Stop on Inline Skates
There are several ways to stop on inline skates; not all are elegant!
Contents
Steps
Using the brakes
- Most inline skates have a brake at the back of one boot. To use it, bend your knees deeply and put your legs in a 'staggered' position with the 'brake' skate (usually, the right) in front. It is important to get the rear leg back a bit as well, and keep your feet no more than shoulder width apart.
- Don't look down or lean forward. Keep your hands and eyes up on the road ahead and your back upright.
- Pop up the toe of the brake skate, putting a firm pressure on the brake by extending your knee.
- Do not lean forward. Leaning forward will actually reduce your brake power. The last part is the 'sit.'
- As you apply the brake, sit a little, dropping your weight by lowering your butt; again don't lean forward! This is like standing on the brakes of a car. You should stop very quickly once you 'sit.'
Stops
- Try a 'T-Stop' or 'V Stop'. Drag one foot behind you with the toes turned out, so that the wheels of your skate are perpendicular to your direction of travel. Apply some downward pressure with that foot until you've stopped. When first attempting this, try a fairly deep 'lunge' position, Keep your shoulders facing your intended direction of travel, and slide the rear 'drag' skate left or right to compensate for any turning motion or to steer.
- Use hockey stop. In essence a very fast turn left or right. Good on relatively smooth surfaces, but takes practice to perfect. It is actually harder to do when moving slowly as you almost have to jump into it.
- To practice, pad up and go to a roller rink and give it a shot. Once you are comfortable moving in a straight line (knees slightly bent) decide on a direction. Let's say right. As you lean into that tight right hand turn, the lead foot should be the direction you are turning, you almost follow the path of the lead foot with the trail foot (left in this case). Keep knees slightly bent through the whole maneuver. The lower you are, the better balance you will have, so ending more isn't such a bad idea.
- Try the aggressive snake. This technique works perfectly when you are moving at high speed and need to slow down or control your speed. What you do is twist and turn left and right very sharply. This will dissipate your forward momentum very quickly.
- Do not try to grab something to help you stop. This is a very bad habit and can lead to accidents and injuries.
- Get a helper. You can use a friend to help you stop when you are beginning, but try not to get used to this method.
Falling down
- Fall down deliberately. This is not a joke; if you're not going very fast and can control your fall, it works very well (also works when skiing). Just bend your knees and crash on your pads. This also gives you the confidence that the pads will actually protect you and helps reduce your fear of a fall.
Tips
- Keep your knees softly bent to help control your motion, both when stopping and when skating.
- Practice stopping in a controlled area that is flat, or with a slight upward grade. This will help control your speed.
- Practice the 'Panic Stop'. i.e. have somebody else randomly yell "STOP!" and try to stop as hard as you can. This is the most important skill you can learn!
- Keep trying even when you dont get it the first time.
- Go somewhere with crash mats and practice the Judo forward roll repeatedly until you unlearn the reflex of putting out an arm. If you fall forward, roll: it's the safest option.
- To prevent leaning forward, pretend you are wearing a low neckline prom dress, and as you sit! You don't want to give everyone a show!
- When you fall, use your knee pads. Your knees can absorb the impact.
- Bend your knees when you skate.
- Use the heel brake whenever possible. Try to keep your speed controllable"
Warnings
- Just go to any decent skate store and ask for "crash pads" - they will know what you are taking about. This is great for guys, many of whom do not have that much muscle or fat in their rear ends.
- If you find yourself falling, try not to tense up or to break your fall with your arm - that's how injuries occur. Instead, fall on your knees and use your elbows to cover up your face from debris.
- Always wear elbow pads, knee pads and wrist guards, and especially a helmet when you are learning anything on inline skates. They even sell girdles to protect your hips and tailbones. You will never regret wearing extra pads, and one fall can ruin your day!
Things You'll Need
- When you buy a helmet (not if...when!) Don't cheap out! Buy a low weight, cool looking helmet in a light color that has a lot of ventilating holes in it. A light color and big vents will help keep you cool, and the low weight and style of a better helmet will encourage you to wear it on your head, instead of your belt!
- Note: Newer helmets actually are designed such that you stay cooler with the helmet on than off, thanks to computer designed airflow, so now you have one less excuse to not wear it!
- A good price range is a MSRP of about $75 to $125, a sale in the late summer is a great time buy and save $$$!
- Always purchase ANSI-certified helmets only. Almost all major brands and all reputable dealers will sell them. If it is not certified, you cannot trust it, and you will have no guarantee of whether it will perform in a crash or simply split like an eggshell, leaving your head to hit the pavement.
- A set of elbow and knee pads and wrist guards are a must!
- Knee pads, of a known brand and not the cheapest kind you can find, are very important as well. Your knees are what is knows as a "complex" joint. Your patella, that little bone in the front of your knee, is very important. If you shatter it, look out. Knee surgery, even laparoscopic, can take months to recover from.
Sources and Citations
- Videos provided by SkatefreshAsha
