The backloop is perhaps one of the first jumping moves that everyone will try but yet still one of the hardest to master. However, with better equipment comes a better chance at landing these tricky moves and so if you are already there and fancy stepping it up then you might be considering dropping a hand or a foot out the strap. If so we have a mini series with PWA World Champion and 2015 PWA Vice World Champion Victor Fernandez to offer you, which we hope will result in many more arms and legs flailing in the air. We kick start with the one footed backloop in 5 easy* steps.

Over to Victor…

1) It’s important to consider your speed before take off, you need to get some good airtime to feel comfortable taking your foot out the strap and then ideally placing it back in.
2) You should be used to backloops by now and know the kind of ramp but be sure to always choose a very vertical wave that is on the edge of breaking.
3) Start like a normal backloop and then I also recommend that you take your front foot out the strap when you have done almost half of the rotation, this is so the board doesn’t get pulled downwind in the air.
4) Sticking the foot back in depends a lot on how high I do the backloop, sometimes I have time to put my foot back in the strap and sometimes not, in this case I put it on top of the pad/strap.
5) Lastly, on the landing it is important to not land too flat and lean back when the nose touches the water.

VIDEO

*We are not sure this move ever is easy, but the pros make it look easy, so it must be easy, right…