across the width of the deck). Directions: There are several ways to stop, but the easiest for most new skaters is the foot brake. While balancing over your front foot, remove your back foot and let it run along the ground as you roll. It’s important to keep all of your weight centered over your front foot, just like you did when pushing off. Put pressure on the ground with your dragging shoe, but don’t stomp down thinking the board will automatically stop. The trick is to apply even pressure over some distance to slow you down smoothly. MANUALS Foot Position: Your front foot will be across the width of the deck, right behind the front truck bolts. Your back foot will cover most of the tail of your skate. (Your feet should look about the same as when you ollie.) Directions: Busting manuals is all about balance. Like walking on a tightrope, you’ll need to constantly adjust and shift your weight in concert with the movement of the board itself. Your first manual practice should be on the grass or some carpet, where your wheels won’t slip out from under you as easily.

Put your weight over the tail of the skate, trying not to touch the deck to the ground. The nose of the board will lift up and you’ll have to focus on keeping your balance. The most important thing to remember is that as soon as you shift your weight too far back, your skate will shoot out from under you. So keep your weight over your back foot, but lean your body forward a little to stay stable. Once you get the hang of the feel of a manual on your practice turf, try it on the pavement. Choose a long, smooth, flat area to start out with, and don’t forget your helmet!!! SMALL RAMPS Foot Position: Start off in the pushing stance – front foot facing forward, back foot on the ground. After you push off and start to roll, bring your back foot onto the board (across the rear truck bolts) before you start heading downhill. Now, rotate your front foot so that it is across the width of the board over the front truck bolts. Directions: Skating down a small ramp and skating on a flat surface are actually pretty similar. The only real difference is that, when hitting the ramp, you need to pay particular attention to your shoulders.

Your focus throughout the run should be on keeping your shoulders parallel to the ramp/ground. Bend your knees and lean into the angle of the ramp, but be careful no to exaggerate this – leaning too far forward (or too far back) will likely leave you on your butt. Start on the smallest ramp you can find and practice until you feel ready to go a bit bigger. Keep practicing those tricks and check back with Tactics now and then to see what’s new in the skate store! Never miss another sale Skateboarding Stances, Which Skateboard Stance Am I, What Is A Skateboard Stance Skateboarding Story Which Stance are you, Goofy or Regular? So what are the stances all about and how many is there? First there is your Goofy or Regular Stance. What is this? These are stances, they represent which way you Skateboard, it usually works by if your right handed/footed or left handed/footed but is not always the case. Most right handed/footed Skateboarders are likely to be Goofy Stance and left handed/footed Skateboarders are usually Regular Stance. Why?

I have no idea why but that's how it is and that's the names. Goofy Stance This consists of the right foot at the front of the board while the left foot is at the back of the board, the left leg is usually the one to push when you want to move and the right foot is at the front of the board keeping you balanced and ready to do tricks when you want to perform them, although this is not always the case, you can be goofy and push with your right foot, while your left foot stays on the board, this is known as Mongo Foot. See further down the page for more on Mongo Foot. Regular Stance This consists of the left foot at the front of the board while the right foot is at the back of the board, the right leg is usually the one to push when you want to move and the left foot is at the front of the board keeping you balanced and ready to do tricks when you want to perform them, although this is not always the case, you can be regular and push with your left foot, while your right foot stays on the board, this is known as Mongo Foot. See further down the page for more on Mongo Foot.

Mongo Foot This is where you use your front foot to push while your back foot is the one to remain on the board keeping you balanced and in control, some people feel comfortable this way, personally I cannot control the direction of the board well and keep it steady as good in mongo as it does not feel comfortable for me, however in switch I feel more comfortable pushing in Mongo Stance, I guess this is because I am goofy so in switch I like to push with my left leg still and balance with my right leg still because I feel more comfortable relying on my right leg for balance and my left leg to push, I try not to do this though as I don't think it looks very good in terms of style but it cannot be helped all the time, if you do not feel comfortable you could end up making it hardered to balance for yourself if you force yourself to do it any other way. Switch Who, What, How?

That is what I thought when my friend told me all about switch, I was extremely gullable back in those days and I thought he was having me life, I really thought he made it all up to see if I would try it, I did try it and it seemed impossible to pull off tricks in switch, I realised he wasn't bluffing and soon started landing switch tricks. Switch is when you skate the opposite way, so if your goofy you would skate in "regular stance" but it is not actually regular it is switch, it's not regular because you are not regular by default just like a regular skateboarder skating goofy is not "goofy" because it is not their default stance it would be "switch" It's like playing football with your wrong foot, personally find that extremely hard, it's also like relying on your weak arm to lift something heavy, it's much more a task to do things switch. Nollie Wow where to start on Nollie.

Ok Nollie is one of my favourites, it is basically switch but your at the front of your board, so essentially not switch because your not turned around but it is switch in a way because your using the opposite feet again, like a switch kickflip for example you use your foot your not used to, to pull off the trick so for me my left foot would be the foot to flip the board (which is the foot I normally wouldn't) the same applies in nollie although your not in switch stance, when you perform the trick you essentially are. The best thing about nollie is you have more balance than in switch because you push and balance in your normal stance right up to the point of doing your trick, you can push normal, until the last few seconds when you need to do the trick you then move to the front of your board and use the nose and your right foot to pop and your back foot left to flip (talking in a goofy person perspective).

Nollie is weird for me, I could kickflip bad, or it could take me a few goes to do as soon as I go out to skateboard, but a Nollie Kickflip I can almost always do (laughs) even if I just stepped onto my board for the first time for that day. Fakie Now fakie is something I should practice more but I don't, maybe it's the fact I love Nollie tricks more than Fakie tricks, and fakie tricks just don't interest me much or make me feel like wow that felt good but I really should practice them non the less. Fakie is basically the opposite to Nollie, you still use the nose of your board however you use your normal feet, ie if goofy you are still using your right foot to flip and your left foot to pop. How is this possible? Simple because when you perform fakie tricks you are using your normal stance (goofy for this explanation) how can you go backwards and be in your normal stance you ask, wouldn't that be Nollie?

no because nollie would make your back foot be your left and your right foot your front still, meaning you can flip with your left and pop with your right, but in fakie you can still pop with your left foot and flip with your right, have you guess by now, fakie is when your at the front of your board but in switch stance, so you would be pushing switch then moving up to the front of the board, essentially doing a trick while going backwards. You do not have to skate switch though, you can push normal and do a body varial and quickly move into fakie position if you wish, or turn the board as you moving to do a 180 or perform a 180 variation trick and then your already to switch to fakie.

“No we do not have a little red button under our feet when we skate that makes us leap off the ground, there is a technique to every skate trick but every skate trick consists of getting the board off the ground, almost all tricks you do will have half an ollie in the trick, you ollie then flip the board, spin the board etc you just do it so fast you don't realise your doing an ollie + a trick, when you can control it more this is where Late flips come into it or back foot flips etc.” - My friend actually told someone we had a red button that we press to do tricks and they believed us until he said he was joking. Osho Sport :: Welcome To The World Of Snowboard Contact Us IndiaSkis is proud to be associated with Snowboard Winter Sport in India. IndiaSkis is closely working with Winter Games Federation & other related sport associations for the development & promotion of Snowboard sport infrastructure & marketing of various Snowboard equipments from ATOMIC, the worlds leading Skiing & Snowboard Equipment company.

ABOUT For the first time in the history of the Olympic Winter Games, snowboarding was introduced as an official event with giant slalom and halfpipe featured at the Nagano Games in 1998. Snowboarding was developed in the United States in the 1960s as people across the country began to seek out new winter activities. Over the next decade, different pioneers boosted the production of boards and the overall interest in snowboarding. Surfers and skateboarders became involved, and by 1980, snowboarding was a nationwide activity. Competition was the next logical step. Competition and national and international federation influence began in the 1980s. The United States held its first national championships in 1982 and hosted the first World Championships in 1983. In 1987, a four-stop World Cup tour was established, with two stops in the United States and two in Europe. The International Snowboarding Federation (ISF) was formed in 1990 and on request of the International Ski Federation (FIS) National Ski Associations, many of which organised ski and snowboard competitions, the FIS introduced Snowboarding as a FIS discipline in 1994.

This enabled snowboarding’s eligibility for the Olympic Winter Games, and the discipline was added to the Olympic programme as of the 1998 Games in Nagano (JPN). COMPETITION There are six snowboard events on the programme of the Olympic Winter Games: men’s halfpipe, ladies’ halfpipe, men’s parallel giant slalom and ladies’ parallel giant slalom, men’s snowboard cross and ladies’ snowboard cross. Both halfpipe and giant slalom events were staged at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games, where the sport of snowboarding made its debut. The parallel giant slalom events appeared on the Salt Lake City Olympic programme for the first time, replacing the two giant slalom events that were contested in Nagano. Halfpipe The halfpipe competition takes place in a half-cylinder-shaped course dug deep into the hill. Using speed gained on the slope, snowboarders come up over the rim of the pipe and perform acrobatic aerial tricks. The object of the halfpipe is to perform difficult tricks with perfect form. Alpine - Parallel giant slalom An exciting version of Alpine snowboarding, parallel giant slalom features head-to-head matches on the mountain.

After the qualification round, a 16-person tournament is established and competitors battle it out on two side-by-side courses until there is a winner. Snowboard Cross A challenging route including jumps and obstacles conveys a “Formula One” atmosphere. The heats consist of four riders who start at the same time, whereby the best two in the finish proceed to the next round. Technical Terminology 180 air: An aerial manoeuvre in which the snowboard rotates 180 degrees - a half of a spin. 360 air: An aerial manoeuvre in which the snowboard rotates 360 degrees - one full spin. 540 air: An aerial manoeuvre in which the snowboarder rotates 540 degrees - one-and-a-half spins. 720 air: An aerial manoeuvre in which the snowboarder rotates 720 degrees - two full spins. 900 air: An aerial manoeuvre in which the snowboarder rotates 900 degrees - two-and-a-half spins. Air to fakie: Any trick in the halfpipe in which a rider approaches the wall riding forward, no rotation is made, and the rider lands riding backwards.

Alley-oop: Any manoeuvre in the halfpipe in which the rider rotates 180 degrees or more in the uphill direction. Andrecht: A handplant using the rear hand while grabbing the board with the other (front) hand. Backside: The side of the snowboard on which the athlete's heels rest; the side of the snowboard to which the athlete's back faces. Backside air: A trick performed on the backside wall of the halfpipe, grabbing the heel edge of the board with the front hand. Backside handplant: A manoeuvre where the rider places both hands or the rear hand on the lip of the halfpipe and rotates 180 degrees in the backside direction. Backside rotation: Rotating clockwise for a regular-footed snowboarder or rotating counter-clockwise for a goofy-footed snowboarder. Backside wall: If a snowboarder rides straight down the halfpipe, the side of the halfpipe that is behind the rider. Bevel: The angle to which the edges of the snowboard are tuned. Freestyle boards have greater base-edge bevels than an Alpine board; however, Alpine boards have greater edge bevels.

Blindside: Any rotation in which the snowboarder has oriented himself "blind" to his takeoff or landing and must stretch to look over his shoulder. Bone: To straighten out one or both legs. Bonk: Hitting an object while riding a snowboard. Cab: Short for caballerial. Caballerial: Figure de halfpipe, avec début en marche arrière, rotation de 360 degrés et réception en marche avant. Porte le nom du spécialiste de planche à roulettes Steve Caballero. Canadian bacon air: A move in which the rear hand reaches behind the rear leg to grab the toe edge between the bindings while the rear leg is straightened. Chicken salad air: An aerial manoeuvre in which the rear hand reaches between the leg and grabs the heel edge between the bindings while the front is straightened. Corkscrew: Sideways rotation. Crail air: An aerial manoeuvre in which the rear hand grabs the toe edge in front of the front foot while the rear leg is straightened. Crippler air: An aerial manoeuvre in which the snowboarder performs a 180-degree flip.

The athlete approaches the wall of the halfpipe riding forward and lands riding forward. Detune: To slightly dull the edges of the snowboard. Double grab: Performing two separate grab tricks on one aerial. Double-handed grab: Grabbing the snowboard with both hands on an aerial manoeuvre. Duckfoot: A snowboard stance in which the toes point outward. Effective edge: The part of the edge of the snowboard that is in contact with the snow; does not include the edges of the tip and tail. Eggplant: A one-handed 180-degree backside rotated invert in which the front hand is planted on the lip of the halfpipe wall. Elgeurial: An invert in which the halfpipe wall is approached fakie, the rear hand is planted, a 360-degree backside rotation is made, and the rider lands going forward. Fakie: Riding backwards. Fall line: An imaginary line that combines the steepest pitch and most direct line, from top to bottom, of any slope. Flat bottom: The area in the halfpipe between the two walls. Flatground: Tricks performed on a flat slope. Flex: The stiffness of the snowboard.

Freeriding: Snowboarding for fun, not in a competition. Freestyle snowboarding: The type of snowboarding that includes tricks; halfpipe is a type of freestyle snowboarding. Front foot: The foot closest to the front of the snowboard. Front hand: The hand closest to the front of the snowboard. Frontside: The side of the snowboard on which the toes rest; the side of the snowboard the athlete's chest faces. Frontside air: Technically, a frontside air is an aerial performed on the frontside wall. The term also is used to describe an aerial on the frontside wall. Frontside handplant: A manoeuvre in which the rider places the front hand on the lip of the halfpipe and rotates 180 degrees in the frontside direction. Frontside rotation: Rotating counter-clockwise for a regular-footed snowboarder or rotating clockwise for a goofy-footed snowboarder. Frontside wall: If a snowboarder rides straight down the halfpipe, the side of the halfpipe that is in front of the rider. Goofy-footed: Riding a snowboard with the right foot forward.

Haaken flip: An inverted aerial in which the rider approaches the wall of the halfpipe riding backwards. At the lip of the halfpipe, the rider flips backwards into the pipe and rotates 720 degrees, landing forward down in the pipe. Named after its originator, Terje Haakonsen. Halfpipe: The snow structure on which the halfpipe competition is contested. It is made up of two walls of the same height and size and a transition area in between. Ho ho: Any two-hand handplant. Indy air: An aerial manoeuvre performed on the backside wall with the rear hand grabbing the board between the bindings. "Indy" also can be used to describe the location of the grab. International Ski Federation (FIS): The International Ski Federation (FIS) establishes the rules, sets the schedule of events and selects the referees, judges and other officials for the Olympic Games as well as other international competitions. Inverted 180: An aerial manoeuvre in which the snowboarder performs a 180-degree flip. The athlete approaches the wall of the halfpipe riding forward and lands riding forward. Also know as a "crippler".

Inverted aerial: A trick in which the rider is airborne and upside-down. Japan air: An aerial manoeuvre in which the rider grabs the toe edge in between the feet with his front hand and the front knee is pulled to the board. J-Tear: Named after its originator, Mike Jacoby, an invert in which the athlete rotates roughly 540 degrees in a front-side direction while planting one or both hands on the lip of the wall. Late: Incorporating a move into a trick just before the trick's completion. Layback handplant: A manoeuvre in which the rider places the rear hand on the lip of the halfpipe and rotates 180 degrees in the frontside direction. Lien air: An aerial manoeuvre on the frontside wall, in which the rider grabs the heel edge with his front hand and leans over the nose of the board. Lip: The top edge of the halfpipe wall. Lip trick: Any trick performed on or near the lip of the wall. McEgg: An invert in which the athlete plants the front hand on the wall, rotates 540 degrees in a backside direction and lands riding forward.

McTwist: An inverted aerial on the backside wall in which the snowboarder performs a 540-degree flip. The athlete approaches the halfpipe wall riding forward, becomes airborne, rotates 540 degrees in a backside direction while performing a front flip, and lands riding forward. Named after skateboarder Mike McGill. Melonchollie air: An aerial manoeuvre in which the rider reaches behind the front leg with the front hand and grabs the heel edge between the bindings while the front leg is boned. Method air: An aerial manoeuvre on the backside wall in which the rider grabs the heel edge with the front hand, bends both knees, and pulls to the level of the head. Michaelchuck: Named after its originator, Mike Michaelchuck, an invert done on the backside wall of the halfpipe in which the rider does a backflip with a 180-degree backside rotation. Miller flip: An invert in which the halfpipe wall is approached riding forward, the front hand is planted, a 360-degree front-side rotation is made, and the rider lands riding fakie (or backwards).

Mosquito air: An aerial trick in which the athlete reaches behind the front leg with his front hand and grabs the heel edge between the bindings. The front knee is then bent to touch the board. Mute air: An aerial manoeuvre in which the rider grads the toe edge with his front hand either between the bindings or at the front of the board. Nollie: A method to obtain air without jumping. It is performed by first lifting the rear foot, then lifting the front foot as the rider springs off the nose. Nose: The front tip of the snowboard. Nose grab air: An aerial manoeuvre in which the rider grabs the nose of the snowboard. Nose poke air: Any manoeuvre in which you bone your front leg and "poke" the nose of the snowboard in a direction away from your body. Nose slide: To slide along the ground solely on the nose of the snowboard. Ollie: A method to obtain air without jumping. It is performed by first lifting the front foot, then lifting the rear foot as the rider springs off the tail.

Palmer air: Named after its originator, Shawn Palmer, an aerial manoeuvre in which the board is grabbed near the nose and pulled across the front of the body, and the nose is pointed downward. Phillips 66: An invert in which the athlete approaches the halfpipe wall riding fakie (backwards), plants the rear hand on the lip of the halfpipe while doing a front flip, and lands in the transition area riding forward. Named after skateboarder Jeff Phillips. Plate binding: A binding system in which hard boots are attached to the snowboard by a flat plate similar to ski bindings. Pop tart: An aerial move in which the rider goes up fakie (backwards) and lands going forward, thus not rotating. Rear foot: The foot mounted closest to the tail of the snowboard. Rear hand: The trailing hand closest to the tail of the snowboard. Regular-footed: Riding on a snowboard with the left foot forward. Revert: To switch from riding fakie (backwards) to forward, or from forward to fakie.

Roast beef air: An aerial manoeuvre in which the rider grads the heel edge between the bindings with the rear hand and the rear leg is straightened. Rocket air: An aerial manoeuvre in which the rider grabs the toe edge in front of the front foot with the front hand and the back leg is straightened while the board points perpendicular to the ground. Rodeo flip: An invert in which the rider rotates diagonal over shoulder while flipping. Rolling down the windows: A phrase used to describe when someone is caught off-balance and they rotate their arms wildly in the air to try to recover. Sato flip: An invert done on the front-side wall of a halfpipe in which the rider does a front flip with a 180-degree rotation front-side. Seatbelt air: An aerial manoeuvre in which the rider reaches across the body with the front hand and grabs the tail while the front leg is straightened. Shifty air: An aerial manoeuvre in which the upper torso and lower body are twisted in opposite directions and then returned to normal. The front leg is usually straightened. Sidecut radius: The measure of the circle's radius to which the sidecut of the snowboard corresponds.

A small radius will make for tighter turning than a large radius. Slob air: The athlete performs a mute grab with the front hand while the back leg is boned (straightened) and the board is kept parallel to the ground. Stalefish air: An aerial manoeuvre in which the athlete grabs the heel edge behind the rear leg in between with the rear hand, while the rear leg is boned (straightened). Stance: The position of the feet on the snowboard. Step-in binding: Binding system in which no major manual adjustment is needed to attach and detach the boot from the binding. Stiffy air: Any aerial in which both legs are boned (straightened) and a grab is done. Switchstance: Performing a trick while riding backwards when the manoeuvre is performed exactly like it would be if you were riding forward. Tail: The rear tip of the snowboard. Tail grab air: The athlete grabs the tail of the snowboard with the rear hand. Tail poke: Any manoeuvre in which you bone (straighten) your rear leg and "poke" the tail of the snowboard in a direction away from the body. Tail slide: To slide along the ground solely on the tail of the snowboard.

Tail wheelie: To ride solely on the tail of the snowboard with the nose in the air. Taipan air: An aerial manoeuvre in which the athlete reaches behind the front foot and grabs the toe edge between the bindings with the front hand. The front knee is then bent to touch the board. Toe edge: The edge of the snowboard on which the toes rest. Tranny: A slang term for transition. Transition: The curved surface of the halfpipe walls between the flat section and the vertical portion of the wall. Traverse: To ride perpendicular to the fall line; to ride across the halfpipe. Tuck knee: A technique in which one knee is bent and the ankle is bent sideways to touch the knee to the snowboard between the bindings. Twin tip: A type of snowboard used in freestyle. It has an identical tip and tail so the board can be ridden in either direction. Vertical: The top portion of the wall in a halfpipe that allows the snowboard to fly straight up in the air. Wet cat: An inverted aerial in which the athlete plants the front hand on the wall, rotates 900 degrees in a backside direction and lands riding forward.

It is a 900-degree McTwist. How to Determine if You're Regular or Goofy Foot | eHow How to Determine if You're Regular or Goofy Foot Ryan McVay/Digital Vision/Getty Images The typical board stance in surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding has your left foot in front and the right in back. However, some people are more comfortable with their right foot in front -- a stance called “goofy foot.” You won’t be able to tell if you’re goofy- or regular-footed from traits like being left- or right-handed, so you have to test yourself first to see which is your preferred stance. Tests and Results Testing to find your preferred stance doesn’t take long, but some of the tests can give you conflicting results. For example, one test is to remember which foot you use to kick something -- Transworld Snowboarding says your kicking foot should be your back foot on the board. But Tactics.com provides another test in which you step onto the board, with the first foot you place on the board becoming the front foot. If you kick with your right foot but also step first with your right foot, for example, you’d end up with two different results.

Another test is to have someone gently push you from behind, and the foot you use to steady yourself would be your front foot on the board. Both Tactics.com and SurferToday.com suggest using the push test. Comfort and Stability Regardless of test results, though, what really counts is your comfort level and how steady your stance feels when you participate in a particular sport. Tactics.com advises that some people have different stance preferences for different activities. If you step onto surf- and skateboards with your right foot first -- which would indicate you’re goofy foot for both -- but you feel more comfortable with your left foot forward during surfing, you’d be regular foot for surfing and goofy foot for skateboarding. Should I Skateboard Goofy or Regular Footed? Should I Skateboard Goofy or Regular Footed? Should I Skateboard Goofy or Regular Footed? jan zgrossetkino/Moment/Getty Images By Steve Cave Updated September 30, 2016. Figuring out if you are a regular or goofy footed skater is a very common beginning skateboarding problem!

(The answer is also part 3 of the Just Starting Out Skateboarding article.) The two different ways to stand on your skateboard are called stances - Goofy (skating with your right foot forward) and Regular (skating with your left foot forward). Here are three tricky ways to figure out how you will most likely feel most comfortable standing on your board: One - go get a ball or something like that, and sit it on the ground in front of you. Now kick it. Whichever foot you kicked it with will likely be your back foot. You want the balancing foot in the front and the kicking foot in the back. Two - go to a staircase, and walk up it. What foot did you use to step up the FIRST step? That's likely your back foot. Three - this one's hard, because once you read it you'll know the trick. So just read this first spot and then stop when I tell you to stop. continue reading below our video Skateboard Balance and Stability Tricks Go find someone, stand with both your feet close together, and ask them to shove you from behind. Go do this now -- STOP READING! Ok, so hopefully you didn't just fall over. You should have caught yourself with one foot.

The foot you used to catch yourself is likely the foot you'd put in back. Just like most people are right handed, most people are regular footed. That's why it's called regular. Just remember that there's no RIGHT way to do it. If all of these tricks tell you that you are regular, but you just like riding goofy, then ride goofy! Ambipedtrous? Ok, so I made that word up. But sometimes I get e-mails from skaters who have a hard time nailing down if they should skate regular or goofy. For example, it might feel more natural to cruise and push regular, but to ollie goofy. This is actually not all that rare of a situation! But it isn't really a problem. Some people are "ambidextrous", meaning they can use either their right or left hand just as well as the other. Perhaps you are the same, but with your feet? Or, perhaps you're just weird. Either way, it's not really a big deal! Just keep skating whichever way you want to.

The truth is, once you get fairly good at skating, you are going to want to ride switch - meaning that you are going to want to try riding the opposite from whatever stance you normally use ( see Switch in the Skateboarding Dictionary ). And even before you get that good, you are going to want to ride fakie - for example, when you ride up a ramp, and then ride back down backward ( see Fakie in the Skateboarding Dictionary ). For both of these, you are going to be more comfortable than most people when you get to this point! But either way, you might still be bugged with the question of which skateboarding stance you want to pick as your "usual" stance. I say, why pick one!? Why not change it up? If, eventually, one feels better, then do that one more! If not, then do both! If nothing else, it'll be nice for when you are cruising, because you won't tire out just one leg! Also, if you find that skating with one stance is comfortable, but ollying with the other stance is good, then give the nollie a try! There's no rulebook for skateboarding, so you can learn tricks in whatever order you feel like.

Don't stress about it - just go skate and have fun! Am I Goofy or Regular? Finding Out Your Natural Stance - The-House.com Am I Goofy or Regular? Finding Out Your Natural Stance Posted by admin on July 21, 2010 in Buying Guide , How To | 3 Comments One of the first things you must know when you start snowboarding is what stance you are. There are a couple simple ways to find out. Stance means which foot you will be riding with in front at the nose of your board. There are two different kinds of stances, regular stance and goofy stance. The difference between goofy stance and regular stance is which direction you will be facing. Simply put, regular stance is riding with your left foot in front and goofy stance is with your right foot in front. Regular stance with left foot in front Goofy stance with right foot in front. Goofy and Regular riders will be facing opposite directions when riding down hill It’s important to find out your natural stance right away. You will pick up snowboarding much faster if you do.

Many riders have started out with the wrong stance and realized later on that the control they need of their board comes more naturally facing the other way. The aim is for your dominant foot to be in back. When snowboarding your dominant back foot will do most of the power steering, while your less dominant front foot will be for balance and direction. To find out if you are regular or goofy stance try standing naturally with your eyes closed and your weight equally on both of your feet. Then have a friend or family member push you gently on your back and see which foot you naturally put out to stop from falling forward. That foot will be the front foot on your snowboard. House Tip: Try not to anticipate the push from behind too much. You want to find out which foot is the most instinctual for your body. Everyone is different, so just because you and your buddy do everything together and he rides regular (left foot forward) doesn’t mean you will too. Another fun way to find out is to put on your socks and find a super slippery polished floor. Take a running start into a slide (think Tom Cruise style in Risky Business). Whichever foot you put out first to control the slide and your balance is your front foot.

Now that you know you’re regular or goofy it’s time to set up that board and ride! Here is an article to get you started setting up your snowboard . 3 Responses to “Am I Goofy or Regular? Finding Out Your Natural Stance” “When snowboarding your dominant back foot will do most of the power steering” Have you ever heard of front knee steering? gufrocks on

Question: If a skateboarder is ‘goofy-footed’, which foot is closest to the front of the board?
Answer: Right foot