HOW TO STOP ON YOUR LONGBOARD
So you scooped your first longboard and realized that… you don’t know how to stop.
That’s ok, you don’t need to stop.
Ok, but seriously there’s a bunch of ways to stop on your longboard and they’re not really all that hard. Alright, some of them are more advanced, but I want to walk you through all of the stages. :^)
BEGINNER – The Footbrake
The best, easiest way to stop on your longboard when you’re first starting, is to footbrake.
How to do it:
- First, simply, just put all of your weight on your front foot, take your back foot off your board, hold it parallel to your front foot above the ground. Slowly bend your front knee (the one that’s on the board still) until your back foot (the one off the board), is dragging on the ground. Hold that position.
- Stopping Faster: As you do it more and more often, you’ll be able to put more pressure on the foot that you’re dragging. Once you’re comfortable and figure out the weight distribution, you can press down more on the foot you’re dragging to stop faster.
- Footbraking is a skill that you’ll even see pros use during racing or other downhill runs and is also extremely useful for filming.
BEGINNER #2 – The Step Off
So this one is real easy and honestly it will help you learn how to fall, as well as how to play with your weight distribution. In longboarding, it’s all about weight distribution, especially in downhill, longboard dancing, carving, pumping and/or freeride (drifting).
How to do it:
- First, stand on your board while it’s not moving, in an open area (preferably with grass behind you so your board doesn’t go flying). Stand on your board in your normal stance, and then take your back foot and step over your front foot onto the ground ahead of you.
- As you step forward, push back with your front foot lightly. Your board should go backwards. That’s what you want.
- As your back foot touches the ground, step off with your front foot into a walking motion. Your board will stop entirely (or go backwards) and you should be able to catch yourself.
- Next, try it moving. You should feel like you’re leaping off your board and your board should stop or slow down a lot.
- PRO TIP – If you’re nervous or worried about falling, set the front of your board up at the edge of some grass and step off into the grass. Just make sure nobody is behind you.
- This is the best way to stop very quickly as a beginner in a dire situation. Practice it a lot.
LOW INTERMEDIATE – The Pop
So, this is great for beginners and definitely makes you look like you know what you’re doing, even when you don’t yet.
How to do it:
- First, start by standing still. Put your foot on the tail of your board (even if there isn’t much tail) and pop it slowly into your hand. Do this 5 or 6 times until you’re comfortable and can do it consistently.
- Next start riding slowly, and I mean slowly, and begin by stepping off with your front foot. If your front foot is your left foot (you’re regular), step off to your left. If your front foot is your right foot (you’re goofy) step off to your right. You should be able to stop almost entirely just by stepping down; that’s the speed you want to begin with.
- Once you’re used to stepping off, put your back foot on the tail as you ride and get used to stepping off with your back foot there.
- Finally, push down on the tail the same way you did while standing still, but do it at the same time that your front foot hits the ground.
- PRO TIP – the closer your back foot is to the edge of the tail, the more pop you’ll get. Also, you can catch with either hand. I prefer to catch with my right and then transfer to my left to throw the board down.
- Do this enough times and you’ll be able to do it upwards of 10 to 15 mph.
INTERMEDIATE – The Glove-Down Powerslide
Ok, so Powersliding is the coolest and best way to slow down on your longboard. When you’re getting into bombing hills, downhill or freeride, you’ll need to learn to Powerslide. Both downhill and freeride longboarding are entirely centered around Powerslides. Also, many people in the longboard dancing scene, and cruising scene Powerslide for style.
FIRST THING’S FIRST… BUY SOME SLIDE GLOVES AND WEAR A FREAKING **CERTIFIED** HELMET.
** I know that in traditional skateboarding, it’s looked down upon to wear a helmet, but in downhill and freeride, it’s looked down upon to not wear a helmet. People literally will avoid skating with you if you don’t wear a helmet. Everyone wears one, get over it.
What you need to know first:
- There are multiple different glove-down slides.
- Pushup Slide - EASIEST
- The Pendy (Pendulum) - Easy
- Toeside Pre-Drift - Medium
- Heelside Pre-Drift (Coleman) – Medium
We will link to the separate thread dedicated to each of these slides, because they’re going to be so in-depth it will make this guide way too long.
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ADVANCED – The Stand-Up Powerslide
Finally, we’re onto hands-down the coolest looking way to stop, the Stand-Up Slide or “Standy” for short. This is the most advanced version of a powerslide and the thing that will make you the most frustrated, but also the thing that will make you the happiest when you finally get it down. Standies are literally what Downhill and Freeride skaters live for.
FIRST THING’S FIRST… DO NOT TRY THESE WITHOUT WEARING A **CERTIFIED** HELMET AND SLIDE GLOVES. EVEN WHEN YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING, CONTINUE TO WEAR THESE.
** I know that in traditional skateboarding, it’s looked down upon to wear a helmet, but in downhill and freeride, it’s looked down upon to not wear a helmet. People literally will avoid skating with you if you don’t wear a helmet. Everyone wears one, get over it.
What you need to know first:
- There are multiple different types of stand-up slides.
- Heelside 180s
- Toeside 180s
- Heelside Checks
- Toeside Checks
- Squat Slides
- Slide Shuvs & Other Technical Tricks
Again, we will link to the separate thread dedicated to each of these slides, because they’re going to be so in-depth it will make this guide way too long.
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Thanks for reading. Can’t wait to see y’all progress.
With love,
Christian
