How to slow down and stop on a skateboard
With a skateboard, you can go quite fast.
As a result, it is critical to know how to slow or even halt it before a catastrophe occurs.
When learning to skateboard for the first time, finding one’s balance on the deck and pushing off are two of the first lessons beginners acquire.
Some people become overconfident and incapable of dealing with life’s unexpected twists when they finally get it.
On a steep mountain road, a longboard skateboard may achieve 90 mph (145 kph).
In the hands of someone who doesn’t know how to stop it in time, it might be a lethal weapon.
When first starting out in the sport, mastering how to properly apply the brakes on a skateboard should be a top focus.
It is possible to slow down and stop a skateboard in numerous ways.
On level land and windy days, you don’t absolutely need a steep mountain or street to ride too fast and get wounded, so keep that in mind.
The Most Popular Braking Technique
Learn the back-foot deceleration technique, which is the most important skateboard braking technique for beginners.
Here’s how it’s done:
- Find a medium to large-sized hill;
- Begin going down the road or street;
- Slightly lower your riding stance;
- Take your back foot off your board and skid it alongside the ground, leaving your lead foot on the front;
- Add extra pressure to your back-foot for quicker stops;
Remember to use your front foot to help balance and guide where the board is going.
Skateboarding’s basic braking technique necessitates practice and should be done while wearing a helmet.
The good news is that once you’ve finished, dragging your foot around wherever you go will be a piece of cake.
Power slides are an option if you’ve mastered riding down hills and slowing down your board.
With this braking method, you’ll wear down the soles of your shoes very quickly.
If you feel uncomfortable when skating, get off the board immediately before you reach an unmanageable speed.
The Frontside Powerslide
The frontside powerslide is an essential skill to master as you gain skating experience.
As a bonus, it’s not going to destroy your shoes or your deck.
This method of slowing down a fast skateboard does mean that your wheels will get smaller over time.
This is done by reversing the board’s orientation from vertical to horizontal.
Performing the frontside powerslide is easy if you know how:
1.To prepare for a slide, bend your knees and lower your body.
2.Apply pressure on your toes while keeping your rear foot on the tail of the board.
3.It’s important to keep your front foot in a neutral position, with your weight evenly distributed across the entire sole.
4.You should keep your body in the middle of the skateboard at all times.
5.Using the front foot as a turning axis, apply pressure to the front foot.
6.With your back foot’s toe, push the tail of the board forward on the board.
7.Keep your head above the surface to avoid losing your footing.
Remember that if you put too much weight on the front of the skateboard, it can suddenly come to a halt.
On a downhill, never attempt a first-time frontside powerslide.
It’s best to practice it on level, smooth surfaces.
The Scraping Techniques
Skateboards can be slowed down and eventually stopped using a variety of scraping techniques.
The tail of the board, the heel of your back foot, or a combination of the two can be used to enhance friction and drag and slow down your progress.
While the bluntslide is a more sophisticated mix of a power slide and a tail scrape, it will require you to learn each maneuver independently before attempting it.