My normal break is a right hand point on the East Coast of NSW. I surf there 90% of the time. I am regular footed so this is all frontside riding. Recently I have been surfing the beach a bit more and I am absolutely atrocious going left and I don't think backside riding is for me.
Does anyone go frontside both ways? Is it easy to teach yourself?

only when windsurfing...

get into it Tom ..backside is a blast ...foot-placement is very important ..i find on the tail is the go .

love a lip bashing backhand slash .try and surf left at lease once a day ..you will get the hang of it ..

is the heel mightier than the toe ?

I saw one guy swapping left and right on the same wave several times he said it took him a long time to do it freely, looked really cool. I am a goofy footer and have mostly rights in my area of choice so do back hand all the time and it's pretty easy once you get the hang of it. Try swapping back and forehand on some really gentle waves and see how you go, the guy I saw just kept one foot planted and moves the other front then back.

Bernd Roediger (Naish team rider) does and he is quite amazing on his "wrong" foot.

I just takes practice... either to better your backhand game or riding switchfoot.

I remember some trips to Hossegor when the sandbanks were mostly lefts (I am regular), at the end of the week I was more at ease backside than frontside.

I have been riding switchfoot while Windsurfing, but I prefer surfing backside than switching. I think surfing backside offers some variety in your surfing. But like Dave says, try riding switchfoot on gentle waves or at the end of the rides.

You can also try to "cross-step" once when paddling into the waves in order to weight the nose for the takeoff, it is very easy to do as the paddling is stabilizing you.

Actually the last couple of times I went sup surfing I would change to riding switch on my toe side especially when its a small fatter wave.
It all started when I was going windsurf wave sailing the Taranaki coast in NZ where 85% would be port tack wave riding down the line and being natural footer it takes a while to develop a really good surf feel.
In an effort to get a better I would ride switch on a wakeboard then snowboarding I did a contest and this Canadian dude had his bindings set up "duck foot" to ride switch better. Some of my mates gave me **** but could ride 80% of a intermediate run switch and made my windsurf port tack wave riding so much better.
I tend to seek out rights but also want to improve my sup surfing backhand and you tube is great for tips.
But sandy bottom bar when the tide gets a bit full then I'm having fun riding toe side switch.
If the wave gets more shape again I just lack that back foot control on the tail and I'm just a passenger

I never had a problem surfing on my backhand on a surfboard, but when I started SUPing it was very hard, as I moved to smaller boards it got a lot easier.

Best way to begin learn to switch stance is to always paddle front side to the paddle .
Younger, I spent an all summer to take off on a surfboard and stand up riding front side...I waste that summer :-)
SUPing backside is the go, i would prefer to switch both way on backside

My son can do it on his longboard very easily, and it agitates me. Lol. Still proud though.
I can walk to the end of my board and back, but still find it hard to switch foot.
Tis all in the mind.

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riverider said..
I never had a problem surfing on my backhand on a surfboard, but when I started SUPing it was very hard, as I moved to smaller boards it got a lot easier.

I think the size of the board is a big factor in not enjoying backside, but I can't afford another board

I'm natural but prefer to paddle into a right hander goofy. I find it easier to catch waves when they are fat and the nose is pointing towards the breaking wave. I switch foot coming down the face. Works fine provided it's not a late take off, where I paddle in as natural.
I get some funny looks sometimes but it works for me.

Learn to ride backhand, it's a different feel but very rewarding when you nail it. You tend to get more drive on your bottom turn due to pressure with all your weight directly over your heel (rear foot). Same as forehand where you look is where you'll go. Low volume short/ long board SUP is easier on you back hand, narrow pintail shaped SUPs are great for down the line left hand points as well. It takes time but worth it.

Stay stoked

Backhand is more subtle than forehand you r lighter on your feet and have more fin control i love laying back on my paddle on bottom turns but like most i do struggle to release a top turn just have to get them feet planted over the fins

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robbo1111 said..
Bernd Roediger (Naish team rider) does and he is quite amazing on his "wrong" foot.

John Monie in the '60's. Central Coast bloke. Quite a character. Check him out.

I have always admired surfers who could switch foot. This was a level of surfing, a handy technique that I could not get to.
Among surfers this is a rare ability.
What I see now though is for the crossovers from a wind/kite surf background to sup, it is no big deal.

On a standup board it is a big advantage to be able to take off frontside on hollow waves. That said, I love the different backside feeling. Spent my formative years in, for me, backside rights and got it down.
Love the hook feeling coming off the bottom.

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windsurftom said..

riverider said..
I never had a problem surfing on my backhand on a surfboard, but when I started SUPing it was very hard, as I moved to smaller boards it got a lot easier.

I think the size of the board is a big factor in not enjoying backside, but I can't afford another board

Smaller is easier, but big can hook too. 11x31 190l

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surfinJ said..
I have always admired surfers who could switch foot. This was a level of surfing, a handy technique that I could not get to.
Among surfers this is a rare ability.
What I see now though is for the crossovers from a wind/kite surf background to sup, it is no big deal.

On a standup board it is a big advantage to be able to take off frontside on hollow waves. That said, I love the different backside feeling. Spent my formative years in, for me, backside rights and got it down.
Love the hook feeling coming off the bottom.

windsurftom said..

riverider said..
I never had a problem surfing on my backhand on a surfboard, but when I started SUPing it was very hard, as I moved to smaller boards it got a lot easier.

I think the size of the board is a big factor in not enjoying backside, but I can't afford another board

Smaller is easier, but big can hook too. 11x31 190l

On small waves that kind of cutaway fin settled on a big board allows some enough back side rail drive with still fin release to get some fun and free reentry! That is a good combo fin/board choice , well done SurfingJ and which would be a good combo to make Winsurftom's backside surfing easier

Funny thing is that I skateboard & snowboard regular, and I skimboard and surf goofy. On the sup, I can actually use both but I use more goofy ???? a bit strange but it keeps it diverse. My preference is then also frontside on the sup, but the backside is then possible too (sometimes I even switch on the board during a wave).

So it's not only coming from windsurfing, I just have the advantage of other board sports. Training this would I recommend with a carve skateboard/longboard to perfection goofy as well to surf better if I go out with the kids when they take their small bikes.

I agree with Greystoke that it's rewarding if you ride a good backside wave and the usage of the paddle is way cooler for the top turn in my honest opinion.

I surfed regular for over 50 years but felt I needed to be symmetric when I got into SUP. I have slowly built up a little skill in surfing lefts switchfoot. My main break is a long right that usually peels back to the left for the middle section, so it is a great opportunity to switchfoot (right foot forward) on the cutback, and then switch again when it reforms and heads right again. Switching certainly makes you move your feet more and gets you more adaptable. There is a definite advantage in paddling more symmetric.