How to Stop on Inline Racing Skates
You can distinguish racing skates from other inline skates by their lack of safety brakes. Not only are these skates built without brakes, they are built to help the skater build and maintain incredible speed. To avoid injury, you should practice stopping with moderate speed before you begin sprinting on your speed skates. The following steps will help you practice stopping safely, even if you must stop suddenly.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
Slalom Stop
-
1
Find a wide, empty, flat surface to skate on. Build a moderate amount of controlled speed.
-
2
Become comfortable scissoring your skates. Move the right foot forward while in motion, then the left. Put a slight bend in your knees to avoid falling.
-
-
3
Try skating in a zigzag motion. When zigzagging to the left, lead with the left skate. When zigzagging to the right, lead with the right skate. Tilt your body naturally side-to-side. Use a wide zigzag pattern until you are comfortable turning more sharply.
-
4
When you are comfortable scissoring your skates and zigzagging with sharp turns, find a small hill. Perform the same zigzag pattern all the way down the hill until you reach the bottom. Skate back to the top of the hill and this time acquire more speed. Halfway down the hill, perform the zigzag motion as sharply as possible until you come to a stop.
Power Slide
-
5
Find a long, open area to skate, such as a concrete track or pathway in a park. Skate at a moderate speed.
-
6
When approaching the slide, stop striding and bend your knees.
-
7
Whip the dominate foot to the front in one quick motion and let the opposite foot follow.
-
8
Counterbalance with your upper body by leaning back. Don't be stiff, lean too far forward or too far back. Relax into the slide.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Wear pads and a helmet if you are just beginning. Skate with a friend for safety and to receive feedback.
Try both techniques at moderate speeds and in a clear, open area until you become comfortable with them.
References
- Photo Credit inline skate. image by Saskia Massink from Fotolia.com
