When snowboarding, should you steer with front or back foot?

Question

I have heard various opinions on this, and I would assume leaning forward on front foot takes the weight of back foot to allow steering (or changing edges)? Then others say steer with front? hmmm. I seem to go from heel to toe edge very easy, but toe back to heel is more tricky, almost having to twist violently.

Answer 1

Anyone who says you steer with either foot is mistaken. Sure you can snowboard that way, but you're going to get really sore leg muscles. Steering involves both feet. Think of it as a wave like motion: pressure your front toes, then your back toes to go onto toe edge, then front heel and then back heel to go onto your heel edge. The motion is much more fluid this way and if you want to make more drastic turns you need only put more pressure into one of those steps. Often times you'll see people whipping the back of their boart around with their front leg bent and their back leg straight. This isn't really good technique and I suggest trying to avoid doing this (unless you're speed checking quickly).

Answer 2

Good question basically when turning you shift your weight onto your front foot and steer with the back, but you still have to lean on your front foot either your toe or heel edge to do a good turn so you kind of steer with both feet. If you watch a snowboarder on tv carving down a slope watch their body movement and posture, the top half of there body will hardly move and they will use their own body weight and momentum to complete the turns. If you are having trouble turning toe to heel edge, try turning into the fall line and then leaning back a bit keeping your knees bent, rather than whipping the back of the board rouned. Its a common problem though so i wouldent worry about it too much, most people have problems like this when learning turns.

Answer 3

I've only done snowboarding for a few days in Banff, Canada. At the rental place for the board I went through some "dry" posturing... the shop owner asked me what I felt most comfortable with (right foot at front)... and he told me the right foot lead style is called "goofy style".

In practise I found myself doing 180s to switch from right foot lead to left front lead, depending on the circumstances of the slopes.

As for steering... I just leant my body for each edge (but I was on the novice slopes). HF !

Answer 4

Snowboarding is basically like rear wheel steering. Pretend you were driving a car, but the wheels that you were turning were the rear wheels instead of the front (basically how the car moves when you drive it in reverse). You push your back foot out and pull it in to carve and switch edges. While your front foot obviously plays a role in it all, the back foot is what does all the magic.

Answer 5

BACK!

The back of your snowboard is what moves, so your back foot turn the snowboard in an arc, directing your direction. But both feet are key in steering, as you have to use both feet to maneuver your edges so you dont fall flat on your face (or butt).

So the back is used primarily for direction, the front for holding your weight, and both for lifting edges.

Answer 6

steering with your back foot is the easiest way. i didnt even think it was possible to steer with your front foot.
this is for regular stance: if you are going to turn on your toe edge, you would kick your backfoot out to your left and lean up the mountain, if you were going to turn onto your heel edge then you would kick your backfoot out to your right.
for goofy you would do the opposite. to go onto the toe edge you would kick your back foot to the right and lean up mountain and to go on heel edge you would kick it out to the left.

atempting to steer with your front foot will make you catch and edge, loose balance, and fall.

good luck

Answer 7

back foot is what me and a lot of people do. if you steer with your front foot it is A LOT easier to catch and edge. i know this because me too have tryed both and i found that back foot is a lot easier.

Answer 8

You initiate your turn with your front foot then transitioning your weight to your back foot to finish the carve or turn. That applies to groomed runs,for powder riding that is done mainly with back your leg alone. To make proficient and smooth turns it takes your whole body working together.

Answer 9

The proper way to snowboard is to steer with the back, but its up to the rider.

Answer 10

first off you need speed to turn and the back foot is the best. but if you're flying and carving with your whole body completely centered on your board turning effortless is the best thru pow-pow. the steeper the better too. don't slide,carve ,fast just like surfin.