When dealing with any gravity dominated sports, the three main factors to consider are the platform, the body and the surface you are sliding on. Understanding how to develop a comfortable, yet practical working relationship between all three components (stance), results in the progression towards absolute efficiency. With continued repeated movements, the body is able to turn a learned pattern beyond just a muscle memory into a reflex. The repetition of bio-mechanically efficient actions speeds up the process towards the goal of economy of movement. This leaves us with an extremely efficient technique that naturally leads to energy conservation and consequently the least amount of strain on the body and all of its moving parts.

As human beings we function by taking into account our very own lop-sidedness (asymmetry) by favouring ease and convenience. Every individual is unique in their body type, mass/density, muscular and skeletal development and there is no, one fixed position that can suit everyone. To truly find the optimal reference point one must address the asymmetry of the human body. The levels of said asymmetry vary to the extreme. Some of the most obvious asymmetric factors to be taken into account include leg length, range of ankle movement and skeletal irregularities. Add to this, the fact that there are four different types of female pelvic structure, (there is only one type of male pelvic structure) and our formula for determining the correct stance becomes increasingly more complicated. A push in the back cannot take all of these factors into consideration!

In a sport like snowboarding we are fastened to our platform in our stance by various types of binding systems. If that ‘stance’ does not suit our own individual asymmetric form, there will be excess and unnecessary strain on the body. This will immediately lead to fatigue and in the worst cases, injury. Why would you do it if it exhausts you or even hurts? If the stance does not allow the body to utilize its maximum range of movement, our skill development will be limited. A stance that does not match the body of the participant is therefore considered ‘sub optimal’.

The StanceFind™ machine allows the body to address its own asymmetric characteristics by allowing the rider to ‘feel’ what is natural for them, including being able to determine left or right foot forward. This requires no knowledge of the sport or the body. If it is possible for an individual to balance unaided on the machine it is possible to attempt the sport with some expectation of success.