Goofy vs Natural Footed

[whitey89]

On skateboards and surfboards and really any other type of board there are two ways of standing: Goofy (right foot forward and left foot back) and natural (left foot forward and right foot back).
I think this also applys to bike riding (although its around the other way, same concept), im goofy and when im hitting a jump or not pedaling through a technical section i always have my left foot forward, it just feels weird to have the right foot forward (i cant even bunnyhop with the right foot forward). I have tested the theory with some mates, do you support this theory or do you think you can teach yourself to break the habbit? Also does anyone else have this problem?

[Dozer]

I always notice that when I'm not pedalling I have my right foot forward, the same goes for hitting jumps, drops etc. I feel really strange when I have to hit something with my left foot forward because it seems to throw my balance out..........
I'm a right foot forward man.;)

[Joy]

You ride goofy on a skateboard? Or were you carrying the term over to bikes?

I'm goofy on a skateboard, but right foot forward on a bike. Maybe it could have something to do with the foot you kick with as well? I'm a natural right footer.

Interesting concept

[Disturbed.Rider]

Are we just talking about your chocolate foot? Mines my left, but I do everything else with my right foot.....

[RaID]

im goofy in all board sports (right foot forward)

and on a bike the comfortable position is right foot forward aswell which i would classify as goofy not the otherway around as you stated

right foot forward = goofy in all sports imo


you can definately teach your self to break the habbit its like learning to ride switch on a snowboard

[wokkawokkawokka]

I could never understand why but i ride skateboards natural (left forward) but push goofy (with the left), same with bikes, left foot forward for jumping, but i use my right foot to start a manual, (i haven't learnt to just pull up yet:o )

[alpinestar12]

I'm goofy (Right foot foward) snowboarding and such, but I always hit jumps and technical sections on my bike with my left foot foward. I also think that I corner much better to the right.

[Techno Destructo]

Are we just talking about your chocolate foot?

All hail Hans Rey!:D

[whitey89]

Interesting hearing how peoples brains work. Yes im trying to carry over the board term to bikes but im not sure if its constant. So im goofy but im right footed and i ride with my left foot forward. I think im kinda messed up lol. Whats this "chocolate foot" term mean?

[RaID]

Interesting hearing how peoples brains work. Yes im trying to carry over the board term to bikes but im not sure if its constant. So im goofy but im right footed and i ride with my left foot forward. I think im kinda messed up lol. Whats this "chocolate foot" term mean?

youre favourite foot, ie the one you feel most comfortable with riding forward

[s_t_3_v_3]

on a board, im a left foot forward man... but on a bike, im a righty.

I'm thinking it might have something to do with what foot you control the tool with. On a board, you base your weight over your back foot and on a bike, i think you base your weight over your front foot and hence, the dominant leg carries the weight on each and the non-dominant just is used as a stabiliser.. I sometimes feel that after a long non pedal section, my front leg (right) gets more tired than my left..
but i might be wrong!:confused:

[BJ-]

On skateboards and surfboards and really any other type of board there are two ways of standing: Goofy (right foot forward and left foot back) and natural (left foot forward and right foot back).
I think this also applys to bike riding (although its around the other way, same concept), im goofy and when im hitting a jump or not pedaling through a technical section i always have my left foot forward, it just feels weird to have the right foot forward (i cant even bunnyhop with the right foot forward). I have tested the theory with some mates, do you support this theory or do you think you can teach yourself to break the habbit? Also does anyone else have this problem?

Im the same on bikes and boards. Left foot forward...

But how did you come to the conclusion that goofy on a board is natural on a bike? That doesnt make sence.

[i like dirt]

I use to ride left foot forward when I skated and I still have left foot foward on my bike, even though I'm naturally right footed :confused:

[EastsideZero]

on a board, im a left foot forward man... but on a bike, im a righty.

I'm thinking it might have something to do with what foot you control the tool with. On a board, you base your weight over your back foot and on a bike, i think you base your weight over your front foot and hence, the dominant leg carries the weight on each and the non-dominant just is used as a stabiliser.. I sometimes feel that after a long non pedal section, my front leg (right) gets more tired than my left..
but i might be wrong!:confused:

Sounds like a reasonably sound theory to me. But then again i ain't no rocket scientest.


But how did you come to the conclusion that goofy on a board is natural on a bike? That doesnt make sence.

Probably because the majority of people ride left foot forward on a board, and the majority of bikers ride right foot forward. Therefore making the majority in either the "norm" ie. "Natural" and all you other freaks out there "Goofy".:D

[Sam.]

Probably because the majority of people ride left foot forward on a board, and the majority of bikers ride right foot forward. Therefore making the majority in either the "norm" ie. "Natural" and all you other freaks out there "Goofy".:D

Most people I know ride left foot forward, including me. I vote for a poll!

Cheers, Sam:cool:

[bodgie]

When it comes to skating, wakeboarding etc im natural footed (left foot forward) and the same on the bike. Always like to g.have the left foot forward when doin a dropor jumps, or even just when coastin

[GravityGuru]

I skate(d) goofy, ride right foot forward, turn left better than right, and start wheelies with my left foot. And on the skating note, don't all/most skaters leave there right foot on the board regardless of stance? ie goofies push with back foot (left) and naturals push with front (left)?

[Matt H]

I ride left foot forward and naturally hip to my left and flatty with the top of my bike going to the right

[CAB]

I ride left foot forward and naturally hip to my left and flatty with the top of my bike going to the right

I'm left foot forward too but i flatty and whip naturally to the right but rotate naturally clockwise. I reakon its cool that everyone has a different styles

[Meat Pie]

goofy footer, right foot foword on my bike, i find i can 180 when rotationg left so much easier because my back foot can wip it round so much easier. i notice alot of people who skate push with there left foot. when i Bmx, peg stalls tend to come more natural on my right side rather than my left.

as for the breaking the habbit thing, it could be done, may take time thogh, like learning to skate/snow board switch.

[J-ack]

I think it does work, i'm regular in all board sports, and ride with my left foot forward and, judging by the replies i read, most other people are the same.

EDIT: I didn't read page 2, where the people who board goofy/regular, but have their left/right (respectively) foot forward. Looks like it isn't set in concrete to me.

[Callan.]

I think it could be to do with your brain. I heard that some people who use one side of their brain (not sure which side, lets call it side 'x') are more artistic, but when people who use the 'y' side of the brain more are more conservative.

So maybe if you use side 'x' you have your right foot forward (I do, and I am good at art) and my friends who are not so good at art have their left foot forward, side 'y'.

It could be to do with that, or maybe I'm just talking shit.

hmm...

[hayd]

I took the liberty of making a poll
http://forums.farkin.net/showthread.php?t=84893

[fatass]

left foot forward on boards but my chocolate on a bike is left. Although the exception is in trials, I'll roll along with right forward andthat will be my "prop front wheel foot" (I'll push down till i get chocloate back around and thats how I lift the wheel.) But with 4x gate starts it'll be right forward in the gate... Odd huh?

[axie]

It doesn't bother me which foot is forwards, I was originally a goofy footer on a bike, but after some practice I got use to launching etc with either foot forward. That said, I haven't been on a bike for a few years now, so I'm sure i'll revert back to being goofy.

[EastsideZero]

;951846']Most people I know ride left foot forward, including me. I vote for a poll!

Cheers, Sam:cool:

Obviously i was going on anecdotal evidence, but now there is a poll we will see science at work. We will find out one way or another. Dr. Karl would be proud.

Have you considered you and all the people you know might be freaks? :D

Hang on, I'm a freak and i ride right foot forward! Oh well, there goes that theory.:)

[spewyogrady]

thanks to Sheldon Brown...

"When you coast with the cranks horizontal, ideally you should have the left foot forward, right foot rear. This way the stresses on the crank/bottom bracket interface are in the usual direction.
If you coast with your right foot forward, that's sometimes called "goofy footed" and can contribute to loosening up or damaging the crank, since it applies stress in the opposite direction than the stresses of normal pedaling.

This term comes from the world of surfing, where left-foot forward is the norm."

[Little T]

I'm a natural left foot forward. I cant do anything on bikes/skateboards with my right foot forward but I kick with my right foot. I think its weird.

[nickmann]

yeh i am left foot forward. i just can't ride properly with right foot forward

[leitch]

i am left foot forward on my bikes, but right foot forward on boards.

strangley, left foot forward riders always seem to do stuff strange. for example, i whip to the left, but flatty to the right. i hip left and spin left, i also x-up left. however, i kick the bike out to the right when i tailwhip.. seems strange...

[Jeebus]

im left foot on boards, left foot kicking but ride right footed and i have better have balance on it :confused:

[Mattydv]

Well you can break the habit like all things with practice. I'm goofy in all board sports, kick with my right foot, yet I ride, jump etc. with my left foot forward. I am however teaching myself to ride with both. And yet when it comes to cornering, through practice and only having left hand burms, I can smash a left hander, yet no where near as good a right hander. I X-up to the right, I flatty to the left. I'm more comfortable whipping lower to the ground to my right, yet in bigger jumps i'm more comfortable whipping to my left. I'm right handed as well.

[Stereochild]

If so many people ride right foot forward, why is it called goofy?
Should left not be called goofy because less people do it like left handers are named molly dookers?

[Tallman]

i dont really have a favoured foot usually when just cruising, but when i need to balance or anything teckie, i usually have my right foot forwards.

[thadownzkid]

I'm kind of ambidextrous (read:uncoordinated). I use my right hand for most things, but throw with my left. As for feet, i do most things with my left. I kick footies and people with it. But I ride with my right foot forward. Had this discussion with my mates, consencus is that right foot forward is goofy. Kinda interesting.

[takai]

Im right handed for most things. Left dominated for tennis, chinese grip for table tennis, and goofy for skating and snowboarding.
I.e. im completely mixed up and unco.

[Jaanos]

its interesting how many different combinations people have! I have surfed all my life left foot forward but I feel so much more confident riding bikes right foot forward......? I have always thought it was a little weird as I would asume left foot forward on board would lead to left foot forward on bike but this is obviously not always the case. I think it just goes to show you can learn to be comfortable either way if you try hard enough! I think half the problem is unlearning the fact you "think" all you can ride is natural or goofy..... or "I can only hit jumps left foot forward" etc.... Its definately a habitual thing I think.....

[takai]

its interesting how many different combinations people have! I have surfed all my life left foot forward but I feel so much more confident riding bikes right foot forward......? I have always thought it was a little weird as I would asume left foot forward on board would lead to left foot forward on bike but this is obviously not always the case. I think it just goes to show you can learn to be comfortable either way if you try hard enough! I think half the problem is unlearning the fact you "think" all you can ride is natural or goofy..... or "I can only hit jumps left foot forward" etc.... Its definately a habitual thing I think.....

The learning thing is pretty true, i was told i should ride nautral for the first day i was up on the slopes many years ago. I ended up switching to goofy the next day, but i have never forgotten how to ride switch. Sure it feels a bit more dicky landing jumps and on some tricky stuff, but when carving i can ride switch almost as well as i can ride goofy.

[brooko]

On skateboards and surfboards and really any other type of board there are two ways of standing: Goofy (right foot forward and left foot back) and natural (left foot forward and right foot back).
I think this also applys to bike riding (although its around the other way, same concept), im goofy and when im hitting a jump or not pedaling through a technical section i always have my left foot forward, it just feels weird to have the right foot forward (i cant even bunnyhop with the right foot forward). I have tested the theory with some mates, do you support this theory or do you think you can teach yourself to break the habbit? Also does anyone else have this problem?
Umm, left foot forward whether your on a bike , or surfing or whatever,boxing right foot forward is southpaw, i cant see why you would think it is the other way around on a bike! I surf with my left foot forward, ride my bike ,even boxing. A good way to find out which is your true preferred stance,is stand with your feet together then get someone to push you hard in the back as though you are going to fall over, you will find which ever foot you put out to stop youself going arse over tit is the foot you will have favoured whilst hitting jumps.Although through rock gardens and techy bits you should be able to ride properly with either foot forward! i think most people are natural footers, just my 2 cents worth

[BJ-]

If anything natural would be left foot forward on a bike...

Since most people are right handed/right footed youd think the majority of people (like with boards) would ride left foot forward. Why? Because most people tend to put there weight on there prefered side and lead with the other.

The poll seems to support my ideas...

[Sutek]

As a recent Amputee, I take offense to this thread.:mad:

When I was training Basketball in my youth, my coach insisted I learn every skill with both hands equally. Persisting at this put me on the Illawarra Hawks (now Wollongong) roster. You can get a distinct competitive advantage if you can learn to use both sides of your brain equally.

It applies to riding also.

Take the time to purposely learn every skill you need, with either foot forward...(providing you have two);)

It will be a blast to challenge your brain, and will lift your riding experience thru the roof!

[kyleman]

Me, myself i ride left foot forward...no reason.. i do it most things..I think it started because in football i kick with my right foot so my left foot is always rorward and keeps me balanced whilst i only have on foot on the ground.
Same with running..i go left foot forward..but im right sided on everything with my hands..its weird.
Doesnt reaaaly matter though.

[Elbo]

I'm goofy stance for riding, skateboarding, snowboarding, etc. On a weird side note, I write with my left hand but throw right handed and can kick left of right footed, but predominately right.

[darth rider]

Boards = left forward
Bike = right forward... but, I corner with the foot on the side I'm turning into forward and up about 30* from horizontal. I feel I can cut closer to the inside of the corner this way and when doing quick switches from side to side you can throw in a quick pedal in between and be set for the next one.
Smaller jumps are ok with left forward but going bigger is pretty farkin scary - it tends to make me whip without meaning to.
Does this mean I'm a natural boarder and goofy rider? Cool.:D

[Pushbike76]

Yeah, been thinking about this one.
For me I'm natural stance on skate boards and surfboards and left foort forward on the bike.
I can ride right foot forward, it feels uncomfortable but usefull in technical area's.
It's on these technical areas that I was thinking. It seems to be that my right foot forward occurs when my balance is effected due to course or terrain meaning I can't get the crank around a full turn in time so I settle for a half crack.
Definately can't boost as high, right foot forward but with practice comes pain, with pain comes a new way of doing things.:D

[singlespeed4life]

I'm left handed but throw a ball right handed. I kick a football left footed and soccerball right. But i ride skateboard right foot forward and bike right foot forward.

[whitey89]

You can get a distinct competitive advantage if you can learn to use both sides of your brain equally.

It will be a blast to challenge your brain, and will lift your riding experience thru the roof!

Some very wise words! This post has definatly opened my eyes to how lucky i am to have two working legs. That is a great idea and it would definatly improove riding style.
Do you still ride?

[noske]

Left, I also write with my left but do everything else with my right-Surf, skate ect.

[TWChikn]

When skating i skate goofy with right foot forward, same with riding , right foot forward all the way

[takai]

The natural vs goofy debate is just abotu to take a step up.

ITS SNOWING IN HOTHAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[whitey89]

The natural vs goofy debate is just abotu to take a step up.

ITS SNOWING IN HOTHAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also in Thredbo and Perisher! But you got to ski, none of this snowboarding talk ;)

[Joel O]

And on the skating note, don't all/most skaters leave there right foot on the board regardless of stance? ie goofies push with back foot (left) and naturals push with front (left)?hell no, skaters push with their back foot, always. the minority who push with their front foot are 'mongo pushers' and should be treated similarly to a red headed step child.

i naturally ride goofy on all boards but can snowboard and skate switch pretty comfortably now

on a bike i naturally coast left foot forward. but only ride a fixie at the moment so they both spend an equal amount of time forwards, even when i get back on a regular bike it feels wrong to coast now.

[Viv92]

I'm goofy in everything. It just feels more natural that way, it's odd. I can ride a bike the other way but I can't skate natural at all, especially olly'ing, not that I can really skate very well anyway.

[maxwolfie]

You ride goofy on a skateboard? Or were you carrying the term over to bikes?

I'm goofy on a skateboard, but right foot forward on a bike. Maybe it could have something to do with the foot you kick with as well? I'm a natural right footer.

Interesting concept



Same as me

[takai]

Also in Thredbo and Perisher! But you got to ski, none of this snowboarding talk ;)

Ski? Im not sure i understand that word.

[Mahoney_007]

You lot screwed me for the past few days, I never actaully took any notice of which foot forward I ride with and now that its in my mind I have been all off balance, lol

One thing I have noticed but is

Right foot forward especially for pedal kicks and big hops/jumps. I can bunny hop left foot forward and can pull small manuals, but I cant pedal kick. And I just let whichever foot falls forward last sit there when I am cruising, so yeah maybe Im "bifootal" lol

Alos Im natural on a board(skate/snow/wake) but Ill push with my left foot leaving my back right foot on my deck, I just cant do it the other way (yes and I have copped it over the years for it) Ive been windsurfing a few times and ride one of them with my right foot forward because it feels unco the other way around whilst holding onto the sail.


So it looks liek a lot of nothing useful in that post eh? If I had to pick it'd be right foot forward bikes and left foot forward boards

[ruffin1]

i thought it was obviouse that this was true for all sports its what feels natural.

you will also find that you will spin one way rather than the other. eg when you are doing a 180.