voyager wrote: anyone got any advice how to get a bit more 'catlike'?
Waikikichan's advice is King, thanks for that! Also, thanks Wkkc for mentioning Wingnut's Art of Longboarding 3 in another thread, I didn't realize there was more than 1! Can't wait to take in #3 re. style. Don't need #2 as I can't afford to travel at the moment.
As far as dry-land training, I recently realized (duh) how superior a longboard skateboard is to the also-fun GoofBoard-type lateral roller (mine is home-made) in that the skateboard includes the fore-and-aft lurch-factor. I find it easiest to get that first step in right away, and it helped to skate around some in the crossed-up position, to train the cerebellum in stability with that initially awkward stance, which should eventually translate to graceful cross-foot turns . . . for starters I push with my typically-front-foot toward the back of the board, hold the one-foot balance for a bit and then place my typically-back-foot in front, in the cross-step stance, and ride like that for a bit to get used to the steering . . . like a 'mongo' push except with feet pointed to the other side of the board . . . after several sessions I've gone from the same 'lurch' and reluctance I felt while surfing to the confidence of early familiarity. Can't wait to try it out in the water, but there's suddenly no swell after those three hurricanes sent outstanding swell to New England. I'll keep practicing, including Waikikichan's not-quite-stepping technique, and let you know if it seems to translate for me.
