Longboard stance to walk?

Erik
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Longboard stance to walk?

Message par Erik » mer. mars 11, 2015 12:38 am

Hi, all --

It sure would be great if Bear could post some of those marked drawings showing the proper foot position for walking on a longboardSUP, like he did for bottom turns on a shortSUP (http://www.gongsup.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=6026) . How about it, Bear?

One reason i ask this is because of what I noticed in this recent Gong video:
https://vimeo.com/119450054

It looks to me like Xavier is cross stepping up the board mainly to the left of the stringer instead of right on the stringer, as I see most prone surfers doing. He could be doing that to set up those helicopters. Or maybe he's doing it because SUPs are so wide that walking off center and up one side is the only way to keep the inside rail engaged in the wave. What's the answer?

Anyway, I think longSUP drawings would be most helpful.

Thanks!

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Re: Longboard stance to walk?

Message par Ours » mer. mars 11, 2015 12:53 pm

Hello,

interesting, you are right and wrong.

You are right because on every board you need to cross step where you want to go. If you want to go straight, cross step on the stringer. If you want to go right, cross step on the right of the stringer. And same to turn left.

You are wrong probably because you imagine a noseride as a straight line. In fact, it is a constant turn.
You are along the wave, crossing the vertical. So you are actually doing an inside turn all along the noseride to maintain the straight line on the face.
So you need to keep pressure on the inside rail, so you have to walk more or less on the inside side of the board.

Usually, on a SUP, when we walk to the nose we use the paddle to keep a better balance, dragging on the lip. This dragging increases naturally the inside turn effect. It permits to carve automatically and do this straight line on the vertical face.
So it is less needed to walk on the left of the stringer on a SUP than on a longboard, with a paddle than without.
For example, when I SUP my 10' IT, I walk a little on the side of the stringer. Then when I let the paddle to use it as a regular longboard, it takes me 2 or 3 waves to relocate my path on the board. Typically I fall down on my back on the firsts noserides, just because my feet are not enough on the inside part of the board.

But as you can see, Xavier, is walking a lot on the left of his board. Why?
Because when you want to do a nice 360° Helicopter, you need to do a turn from the nose. This turn to go up tells to the board that when its nose will be upper than its tail, its nose will become its tail :idea:
In order to do this, we usually put the back foot very close to the rail.

So it is important to split the "problem" in different parts:
1/ a noseride is a constant turn.
2/ a paddle increase the inside turn.
3/ a wide board acts like a narrow one.

Do you have any question?

Thanks,
GONG owner and shaper

Erik
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Re: Longboard stance to walk?

Message par Erik » mer. mars 11, 2015 2:32 pm

That's a perfect explanation, and I thank you for it.

Now let me ask you this. Is there an ideal foot orientation for walking? I see some people have the back foot at an extreme 90-degree angle to the stringer and the front foot facing forward, like this, shown in midstep:

Image

Others have the back foot at more of a 45-degree angle, like this, again shown in midstep:
Image

I imagine a lot depends on the wave. But that said, all things considered, is there a preferred stance?

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Re: Longboard stance to walk?

Message par Ours » mer. mars 11, 2015 7:11 pm

Hello,

everybody has his own stance. But the rule is:
- with 90° you have the best control
- with 0° you walk faster and you surf more fluid.

It is really important to know that when you surf, not only when you walk. Look at the front foot of Tom Curren for example, he is at 90° of the stringer. And this guy is soooo powerful because he controls.
With less angle, you will be more easy on the turns, but you will not be able to surf that fast.

Usually on a cross step, we don't open too much the feet. If your toes look at the nose, the board will going crazy in a second. It is stylish but not efficient.

The trick is to close the feet as much as you can, BUT to use the bend and twist of you knees to keep a fluid attitude.
Your back knee must go into the back of your front knee when you cross.

Thanks,
GONG owner and shaper

Erik
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Re: Longboard stance to walk?

Message par Erik » jeu. mars 12, 2015 1:01 am

Thanks again, Bear, and especially for "Your back knee must go into the back of your front knee when you cross." That helps a lot. I have yet to find "my stance." It always seems to be all over the place, no matter how much I try to be consistent. Perhaps it'll help if I always try to keep the back knee moving into the back of the front knee when I walk.

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Re: Longboard stance to walk?

Message par Ours » ven. mars 13, 2015 11:50 am

Hello,

yes, for sure.

But the secret is to train at home, on a log in the grass, you cut it at the length of your board and you start to walk on it for hours.

Enjoy,
GONG owner and shaper

Erik
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Re: Longboard stance to walk?

Message par Erik » sam. mars 14, 2015 1:35 pm

as usual, the truth. hours walking on a log (or a 2x4). boring as it must be, i can see how it'd help a bunch .. and maybe this too:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eb2q7gF6a4

from: http://larrycain.blogspot.com/2015/02/a ... train.html

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Re: Longboard stance to walk?

Message par Ours » sam. mars 14, 2015 2:01 pm

Hello,

I don't want to be rude with him, but this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eb2q7gF6a4 is exactly what you must NOT do.

This is not cross steps, it is walking.

:wink: :wink: :wink:
GONG owner and shaper

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Re: Longboard stance to walk?

Message par coolas » sam. mars 14, 2015 4:15 pm

Note that the ideas is good, it only needs a wider plank.

A joy to watch:

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