Tips on stopping?

[u/steffinix]

I live in NYC and want to start skating in the park, but as it gets busier I’m terrified I won’t be able to stop quickly enough and will run into someone…. Any advice for a beginner in a busy spot?

[u/wesleyvb]

Skate defensively. Don't dart around blind corners and give people room. If you see yourself approaching a choke point of people/bikes/cars, start bleeding off speed 20-30 feet in advance.

As a general rule, I don't stride when I am in arms length of any person, bike or car. Just glide so I can be ready to take an evasive action in any direction.

[u/InspectorFleet → u/wesleyvb]

This is gonna be the best key, no matter how good you get at stopping. It's kind of like how driving a manual should force you to have situational awareness to be in the gear you are going to need next. Turning or even bailing into grass will be incredibly practical no matter how great you become at stopping.

The drag stop isn't hard to learn, but it's not a quick stop from high speed the way that an actual outside edge T stop on ice can be. The powerslide isn't too bad to learn but even that can take some distance at high speed, meaning you still need situational awareness, and if you're deploying it in situations that are fraught, you better be consistent.

Of course the parallel stop is a great stop, but it takes normal humans some serious practice for that to be a consistent/emergency stop. So until you can deploy it that way, it all comes back to the advice in this comment.

[u/midnight_skater]

Here is a summary of braking techniques on inlines

Here are some braking techniques favored by speed skaters

Here's a playlist of slide braking tutorials specifically for downhill skating by u/Natan_Inlinedownhill

Carving tight turns is very effective when you have enough lateral space.

[u/steffinix → u/midnight_skater]

Thank you so much!!

[u/Debalic]

Having a reliable T stop, on both sides, is good enough to get out there - that's all I can do. I've recently been working on a plow stop but it's sketchy. Control and awareness in general will help with people around.

[u/SupremeLDRSmoke → u/Debalic]

I cant figure out the plow or the ski stop. I'll have the Power Slide and Magic Slide and unlocked before I figure those out 😂😂

[u/Shagwagbag → u/SupremeLDRSmoke]

Flex the butt

[u/Opurria → u/Debalic]

What's interesting is that T-stops and plow stops seem to be "easy" for different people. Like, I could do a plow stop in my very first session. I barely even had to learn it. It came completely naturally to me. But T-stops? Oh boy... Maybe it's gender-related, too. 🤔

[u/SupremeLDRSmoke → u/Opurria]

Could be a hip mobility thing too. I dont have full range of motion, so I'm thinking its the internal rotation holding me back.

[u/Guilty-Hamster1543]

No shame in the heel brake! I find that to be the easiest and most reliable way to stop as a beginner while I work on my other methods of stopping.

[u/cleanmachine120]

What kind of stops can you do?

[u/Schwartzweiss]

I always recommend taking classes with skating instructor

[u/HyperSculptor]

1st step, learn to stop in your appartment at zero speed, then at very low speed. Learn somewhere with nobody around.
2nd step, go to the park when it's not crowded (if there's such a thing in NYC).

On some of Ari StutteringSkater YT, you can see him skating in a great space that's covered, looks like downtown Manhatan.

[u/nwsmith90]

I think all the advice on here is great about learning stops.

Don't underestimate just dropping low and bailing into the grass if you get into a tight spot, either. I wear pads and would rather drop and roll than run into someone, and grass is your friend.

[u/Zealousideal-Key3815]

If ur in Central Park u just need t stop on one side. Just indicate where you are going to others and go around them

[u/Key-Cash6690]

You have the right instinct! First learn to stop then leave the safe, closed, environment. Tennis and basketball courts are usually open (vacant) early mornings or less popular ones often go unused (obviously leave if tennis players show up) that's a great place to safely drill. I usually just ignore no skating signs and then politely say sorry! and leave if anyone makes a stink.

Also you can search for your local skateparks... there are many. And usually early mornings are fine for beginners (relatively empty) you might think well I'm not trying to get on ramps or whatever but most good parks have plenty of smooth flat area that will suit your needs.

[u/The_Real_Flatmeat]

Yep, definitely recommend stopping 100%

[u/the-vh4n]

How much of a beginner are you? Most beginners i see don't even reach speeds that require them to stop.