Author Topic: Balance Board Question - Video  (Read 5847 times)

WhatsSUP

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Balance Board Question - Video
« on: February 21, 2016, 12:56:04 PM »
All:  I decided to built a balance board the day before the Superbowl a couple of weeks ago....figured if the game sucked I'd get a hour or two balance practice.  Anyway....video is pretty explanatory as far as dimensions and such.  The first session on Superbowl eve was interesting - I absolutely SUCKED on the thing and the only way I could stand on it was to use to poles......I had the shaky shakes!!  To my surprise I was able to drop the poles after 2 or 3 15-30 minutes sessions.  Yesterday, some 3 weeks later, I took my first cross steps forward.  This am I took my first cross steps backward, so decided to post a vid as I had a question.

As seen in the video, I'm goofy foot and I've been starting using my left (back) foot to get the board balanced before placing my forward right foot on the board.....So, when I place my forward right foot I automatically starting using that foot to try to keep the board balanced - the vid shows me moving my forward foot all over the place.  I tried for the first time today to use my right (forward) foot to balance the board then bring up my back foot....this results more in a desire to use my back foot to shift around to balance and essentially keep my front foot on the boards centerline.  QUESTION: Should I use the backfoot (left for me) to move around for balance and minimize my forward foot as much as possible as it'd more closely reflect SUS'ing?    Right know I'm more or less using my front foot to move around (leaving my back foot quiet) to balance and I'm thinking thats probably not good!

I'm pretty happy with progress over the last several weeks, so look forward to suggestions on further improvement and ditch any bad habit now!

Thanks,  8)

https://youtu.be/RhiCEJoZyL0
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krash

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Re: Balance Board Question - Video
« Reply #1 on: February 21, 2016, 01:34:32 PM »
I've got an Indo board under the bed, maybe I should start using it....
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WhatsSUP

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Re: Balance Board Question - Video
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2016, 11:30:05 AM »
I've been reading that a good number of folks believe they help quite a bit with balance and all......I guess I'll find out!   8)
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Bean

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Re: Balance Board Question - Video
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2016, 11:48:42 AM »
There are a bunch of good instructional vid's on the GoofBoard site.  But, it looks like you are doing fine on your own.

goofboard.com

fatkid87

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Re: Balance Board Question - Video
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2016, 01:26:04 PM »
Try it on tile for a one up on difficulty

supthecreek

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Re: Balance Board Question - Video
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2016, 04:20:13 PM »
Yikes....a Goofy Board. If I did that.... I'd break something...... a hip, shoulder or ankle .... so you are light years ahead of me.
Heck even the metal table in the background was making me nervous.
My joints are all suspect..... I'm just glad they work for surfing and golf, so I don't expose them to falls on hard ground.

I kind of like the PVC pipe.....it goes out of round and slows down the roll. More controllable.
If you used a solid wood roller.... things would get much quicker.

note.... WhatzUP asked me to look this over and give my opinion on how "balance training" and foot control translates to surfing habits..... so here goes:

Your skills on the Goof board are far superior to mine. I won't even try it.
Back foot, front foot, I don't know if it's better as a practice, but it won't hurt.... I think anything you can do to improve the "small twitch" muscles is good.
The feet need to be used properly to make a board do what you want.... and which foot is in charge, is constantly changing as you ride a wave.

In my world, there are simple answers..... but they require lengthy explanation  ;)

A word about "balance" as it pertains to surfing:
for SUPsters, balance is a necessary part of the "standing" on a board when stationary, or paddling a small board... BUT THAT'S ABOUT IT.

IMO.... balance doesn't have much to do with the "surfing" part.
It takes balance skills to keep a bicycle upright, when you are not moving... but you don't need balance once it is moving.
Same with Standup paddle surfing.
Balance isn't really a factor once you are on a wave.... standing on a moving board is easy....your "turn" stability comes more from centrifugal force than balance.

Any video you see of me going slow.... I bobble around a lot. Give me just a little speed and I am magically transformed in to a more graceful surfer.
I am not talking about fast... just enough speed to take "balance" out of it and smooth out my ride.

Surfing is a "feel" sport. To me surfing is totally sensual.... I try to move on a wave, in a way that feeds back a smooth, flowing carve.
I rarely trim across a wave..... I like rail to rail transfers to keep the "flow" going.
I like all my turns to "link" together in a continuous move that uses the speed from one turn, to execute the next turn.
The feet, as well as the whole body, are used to do that. It moves up from the feet, through the legs, the hips, the back and the shoulders like a whip.
It feels serpentine to me.

Surfing is more art than anything else.... it comes from the creative brain and how you "see" a wave.
"Style" is a big part of of that... it's all part of the body moving with fluid motion.... the board follows.

Want to surf better?
Let your mind go a little..... don't think about what you can't do...... think about what you want to do. Then do it.
Want to turn better?
Crank and insanely hard turn, to kick out of a wave.... you will be amazed at how solid it will feel. Then apply that to your next ride.

Watch Kelly Slater in this video..... notice how he sees a wave, and how he uses it.
He surfs with a continuous flow.... all of his body moves in one graceful motion.
He is pure poetry.
And he NEVER says "I can't"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_kqdlo7R7w

Bean

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PDLSFR

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Re: Balance Board Question - Video
« Reply #7 on: February 22, 2016, 04:35:00 PM »
HA HA great thread as I just pulled my GoofBoard out of storage !! I find holding my shorter surf paddle helps with my balance 
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WhatsSUP

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Re: Balance Board Question - Video
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2016, 05:13:06 PM »
Bean:  Hadn't seen that vid!  Cool.  Thanks!!! 

Creek:  MUCH appreciated....after watching many of your's and others vid's, as well as reading posts here, it seemed like much of the emphasis (to me) was keeping the forward foot more or less along the stringer the vast majority of the time and using the backfoot to initiate and make the turns, cuts, etc.  Your explanation makes a ton of sense especially the bit about balance requirement skill is minimal with speed, and surfing being a "feel" sport.  Thanks for the detailed comments Creek....exactly what I hoped to read!!!!!!

Definitely no substitute for being in the water, but if this kind of balance practice can help then I'll all in.  I suspect after cross stepping this balance board at 48"x15" that my SUP will appear to be a tanker when I next try it on it.

All good stuff!!!! 
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eastbound

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Re: Balance Board Question - Video
« Reply #9 on: February 22, 2016, 05:40:42 PM »
creek--that soundtrack is special--thievery corp

of course kelly slays
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krash

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Re: Balance Board Question - Video
« Reply #10 on: February 22, 2016, 06:02:52 PM »
I think I might have to get a GoofBoard...
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Bean

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Re: Balance Board Question - Video
« Reply #11 on: February 23, 2016, 06:15:15 AM »
Here are my balance boards.  I used the Indo Board as a template for my GoofBoard copy.  The roller is 3" PVC with Hydroturf strips for traction, the deck is ply with a coating of Monster Traction (not as coarse as the Indo surface but both work just as well).

eastbound

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Re: Balance Board Question - Video
« Reply #12 on: February 25, 2016, 07:02:42 AM »
i am mimicking paddling with 5 lb dumbells, while on my goofboard, to train for a trip.

works the muscles while balance-challenged, and while in surf stance.

i hope for two sessions a day for a week. that will test my fitness in ways i dont here at home.
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mrbig

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Re: Balance Board Question - Video
« Reply #13 on: February 25, 2016, 07:26:51 AM »
I still use an old boogie board on an indo bladder. Playing with kettle bells adds to the fun. Trying to do Qi Kung while standing on it is even more interesting.
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WhatsSUP

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Re: Balance Board Question - Video
« Reply #14 on: February 25, 2016, 03:26:36 PM »
East/Big:  I think you're spot on as far as variation.  I hit the gym several days a week and I always make it a point to take 10 mins or so working on one of those half-ball thingies - each side.  And often times with a 10 or 20lbs straight bar....dipping, twisting, turning, etc...figure it can't hurt!
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