How to Stop on Inline Skates

Inline skates can be used for recreation and inline hockey. Either way, it is important to know how to stop. Stopping on inline skates is challenging; for beginners, the boots with a brake built in are a good idea until they gain experience. There are three ways to stop on inline skates. Listed in order of increasing difficulty, they are: the foot drag, the v-stop and the hockey stop.

Instructions

  1. The Foot Drag

    • 1

      Begin skating.

    • 2

      Keep your knees bent, chest and head up, and arms out to your side to maintain balance.

    • 3

      Put the majority of your weight on one leg, and continue in the direction you are headed.

    • 4

      Turn your other foot at a 90-degree angle to your direction of motion, and drag it behind you.

    • 5

      Increase pressure on your back foot, that is the foot being dragged, until you come to a stop.

    The V-Stop

    • 6

      Begin skating.

    • 7

      Spread your feet so they are shoulder-width apart.

    • 8

      Bend your knees, and angle the skates inward while pushing out slightly with your legs. This will cause friction and slow you down, but be sure your feet don't come together as this will compromise your balance.

    • 9

      Continue angling your skates and bending at the knees until stopped.

    The Hockey Stop

    • 10

      Begin skating.

    • 11

      Bend at the knees, and keep your chest up.

    • 12

      Turn your skates so they are perpendicular to your direction of motion while simultaneously leaning your weight onto your back foot. Your back foot should be under your front shoulder, and your front foot should be between 1 and 2 feet outside your front shoulder.

    • 13

      Transfer approximately 70 percengt of your weight to your front foot, and slide sideways until coming to a stop, being sure to maintain knee-bend throughout.