How To Pick a Perfect Stance

Whether you're a first-timer or threw day-glo methods with Jeff Brushie, finding the perfect stance is important to keep you balanced and comfortable on your board.  Getting your feet strapped in and ready to rip takes a little more precision than one might think, and thank goodness, Exit is here to help you get it right! 

Regular or Goofy?
The first and most crucial part of setting up your stance is determining whether you ride Regular (left foot forward) or Goofy (right foot forward).  A good trick to figure this out is to imagine yourself riding a razor scooter (since most everyone I've met has gotten their razor scooter on some time or another).  The foot you place on the scooter will be the front foot on your board.  If you skateboard, it is even easier.  The foot you place on the board while pushing will be your front foot.  If you have done neither of these, imagine which foot would feel most comfortable in front.  Or you can have a good friend give you a little push.  The foot you use to catch yourself will most likely be your back foot.  Remember, it's all about feeling comfortable on the board.  So if you try it out, and it feels awkward, get out your tools and switch it up.  Finding your perfect stance is all about playing with your options.

Setback:
Now you're ready to get technical.  For this you'll need either a phillips head screw driver or you can get a pocket tool which includes other pieces to help you work on your bindings (http://exitrealworld.com/Shop/Burton-Bullet-Tool?q=tool&x=0&y=0&match=all&min=&max=).
Once you have both your bindings, the first step is to determine your setback (or how far from the nose of the board your bindings are centered.)  A stance that is setback further from the nose of the board is optimal for riding powder and a stance that is more directly centered will be easier for freestyle terrain, such as half-pipe and jibbing.  A good basic stance is to set yourself back about 1 to 2 inches, then you can play with it from there depending on what type of riding you plan on doing. 

Stance Width:
Your stance width is the distance between your two bindings.  Stance width is usually proportionate to your height, where the width between your two bindings should be equal to your shoulder width. A normal stance width averages between 18 and 21 inches. Of course, this is always easily adjustable and a rough guide to go by.  Wider stances allow for more balance but it is also a little more difficult to transition between turns.  A narrower stance acts oppositely, with lesser balance but an easier turn transition.  Freestyle riders usually prefer a wider stance, whereas alpine or big mountain riders might choose a narrower stance width.  Again, it's all about setting it up, and playing with it to find a stance width that works for you and your riding.

Stance Angles:
The angle of your stance reflects the way your binding is mounted on the board.  Almost all mounting discs have the angle degrees imprinted on them.  When the bindings are mounted completely perpendicular to the board, your stance is at 0 degrees.  A positive degree stance means the binding is facing the nose of the board, and negative stance means the binding will be facing toward the tail of the board.  It is always good to have a bit of positive stance on your front foot and either zero or negative stance on the back foot.  A good beginner stance is 15 degrees on the front foot and 0 to -3 degrees on the back foot. 

Duck footed stance:
You will often hear of freestyle riders having a duck footed stance.  What that means is that they have a positive front foot stance and a negative back foot stance.  This allows for more balance in the park.  It is called duck stance since your toes are facing out, kind of like a duck.  A mild duck stance would be 15 degrees on the front and -6 degrees on the back.  A true duck footed stance is 15 degrees front, -15 degrees back. 

Alpine stance:
The opposite of a Duck footed stance, is the Alpine stance.  An alpine stance is when both feet are facing forward.  Alpine stances are used mostly by racers with hard boots and very narrow boards.  Without an alpine stance, riders would catch their toes on a sharp carve.  Unless you've got a alpine race board, it would be pretty hard to ride with a positive stance on both bindings. 

Now that you've got that perfect stance, get out there and cut loose!  And don't forget to change things around every once in a while...