Surfing Waves

I started surfing a few weeks ago and am having problems with my stance. I feel comfortable popping up in a regular stance, but feel awkward turning. I feel as if I was to ride goofy, I would be able to control the board more.
•I write and throw right handed.
•I skate regular, and when trying to skate goofy I can't ride without feeling off balance and can't do a trick for the life of me. When jumping I jump off my left foot, but if I try to Ollie on a skateboard my right foot has to be in the back.
•I scooter regular.
•I snowboard goofy because I can turn and control the board much better.
•I can rip stick great goofy and can barely stand on the thing regular. But if I try to Ollie on a ripstick I can't do it goofy, I'd have to be regular stance.

So what I'm asking is how should I approach surfing? I feel like I should ride regular because I skate regular, I pop up regular but I feel stiff compared to the way I ride goofy. Anyone have advice or a similar story?
Thanks guys, I'm new here so sorry if i messed anything up

Wow! That sounds very complicated. I have to say that I thought that you were (generally speaking) either one or the other, but it would apppear that you are infact what is known as a 'switch-footer' i.e. you are ambidextrous
If this is the case then my congratualations as this is quite rare, infact approximately 1 in 100 people are naturally ambidextrous. So I would say to you that you should go with whatever feels most comfortable. As with most things in life, do not try to force something that just isn't working. If you don't feel comfortable in a regular stance then switch to goofy and see how that feels.
Hope you have fun surfing!

It does sound very complicated, but my guess would be that if you snowboard goofy because you feel more in control when turning (and thus when shifting your weight), that you might very well adapt to turning quicker on a surfboard in goofy stance. In any case, it sounds like you are likely to be more able to switch up your stance while surfing than most people, and it will probably take some time to get used to what you prefer, just as I'm sure it did when you first tried skateboarding and snowboarding.

I surf natural and skate goofy - so it's not that unusual to do one one way and the other the other way. Whatever works. Don't think about it quite so hard.

Hey mate,

Awkward turning sounds very familiar to me and wasn't untill the last 2 weeks of my 9 week trip recently in Australia that I figured out why!.

You need to bend at the knees more (not the lower back), get used to popping up and keeping a super low center of gravity and the turns will just happen alot easier and not feel forced!.

Thanks for the replies guys! It's been flat the past week or so but tomorrow is going to be a nice day of surfing. I'll let you know how it goes

Joey,
hope it's not to late. You asked for similar stories and what to do. If surf is small, I naturally pop up in goofy stance. However, if surf is medium or bigger, I naturally pop up regular. Before going in the water, I look at the surf. That let's me know which foot is going to be the back foot and get the leash.

I do a lot of things with either hand. In baseball as a kid, I'd usually bat right-handed. But, i could switch to mess up the pitcher. But, I can only play guitar right-handed.

Due to a neck injury at age 52, I switched to using a computer mouse with my left hand.

I do not require any acclimation when driving cars with left or right hand drive or when a country's driving lane is the opposite of my normal one. I rode and raced motorcycles for centuries. Some riders report they turn one direction better than another. It made no difference to me.

I'll apply paint with a brush with either hand. But, exacting detail painting can only be done with my right hand.

So, you are not alone.

Man, being ambidextrous sounds pretty great.

Here's a good litmus test: go and catch a wave stand up paddle boarding. You won't have to pop up, and will have sufficient time to try trimming in both stances.

asilomarsurfer,
I'll accept your challenge. I've got two SUPs that I've yet to use. Lemme get through an illness and I'll report back in a month or two.

Often times being ambidextrous is very useful. But, there are sometimes when it is confusing. Sometimes I can't figure out which hand to do something with or which way to orientation a piece of work on the bench. It's kind of a strange little problem.
billie