Demystifying How to Stop on Inline Skates (Rollerblades)
by Noelle Robichon
Instead of careening out of control from Minnesota trails into one of Minnesota's 10,000 Great Lakes on those insatiable new inline skates, Robichon's encourages new and veteran skaters alike, to learn how to heel brake on tidy flat ground with a qualified instructor AND a high-friction surface such as dry grass or a carpet. The qualified instructor (Robichon's, of course,) will prevent you from over indulging on too steep of terrain for your britches, while the smooth flat, high-friction surface will prevent your wheels from rolling freely out from underneath your bottom, thereby keeping you balanced. While balanced, you are safe to practice Robichon's three key steps to using your heel brake safely and effectively.
Robichon's Three Basic Steps to a Safe Effective Heel Stop
Step 1: Strike a Pose
Before you engage the heel brake, set yourself up for success - strike a two-footed balanced stance (pose). To find two-footed balance, make sure your skates are underneath your bottom and your body weight is on top of your wheels evenly distributed between your skates (50/50). Your skates should be parallel to each other, pointing in the same direction! Then, slightly flex your ankles, knees and hips being sure to keep your nose over your knees and your knees over your toes (nose, knees, toes is your mantra). Keep your head up looking where you want to go (forward), and your arms up and in front above your waist, no higher than your shoulders. Your goal, which we bestow upon you, is to maintain this Pose throughout your stop. For example, do not drop your arms below your hips nor twist, grunt or grown to force a stop as you flex forward, throwing your nose past your knees while retracting your knees behind your toes. If you do, you will not be successful in the next two basic steps!
Step 2: Scissor Your Skates
While distributing 80% of your body weight to your non-braking supportive skate (usually left), slide your braking skate one full skate length ahead of the other. By scissoring your brake skate fully forward, you will generate leverage to stop your body from moving forward. For extra stopping power, increase your scissor stance up to another half a skate length. Maintain this position while you perform, step 3...
Step 3: Engage Your Brake
While maintaining your balanced scissor position, apply your brake by "popping-a-wheelie". Once you have applied your brake, keep the brake engaged and in a full length scissor until you are fully stopped. Be sure not to allow your knee to flex out of position, rather, keep tension through your slightly flexed leg into and through your heel brake pad.
Once you have successfully practiced these steps to heel braking, you will be well on your way to tackling a downhill stop. Until you master the above stop at slow to medium speeds, in addition to learning Robichon’s Heel Pump Stop (a speed control mechanism), we recommend you refrain from skating down formidable hills. Instead, we recommend you walk down large hills until you have taken a trail skating class. See Robichon’s Trail Skating Class at www.robichons.com
Side Bar
Two great outdoor central Minneapolis places to practice are the Greenway trail behind Punches Pizza (during non-peak hours) and McRae Park's paved public outdoor roller rink off of 46th St. and Chicago Ave., South, in Minneapolis.
One great indoor central place practice Robichon’s heel brake stopping method (during non-peak hours in the center circle or side rink) is Roller Gardens in St. Louis Park.
About the Author
Noelle Robichon is the world’s most experienced inline skate instructor and founder of Robichon’s, Inline Skate School. She has developed and launched multiple world first inline skate education programs including the world’s first preschool inline skate education program and the world’s first comprehensive outdoor skate basics inline education program. She started her career as a Competitive Roller Artistic Skater in her early youth. She is a three sport national athlete. Currently, she participates in Inline Marathons often winning awards when she does. She can be reached at www.inlinelessons.com
