How To Stop On Roller Skates

So when you decide to place wheels on your feet, learning how to stop on roller skates is probably the hardest hurdle to face.

Unfortunately, executing stops while skating is considerably more difficult than forcing them to go (which can be dangerously quick sometimes!)

Since the Victorians began roller skating throughout the middle to late 18^th century, by 1880, London boasted 70 roller rinks–quads have typically been worn indoors.

Later, the popularity of skating was further boosted by the 1970s roller disco era through the 1990s and onward.

Now that a new influx of quad skaters inspired by the pandemic is on the horizon, the great majority of them skate outside to keep themselves active during the lockdowns and because they need to get some fun, and exciting endurance activity.

The fact is, the outdoors always means slopes. When you first start skating, understanding how to stop should be your first priority.

Even the smallest incline on wheels can cause you to advance to a pace you may be uneasy with.

If you stick around, you’ll quickly learn how to stop and stay safe when you’re moving a bit too quickly.

Or perhaps you simply want to take a brief break. In this article, we’ll go through the basic stops you should practice and learn on quad skates as well as a few exercises to help you get better at them.

Getting Started

We will operate under the assumption that you are now familiar with the fundamentals of roller skating. Rolling both forward and backward is simple.

You are also capable of performing basic actions like swizzles, scissors, or bubbles. All you need to understand right now is how to halt your quad skating routine at any time.

And that’s exactly what I’ll go through in this instructional on stopping on roller skates.

To protect your skull even after a fall, you must first put on a good rollerblade helmet. Wear wrist guards that fit properly and roller skate knee protectors as well.

How To Stop On Rollerskates (Beginner-Friendly Tips)

Toe Stop (Stop With The Skate’s Brake)

You have to own a respectable pair of starter rollerblades, in my opinion. There are some skates that have a design element of some kind on the front side of the toe area or toe cap.

If done correctly, that little bit of plastic you can see there ought to aid in your ability to slow down considerably and eventually halt.

So, how do you operate your quad skates’ toe stops? It’s really not that difficult at all. But using this braking mechanism correctly still requires practice.

Quad skates have two brakes, as opposed to inline skates, which only have a single brake located on the right skate.

Thus, halting on roller skates ought to be simpler than stopping on rollerblades, and indeed, this is the case.

I tested both skates to gauge how quickly each type stops, and quad skates come out on top. The fact that quads have 2 brakes and are simpler to stop doesn’t, however, ever convince anyone to prefer them over blades.

Directions For The Toe Stop Drag

You must first master shifting your body’s center of gravity between your feet if you want to execute the toe stop drag.

So, until you can balance solely on a single foot followed by the other without any problem, you probably shouldn’t attempt it.

Learn how to perform leg lifts next. Start by rolling forward with one foot until you feel comfortable lifting the other foot. After that, lower the foot you raised. The toe of your leg must be pointed downward when you lower it.

When the toe touches the ground lightly, begin to skid toward the same direction that you are skating till you arrive at a firm, secure stop.

You won’t get a good, stable drag if you press down on the toe stop too hard. Things are likely to become unsteady, shaky, and uncertain.

Remember

Avoid bending too far backward for the best performance of this technique. You’ll likely fall if you do so since you’ll lose your balance.

Move your bodyweight over the leg that is on the floor as you lift the other foot. Weight-shifting becomes more natural and effortless with practice.

Try dropping your hips further lower if you start to wobble while utilizing this technique. That calls for bending your knees even more, lowering your body even lower to the earth, increasing your overall stability.

One last thing: you don’t use the toe stop drag technique when you’re driving incredibly fast. This isn’t the greatest halt to make if you’re close to an obstruction or a crowd.

The toe stop drag’s main purpose when rolling quickly is to slightly slow you down. You won’t be able to stop quickly using this strategy in an emergency.

Knee Pad Stop (Slow Down With The Knee Pads)

I’ll say it once again: be sure to use the best rollerblading equipment you have to safeguard yourself against falls. Wear sturdy knee protection, ideally knee protection with a strong plastic shell.

But in some circumstances, you can also utilize those knee pads to halt. Particularly if you’re a total beginner and uneasy using any of the various stopping techniques.

Start gliding ahead to safely stop using your knee pads. Once you’ve gained some momentum, get down on one knee.

Due to the knee pads’ all-hard plastic construction, you will start to glide on the surface. You will stop, even though it might not be as soon as you’d like.

You shouldn’t be making stops in this manner, I suppose. This method isn’t exactly the coolest halting technique ever, to be honest.

Additionally, you don’t really want your skating companions to constantly take pictures of you stopping in this manner. Use this technique, then, but don’t consider it your go-to halting method.

Stop With The T-Stop Method For Quads

The T-stop functions very similarly to toe stop drag. The sole distinction between a T stop and a toe stop drag is that during the latter, you depend on the brake, while with the former, you depend on the wheels of the roller skate.

Just like you would when you applied the brake to halt, start gliding forward to execute this stop.

Lift your dominant foot after shifting your weight to that foot. You can lift either foot you prefer, but I’ve found that halting is best done with the dominant foot.

Next, slowly lower the foot till it makes contact with the floor. After that, let the resistance of the wheels against the ground make you slow down, then halt.

As the skate lowers, you should slightly flex your ankle outward in order for the wheels make an angle with the ground.

A smoother drag typically results from landing the foot in such manner. Additionally, this speed-reducing technique is more effective than toe stop drag because it utilizes all four wheels.

This means that even though you started striding at a fairly high speed, you may stop using this technique more easily.

However, if you sway slightly, don’t panic. Instead, slightly flex your knees to reduce your center of gravity.

How To Master The Plow Stop

If you’ve spent any time among rollerskaters, you’ve likely heard stories about the plow stop. That’s because one of the most effective skate-stopping techniques ever created is the plow stop.

The plow stop is fabulous to look at and almost effortlessly brings you to a controlled stop. So, using the incredibly well-liked plow stop, so how would you stop your quads?

Directions For Performing The Plow Stop

You should skate with your feet positioned shoulder-width apart in the standard rollerblading stance.

But in order to execute the plow stop, one must first assume a stance in which the legs are wider apart than your shoulder distance.

As you generally do when skating ahead or backward, keep your knees bent. But be careful not to spread your feet too far apart.

You won’t be stable and upright for very long if your posture is too broad. Additionally, you’ll probably feel some tension.

Keep your shoulders straight across, your tummy pushed in toward your spine, and your chin up. Now, crouch down and begin rolling out.

Start turning your feet such that the toes are pointed in the direction of one another halfway through the roll.

Use The Heel Brake Stop

For steep downward slopes and emergency stops, some quad skates incorporate an inline-skate-like heel brake at the back.

• Start by bending both knees while keeping both skates together.
• Put 70% of your body weight on one skate, roll your other foot in front of you with the brakes on the heel, and then stop when the front skate’s wheel is just past the back skate’s front wheel.
• Allow it to move down the ground while remaining in that stance so that the brake is close to the back skate’s front tire.
• Due to the fact that your weight is placed behind the brake, this will stop you more quickly and easily than even the toe stop drag.

How To Stop On Roller Skates FAQ’s

Should My Toes Touch When Rolling Inward?

Your toes should not touch even though they are currently moving in an arc-like direction. Your knees also shouldn’t touch.

You risk falling if your toes get too close to the point of touching. The same holds true for bringing your knees too near.

It creates more friction than it did initially as your toes begin to curl inward as opposed to moving forward straight. Your quadriceps are slowed down by the power of this increased friction.

What If I’m Rolling Fast But Want To Stop?

However, if you were moving quite quickly, merely doing that wouldn’t be sufficient. Allow your toes to glide inward till the inner wheels of the skates just barely touch as you slow down from greater speeds.

Again, when the wheels slightly rub, friction occurs. You ought to finally come to an end due to friction caused by your skates being angled and the wheel rubbing.

Having said that, try to avoid colliding your skates so forcefully that you trip and tumble forward. It does, which is yet another reason to always be well-prepared before entering a roller skating rink or any other area.

Can A Beginner Master Stopping?

Knowing how to stop on quad or inline skates should always be your top goal when you start skating.

Let’s face the facts about the dangers and admit that we wouldn’t be content to ride a bike or drive a car without brakes. Let’s not attempt this while skating!

On quad skates, any of these stopping techniques can be combined. For instance, T-Stop into Stepping Plough is one of my personal favorite combinations.

I slow down by 50% at the T-Halt, and after taking a few steps into the stepping plow, I come to a beautiful stop.

The wear on your wheels during sliding stops can also be reduced by sequencing stops. Replaced stoppers are less expensive than new wheels.

I hope this encourages you to set stopping objectives for yourself and helps you set realistic expectations.

Don’t be the skater that discovers how crucial this is by suffering a bad fall as a result of an improper stop. There is too much enjoyment to be experienced while working on your skating and improving yourself.

Final Words

Being cautious while rollerskating is positively affected by braking on quad skates in particular. Any of the stops mentioned above can be used at any time to stop and slow down that tiny four-wheeled skate.

All of the halting methods can be learned, but some are undoubtedly simpler than others. I insist that in order to maintain your knowledge current and helpful, you master all halting tactics and apply them at various times.

The more you practice, as with everything else you learn in life, the simpler everything gets and the better and more content you become.