My daughter is LFF what do I do?

[Horton]

Ok seriously Buford is almost ready for one ski and she mostly kicks me with her Left foot. The old rule is dominate foot forward. Starting out does this really matter? Is anyone really sure it would be bad for me to "make" her RFF?

 

 

[thager]

Doesn't matter. Either way you lose ski time!!!!!

[ScottScott]

I wish I had my dominant foot forward, but don't think I want to try to change at this point (not that I'm that far down the line, but I would probably lose a couple months of what will hopefully be progress....but would I progress more long term if I had my dominant foot forward....?)

[jjackkrash]

As a southpaw forced to live in a right-handed world I'm pretty sensitive to forcing hand/foot dominance on someone. Let her do what comes naturally and let the chips fall where they may.

[PatM]

I would more than likely kick you with my right foot, but I'm left foot forward. Not exactly a world beater though so take it for what it is

[MISkier]

3 onside turns. Let her be LFF, if it is the natural stance for her.

[Andre]

If she kicks you with her left foot ,it's because she plented her right foot down first.

RFF.

 

[wawaskr]

Buy her a wakeboard! :D

[jimski]

I’m LFF and kick with right, what’s the problem

[jnan66]

Let her stand relaxed on the floor with her eyes closed. When you give her a mild push in the back she will by automatic put the "natural" leg forward.

[Taperflex]

I’ve always called it “right foot forward “ and “correct foot forward “.

[igkya]

Have her run and jump, like an olympic long jump or shooting a layup, which ever foot she jumps off is the front foot.

[jimski]

Why don’t you just let her ski trying each foot forward and see where she’s more comfortable

[rfa]

Maybe hard data has the answer, but i believe, balance and "dominant" foot do not necessarily go together. (if all 41 off skiers ski dominant foot forward, then I stand corrected).

I ski LFF but no ambiguity about my "dominant" foot...played pretty high level soccer for many years, so I "know" my dominant foot (right). My left footed son skis LFF, and my right footed son skis RFF. They "chose" their stance at early ages (5ish), while I started at 40.

But we are not 41 off skiers by a looong stretch of rope...

[markn]

Sometime, quietly walk up behind her and gently push her forward. Which ever leg she moves forward to catch herself....that is her dominant foot. Works every time.

[elr]

I had my son get up on a wakeboard before one ski - he went R, L, R, and then settled on L.

[Horton]

@markn yeah I keep doing that and can't get her to use her right :-)

[liquid d]

It's all about how she jumps on a skateboard. And if she pushes it while her planted foot is on the rear of the skateboard, she's just weird.

[ScottScott]

@liquid d Thats how I rode a skateboard. And, I know I'm weird.

 

Right foot on the back of the board, pushed with my left, then rode left forward) I know I'm right foot dominant, which is probably why I pushed with the right foot balancing on the board, just goofy in how I stood.

[bsmith]

@Horton She mostly kicks with her left foot and every time you try the push test, she catches herself with her left foot. Seems pretty clear that she should be a LFF skier. It sounds like you are in denial on this. Why do you want her to be a RFF skier so badly?

[Horton]

@bsmith LFF is just backwards

[The_MS]

If she’s a lefty she must have no @Horton in her.

[markn]

@horton...LFF seems to work pretty well for THE TOWER! Like the old Beatles song.."Let it be".

[RichardDoane]

@horton what foot forward is Gallagher ?

maybe she's smart and taking after her mother ?

[DavidP]

If she balances (balance beam, slack line etc) on one foot, which foot is she better with?

[lakeside7455]

Horton, last years World champions LFF, Joel Howley and Manon Costard, maybe not so bad a thing. 3 onside turns, seems more and more new skiers are LFF.

[JackQ]

Be happy and support her. Being left foot should mean you have three good turns: 1,3,5 RFF only have two; 2 &4 a good turn at 6 does help much. Unless you are like I am, RFF and 1,3,5 are my better turns my 2 &4 are poor. I think that is because I get more practice (3 turns vice 2) and #1 is particularly important.

 

Old school, get behind you subject, ask them to stand with their feet shoulder width apart, bend their knees and then when they don't expected it, give them a good shove in back, forward. Which ever foot they put forward so they don't fall is their dominate foot and I have them use as their front foot, or tell them to drop the ski on the other when learning to ski on one ski. Try it, you would be surprised how effective it is.

[jakecuz23]

Have her ride a bike and tell her to stand up on the pedals. Whatever pedal she puts forward to stand up on the bike is that same as what foot she skis with.

[Bruce_Butterfield]

Hand / foot dominance is a very individual thing and forcing the opposite will at best be very difficult and at worst be an absolute disaster. There are a very small percentage of people who are effectively ambidextrous, either naturally or with a lot of practice, but the vast majority of people have very definite natural hand/foot strengths. Babies start showing hand dominance well before they are a year old.

 

I had a college kid skiing with us (32/-15ish and basic tricks) who looked really awkward and offbalance in slalom and really struggling with tricks. Trying a simple back almost always resulted in catching the tail and nasty backsplat. Slalom wasn’t much better with stiff legs, tail riding and OTFs. After watching for a dozen sets, I started thinking he needed to switch his feet. Without telling him my suspicion, we went back to the dock and I told him to do a 1 leg squat. With the leg he had forward, the squat was very shaky and off balance. Repeat with same result. Ok, try the other leg (the one that was back) – way smoother and controlled. Next I walked behind him and gave him a quick shove and sure enough he stepped forward with the back leg. So the switch was on! Within a few sets, he was noticeably more comfortable and balanced on both slalom and trick skis. In a month or so, he was back where he was performance wise, but much more stable, consistent and without the nasty falls.

 

So, use all the tricks mentioned and have Buford do the skier salute with both legs and see what works better. If she’s a lefty roll with it. I still believe LFF is an advantage for slalom.

 

[PUoldmaid]

I am right handed, right foot dominant. My dad was LFF. He taught me LFF slalom as perhaps that is what made the most sense to him. To even screw with me more - I was taught to trick (and still do) RFF by another coach. And switching them up now feels so bizarre to me. So, I think you can work with whatever.

[MarkM]

I'm Right Handed/Right footed.

Left foot forward skier, Lefty hockey player, Lefty batter, Righty tennis player.

 

 

[Kimbymon]

I am left handed, ski RFF, but play all other sports right handed. I know very few RFF skiers

[GaryJanzig]

Andy Mapple was right foot forward. Cory Pickos is left foot forward. Much to do about nothing. Go with the one that feels more natural. I am left foot forward, and my brother is right foot forward. Stand up and tie your shoes while standing on one leg. Which ever one you have better balance should be forward.

[rico]

This is terrible, She has to be RFF to ski with us.

 

Did you do the scooter test?

[MattP]

@Rico She will have a far less chance pulling a Rico in a tournament being LFF

[bsmith]

Besides the likely benefit of getting more buoys from being LFF, there is also a nice benefit if she plays soccer left footed. Most soccer players are right footed so when they defend a left footed player they automatically assume their opponent is right footed. This makes it easy for the left footed soccer player to fake right, go left and then shoot hard with the left foot. In kids soccer, it takes a while for the defender kids to really get in their minds how to defend a left footed attacker.

 

And if your daughter plays defense, coaches will love to have her play left back because she can shield the ball with the right side of her body while being able to make an accurate down the line pass with her dominant foot. Only a few kids on any team will have that left foot advantage in defense.

 

Of course, all good soccer players should learn to play well with both feet. But even so, there is always an advantage on accuracy and power when kicking with your dominant foot. Being left footed is a nice gift to have in the soccer world.

 

 

 

 

[Horton]

I still think it's a birth defect from my wife's side but I accept that Buford is left foot forward.

 

 

[KRoundy]

That rear “boot” is perfect. It is even pink!!! Love it. Welcome to the LFF club, Buford!

[aupatking]

I’ve always wondered if there is real advantage to either. RFF has a natural onside gate turn in, which seems like a huge head start. LFF has 3 onside turns in the course. Parrish makes it look like LFF is not a bad thing, but it feels like you see a lot more RFF skiers in the top ranks.

The only test I’ve seen deliver consistent accurate results is putting your kid on a scooter and seeing which foot is on the scooter (front) and which they push with (back)

[Jody_Seal]

When on trouble or in doubt! Run in circles, scream and shout!!

[Horton]

bump

[lpskier]

If I had seen this post last year, I would have said that in my opinion if you kick with your right foot you should ski left foot forward. Your natural balance is on the non-kicking foot. My test for a beginner is to have them strand with their feet together and give them a slight shove backwards in the solar plexus. Whichever foot they put backwards to catch their balance is the front foot on the ski. Again, that’s the foot with the natural balance, and usually it’s the non-kicking foot.

 

In snowboarding and skateboarding, you are “goofy foot” if you ride right foot forward.

[pregom]

@Horton why the bump? Are you still having doubts about which foot forward your daughter should have or is it something else? Reading this whole thread now, I thought you were at peace with LFF.

[ral]

@bsmith , on all good soccer players learning to play with both feet, Maradona would disagree with you.

 

By the way, @Horton , Maradona was a lefty as well.

[Horton]

@pregom she's definitely left with forward. I bumped this thread because somebody else was asking similar questions in another thread.

[ForrestGump]

No one has asked the critical questions here...............

 

Where does the line form to kick Horton? And what does it cost?

[ALPJr]

LFF works for the current world champions.

https://www.connellyskis.com/uploads/1/0/3/7/103766634/manonworldchampion_orig.jpg

 

https://www.connellyskis.com/uploads/1/0/3/7/103766634/joelhowleyworldchamp_orig.jpg

 

 

 

[Keith_Menard]

Oh....THAT is my problem, I am LFF so I should be on a Connelly! @ALPJr Thank you for showing me my fatal flaw is actually with my ski :)

[vtmecheng]

Manon seems to be doing just fine LFF.

[chaloux]

Hmm, I never thought about this that much. I kick with my right but am left foot forward. That's for all board sports, biking, skiing, etc. My right foot is my "planted" foot, left foot is in control. My kids are all left foot forward as well, one of them is left handed.

 

Now here's another question - how do you guys hold the handle? I'm left foot forward and my natural inclination is left hand up, right hand down. That feels more natural when cutting left but less natural when cutting right.