Surfing Tube Riding: Front Foot Rotation

Aloha Tribe,

Here in the Pacific Northwest, our tubes are, smaller than spots like, say Hawaii at, Pipeline. As such, they require crouching, often, very low crouching with your buns nearly on the deck. You'd be hard pressed to get Ziplocked if you're a Tube Rat of the wilds. Yet, it can be done, mostly in secret spots, but of course :)

Anyways, practice here in the Green Room is challenging simply because it's not every day, yet, when it happens, one can truly learn. In fact, if you're going to learn at all, you have to learn, and, quickly. Give the sea half a spell and your tube'll vanish until the moon dances again. So, the point of all of this is what I just learned in this mornings Dawn Patrol. Now granted, most of you probably already know this, but for me, it was new and fun. I found that by shifting my  right foot, I'm Goofy, after all, mostly, yet I can ride Switch for styles sake or waves beckoning. The point is though, with your lead foot, you simply turn it from the traditional 45 degree angle to the Stringer and instead, rotate on your heel and set your lead foot down parallel to and on the Stringer. This is enough to keep you from digging your left rail (assuming your ride Goofy) if your ankles (Achilles tendon and gastrocnemious - calf muscle) still need more flexibility. This slight shift in your lead foot position might just be the secret you've needed  to keep your  deck rock steady and utterly solid when  or if, you, as I, set my buns on the deck in a low crouch.

Foot shifing, especially subtle foot shifting, is something I learned from watching movies of Occy in extreme slow motion and frame by frame stop motion. He's feet seem magical and oh so light. So, watching his magic in, say, The Occymentary, you can see how his feet dance so lightly upon the deck. Which, gave me this idea.

You see, I noticed that my Frontside Rail would dig, ever so slightly, when I'd set my buns on the deck, and, while the rail shift was slight, I wanted to correct it. So, I began experimenting. Naturally, one can simply weight their heels, or, you can slip your feet ever so slightly to your backslide rail, yet, this move seemed easy, subtle, and flowing. It gave me the feeling of being light on my feet and dancing upon my deck, even from a low crouch.

You know, that's what I love about surfing. The explorations  and experimentations are endless. And in that, I find great art and beauty.

Bodaciously Stoked,

Lily of the Valley