Recreation
Backside
A turn or rotation done toward the heel side of the board (back facing the wave), away from the rider's chest.
Backside is a term from limnology — the scientific study of inland waters. The detailed explanation below covers the definition, why the concept matters to lake water-quality interpretation, and how it intersects with the LakeGrade rubric. Reading Backside alongside the LakeGrade rubric helps make the rubric's structure intuitive — each grading parameter maps directly onto an established limnological concept.
The per-lake pages on LakeQuality always show the specific Backside value for that lake, so you can move from the general concept to the specific lake without leaving the site.
What It Means for Your Lake
Backside describes maneuvers performed toward a rider's heels, so the rider's back turns toward the wave through the move. For a goofy rider backside is to the right and for a regular rider it is to the left. Backside turns are often considered harder to control because the rider's back is to the face and visibility is reduced. Like frontside, the term qualifies turns, slides, and spins, and many tricks have distinct frontside and backside versions with different feels and difficulty.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is backside?
A turn or rotation done toward the heel side of the board (back facing the wave), away from the rider's chest.
Why does backside matter for lake health?
Backside describes maneuvers performed toward a rider's heels, so the rider's back turns toward the wave through the move. For a goofy rider backside is to the right and for a regular rider it is to the left. Backside turns are often considered harder to control because the rider's back is to the fa...
Related Terms
A turn or rotation done toward the toe side of the board (chest facing the wave), the direction a rider faces the wave through the turn.
A turn that takes the rider up toward the top of the wave and then arcs back down toward its base, redirecting flow back into the pocket.
Spinning only the board 180 (or 360) degrees beneath the feet while the rider's body stays facing the same direction.
A full 360-degree rotation of board and rider, most commonly performed flat on the water's surface in skim style.
Sliding the board 90 degrees across the crest of the wake for at least a second, tail crossing first with the rider facing the boat.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.