Learning how to stop when you are riding inline skates really is not rocket science, and yet there are many novice skaters that actually struggle when it comes to braking simply because they have an intense fear that they are going to fall. This fear often comes from having to take whatever skate you are braking with, tilting it, which makes the skater feel as if he or she is unbalanced and therefore going to be prone to falling down. Braking correctly while wearing inline skates is not something that has to be difficult, and it does not have to be terrifying either. Here is a quick and dirty tutorial on how you can brake using inline skates.
Preparation
When you find that you need to brake, the very first step in the process is going to be for you to prepare yourself by way of falling into a ready position. This position requires for you to position your skates a couple of inches apart, parallel to one another. You are also going to want to bend your knees just slightly, keeping your back as straight as you can. What this is going to do is allow for you to shift your center of gravity slightly lower, reducing the chance that you will fall while completing the next few steps in this process. Additionally, you are going to want to begin to extend your arms just lightly out in front of you. There are two reasons why extending your arms is important. Not only will it keep you from tipping backward, but it will also make it possible for you to catch yourself if you should happen to fall forward.
Brake Skate Moves Forward
Once you have managed to prepare yourself by putting yourself in the position for braking, the next step is going to be for you to move the braking skate in front of you. It is important for you to resist the temptation to lift up your toe on your braking skate during this point because if you do this, then you are going to engage the brake before you are supposed to. If you engage the brake before you are supposed to, then you are not going to have enough leverage and this is going to make it more difficult for you to stop.
The Tilt, The Friction and the Stop
After you position the braking skate in the right place, you are going to want to lift the toe of that skate up. The degree that you tilt the skate at is going to depend on where the brake is positioned. If the brake is positioned high, then you are going to need to tilt the skate more in order to engage a level of friction between the ground and the brake pad. If you are skating using an ABT brake, then this step will not be the same. Rather than tilting your brake so that it meets the ground, you are going to want to apply pressure to your skate’s cuff to engage the brake arm.
