Cross-Step With Confidence
The first step to being able to cross-step forward is to position your surfboard comfortably in the pocket.
You can't run before you can walk—and you can't cross-step before you can keep your board comfortably locked in the pocket of the wave.
Once you've mastered the art of maintaining the pocket, you may commence with your journey toward the nose.
Critical tip to keep in mind when cross-stepping: Your feet follow your eyes.
Ideally, a cross-step should be several small steps to the nose—not 2 large stomping steps.
Keep your eyes locked on the stringer as a guide, and your feet will stay centered on the board. If your eyes wander, your feet will wander as well. You will need to stay centered and balanced when venturing forward.
As you approach the nose, don't over-shoot your target. Think of the game shuffleboard, it's better to be close to the nose and just short than to go over the edge.
Side note: shuffleboard is a terrible game to reference in this article because we're trying NOT to shuffle our feet up the board.
To re-cap what we've talked about:
- Find the pocket
- Eyes on the stringer
- Small steps
- Aim just shy of the end of the nose.
Bonus step #5: Cross-stepping backward adds a whole new element, because your board will be sliding forward under your feet as you retreat. It's even more satisfying than cross-stepping forward is, because it means you've made it there and back.
