How to Tell if You Snowboard Regular or Goofy

Co-authored by Kent Bry

Last Updated: January 14, 2024 Approved

Thinking about hitting the slopes for the first time? One of the most important snowboarding basics for beginners to learn is the proper snowboarding stance. Since snowboarders ride with their body facing to the side, there are two different stances possible: a regular stance puts the left foot at the front of the board, while a goofy stance puts the right foot at the front.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Regular vs. Goofy

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Want to learn how to find your stance without a board? Click here.

It's easy to tell which stance you have by strapping in and riding (or even just by looking at your bindings). A regular stance leads with the left foot and places the right foot in the rear for steering. In this stance, you turn your neck to the left to see where you're going.
On the other hand, the goofy stance has the right foot leading and the left foot steering in the rear. In this stance, you turn your head to the right to see where you're going.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Tests for Finding Your Stance

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1
Slide across a slippery floor in your socks. First, take off your shoes so that you're in your socks. When you're ready, get a running start and jump forward. Try to land on both feet. Let yourself slide forward and come to a stop. Look at your feet — the one you put forward should be the one you put forward on your board.
- For example, if you put your right foot forward while sliding, you probably have a goofy stance.
- This test has a small risk of slipping and falling, so only do it someplace that's clear of furniture, obstacles, and other people. If you're worried, you can always wear a helmet or try one of the other tests.
2
Use a surprise shove from behind. Tell a friend that you want her to come up behind you in a few minutes and surprise you with a gentle shove. Your friend should pay attention to which foot you step forward with. The foot that you stick forward to catch yourself should be in the front when you ride.
- For example, if you step forward with your left foot, you probably have a regular stance.
3
Play a game of tug-of-war with a few friends. After a few seconds of pulling as hard as you can, have everyone freeze. Look at your feet. The foot that you put forward should be the one that you put forward on your snowboard as well.
- For example, if you tend to put your left foot forward while playing tug-of-war, you probably have a regular stance.
4
Climb a set of stairs. Walk to the bottom of a set of stairs. Stand close enough so that your next step will be on the first step. Now, start walking up the stairs. The foot you step with first should be in the rear on your snowboard.^{[1]
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- For example, if you step with your right foot first, you probably have a regular stance.
- The tricky part of this test is that it's easy to think about it too hard and use a different foot than you would naturally. Try not to focus too hard on the test — for instance, you may want to bring a magazine so you can read it for a minute to get your mind off the test, then step suddenly.
5
Drop-kick a ball. Grab a good-sized ball like a soccer ball or a rubber kickball. Hold it in front of you and kick it hard as it falls to the ground. The foot you use to kick should be in the rear when you're on your snowboard.^{[2]
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- For instance, if you find that you naturally kick with your left foot, you probably have a goofy riding stance.
6
Simply check your skateboard or surfing stance. If you skateboard or surf, the stance you use for these sports is almost always the same one that will naturally suit you when snowboarding.
- For instance, if you put your left foot forward when you ride your longboard, it's very likely that this regular stance is what you should use for snowboarding as well.

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Tips

In snowboarding, the rear foot has to do most of the work for turning and ollies. This is why the tests above that use a foot for some sort of physical task (like kicking and climbing a stair) put the foot in the back, rather than in the front.

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For best results, try repeating the stance tests a few times. Since you know how the test works, it's possible to accidentally "psyche" yourself into using one foot over the other to get a certain outcome.

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Advanced riders often practice the ability to ride "switch" — that is, to switch to the stance that's normally backwards for them. This usually takes lots and lots of practice (and plenty of spills), so if you're a beginner, it's usually best to stick to one stance.

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