How to Determine if You’re Regular or Goofy Foot

Staff
Co-Authored

When learning board sports like skateboarding and snowboarding, the first thing you need to figure out is your stance. There are two possible stances – regular foot and goofy foot. “Regular” doesn’t mean “correct.” Both stances are valid, although regular foot does tend to be more common.

The easiest way to figure out your stance is to determine your dominant foot. This is very easy to do, once you learn how.

1 Recognize the difference between regular and goofy. These terms refer to the two stances used in board sports.^[1] Your stance is which foot is in front of the other when you’re riding. Regular means to stand on the board with your left foot forward. Your right foot will be behind it, near the tail of the board.^[2] Goofy is the opposite of regular – your right foot is forward and your left foot is back near the tail.^[3]
- The foot you choose to put in front affects which direction you’ll be facing on the board.
- For example, if a regular skater and a goofy skater were riding side by side, they’d be facing opposite directions.^[4]
2 Know your dominant foot. When standing on a board, you’ll want your dominant foot to go in the back, since it’s stronger and does most of the pushing, turning, etc. If you are right-handed, it’s highly likely that your dominant foot is your right foot. This would mean your left foot goes in front and your stance is regular. This is usually how it works out, but not always.^[5]
- Some people who are right foot dominant prefer riding goofy (right foot forward).
  Some people who are left foot dominant prefer riding regular (left foot forward). It’s uncommon, but it does happen.
- Try a few simple tests to determine or confirm your dominant foot.
3 Run and slide. One of the easiest and most reliable ways to determine your dominant foot is the “slide” test. Put on a thick pair of socks and find a smooth, hard-surfaced floor. Take a running start and gain a little speed. When you’re ready, switch from running to sliding. Take the final stride and then land flat-footed on both feet, balancing yourself as you slide across the floor in your socks.^[6]
4 Have a friend push you from behind. Stand naturally with your feet even and close together. Ask a friend to gently push…