Roller skating provides a fun workout and recreational activity for people of all ages. If you've never tried traditional quad skates, you'll enjoy the challenge of learning new techniques and tricks as your skills improve. One of the most important things to learn is how to stop, which can lower your risk of injury no matter where you choose to skate. Proper braking technique will help you prevent collisions with other skaters and allow you to safely and carefully increase your speed and skills over time.
Step 1
Gear up for safety. Wear knee and elbow pads to reduce your risk of injury, especially if you're a beginner. Consider wearing a helmet to protect your head, especially if you're skating outside.
Step 2
Start skating forward very slowly. Lift one foot behind you and drag the toe gently along the ground to stop. Don't jam your toe into the ground, as this will cause you to stop to abruptly. Let the toe drag over a distance until you gradually come to a stop. You may need to try this several times to see which foot you prefer to brake with.
Step 3
Try a T-stop. While skating forward on your left foot, place your right skate behind the left one at a 90-degree angle. The heel of the left skate should touch the instep of the right one. Slide the wheels of your right skate on the ground firmly to come to a quick stop.
Some skaters mistakenly use only 2 of the wheels on the right skate at first, but this stop should be performed so that all 4 wheels on the right skate are involved in the stop. Try this maneuver on both feet to see which foot you like to brake on.
Step 4
Perform a plow stop once you've mastered some basic skating skills. The plow stop resembles the snowplow stop used in skiing or ice skating. While skating forward, bend both knees very deeply, then press your skates out to the sides to form a V-shape. The toes of the skates should point towards one another while the heels point out to the sides. Apply pressure to all 4 wheels on each skate, and keep your knees bent throughout the stop. Skate slowly when you're first learning this stop to avoid injury.
Step 5
Stop while skating backwards using a Tomahawk stop. Glide backwards with your feet close together, then bend your knees and quickly place one toe stop on the ground. Immediately place the other toe stop on the ground to complete the stop and stay balanced. To perform this stop while skating forwards, do a quick turn from forward to backward then complete the Tomahawk stop after you're moving completely backwards.
Things You'll Need
- Helmet
- Knee pads
- Elbow pads
References
- Livestrong: How to Stop on Roller Skates
- "The Complete Book of Roller Skating"; Ann-Victoria Phillips; 1979
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