When you first learn how to ride a board you start with determining if you are regular of goofy. You can find out your preferred stance by just riding on a skateboard and see what feels natural.
Goofy stance on a skateboard means placing the right foot in front and the left foot back. Regular means placing your right left foot in front and your right foot at the back. Often the dominant foot is placed at the back of a skateboard.
Even though the majority of skateboarders prefer a regular stance, it doesn’t mean that regular stance has more benefits compared to goofy stance. Placing your left foot in front (regular) or your right foot in front (goofy) doesn’t make a difference.
From our observations most skateboarders are regular, meaning your left foot is in front and you push with your right foot so there is a big chance you are regular. This is the first thing you should try.
Determining Your Stance
The best way to find out is to just ride a skateboard and see what feels natural to you. Don’t overthink it.
Have someone push you gently from behind while standing on a skateboard. The foot you put forward first is likely your lead foot. Another way is to notice which leg you use first when climbing stairs: right leg means you might prefer the regular stance, left leg suggests the goofy stance.
It’s not about being left or right-handed. Try both stances and choose what feels best for you. About 1 in 4 ride goofy, so 75% is regular. Best to start regular if your aren’t sure, and go from there.
Your Preferred Stance is Not A Choice
Regular or goofy is not a choice. You don’t get to choose footedness and force yourself which foot goes in the rear and which goes in the front of your board. Your body has a preference and you need to find out which one it is.
This can be done by having someone pushing you gently forward and you trying to turn a little. Practice both feet and see what feels most comfortable, that’s about the best tip to find out your prefered stance.
If you don’t have anyone to push you, try a mellow slope. Don’t start at the top as riding is probably still a bit hard as a beginner but it should work even better as you don’t have someone bringing you out of balance because you’re not being pushed from behind.
Conclusion
There are many ways that can help you to determine if you are a goofy or regular skateboarder, snowboarder, longboarder or anything that involves a board. Even though some tricks might help, the best way to find out is to just ride, try, and test until it feels natural.
Whether your a regular or a goofy rider, it doesn’t matter which stance your prefer. Goofy is not better than regular and vice versa. Right-handed people aren’t better than left-handed people. During my research, I came across a video that claimed that regular stance is more stylish than goofy which is just nonsense.
Good luck on your riding experience, you’re probably just starting out and the only advice I can give you is to take it slow, don’t let people pressure you into things you aren’t ready for, and wear protective gear.
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