Proper stance

Let’s talk some more about the proper snowboarding stance, which is knees bent, torso straight, and head up. We have just discussed the importance of having bent knees, which is a part of the athletic stance, in the chapter on turning. I cannot say enough how important it is to have knees bent while making turns. Trying to snowboard with straight legs is not only painful, but it throws off the balance of the boarder. The snowboarder shifts their weight from toe to heel depending upon which way they are facing and turning. This is a much more difficult thing with knees locked. Not to mention having bent knees cushions the shock when you go over moguls and bumps.

How to Snowboard

Looking at your feet is bad also – you want to look straight ahead. The boarder should always have their head up and looking forward. If for no other reason, than you might crash into somebody if you are looking at your feet. Not to mention that having your head down shifts your weight away from where it should be. You wouldn’t look at the brakes as you are driving, right? You would look straight in front of you at the road.

Chest and head should be erect and balanced perfectly over bent legs. This gives the snowboarder maximum balance and makes you ready for anything.

Find your stance width
Play with the width of your stance until you find the comfortable feeling sweet spot. Your feet will more than likely end up being just barely wider than shoulder width apart. The average stance width was elbow to the tips of the fingers, plus 5 fingers of the other hand, plus 1-2 inches or approx 2.5cm – 5cm beyond that point.

Are you a gooofy or regular rider?
“Goofy” and “regular” are the words used to describe whether a snowboarder rides with their left or their right foot at the front of the snowboard.

A goofy rider snowboards with their right foot at the front of their snowboard. A goofy rider will usually have a stronger left (back) leg and are often left handed. A regular rider snowboards with their left foot at the front of their snowboard. A regular rider will usually have a stronger right (back) leg and are often right handed.

Binding Angles:

Stance angles refer to the angle the bindings are mounted at relative to the snowboard, and are always expressed as degrees, either positive or negative. Bindings mounted perpendicular to the board, therefore, would be mounted at 0/0 (0 degrees in front, 0 in back). Let’s look at some common setups for angles:
Forward Stance: A forward stance is ideal for carving, beginners, and all-mountain riding. Common angles are +20°/+6°.
Duck Stance: A duck stance is ideal for freestyle riding. Common angles are +15°/-15° (known as mirrored), or +18°/-6°.