What stance are you, regular, right, wrong or goofy? Trick question… as there are no right or wrong stances, though you can definitely be regular or goofy! Either way, each and everyone’s body is different so there is not only one truth to this question.

Even though there is not a one answer fix all we do have some tips and tricks to make sure you have the best possible stance for yourself. It is important to note first that a good stance and duck is crucial as without a good one it is hard to ride well, can be uncomfortable and even painful.

Generally, your stance should be a bit wider than your shoulders. To do a quick stance test; jump on the beach and look at your landing position of your feet. In this landing position try to bend your knees, it must feel easy and natural. Usually a bit of an outward angle will help with comfort; like a duck. This is where the term “duck stance” originates from. How much of a duck stance one has depends on your body composition and riding style.

Now the golden rule with trying out any new stance is that it should not be hurting in the hips, knees or ankles. If it does hurt or you feel major discomfort- stop your session and modify the angle of your duck and/or stance. A wider stance will give you better stability but will also reduce maneuverability. Kiteboarding stances differ from similar board sports like snowboarding. This is because in snowboarding the angle of your front foot is usually more open than the back foot because people tend to ride more on their good leg. In kiteboarding, it is usually the very same angle in both feet as we are pretty much riding 50/50 with each foot in front. So when setting up your stance consider this difference especially if you have influence from other similar board sports. Also consider for comfort that more angle in the feet will be better for freestyle but less comfortable to ride in choppy waters.

In the end, everybody is different. We cannot recommend one stance for everyone as everyone will have their own preference. If you feel your stance is not right because you are not comfortable, we recommend you run tests off and on the water with different stances; always applying the golden rule.

Have you found your golden stance yet? What have you done to do so? Let us know in the comment section below-