Stopping on inline skates using your heel-brake.

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Ok, listen to Instuctor Anna now. Here’s a brief overview of what you’ll learn on one of our heelbrake stopping lessons.

Step 1: The “Ready” Position
In the ready position your skates are a few inches apart, parallel, and facing forward. Your knees are bent, your back is straight, and your arms are extended slightly in front of you.
It’s okay to lean forward slightly to keep your balance but keep in mind that ultimately you want most of your weight to be behind the brake, not in front of it.
It’s important to extend your arms for two reasons: 1) to keep from falling backward, and 2) to catch yourself in case you fall forward.

 

Step 2: Roll your braking foot forward
This is called a “Scissor” position. Let you body weight sink down onto your support leg. (The leg that’s not got the brake on it.) Roll the brake foot forward until the brake unit is slightly ahead of the front wheel on the other skate.
Resist the urge to raise your right toe. This will cause the brake to engage too early and won’t give you much leverage.

Step 3: Control Phase
Now raise the toe of your braking skate until the brake gently kisses the ground. You are now in the “Control Position” While you are a beginner this is important because you need to control travelling in a straight line. As you become more confident you can make less of the “Control” phase. Keep your hips from cocking out to the side and your shoulders facing forward.
The amount you’ll have to lift your toe depends on how high the brake is from the ground to begin with.

Step 4: Power Phase
Sit down on your support let and transfer more of your weight to the brake leg. Push hard and keep the scissor. Keep that straight line and work on the power. Im looking for black marks on the tarmac and an ear piercing screech!

Step 5: Stop
Yes it sounds obvious but come to a complete halt.

Common heelbraking mistakes.
Not bending your knees enough: If you don’t bend your knees enough, you will be unstable and your heel brake will work inefficiently. You need to be low. Bend your knees and not your back!

Don’t lean too far forward! and definitely don’t lean too far back.

Don’t lift your toe too early! Wait for the control phase.

Scissor your legs enough or you will tend to fall forward or backward.

Most of your weight should end on your braking skate. Beginners find it natural to avoid putting weight on the braking foot, since it feels as if it won’t hold their weight as they slide it forward. One of the biggest challenges in learning to use the heel brake involves overcoming the urge to take your weight off your braking skate. Despite what it feels like, your braking skate can and should hold your weight.

Don’t spread your legs apart! This makes you unstable. Instead, place your skates as close together as possible, like you’re balancing on a narrow plank. To ensure your weight remains behind the braking skate, keep your feet in a narrow line when you roll your braking foot forward, and make sure it really goes forward, not out to the side. Your feet should end up in nearly a straight line again, as if you’re skating on a plank.

There are other methods of stopping on skates too. Try T-stopping.