How to Stop on a Skateboard

There’s a popular saying in the skateboard community. Learn how to stop first before learning how to skateboard. I’ve already covered how to stand on your skateboard. Now it’s high time I teach you how to stop on a skateboard.

There are mainly five ways that you can use to stop while skateboarding. Just go through all the techniques. Later you can decide which one suits you the most.

Also, different scenarios will require a different types of stopping techniques. You will figure that out yourself later.

Jumping off the skateboard

Jumping off the skateboard is not recommended. However, there are maybe times when jumping off the skateboard will seem the only option. After the jump, roll your body to face the minimum damage. While rolling, don’t put too much pressure on your arms.

Practice falling in the grass or smooth surfaces a couple of times so that when you want to fall, the action doesn’t seem hard. If you practice before, the action will be set up in your mind.

Tail scrapping

Tail scrapping is a common method for stopping a skateboard. Using the non-dominant foot or the pushing foot will help you to stop. The non-dominant foot will press down the skateboard’s tail until the tail touches the ground.

Keep your dominant foot in the middle of the skateboard and keep your weight on the non-dominant foot. Wait until the tail touches the ground and completely stops the skateboard. This way will damage your skateboard. Also, it will wear off the tail slowly.

You will hear a sound when the tail starts touching the ground. Don’t stop giving pressure until you stop completely.

Braking with foot

Braking with foot is when you use one of your feet to slow down the speed gradually. This method can become very handy if you are skating on a flat surface. 

Just remember, it won’t give you a quick stop. Rather, it will gradually decrease the speed, and you will come to a halt after a while.

If you plan on stopping the skateboard using this method, you need to move your front foot and face it towards the nose of the skateboard. The front foot will be slightly bent.

Then you will place your non-dominant foot on the ground and use the collision to slow down the speed. The foot-dragging the ground has to be straight. Otherwise, you will lose balance and fall.

Remember, this method will wear your shoes in the long run. Constant dragging is not good for shoe health. But we skaters wear our shoes down anyway. During ollie and all other tricks, your shoes will be the ones taking the toll.

Controlled slide stopping

This method is an advanced one. Basically, what you will do is turn your skateboard and have a slide stop. Your front foot will be positioned forward. Then you have to turn the skateboard at a 180-degree angle.

This technique will be useful if you are going too quickly downhill. Also, if you suddenly see a car in front of you and don’t have any time, you can use this technique.

While slide stops, make sure you distribute your weight accordingly. If you lean backward, you can use your hand to support your body. But make sure you have put your hand gloves on.

Keep both feet on the skateboard until it’s fully stopped.

It’s an advanced technique, so practice it a couple of times in your garage slope or empty slopes where normally cars don’t pass.

Power sliding

It’s the most advanced method. If you’re a beginner, I’d suggest you not try this at first. The power slide stop is also one kind of slide stop, but It’s faster and requires more accuracy.

When you want to stop the skateboard using power sliding, make sure you tilt your body slightly forward. Use your front foot to move the skateboard at a 90-degree angle.

Move your shoulder and hips while you’re performing power slide stop. It will give you more balance.

Power slides can be dangerous if not performed accurately. That’s why I’d suggest you wear all kinds of protective gear so that you can avoid damage in case you fall.

How to stop on a cruiser skateboard

If you’re new to cruiser skateboarding, or just want to learn how to stop on your board, there are a few things you need to know.

First, cruiser skateboards have different trucks than regular skateboards, so you’ll need to adjust your stopping technique accordingly.

Second, because of their larger wheels, cruisers tend to roll faster than regular skateboards, so you’ll need to be extra vigilant about your stopping distance. Here are a few tips to help you stop on a cruiser skateboard:

1. Use your front foot to brake. This is the most effective way to stop on a cruiser skateboard, since it’s the foot that’s closest to the ground. Simply apply pressure to the front of your board with your front foot to slow down.

2. Use your back foot to slow down. If you’re having trouble stopping with your front foot, you can also use your back foot to slow down. Just be careful not to overdo it, or you’ll risk losing control of your board.

3. Use your hand to brake. If you’re really struggling to stop with your feet, you can try using your hand to brake. This is only effective if you’re going relatively slowly, though, so don’t rely on this method if you’re going fast.

4. Practice stopping in different situations. The best way to learn how to stop on a cruiser skateboard is to practice in different situations. Try stopping on different types of terrain, at different speeds, and with different braking techniques. The more you practice, the better you’ll get at stopping on your cruiser skateboard.

Conclusion

Now you know how to stop on a skateboard. Start with the one that is most comfortable for you. But practice each method because you never know which one will come in handy. It’s safe to learn all the stopping techniques.

Also, you can check how to hold a skateboard article if you want.