Cross Stepping

Tired of doing that awkward little crab scuffle as you inch around on your board? The cross step is a classic longboard move every Paddlesurfer should master. If nothing else it looks totally soulful. But really the reason for the cross step is not so you can win tango contests, it’s to keep the board flat and trimmed. Your crab scuttle rocks the board from side to side. A properly placed cross step distributes the weight across the board without dipping the rails.

Step one: Tango at home. Seriously–walk around for a few days cross stepping as often as you can. The movement needs to become natural before you get on a board. Don’t just stagger around sideways, place your foot carefully, keeping weight on your toes and heel as you put the foot down. The only way you can do that is to bend your knees, stick your ass out, and get low.. Which is exactly what you want to do. Don’t bend forward at the waist–stay balanced.

Step two: Get loose on your board. Move around, shift your weight, step forward and back. I see guys all the time that are rooted in place on the board.

Step three: Fall in a lot. Hey, it’s going to happen. Catch a wave, trim in, get in a good surfing stance, stay low, start steppin’ brah.

Step four: Be one with the waves. As you move forward the board will accelerate down the wave–unless you’re trimmed straight down the line. As the board accelerates it will tend to boot you off the back. One more reason to stay low.

Step five: No premature celebration. I tend to take three steps and then stand up straight to say “look at me, I’m cross-stepping” though the last three words are mumbled underwater. Stay low going forward, then step your way back.

Okay, NOW you can celebrate.