only when windsurfing...

get into it Tom ..backside is a blast ...foot-placement is very important ..i find on the tail is the go .

love a lip bashing backhand slash .try and surf left at lease once a day ..you will get the hang of it ..

is the heel mightier than the toe ?

Bernd Roediger (Naish team rider) does and he is quite amazing on his "wrong" foot.

Actually the last couple of times I went sup surfing I would change to riding switch on my toe side especially when its a small fatter wave.
It all started when I was going windsurf wave sailing the Taranaki coast in NZ where 85% would be port tack wave riding down the line and being natural footer it takes a while to develop a really good surf feel.
In an effort to get a better I would ride switch on a wakeboard then snowboarding I did a contest and this Canadian dude had his bindings set up "duck foot" to ride switch better. Some of my mates gave me **** but could ride 80% of a intermediate run switch and made my windsurf port tack wave riding so much better.
I tend to seek out rights but also want to improve my sup surfing backhand and you tube is great for tips.
But sandy bottom bar when the tide gets a bit full then I'm having fun riding toe side switch.
If the wave gets more shape again I just lack that back foot control on the tail and I'm just a passenger

Best way to begin learn to switch stance is to always paddle front side to the paddle .
Younger, I spent an all summer to take off on a surfboard and stand up riding front side...I waste that summer :-)
SUPing backside is the go, i would prefer to switch both way on backside

riverider said..
I never had a problem surfing on my backhand on a surfboard, but when I started SUPing it was very hard, as I moved to smaller boards it got a lot easier.

I think the size of the board is a big factor in not enjoying backside, but I can't afford another board

Learn to ride backhand, it's a different feel but very rewarding when you nail it. You tend to get more drive on your bottom turn due to pressure with all your weight directly over your heel (rear foot). Same as forehand where you look is where you'll go. Low volume short/ long board SUP is easier on you back hand, narrow pintail shaped SUPs are great for down the line left hand points as well. It takes time but worth it.

Stay stoked

robbo1111 said..
Bernd Roediger (Naish team rider) does and he is quite amazing on his "wrong" foot.

John Monie in the '60's. Central Coast bloke. Quite a character. Check him out.

surfinJ said..
I have always admired surfers who could switch foot. This was a level of surfing, a handy technique that I could not get to.
Among surfers this is a rare ability.
What I see now though is for the crossovers from a wind/kite surf background to sup, it is no big deal.

On a standup board it is a big advantage to be able to take off frontside on hollow waves. That said, I love the different backside feeling. Spent my formative years in, for me, backside rights and got it down.
Love the hook feeling coming off the bottom.

windsurftom said..

riverider said..
I never had a problem surfing on my backhand on a surfboard, but when I started SUPing it was very hard, as I moved to smaller boards it got a lot easier.

I think the size of the board is a big factor in not enjoying backside, but I can't afford another board

Smaller is easier, but big can hook too. 11x31 190l

On small waves that kind of cutaway fin settled on a big board allows some enough back side rail drive with still fin release to get some fun and free reentry! That is a good combo fin/board choice , well done SurfingJ and which would be a good combo to make Winsurftom's backside surfing easier

I surfed regular for over 50 years but felt I needed to be symmetric when I got into SUP. I have slowly built up a little skill in surfing lefts switchfoot. My main break is a long right that usually peels back to the left for the middle section, so it is a great opportunity to switchfoot (right foot forward) on the cutback, and then switch again when it reforms and heads right again. Switching certainly makes you move your feet more and gets you more adaptable. There is a definite advantage in paddling more symmetric.