Stepping back

[Off-Shore]

As BC says above the ability to read the conditions and when to step back comes with TOTW. Time On The Water. But practicing any time you can helps a lot. This is the drill Jeremy Riggs gave me before I went to Maui 3 years ago to train with him (I mean get instruction from the master) 

"Pre-arrival training I recommend short sprints and walking the board. Take 5 -10 strokes and after your last stroke as you are lifting your blade out of the water, shuffle back to the tail so you are standing over the fin. As soon as the board stalls then move back to center. It helps if you plant your blade and take a stroke as you are moving back to center. If the water is warm enough, I recommend jumping off the board and get back on. Do it 10 - 20 times per session. You can also practice paddling your board in a surf stance."

Whilst I still do the John Belushi hop now and again (jumping both legs back in parallel stance), I'm getting better at the walking back. One thing I have found with a left footed rudder board is to have my right foot forward of the rudder and then step back behind the left foot whilst keeping that foot on the rudder. This allows some quick forward backwards movements. Once I have the right foot behind my rudder foot, then I tend to shuffle in surf stance backwards. I just have not got the cross stepping down in bigger conditions.

[PonoBill]

The idea to move on the board from day one on a SUP is outstanding & optimal.  However, this probably won't make a first experience on a Maliko much better unless the person has done dozens of downwinders beforehand.

Even with a good bit of downwinding experience, Maliko is a different bird. Though on a high wind day when it hasn't been blowing up a twenty foot East swell all week, and no north groundswell, it can feel pretty friendly. And then there's winter.

Every year when I get back from six months of daily Viento runs I tell myself I'm totally ready, and every time the first big day reminds me that 120 Vientos doesn't equal one Maliko. It's like thinking 120 apples equals a pineapple. Different deal.

[Board Stiff]

Very interesting discussion! When I first started paddling, I quickly learned the wide, parallel squat stance for stability in bumpy water and deeply ingrained that habit. Last summer I started making a concerted effort to practice paddling inn narrow and/or staggered stances, and agile that initially destabilized me terribly, it's starting to pay off with improved balance on tippier boards.

When I first started SUSing, I quickly learned the "Belushi hop" for getting back on the board, and I'm still very dependent on this move today. Can anyone point me to videos that do a good job showing footwork in drills to improved my ability to walk the board more gracefully? I'm really looking to see where and how to step without destabilizing the board.

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[PonoBill]

Hopping isn't a great way to maintain balance a stability. If you get your feet close enough to the centerline of the board then you can shuffle without screwing up the board trim, but it's much smoother to cross step. With your feet in the cross step position--across the board--you can modulate the pressure of your heel or toe to keep the board flat. If you're in a surf stance I find it a little easier to start stepping backward by first moving my back foot forward. It closes the distance between front and back foot so you don't have to move that far. I take very short cross steps to keep the board under control, almost the minimum I can make without tangling feet.

Lots of videos and info on the web about cross stepping. The key is practice. I'm going to go make coffee, so I'll cross-step my way to the kitchen. Makes Diane nuts, but she's still in bed, so I'm good.

[Board Stiff]

Thanks for the tip, PB! I'll check out some cross-stepping videos and start cross-stepping around the house. Getting a feel for the movement pattern on a stable surface will probably ease the learning curve a lot.

[kayadogg]

The key is practice. I'm going to go make coffee, so I'll cross-step my way to the kitchen.

This really does actually help. It feels silly but the more you do it, the less you think about it, which is the goal. Reminds of the thread someone started years ago about brushing your teeth on one foot to help improve your balance. Cross-step to the bathroom, brush your teeth on one foot for 2 minutes, cross-step back. Now there's a training regimen for you.

[eastbound]

ive been practicing on my goofboard--itd be a stupid way to get injured, but it's a challenge, and fun