Choosing a dominant foot

[helmet]

I picked up this rule, however, part of me has always disagreed with it. Yes, I can choose a dominant foot. Or both, or the other. It's too simplistic, like are you left handed or right handed. Not realizing a lot of people are both, and most don't even know it because of the false dichotomy. How does offset increase stability?

[Tawpie]

Choose both! It’s a good skill.

Back when I was learning to snowboard, the technique to find your dominant foot was to stand feet together and have somebody suddenly shove you in the back. The foot you catch yourself on was considered “dominant”, because that’s the foot your body decided to use to catch itself. As such, it makes some sense to mount with that foot on the pedal… your body goes to it first so perhaps it’s first in the balance priority queue?

I have no idea 🤷 

[FullTilt]

I'm right handed.

I ride regular stance on a skateboard as do most right-handed people.

This means my dominant foot (right) is to the rear, providing fine-tuned control for kick-turns, kick-flips and such.

But this also means I push with my right foot with my left foot planted on the top half of the skateboard.

This is why when learning to ride EUC, I found it more natural to push off with my right foot with my left foot planted on the left pedal.

Perhaps without skateboard experience, it would've been the other way around.

Some things will remain a mystery.

 

Edited May 24, 2021 by FullTilt

[BarrettJ]

If you're talking which foot I can ride easier one legged - it's very obvious my right foot.  Riding one legged was always from the start significantly easier on that side.

If you mean which foot I lead/steer with - I alternate back and forth (as in one foot will be ever so slightly more forward on the pedal).

[Scottie888]

Nothing against discussing this topic but IMO, its really a moot point. We all know which foot is dominant much as we know which hand we write with & whether we're southpaw in a fighting stance. Sure we can make it work in the other direction if we put enough time & effort into it but real question then would be why.

You know which foot to put on the wheel 1st because its what feels correct. That it. End of story.

Which foot leads when riding staggered is a different matter entirely but even then, its not a stretch to say you'll know when you try it. One way will feel more correct then the other. And since there's really no downside as to which leading foot's better, I don't see the point of this discussion.

Unless I'm wrong in this assumption ofcos.

[AtlasP]

The argument could be made that learning to mount/dismount/ride-one-footed with either foot could make one safer, particularly if you have one foot slip off or slightly off while riding (due to hitting a pothole or something). I know if my left foot slipped off I have a chance to save it, but if my right foot slipped off I'd be fscked.

[.....]

6 minutes ago, AtlasP said:

The argument could be made that learning to mount/dismount/ride-one-footed with either foot could make one safer, particularly if you have one foot slip off or slightly off while riding (due to hitting a pothole or something). I know if my left foot slipped off I have a chance to save it, but if my right foot slipped off I'd be fscked.

Or when you go to mount and a pedal folds up on you. Or when you have to stop and NEED to be leaning a certain way because of road or other conditions. Or, when you have a nagging injury that prevent dominant foot being dominant. Or, when you need to kick a dog that approaches from either side. Or, when you just simply realize that being comfortable in both ways, makes you not only safer, but enables you to ride longer...

Oddly, my dominant foot rides back in compare to my other when I first started. Mount with dominant foot on the wheel, ride with dominant foot back in stagger. Very odd, tho I dont suffer this failiing anymore.

Edited May 25, 2021 by ShanesPlanet

[RetroThruster]

22 hours ago, Scottie888 said:

Nothing against discussing this topic but IMO, its really a moot point. We all know which foot is dominant much as we know which hand we write with & whether we're southpaw in a fighting stance. Sure we can make it work in the other direction if we put enough time & effort into it but real question then would be why.

You know which foot to put on the wheel 1st because its what feels correct. That it. End of story.

Which foot leads when riding staggered is a different matter entirely but even then, its not a stretch to say you'll know when you try it. One way will feel more correct then the other. And since there's really no downside as to which leading foot's better, I don't see the point of this discussion.

Unless I'm wrong in this assumption ofcos.

I agree with this, it's nice to be able to use both but you'd still end up using one more than the other which gets you right back where you were...