Surfing Waves

When doing turns (cutbacks,snaps) on a shortboard where does your back foot go? Let's say the front of the traction pad is over the front 2 fins, the middle of the traction pad is in the middle of all 3 fins, and the back of the traction pad is over the back 1 fin. Where is the optimal place for your foot to go when doing turns such as cutbacks and snaps etc.? When surfing, although I never take too much time to notice, if i happen to get my back foot near the back of the pad the board seems more responsive and it seems much easier to get it to turn and do what I want. I think my foot is usually over the middle of the pad and sometimes the front, and when I try to do a cutback or hack it seems very forced and sometimes I don't take it all the way around, meaning just a half turn. I know it could be my upper body technique too. Watching videos/looking at pics I notice that just about every pro has their backfoot in the very back of the traction pad up against the kick-tail when doing any turn (i.e. cutback,snap, off the lip). Is the correct place for your back foot when doing turns at the back of the pad over the back 1 fin? Does it make it easier?

actually its not about one foot position but your entire stance that really makes turning that much easier.

Yes your back foot should be on the traction pad right over the fins. the further back you are the easier it is to make A snappy turn.

Keep in mind though that if you have the POO stance - legs spread very far apart then thats gonna make it tricky to initiate a turn with any substance in it. If you have the BALLERINA stance - feet very close together you will be hugely unblalanced and probably just fall off.

So take note of where you feet are during a turn and what works and what doesnt. This isnt something that is universal as people are built different - size, weight, grounding, etc etc....

As with all things exerience is the only way you will develop

Thank you very much. But when you say "right over the fins" The fins cover a pretty large area compared to your foot, i'd say about a foot (no pun intended) in length. I was just wondering where, specifically, over the fins works best? (On a standard thruster shortboard)

Oh, and since you mention it, whats the optimal stance width?

On my shorties I have a block or kick on the traction pad...when pumping or doing a cutback my foot is touching the the bump, it is my mark of where I want my foot. The bump sits over my back fin, so that puts my foot pretty much in the back center of the triangle created by the 3 fins.

As for stance look at the good guys...knees bent, body centered, feet wider than shoulder but not spread eagle, athletic forward balanced stance. Ready to jump and or be pushed from any direction.

Watch videos, and get some footage of yourself to compare....it is always painful to watch yourself, but it is the best way to help your style.

Anything worth while is generally hard as hell.
Keep the stoke!!

So the best place is not over the fins in general but over the back fin?

over the back fin for faster turns and more spray but front foot shouldn't be too far apart. if the front foot is too far apart you'll find it difficult to pull the board round far enough in a short time and possibly losing the wave