Need help going backside ....

[linter]

going frontside is no problem but  backside, i just don't seem to get it, mainly because i can't lean into a turn the way i can frontway.  can anyone offer some suggestions?

[Dwight (DW)]

going frontside is no problem but  backside, i just don't seem to get it, mainly because i can't lean into a turn the way i can frontway.  can anyone offer some suggestions?

I found backside didn't work for me. The board is too big. What I did learn to do, was catch the wave regular foot, then switch to goofy once on the wave. Kinda fun.

[Dooner]

Get a good wide stance going, back foot back! It's also very helpful to have your paddle on the side towards the wave so you can brace on it to bottom turn. look where you want to go, and twist your upper body/shoulders in the same direction. bend your knees.

[Tom]

Glad to hear you guys are having problems.    I though it was my board, but now I realise it's me & my technique (or lack there of).  I was thinking I'd have to get a new board, but now it looks like I can keep mine for a bit longer.

[Nate Burgoyne]

I've learned it's mostly in the footwork. Get your rear right to the edge of the board and keep the fron foot somewhat centered when you're driving the bottom turn, then as the board releases you sort of step/float to the opposite rail so you don't go flying off the back of the wave. If you have a deck pad, be sure to wax the rails to the side of the pad. If not, as soon as your foot hits that smooth rail, you're gonna catch a massive stand up board right in the jewels. How do you think I know that? It was a good show for the kids on the beach, guaranteed. Here's the soundtrack: Zoomp..fump....ooh. (squeal..."I really gotta wax those rails.")

[wadadli_waterman]

Get a good wide stance going, back foot back! It's also very helpful to have your paddle on the side towards the wave so you can brace on it to bottom turn. look where you want to go, and twist your upper body/shoulders in the same direction. bend your knees.

Yeah Dooner.  Ditto your advice.  Our best waves here are lefts so I surf a lot on my back side.  You can get just as good on your back side with enough practice.  I really like it as much as front side surfing.

One variation on which side to put your paddle.  In waves that are fast and racy I keep my paddle on the wave face side.  In waves that are slower I like the paddle on the other side to help "kick" the bottom turn (by sweeping to the side and behind the tail) ; essentially shorten it to get the board going back up the face sooner.  Then you can also crank a nice back hand snap or round house by leaning on or even breifly back paddling.

[Allan Cheateaux]

Make sure you are squaring up your shoulders "down the board". As in open your chest up to the nose of the board.

[DavidJohn]

I also hate going left..So I mostly surf right handers...That's one way to fix it..

I find that I don't have as much spring in my legs bottom turning on my heelside..and if it's choppy the board is more likely to bounce.

This is a great pic of Blane going left...I guess practice makes perfect.

DJ

[tonemike]

thought that was you going backside DJ. 
-mike

[DavidJohn]

thought that was you going backside DJ. 
-mike

Ha...I wish.. ...Even tho it's not me just looking at that pic I think to myself..."I gotta get a shorter board"..

DJ

[gjbstandup]

Going backside has been almost every surfer's nemesis when learning to surf. I guess practice and  the more you do the better yo get. On heavy longboards and now longer/wide SUP's makes that even more challenging.
  I grew surfing up on left breaking waves and backside was the norm. I've had some advantages before I hopped on the Stand-up.  I have a heavy back foot from those early surfing experiences. When I adapted to the SUP backside attack, it was not that bad.   All the tips mentioned above are great. They all work in the situations.
      Here are my tips I feel helped me..  ME....
      I try to take off on a slight angle down the wave so I'm heading left already and makes the bottom turn a little easier w/ speed. Speed is your friend.
    I'm in a surf stance ready to draw a line. (See PIC)  When dropping in my feet or stance is on the the LEFT SIDE OF THE BOARD, left of center. This helps with getting the board on that inside rail directing down the wave.
   I lean on my back leg, keeping balance and equel pressure on the board left side. Back foot  Pressing on the tail of my board while my front foot gives alittle. When I start to direct my board and turn I shift weight to forward leg leveling out now going left.   
    Now when heading backside, I adjust to the wave by leaning and applying pressure to the toes and heels.  This lets the board  do small little turns using your legs as shock absorbers gaining and maintaining the speed.
     Now the paddle.
    I paddle for the wave and gain the speed I need  ready to drop in.  (Stance On left inside of board and angled left heading down the wave)  When i reach the bottom of the wave and ready to backside turn, I use the paddle on the inside behind me ( left side) pressing down applying pressure on the blade while dropping in the turn for leverage. This also helps stabilize me when I apply back foot pressure and lean into the turn. When board is planing on the wave heading down the line I'll use the paddle on the outside to stroke for more power and speed. I will adjust to either side using the paddle for stroke and balance and to redirect for turns and maneuvers. 
 These are the the things I do going backside. Its practice and the more you do the better you get. I hope this help a little. The best tip I can give would be.
  SPEED IS YOUR FRIEND..AN INSIDE RAIL STANCE AND ANGLE DOWN THE LINE A BIT WHEN DROPPING IN.     
    Sorry for the long winded  exlination....
   

[PonoBill]

Thanks...I was just asking this question to experienced surfers at Thousand Peaks yesterday. They told me "get your back foot on the backside rail, lean back on it, stick your butt out and put some hips into the turn.

so far the only part of that recipe I've mastered is sticking my butt out.

[stoneaxe]

I've hardly managed frontside  I just keep going over. Everything is visual for me and the reflex to unweight is nowhere near as quick. Think of having to think every move out, not just relying on your sense of balance. Backside I don't even get a turn started before I fall off. Very frustrating, but what a great feeling it is to make the progress I have managed. I'll get it eventually (I hope) once I get it burned into the synapses.

[gjbstandup]

Today during my little session, I watched a 245' lb guy learning to ride his 12 foot Laird he receive for X-mas. As I watched him catch the wave and  try to go backside on the 1-2 ft ( Knee- Thigh high ) little rollers I noticed he was so way back on the tail and kind of 'popped a wheelie' w/ his nose of the board. His paddle was on the outside of the wave and stroking sort of a piviot turn have you.. while dropping in. This brought the board around and allowed him to go down the line. When I asked and showed him to use the paddle drag technique on the inside of his body and have the paddle as leverage to get the board around. The board would  plane out and trac forward. He would lean over and fall off. I asked to  try the Laird and Experiment w/ the two techniques, I found out that the heavy foot on the tail  creating nose lift allows the bigger board to piviot with an outside paddle stroke. It was much easier on this huge board than using the paddle as leverage my way like i do normal backside drop-in on my smaller board..  It took alot to get the Laird board around. But as I said before, Speed is your friend....I learned something new from a two week beginner.
    For all of you out there having trouble w/ backside, try this method ,It may work for you as did my new paddle partner on the monster Laird.
 Good luck....

[linter]

i found this picture at the gongsup site and it seems to say alot about what gjbsup is also saying.  feet all the way on one side, paddle pressed against the wave face.  that about right?  i've also read about keeping your chest open to the front of the board while going backside; the guy here is spot on with that.