are you regular or goofy foot?

SO I think the cornering thread got me thinking about this because I think someone said they prefer their left foot forward when on the "ready" position: arms bent, just off the seat, getting ready for a jump or some gnarly trail downhill segment.

How do we get this way. Is it just what you get comfortable with? or is it a left handed or right handed thing? I'm right foot forward on my bike, and that is actually goofy foot in skateboard terms. But funny, I am regular -left foot forward when riding a skateboard.

I have tried switching to left foot forward sometimes going down chunk and stuff and I definitely don't like it.

So what are you and why?

 

Regular foot on both. Occasionally I am right foot forward to rest but eventually my left foot automatically comes back around.

 

And just like in surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding, one turn is different than the other. I am regular foot, so my hips are closed when I turn left (sort of a backside turn). It takes more effort to turn left. that said, I turn a lot better to the left on Meadows. I haven't figured that one out yet.

Thanks for this thread. Most people don't think about it. I'll bet Varaxis does however, and has it graphed out for efficiency, power and aesthetics.

BTW, Aaron Gwin, Steve Peat and Greg Minnaar are regular foot. Oh, and regular footers have a high incidence of the chain smacking against the end of the crank arm while speeding over rough terrain. The right crank is back, against the chain. My right crank is beat to hell on the end from the chain.

 

It's weird, I'm goofy on a skate/snow board, but ride left foot forward on bike. Just strange like that...

 

Goofy when riding, regular foot when surfing ... go figure.

Thanks for the thought provoking question Carl.

 

I mentioned in the cornering thread that I was normal-left forward, which seemed correct when I was virtual riding while sitting at the computer typing. But on a real life ride yesterday I realize I am actually right-goofy :wtf: I think too much thinking is confusing, now that it's been thunk I can forget about it again and just go riding :crazy:

 

Right foot forward... Lucy? I can't esssplain it...

 

I can. :lol:

 

I go either way... As with most things in life, I'm really goofy. I do some things left handed, and some things right handed, and sometimes I forget which is which... :crazy:

When I was still teaching, it drove the kids nuts that I would write as far as possible on the white board with my left hand, and then switch to the right hand and keep on going...

 

Follow up: Went for a quick ride this a.m., and yeah, definitely left forward. But as I sit here writing, I can't imagine anything anything other than right forward. Left just feels wrong. But on a bike, left is right, and right is wrong.

 

Right-handed, and left foot forward when riding!

When I did Tae Kwon Do, I was right foot dominant too (my kicks were MUCH better with my right than left).

 

I am slightly ambidextrous and I couldn't tell you what foot I lead with - I just get in the zone and do what feels natural.

 

I'm goofy footed all the way. All board sports and on my bike. I practice left foot forward from time to time on my bike, but when things get fast or technical, my right foot comes forward. Same goes for snowboarding.

It's interesting to read that some people can ride a board with one foot forward and their bike with the other foot forward as I always thought if you ride a board with one foot forward, that would be your lead foot on your bike. However, keep in mind that all sports/activities I play I have to work much harder to learn one direction or the other. For example, I grew up playing baseball and hitting left handed was a struggle. In hockey, it has taken much practice and effort to use the back hand side of my stick. Also in hockey, crossovers were much easier and stronger in one direction than the other and took much effort to get comfortable and confident going the other direction.

Perhaps there is some correlation with your dominant eye as I'm right eye dominant and prefer my foot forward. A tangent hockey fact, Canadian's have right handed players shoot left handed or right hand high as the top hand is supposed to be the hand controlling the stick for the most part.