Why so many RFF skiers??

[sunvalleylaw]

This question has been in the back of my mind recently. It seems like many, like more than you would expect, of the good slalom skiers are RFF. But in any other single board sport (other than mono-skis ;-) ) most people are LFF. In fact, in skateboarding, snowboarding and surfing, RFF people are considered "Goofy Foot." I now here talk in technical discussions of the "offside" turn being "toe side." So it seems to me that the same foot would be forward. Granted, our feet are in front of one another, rather than standing at hip width or so. But not sure why that would change anything.

 

I have waterskied since I was 9, so I doubt I would try to change anything now. I tend to kick a ball right footed (which I guess some would say I would be RFF, but that flies in the face of the Goofy Foot conventions). If someone pushed me from the back, I would put my left foot out to catch myself. I put my left foot in my pants first (saw that test on the interwebz) and as said, am LFF on any other board.

 

So, if most people in other sports are LFF, why so many RFF?? Inquiring minds want to know.

[sunvalleylaw]

is it that somehow, being RFF is an advantage so that the RFF end up self selecting at the higher levels?

[bigskieridaho]

Funny that you say that. I am LFF and I think everyone else on my lake is RFF including my wife. She actually made the comment about switching to LFF this summer because she does everything else that way. I said go for it! Don't think it'll work but may prove me wrong. RFF seems awkward to me from the beginning. When I was 7 tried to get up RFF and no luck. Switched to LFF and I was off to the races! In Theory I think it is a comfort thing and no so much an advantage thing as far as progressing or doing better.

[Ilivetoski]

If I could redo it I would be RFF just because the gate pull is their good side pull

[sunvalleylaw]

I remember trying RFF, both intentionally, and when I forgot as a beginner, back on an old Connelly wood hook back in the dark ages (some time before the Reformation). RFF did NOT feel right to me. So it seems like since most people are LFF in other sports, it would feel the same to them. Puzzling to me. I feel like Spock with a puzzled look and a raised eyebrow.

[6balls]

I'm RFF and also wakeboard that way...now that's apparently goofy.

As for why RFF in slalom probably just more people are right footed than left and thus feel more comfortable.

[sunvalleylaw]

@Ilivetoski , yeah, that is a good point. Another reason why at the upper levels the there may be some self selection or pre-disposition.

 

@6balls , No offense! I didn't make up the term. As I recall, it probably comes from surfing, which pre-dates skateboarding, wakeboarding and snowboarding by a long shot. :)

 

But why the seemingly overwhelming numbers of RFF? Still doesn't make sense to me.

[OldboyII]

I ski on left, kick the ball with right, "chockolade" leg on the bike is right, if I slide on ice left is forward, if someone pushes me in the back I cach balance with right foot forward and on and on....

Total mess ))

[sunvalleylaw]

@OldboyII , yeah the tests seem to be a mixed bag. But maybe I do them incorrectly. In any case, it is very definite on my skateboard and a wakeboard (LFF of course), and when I do get on a snowboard once in a while. And this seems true for most people. Seems like toe side should stay toe side regardless.

[MattP]

LFF gets 3 onside turns.

[RazorRoss3]

It's difficult to compare a sport where you are travelling sideways like wakeboarding or snowboarding to an inline sport like waterskiing. I would agree that it is hard to ignore the benefits of an onside pull for the gate though. I personally ski RFF but snowboard LFF but if I could do it over again I'd flip to RFF on snowboard as well. LFF worked when I was learning and most of my weight was on the back of the board but as I got better and was loading the front foot I would have been more comfortable with my right foot in front I think.

[OldboyII]

Short time ago I bumped into a man who skied many years ago so he forgot which foot was forward back in time (no kidding).

He did two free runs with RFF & LFF, both reasonably good.

[Ski_Dad]

most of my friends are RFF and I'm LFF - i felt like a odd guy out until I saw Jon Travers ski this past winter.

[Horton]

I don't know if is biomechanically or technically correct but I've always understood that in those other sports there's more control in your back foot. In slalom we want to control the ski with our front foot. Most people are right foot dominant so on a Slalom ski we want our right foot forward but on a surfboard we want our right foot back

[Fam-man]

When I started slalom skiing there was no doubt, LFF.

After reading the interweb about proper form and considering my natural preference weight my right foot I figured last year I'd try RFF. Got up first try, felt unnatural, made it through the turn around ok and my plan was to pull out to the left side of the course and try to maintain the pull the length of the course. Made it past 2 ball wobbling and crashed in an odd forward roll. I hadn't told the boat what I was doing so when they came back to get me they were concerned that either something was wrong with equipment or I'd been sneaking Grandpa's cough medicine.

Experiment over, going to stick LFF.

[Gloersen]

Maybe more RFFs, but...LaPoint (JLP),

McClintock, Costard, Lucine, Parrish, Rodgers, Beauschene, Larkin, Travers...

[auskier]

Interesting little fact.. Jason McClintock is currently the only LFF skier in the top 10 on the ranking list.

[jedgell]

I went with RFF because that's what my wally-skier uncles told me to do. Didn't question it because they could put up big spray!

[mlange]

I saw a video years ago where Andy skied a course (I think at Ski Paradise) that allowed you to ski 6 balls with the first ball being on his onside.

 

After skiing it he was surprised at how much easier it was with the extra onside turn.

[TallSkinnyGuy]

Most people put the foot forward that is the most stable. In surfing it used to be considered "goofy" to put right foot forward (for reasons unknown to me), so many learned with left foot forward even if it felt awkward to them. There is no longer any social pressure to do that, particularly now that the GOAT surfer -- Kelly Slater -- is right foot forward. I surf, skateboard, wakeboard, snowboard and ski with my right foot forward.

[rfa]

Based on my (admittedly non-scientific, but small sample empirical) analyses, my answer is "I have no idea"...

Me -right handed/right footed. Started skiing age 39. ski LFF

Older son - left handed/left footed. Started skiing age 5. ski LFF

Younger son - right handed/right footed. Started skiing age 4. ski RFF

Oh well...

[gsm_peter]

One guy at our club use different foot ff when slalom and trick...

 

[BrennanKMN]

I am right handed and left eye dominate. When I was learning to slalom I just stuck a foot in the front binding and never looked back. That foot was the left one.

[maxpower220]

I'm "normal" in most watersports, LFF for wake sports. I write and eat left handed and do all sports right handed. I ski RFF. However, when I think about skiing, I think LFF.

 

 

[Than_Bogan]

I've said it before but:

 

Notice that every time someone talks about foot forward, they mention the advantages that the other way has.

 

But no one switches.

 

In fact, the history or records show that both ways are very successful, but I believe that at least 99% of people are simply more comfortable one way. If you're in that 1% that is ambifootous, then I recommend switching every set to maintain your skills... :)

[Horton]

if any of you are thinking of switching feet VIDEO PLEASE!

[sunvalleylaw]

@Horton , well, your above point kinda makes sense. Based on that, maybe I should have been RFF originally, as my right foot certainly is dominant, and I can have a temptation to push or steer with it. But then again, I think lots of people fight that. Also, as I think about it, it is easier for me to snow ski, and I have better touch on my edges and rely on gross body movements less, when standing on my right foot rather than left. That also fits with what you are saying.

 

I may try the other foot forward once just because. Later in the year after my arms and ski muscles are in better shape. If I do, I will have one of my kids video it. I would be very surprised if I ended up wanting to switch at this point.

 

It still does not completely answer why there are more RFF skiers, unless it is true that when technique mondernized, more truly advanced skiers picked the right foot based on what you were saying. When I was a little kid, the "goofy foot" pressure still existed, and most of my PNW friends picked LFF as I recall. Fewer of my friends were RFF.

[chris55]

On the higher level, I think there is more men with RFF but in the women higher levek I think there is more LFF. I noticed that watching the swiss pro event.

Any reasons ???? I have no idea.

And I noticed it too at our club more women LFF than men RFF.....Maybe because men come from mars and women from venus ?

I am RFF so I come from mars for sure

[sunvalleylaw]

PS, listening to Marcus Brown's podcast and interview with Horton is partially what made me think about this stuff. It is a good podcast if anyone has not listened yet.

[6balls]

I know of a guy who was an into 38 off skier at 36 (I know cuz I lost to him in a challenge the pro's event)...he could run 22 off 32 mph with either foot forward--impressive. Was a former college gymnast.

[ScottScott]

@BrennanKMN I am also right hand dominant but left eye dominant, LFF. I think the dominant left eye made me do skateboard etc LFF which carried over to slalom. I did a pole here a while back....not sure there was any useful information that came out of it, but it does seem that many that have different dominant hand/foot compared to eye do go with the foot forward same as dominant eye.

 

I also think that some has to do with how advanced of a skier people are exposed to when learning. Many casual skiers think the back foot should be dominant then they teach friends with dominant foot back.....then for those that become more advance, struggle to learn to dominate with the non dominant foot forward.

[Horton]

@sunvalleylaw at least the old school west coast method was to find a new skiers dominant leg and put it forward. When I worked at Horton Lakes in the 80s and 90s we tested each new skier to find the stronger leg and that was the leg they learned to ski with in front.

[sunvalleylaw]

@Horton , I learned to slalom (well, ski around and put up a spray) in the late 70's and was basically self taught/taught by friends. I don't think we up in Puget Sound had got that memo yet. Is what it is at this point. At least your explanation pretty much answers my question.

[Chef23]

There was a time in the 70s when the back leg had to be much more active in the turn to get the ski to turn. The modern skis pretty much turn themselves.

 

I am right handed and footed and ski LFF. My son is left handed not sure which foot but skis LFF also he is fairly ambidextrous though he can throw a ball with either hand. My daughter who is totally left handed and can't do anything right handed skis RFF.

 

Not sure that helps any. I get the point on your good pull to one ball but as a LFF skier I feel like if I can get to 5 ball I can run the pass because it is my good turn and strong pull. That is not true as much as the rope gets much shorter but through 28 off is definitely true for me.

[Keith_Menard]

This thread is fascinating to me, my son tried LFF and struggled getting up. RFF...BAM, I fought him all last season to go back to LFF, and this may be one of those instances I have to go back to him and tell him his mother was wrong.

[OldboyII]

In all other sports I'm right footed.

It happened that I started to ski LFF.

I have a feeling that my skiing could be more efficient with RFF.

But I'm happy to ski LFF because it extends my active life in sport because on waterski I am using my less worn/healthier knee.

[klindy]

Perhaps part of the answer can be found in answering what caused you to decide which foot forward when you first learned to slalom? There was some reason to put one foot or the other in front at a time when you have no idea what the difference was.

 

I recall skiing in two skis and being told to "pick up one foot then try the other and feel which is more comfortable to do". I chose LFF.

 

I'm left handed, kick a ball with my left foot mostly, skateboard, surf and snowboard LFF. I'm right eye dominate and only drive with my right foot.

 

I can also switch back and forth between a telephone keypad and a keyboard/calculator without an issue even though they're "upside down" from each other. :smile:

[matthewbrown]

Does anyone have any data on the actual percentage of skiers that are LFF and RFF, or is this simply observational anecdotal evidence on par with UFO or Big Foot sightings? Perhaps AWSA could put an R or an L next to your scores so that everyone would know which foot forward you were, that wouldn't be too confusing.

[TeamAllen]

I could Ski either foot forward and never gave it much thought growing up. I finally decided to pick one. I rode them both and decided I was better RFF even though I'm LFF on all other board sports. Just the way it goes. I never really put much thought into it really.

[eleeski]

Lefties are so gauche!

[Gloersen]

LFF = suave

[Kris]

I'm RFF, and so is my husband. I believe I am right foot dominant.

 

Having read that this makes me a "goofy foot", I tried with my LFF, and couldn't even get up. I tried again, this time dropping a ski, and it felt completely awkward and unnatural.

 

 

[braindamage]

I learned RFF but after 2 seasons I switched just to see what would happen. HUGE difference-waaay better. Never looked back. LFF ever since.

 

I even switched the way I skateboard.

[moski]

Great topic. I've been wondering this topic too for a bit. I learned LFF. Been skiing since I was little. I'm right everything else though. I'm late 30's.

I have two kids. I'm wondering which foot to put forward for them. My daughter is right handed for everything while my son is left handed for everything.

Any advice is appreciative ......

 

@eleeski had some great info on this topic. We talked on phone for a bit a few weeks ago. I need to hear it again though.

 

@llivetoski what u mentioned is one thing that @eleeski had said to, but he added to it.

[ShererSkier]

I was always told what @klindy said... Pick up each foot and the one you feel more comfortable on is the one that should be in front. I was told it was about having the foot your most balanced on forward.

 

I never really thought about it until reading this thread but I do everything left foot forward. I am right handed, footed and eye dominant but I think it is more personal preference/comfort than anything. I have never tried RFF but I don't think i would want to at this point.

[dchristman]

It's natural. Let them decide before they can discuss it and over-think it.

 

 

[UWSkier]

There was (perhaps bad) conventional wisdom in Northern WI that if you were right handed and right eye dominant, you needed your left foot forward. This was when I was learning to ski in the 80s. For a couple seasons I would actually switch it up from set to set. I could ski on both but at some point just sortof settled on LFF. Maybe that was wrong?

[sunvalleylaw]

@UWSkier , that was basically how it was for me, including also what foot forward on a skateboard, etc. And had I to do it over again, I might try my RFF again. But not at this point.

[Freddie Winter]

My feeling is that there are more RFF skiers at the top because they have more offside turns in the course - 3 for RFF, 2 for LFF (buoy 6 isn't a turn). This forces the RFF skier to ski more offside turns every pass, every set, every year than a LFF skier by 33% meaning they become more proficient on their harder turn and therefore a more balanced skier overall without having to do anymore work. This is in their favour when it comes to skiing at a high level.