Tips · 9 tips

How to stop on skates: from the lemon close to the parallel slide

Nine short tips, from beginner to advanced: lemon, V, T-stop, power slide, parallel slide and skid.

1. 

   Tip 1 · Beginner

   Lemon close: the stop to start with

   Key points

   • —If you're just starting out, the stop I recommend is the lemon close, not the T-stop or the power slide.
   • —You can dose it: if you skate toward someone standing in front of you, you judge the distance and use just the right force to stop where you need to.
   • —If the movement doesn't come yet, practice it a lot standing still before taking it on the move.
   • —With the same movement you get a stop going forwards and another going backwards.

   Common mistake

   Practicing the lemon standing still doesn't just give you a stop: it also unlocks the mobility for everything else.

2. 

   Tip 2 · Beginner

   Emergency stop: turn from the V

   Key points

   • —A simple way to stop is just to turn: put your legs in a V position and that position lets you rotate.
   • —It works when you're at moderate speed with little space, with no time for a T-stop or a power stop.
   • —When you bring your heels together you close the position at once and the stop is immediate.
   • —That's why you keep your legs bent and your arms up, so you don't lose your balance.

   Common mistake

   The stop is so immediate that, if you arrive with straight legs and your arms down, the heel close throws you off balance.

3. 

   Tip 3 · Beginner

   Three ways to stop: T-stop, power slide and parallel power stop

   Key points

   • —T-stop: place your skates in a T shape, with the back foot at a right angle to your direction; the friction slows you down gradually.
   • —Power slide: turn your skates 90 degrees to one side and slide them in that position to create a controlled skid.
   • —Parallel power stop: with your skates parallel, bend your knees, slide them to one side and use the inside edge of the wheels to create friction and stop.

   Common mistake

   There is no dead stop as such: because of the nature of the skid, all of these stops bring you to a halt by sliding.

4. 

   Tip 4 · Beginner

   T-stop: don't let it spin you

   Key points

   • —If you end up spinning instead of stopping when you T-stop, try this dragging drill.
   • —Stand with one leg perpendicular behind you, give yourself a small push and drag the back foot, bringing it gradually closer to the foot carrying your weight.
   • —Repeat it standing still several times; once you've got it, add a little speed and finally try it while skating.

   Common mistake

   A T-stop that makes you spin is fixed by practicing dragging the back foot toward the support foot, standing still first.

5. 

   Tip 5 · Intermediate

   A clean power slide: it all starts with your position

   Key points

   • —The key to mastering your power slide is the position: legs at 90 degrees, like a lunge.
   • —Bend one leg — the front one when you set up — and leave the other straight, resting on its inner side.
   • —Your weight goes entirely on the bent leg; with the straight one, which stays behind, you press into the ground.
   • —You enter that position with speed, with a rotation and a push.

   Common mistake

   A clean power slide depends less on the skid and more on reaching the right position: a 90-degree lunge with your weight on the bent leg.

6. 

   Tip 6 · Advanced

   Stop in style: power slide with 180 and 360 entries

   Key points

   • —Take a moderate speed, bend your knees and put your weight on the bent leg: it's the same leg as in the power slide set-up, which once you're sliding ends up behind relative to where you're heading.
   • —Turn the front foot (relative to your direction of travel) 90 degrees toward the side of the stop, push it outward and balance with the back one until the wheels slide and you stop.
   • —To add style: jump a 180 and land straight into the stop.
   • —Or, going fakie, jump a 360 and land directly in a power slide.
7. 

   Tip 7 · Advanced

   Parallel slide: your torso sets the direction

   Key points

   • —This tip focuses on the upper body; the entry from a soul is in the short with Nico.
   • —When you enter the parallel slide you make a turning action and your legs draw a J.
   • —If you keep your torso facing forward while you push with your legs, you follow the direction of your torso, not your legs.
   • —Work on your torso: be aware of your upper body, not just your legs.

   Common mistake

   The slide goes where your torso points, not where your legs go; if you turn your torso along with your legs, you lose the direction.

8. 

   Tip 8 · Advanced

   Parallel slide from a soul, with Nico (@nexmerd)

   Key points

   • —Parallel power stop or parallel slide: it's the same stop; it depends on whether you enter dry or let it slide a little longer.
   • —Start at low speed doing a soul, which helps you settle your foot and body.
   • —After the soul, lift the other foot and put it down; then try to bring it in right away so both skates skid.
   • —Bend the back foot a bit more so it skids well: your support is always the back one, and if it bends too much it throws you.

   Common mistake

   It isn't as hard as it looks: the fear comes from how it looks; starting from a soul at low speed makes it achievable.

9. 

   Tip 9 · Advanced

   Pornstar slide: twist, edge and weight

   Key points

   • —The key is in weight distribution, edge control and body posture.
   • —Start in a lunge-like position, with your body twisted and your gaze toward the side opposite the extended leg.
   • —Before turning, press with the heel toward the outside edge of the skate to gain stability; then rotate from the torso and shift your weight onto the bent leg.
   • —That frees the extended leg so you can push it and slide with control; if you enter fakie, place it directly at the skid angle.

   Common mistake

   It's a hard move to practice slowly: you need to enter at moderate speed and execute it with confidence.