Usenet 1994 January/usenetsourcesnewsgroupsinfomagicjanuary1994.iso/answers/rec-skate-faq/part1

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From: [e-mail] (Tony Chen)
Newsgroups: rec.skate,news.answers,rec.answers
Subject: Rec.skate Frequently-Asked Questions: General Info (1/10)
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REC.SKATE FAQ - PART 1:  GENERAL Q&A

Frequently Asked Questions for rec.skate

(last changed Oct 15, 1993)

Q: WHO IS THIS NEWSGROUP FOR?

A: The charter for rec.skate is for all kinds of skating: traditional roller
   skating, in-line skating (although often called "rollerblading", Rollerblade
   is the trademarked name of a particular brand of in-line skates) figure
   skating, speed skating, and participants in hockey. Skating-related
   discussions not held in rec.skate include pro and college hockey (held in
   rec.sport.hockey) and skateboarding (held in alt.skate-board).
   Cross-country skating skiing may be discussed either here or in rec.skiing.

   Within the various disciplines of skating discussed here, most anything
   goes: discussions about equipment, maintenance, technique, competetions,
   access to skating areas, etc. are all welcome.

   At this point, the majority of the discussion in rec.skate (and virtually
   all of this FAQ) is about in-line skating due to the currently fast growth
   of the in-line sport.  If you want to discuss something else, feel free to
   discuss it.


Q: WHY DON'T WE SPLIT REC.SKATE INTO SEPARATE GROUP FOR ICE, QUADS, AND
   IN-LINES?

   Rec.skate is still a fairly low-traffic group.  We normally get less
   than 30 posts a day.

   Additionally, it's not at all obvious how to split the group.  One way
   is to split into ice, quad and in-lines.  But many skaters skate on
   more than one kind of skate.  Another way would be to split into
   speed, hockey, and dance.  But again, many skaters participate in all
   kinds of skating.

   Rec.skate tends to go through a seasonal cycle.  Usually in the
   winter, while ice-skating articles are common, in-line related articles
   drop dramatically...perhaps one a day at most.  If we had separate
   newsgroups, we'd most likely end up with two or more groups, all of
   which would be "dead" at different times of the year.


Q: WHAT ARE THE ORIGINS OF IN-LINE SKATES?

A: (Merged text from Wheel Excitement, The Complete Blader, and Blazing
   Bladers)

   The first in-line model was developed in the early 1700s by a
   Dutchman who wanted to simulate ice skating in the summer by nailing wooden
   spools to strips of wood and attaching them to his shoes.

   The next in-line skate appeared in 1760 when Joseph Merlin, an
   instrument maker in London, decided to dazzle a masquerade party by skating
   in on metal-wheeled boots while playing a violin.  He ended up skating into
   a huge mirror at the end of the ballroom, not having learned to stop or
   steer.

   In 1823, Robert John Tyers of London designed a skate called a
   "rolito" by placing five wheels in a row on the bottom of a shoe.  This
   concept was considered a bit of whimsy and was not taken seriously at the
   time.

   In 1863, an American, James Plimpton, found a way to make a workable
   skate.  He came up with a four-wheel skate with two pairs of wheels side by
   side, and so the modern four-wheel roller skate was created.  Roller skates
   allowed turns, and also forwards and backwards skating.  The invention of
   ball bearing wheels in 1884 helped the sport even more.

   Tyers' desgin did not go entirely unnoticed however.  In the
   Netherlands, after the canals had melted, "skeelers" (5's) were used as a
   means of dry-land cross training, competition and transportation for over
   two decades.

   Finally, in 1980 when two brothers from Minneapolis were rummaging
   through a pile of equipment at a sporting goods store, they found an old
   in-line skate.  Scott and Brennan Olson were ice hockey players and so they
   realized the cross-training potential of the in-line skate.

   They redesigned the skate, using a hockey boot, polyurethane wheels
   and adding a rubber heel brake, and found they could skate as they did on
   ice.  Soon after, they began selling skates out of their home and
   eventually Rollerblade Inc. was born.

   (end merged text)

   There were also some Soviet in-lines from around the same time. These
   in-lines were being developed for Speed Skating dryland training. Besides
   having inferior wheel material, they only had a single bearing cartridge
   in each wheel.

   The first mass-produced Rollerblade skates had two-part metal runners.
   The smaller skates had more overlap between the two metal parts; the
   large skates had less. The "bushings" were 4 plain vanilla washers per
   wheel; they were cumbersome to assemble/remove and mechanically flawed:
   dirt/sand would get between the inner washer and the bearing. Also, there
   was just a washer's worth of clearance between the rail and the wheel: it
   was very easy to trash a wheel by rubbing it against a rail. The holes
   along the side of the runners were oval; the rock of the skate was
   determined by how much you slid the bolt up or down when you tightened it.
   Finally, the brakes were old roller skate toe stops -- they were not very
   efficient.

   The first massively successful Rollerblade skate was the Lightning. It had
   a robust fiberglass runner for each size of skate. The bushings fit into
   oval holes in the runners -- rock was set by whether you put the bushing
   in up or down. The linkage between the wheel and runner was far more
   mechanically efficient and there was no way to rub wheels on the runners.
   Wheel removal/insertion was far easier. And Rollerblade's brake, while far
   smaller than the old "toe stop" brake, was much more efficient and lasted
   longer.

   Needless to say, the Lightning was mondo faster.


Q: I'M INTERESTED IN GETTING A PAIR OF IN-LINES FOR OUTDOOR SKATING. I WANT TO
   GET DECENT STUFF, BUT I'd RATHER NOT SPEND A LOT OF MONEY.  WHAT DO I NEED
   TO GET?

A: First off, your budget should include protection: knee pads, wrist guards,
   and a helmet. Elbow pads are optional. These "pads" should have a hard
   plastic shell -- they should slide on the asphalt when you fall. Good
   brands of protection are the Rollerblade TRS or the Dr. Bone Savers (DBS)
   set of accesories. For helmets, any well-fitting ANSI/Snell approved
   bicycle helmet should be fine.

   The in-line industry is a lot like the bicycle industry -- specialty shops
   generally sell and support more expensive functional skate brands and
   department stores generally sell inexpensive lines that will never work
   well. Also, there's usually a much greater chance of getting spare parts
   and service from a specialty shop than a department store.

   Rollerblade is the best-known brand of in-line skate; they make a whole
   family of different in-line skates. Any skate in Rollerblade's line at or
   above the Lightning skate should work well and last a long time. Other
   reputable manufacturers are Ultra Wheels, Riedell, and Bauer. The
   higher-end skates in the California Pro line are functional and relatively
   inexpensive. Performance Bike is introducing a line of skates at a low
   price; quality of these skates is unknown at this point.

   You may wish to rent a model of skates before buying. Some shops will
   discount part of the rental from purchase price if you buy skates later.

   Fit of skates should be comfortable but snug. Unlike hiking or running
   shoes, it's OK for your toes to be loosely in contact with the front of
   the boot.

   Unless you have a background of speed skating, beginning skaters should
   avoid the 5-wheel skates. The problem with isn't the inherent speed of
   the skates, but since manueverability and flexibility are sacrificed for
   the sake of racing performance, so turns and other maneuvers require more
   commitment.  The 5-wheelers are great fun, but master the fundamentals
   on a shorter wheelbase first.

Q: ARE BUCKLES BETTER THAN LACES?

A: If you're looking to buy skates nowadays, you'll notice a wide variety of
   support systems: laces only, laces with one buckle, one buckle (rear-entry
   skates so far offered only by Ultra-Wheels models), two buckles (old
   SwitcHits, Bauer women's model, Roces London), three buckles (all other
   skates).

   Hockey skates are laces only (Bauer).  5-wheelers come in laces only
   (serious racing skates) and laces with one buckle (long-distance commuting
   skates such as the Rollerblade RacerBlade, and citizen racing skates).

   The issue of buckles vs. laces is still a fairly often debated subject, and
   the bottom line is whatever works for you.  Anyway, here are some good and
   bad points of each support system (recreational skates only).


   Buckles:
     PROs
       1) Faster to put on.
       2) More durable.
       3) Adjustable on the fly.
       4) Allows for vented shells.
       5) Maintain their hold, no loosening.
       6) Possible to adjust support in separate areas.

     CONs
       1) More expensive (in general).
       2) Can cause too much pressure on parts of the foot.

   Laces:
     PROs
       1) Cheaper (in general)
       2) Much less prone to point-loading pressure on specific spots,
          pressure is distributed evenly.

     CONs
       1) Slower to lace up than to buckle up.
       2) Prone to breakage.
       3) Cannot easily adjust tension without stopping and re-doing the
          whole thing.
       4) Laces don't allow for much venting in the shells.
       5) They eventually loosen while you skate.
       6) Not very easy to adjust support in sparate areas.


   Laces & buckles:
     PROs
       1) Support adjustment is easy (if you normally only adjust the ankle).

     CONs
       1) Laces don't allow for much venting in the shells.

     NEITHER
       1) Mid-range pricing.

   Buckles may seem like they've got a lot of good points going for them, and
   they do.  However, the two bad points can be big ones.  Cost is the most
   obvious factor.  If you can't afford buckle skates, you'll likely have to
   settle for laces only, and/or add your own.  The other factor is fit.  If
   the skates don't fit you quite right, the buckles can cause over-pressure
   on certain parts of your feet.  Fit is one of more important aspects of
   choosing a skate, and while liners of most skates eliminate this point-
   loading problem to a good extent, it may not be enough for some people.


   So what can you do if you've got lace-only skates and want to have the
   convenience of buckles but can't afford to buy a new pair?  You might
   consider adding buckles.  Either adding one buckle at the ankle or doing
   away with laces altogether and adding two or three  buckles.   Many
   ski shops will be willing to do this for you.  Or you can add your own.

   To fit buckles:

   From: [e-mail] (James A Holroyd-1)

   Need:
    1)  Buckles:  can be obtained at ski shops, snowboarding shops, or from
        an old pair of ski boots.  I got mine from a snowboard shop, sold as
        an extra buckle kit for snowboard binding ankle straps.

       ** NOTE **
       Make *sure* the mounting surfaces of the buckle are only slightly
       curved.  Too much curvature in this area (the bit that touches the
       boot) will pull your boot out of shape and be very uncomfortable.

    2) Drill with various bits.
    3) Mounting hardware for buckles: you can rivet them, or use T-bolts.
       I used T-bolts with loctite on the threads, and they stay on well.


   Step 1.
    Put your skates on and figure out where you want to put the buckles.
   I would recommend leaving the eyelets for the laces accessible. This way,
   you can still lace up your skates, then tighten the cuffs with your buckles
   The laces sit behind the strap, and don't loosen up as much as if you leave
   them tied off below the cuff.  Remember to place the buckles far enough
   apart so you can tighten them, but not so far that you can't get the tongue
   into the ratchet.

   *** IMPORTANT ***
   The buckle levers go on the *outside* of the skate :)  This is very
   embarrassing when you get it wrong (I did, first time), as every time your
   skates get close together, they either catch on each other or unlatch the
   lever, or some combination of the two.  Not pretty.

   Step 2.
    Mark where you will have to drill holes to mount the buckles.

   Step 3.
    Take the liners out of the boots and drill the holes.  Start with
   a small, sharp bit (that boot plastic is *tough*, it could take a while)
   and work up to the size that accomodates the mounting hardware you're using.

   Step 4.
    Mount the buckles.  If you are using the snowboard buckles, the
   mounting hardware that came with them should work.  Just make sure that
   nothing sharp is sticking into your liner, as it could chew up the liner
   and/or your ankle.  Don't forget the loctite (although it's really not
   critical until you've got the placement right, or until you're 10 miles
   from home :) )

   This method works great with my lightnings.  I got a pair of skates that,
   IMHO, are as good as those costing a lot more.  However, I would not try
   this trick with any of the skates with flimsier liners. The Zetra's are
   pretty uncomfy after a while, as the edges of the cuff do tend to dig in.
   I ended up putting extra foam padding (ensolite) around the ankle area
   before I sold them to a friend.  He took it out, and apparently has no
   comfort problems.  Your mileage may vary.

   --

   Buckle add-on kits are now being sold in skate shops specifically for
   in-lines.  They run about $20 or so per pair of buckles.  Ask your local
   skate shop or call up one of the mail-order shops in the FAQ.



Q: I WANT TO GET GOOD IN-LINES, BUT I CAN ONLY AFFORD $150.

A: At this price point, you'll have to be pretty resourceful. First, note that
   the in-line "season" begins somewhere around the end of March. You'll
   probably find some good bargains in stores in the Jan-Mar time frame. Like
   many sports, the in-line market is style-oriented: you may find last year's
   style at a huge discount.

   Even at this price level, you should avoid "department store" skates
   (unless you want to buy skates that you won't use). You're far better off
   buying a pair of used Rollerblade Lightning skates.  If you don't see
   anyone selling your size, consider putting an ad advertising that you want
   to buy skates. The going rate for used Lightnings in good condition is
   around $80-100. If wheels and bearings are shot, cut that to about $40 --
   you'll need the other $50-60 or so to get new wheels and bearings.

   Use the other $50 to buy protection. Don't skimp on protection! A knee is a
   terrible thing to waste. Used protection in good condition is fine.


Q: HOW DO I STOP ON IN-LINES?
    (see also, the stopping file following this file, for more details)

A: Good question. You've taken the most important step -- realizing that there
   is a need to be able to slow down. The rest is just practice.

   There are several general techniques for stopping while remaining on your
   skates: generating friction by dragging your brake pad, generating friction
   by sliding your wheels laterally against the ground, jumping onto grass and
   killing your speed by running out, and pushing against a slower-moving or
   stationary object with your hands. There's also falling, which is a valid
   last-ditch technique that's a good to learn.

   Here's the section on using the brake:

   I finally learned how to brake well when someone described this image: your
   brake foot has just slipped on a banana peel. Whoops! Your brake foot will
   be about a foot in front of your body. The leg will have a slight bend. The
   rear wheel and the brake will be in contact with the ground.

   At first, your non-brake foot will be bearing almost all your weight. That
   leg will be directly under your body, and the knee will be bent. The amount
   of bend in your knee will determine how much braking force you can apply.

   Your feet should be very close to your centerline. This should help keep
   you going straight forward when braking (pretty important!).

   There should be a slight forward bend in the waist. It may also help to
   keep the hands at waist height or so. This keeps your center of gravity
   lower.  Try to keep your hands (and your whole upper body) loose; clenched
   fists do not make the brakes work any better! Relax.

   After you've tried a dozen or so stops, add one more refinement: drive your
   back knee into the back of the front knee while braking. This creates a
   triangle with your lower legs and the pavement between your skates. As all
   the Buckminster Fuller fans out there know, triangles provide structural
   stability. This triangle should enhance your braking power and ability to
   run smooth, straight, and true while stopping.

   As you master braking, begin to shift more of your weight to your front
   foot. The Masters of Speed Control can actually decelerate while standing
   only on their front foot. Good trick, that.


Q: I'VE LEARNED HOW TO SLOW DOWN. HOW DO I GO FASTER?

A: First off, keep learning how to slow down! Learn new techniques; refine the
   ones you already know. Until you master slowing down, your mind will limit
   how fast it will let you go on skates.

   Watch good skaters. Notice that they rarely have both skates on the ground
   at the same time. This independent leg action is something you'll master
   over time; you can practice by seeing now long you can glide on a single
   skate. When you can glide on a single skate for more than 30 seconds (both
   left and right legs!), you're well on the way.

   Notice that almost all of the side-to-side motion is happening below the
   waist. Eliminate any twisting motion in your shoulders -- keep your
   shoulders square to your direction of travel. If you want to move your
   arms, move them forward and back -- crossing patterns may have you twist
   your shoulders. Relax the muscles in your lower back to allow your upper
   body to remain quiet.

   Watch your stride. Are you pushing more to the side or to the back? Shift
   your stride to be pushing almost exclusively to the side.

   Where do you set your skate down at the start of your stride? Shoulder
   width? Start setting your skate down on the centerline of your body. After
   you're comfortable with that, start setting your skate further in beyond
   your centerline.

   Do you flick your toe at the end of your stride? If so, stop. Instead,
   flick your heel -- drive your heel out at the end of the stroke. This will
   feel very strange for the first 10,000 or so times.

   Relax. Then relax some more. Discover levels with levels of relaxation.
   Travel fast while moving your skates slowly -- your body is swimming
   through air. Consider beginning to practice T'ai Chi Ch'aun postures daily.
   Relax some more.


Q: WHAT SORT OF MAINTENANCE DO I HAVE TO DO ON MY IN-LINES?
   (See also: the FAQ part 2)

A: Things that need maintaining are the wheels, bearings, and brakes.

   Rotate wheels every 50-100 miles. To rotate a set of wheels, remove the
   frontmost wheel, stash it away, move all the other wheels up one position,
   and place the front wheel in the rearmost position. Flip each wheel as
   you're rotating it, swapping the inside and outside edges.

   With each wheel off the skate, clean around the bearings. Spin the wheel to
   see if the bearings are in good shape. If bearings are bad, replace them.

   Replace the brake pad when it's worn out (there's a "wear-line" on the new
   brake pads if you don't intuit this).

   Practice preventative maintenance: avoid sand, dirt, and water as much as
   possible. These guys are what cause bearing failure. If you want bearings
   to last, vacuum in/around your runners with an upholstery accessory after
   every day. If you do want to skate in sand/dirt/water/mud, get a set of
   sealed bearings.

   Rotate your wheels often. It can be done in about 30 minutes tops.

   Buy a Rollerblade "Y" tool to remove bearings from spacers, or buy one of
   the aftermarket bearing spacer kits. These make bearing removal much
   easier.


Q: WHAT OTHER INFORMATION IS OUT THERE TO HELP ME WITH IN-LINE SKATING?

A: There are two magazine that exist for in-line skating: In-line
   Magazine and the Speed Skating Times.  Speed Skating Times is more
   race-oriented.

     InLine Subscriptions Dept.
     P.O. Box 527
     Mt. Morris, IL  61054
     or call customer service at 1-800-877-5281

     Speedskating Times
     2910 NE 11 Ave
     Pompano Beach, FL  33064
     [phone]

   There are several videos that are marginally good at training. One
   of these is the Rollerblade/Ski Magazine Skate to Ski video. Your
   local Rollerblade dealer should have training videos available for
   viewing in the store and/or rental.

   Reading list: (mini-reviews by George Robbins)


   _Blazing Bladers_ by Bill Gutman
   A Tom Doherty Associates Book, 1992.
   Cover price: $6.99 ($7.99 CAN)
   ISBN 0-812-51939-6

     One of the two easier to find books, this provides a reaonsable
     overview of the sport, but suffers somewhat from "generic how-to"
     publishing.  The author tends to recite what "experts" have told
     him without much conviction and some of the photographs don't fit
     well with the text.  Still has a good section on "street tricks".

   _The Complete Blader_ by Joel Rappelfeld
   St. Martin's Press, NY, New York, 1992.
   Cover price: $8.95
   ISBN 0-312-06936-7

     This book is nearly as good as _Inline Skating_, but is more oriented
     towards fitness/health aspects.  There seems to be as much space
     allocated to stretching and conditioning as skating.  One useful
     section describes construction and use of a slide-board for off
     season training.

   _The Complete Guide and Resource to In-line Skating_
   by Stephen Christopher Joyner
   Betterway Books, Cincinnati OH - 1993
   Trade Paperback, 176 pages, $12.95
   ISBN 1-55870-289-X

     As a resource guide, this is a useful book, the appendices list
     Magazines, Manufacturers, Retailers, Organizations, Roller Hockey
     Leagues, IISA certified instructors and also a rather eclectic
     bibliography.  The rest of the text is OK and has a few interesting
     features, but either of the first two in-line books (The Complete
     Blader and Inline Skating) mentioned above would be more useful,
     especially for the beginning skater.  Some Specific irritations are
     only the briefest mention of roller hockey where I would exepect at
     least an information presentation of rules, equipment and game play,
     and a strong anti-quad bias including a history of skating which leaps
     from Plimpton's error (a steerable truck quad skate) to Scott Olson's
     Rollerblade as if no-one enjoyed skating in the interiem.


   _Inline Skating_ by Mark Powell & John Svenson
   Human Kinetics Publising, 1993
   Trade Paperback, 134 PP, $12.95
   ISBN 0-87322-399-3

      Of the recent rash of in-line skating "how to" books, this is
      probably best and most balanced one.  It has good coverage of
      equipment and basic skating skills, mention of dance and fun
      skating, and doesn't suffer from any fitness obsession.

   _Laura Stamm's Power Skating_ by Laura Stamm
   Leisure Press, 1989
   Cover price: $17.95
   ISBN 0-88011-331-6

   _Wheel Excitement_ by Neil Feineman with Team Rollerblade(R)
   Hearst Books, New York, NY 1991.
   Cover price: $9.00
   ISBN 0-688-10814-8

     At one point, this was the only book on in-line skating and it
     still serves as a decent introduction to the sport.  Lots of
     pictures of California kids having a good time.  The actual
     text is a little thin and any of the above books are better if
     you can find them in your area.



================================================================================


                      The In-line Stopping Techniques File
                      ------------------------------------
                            (written February 1992)
                          (lasted changed Aug 22, 1992)


[Copyright 1992 by Anthony D. Chen.  All rights reserved.
License is hereby granted to republish on electronic or other media
for which no fees are charged (except for the media used), so long
as the text of this copyright notice and license are attached intact to
any and all republished portion or portions.]


This document is written for rec.skate, one of the many hundreds of
newsgroups under USENET, the international electronic news
network which reaches millions of readers.  You will see "8-)" in use
throughout the text and if you look at it with your head tilted to the
left the intent should be obvious 8-)  (This sideways smilie face is
used to ensure that all computer terminals can display it properly.)

I am not the originator of any of these stops, except perhaps the
combination stops.  This file is the result of much discussion and
feedback from the rec.skate readership.

This list is arranged in order of increasing difficulty, but skaters
have all sorts of different backgrounds so your shredding may
vary.

Good luck, and skate smart.

-Tony Chen
 [e-mail]
(4643 Highgrove Road, Tallahassee, FL)


List of stops:
- runouts                        - backward stepping stop
- wall stop                      - forward stepping stop
- windbraking                    - reverse stop (forwards snow-plow)
- the brake-pad                  - backwards heel drag
- V-stop/snowplow                - toe-drag spinouts
- (regular) spinout/lunge stop   - heel-drag spinouts
- spread eagle spinout           - curb ramming
- crossover stop                 - power stop/power slide
- slaloming/parallel turns       - chop-stop
- T-stop                         - New York stop
- toe drag                       - combination stops
- backwards T-stop

Related topics:
- falling
- collisions with stationary objects

While the basic repretoire of stopping techniques includes the
brake-pad, the T-stop,  spinouts, and the power stop, this file is
meant to go one step beyond merely teaching the basics.  The
basics are crucial, but once skaters progress beyond them, they
often need some guidance for further learning.  One cannot expect
each skater to discovery techniques on their own, hence this file.


BEGINNER LEVEL

The following set of stopping methods, most beginner skaters
should be able to handle.  They keep both feet on the ground
throughout the stop, and don't require as much independent leg
action as more advanced stops.

* RUNOUTS:  Assuming the path you're skating on has grass or
packed dirt (or some other hard-to-roll-on surface), you can just
skate off the path and reduce your speed by running onto the grass
(hop-hop-hop-hop-hop). In the worst case scenario, you can
tumble and hopefully you won't take any damage.


* WALL STOP:  This stop is simply to skate towards a wall (or any
reasonably stationary object, really) and use your arms to absorb
the impact.  At low speeds, this should be quite safe (make sure you
turn your head to the side so as not to smash your face).  You may
or may not bang your skates, depending on your speed and how
you hit.  The key is to use your arms as cushioning springs (like
doing a standing push-up.)  One way to practice this is to stand a
few feet from a wall (with your skates on).  Now fall on your hands
against the wall, and you should be able to bounce a little, while still
avoiding banging your head.  The faster your approach, the less
bounce will result.

A variation on the wall stop is the billiard ball stop.  Instead of
stopping against an object, use a fellow skater to push off and
transfer your momentum to them.  To be safe, warn the receiving
person about your approach.  It works well on flat surfaces and at
low to moderate speeds.  It's not recommended at high speeds and
especially on people you don't know 8-)

See the collision section for more extreme cases.


* WIND-BRAKING:  Wind-braking is more for speed-control than
to stop (although on windy days, this can stop you).  Just stand up,
spread your arms out and catch the air like a sail.  You'll probably
need to lean forwards slightly, to counter the force of the wind.


* THE BRAKE-PAD:

The brake-pad is subject to much debate amongst skaters.  Many
people with  ice skating and rollerskating backgrounds find the
brake in the way, in the wrong place, or simply ineffective.
However, used proficiently, the brake-pad becomes a very versatile
piece of equipment because:

1) you can use it to stop, even at very high speeds;
2) it allows you to keep both skates on the ground while
stopping (good for keeping your balance);
3) you can maintain a narrow profile (good for high traffic
areas where cars or bicycles might be passing you);
4) you can still steer yourself;
5) the sound of braking can often alert others to your presence;
6) the brake-pad is the most cost-effective technique there is so
far for in-lines.

To learn how to use the brake-pad, first coast with both skates
shoulder-width apart.  As you coast, scissor your feet back and
forth a few times to get used to the weight shift.  To apply the brake
then, scissor your skate so your braking skate is out front.  Lift the
toe of your brake skate and press with the heel too.  Your body
weight is centered and even slightly on your back skate when you're
just learning it.  The key is a straight back and bent knees.

If you have trouble balancing or find your braking ankle a little
weak, you can try the following trick:  form a triangle with your
legs (from the knee down to your skates) and the ground.  This
means putting your back knee either right behind or next to, the
brake-foot knee to form that triangle.

Eventually you'll want to stop at high speeds.  Basically, the more
pressure you use on the brake pad the faster you stop.  Maximum
stopping power is achieved by putting your entire body weight onto
the brake by lifting your back foot, and leaning onto the brake.
This takes some practice but is very effective.  It is possible to stop
within 15-20 ft even when going over 20 mph.  Practically
speaking, you may still want to keep the other skate on the ground
for balance.

Note that the amount of leverage, and therefore the amount of
stopping power you have, is dependent on how worn your brake is.
A half-worn brake will provide better leverage than either a new
brake or a worn-out brake.  Some people sand or saw off part of
new brakes to avoid the annoying breaking-in period.

One important point to keep in mind when using the brake-pad:
You can still steer while braking.  Just keep the brake-pad on the
ground and pivot on your heel wheel slightly to go the direction
you want.  This is very useful while going down a very narrow and
curvy path or while trying to avoid curbs, pedestrians, parked cars,
trees, and the like.

A brake-pad generally runs from $3 to $6 depending on what type
you buy.  Compare this with wheels which are $5.50 or more each
and the freebie stops: runouts, wind-braking, billiard ball stop
(freebies since you're not wearing anything down).  Wheels are
expensive, and the freebie stops are infrequently available, if at all,
for the large majority of skating situations.  The brake can be your
standard stop, provided that you learn it well.


% V-STOP/SNOWPLOW:  For a low-speed rolling stop, point your
heels inward (for backwards) or your toes together (for forwards)
and let your skates bang into each other.  This might throw you in
the direction you're going (depending on your speed), so take care
to be prepared to lean forward or backwards to compensate.

You can do a more exaggerated snowplow by spreading your legs
out past shoulder-width and pointing your skates inward or
outwards as before (and you won't bang your skates together.)
Here, use leg strength to press your inner edges against the ground,
and you'll slow down appreciably.  This can work even at very high
speeds.


INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

* ADVANCED RUNOUTS:  Skating off pavement onto
grass. You can weave from pavement to grass and back to
pavement to control your speed, especially when going downhill.
To stop completely just stay on the grass.

As you hit the grass, knees are kept bent, and one foot is ahead of
the other. Nearly all weight is distributed on the foot that will hit
the grass first, and you keep that leg real stiff, as if plowing a path
for the trailing leg to follow. Very little weight is on the trailing
leg. Muscles in the trailing leg are relaxed. The only function of
the trailing leg is stability and balance. The leading leg does most
of the work.

Beginners are often intimidated by this procedure, but it is really a
very simple physical feat. The hard part, if any, is simply
understanding mentally what it is you are trying to do, as I
explained.

This is a lot of fun, too. I like to hit the grass full speed, and then
skate as far down a slope as possible before the grass stops me.

One important requirement is that the ground should be dry.  Wet
dirt or grass will clog your wheels and your skates will also sink
into mud (yuck).


* (REGULAR) SPINOUTS/LUNGE STOP:  This is where you
skate into a spin to transfer your linear momentum into angular
momentum.  To do this, you sort of stop-n-hold one skate at an
angle to act as the pivot foot and the other traces a circle around it
(and you).  It may help to think of having each skate trace
concentric circles, with the pivot skate tracing the much smaller
inner one.  The pivot skate will be turning on its outside edge, while
the outer skate will be on its inside edge.


* SPREAD EAGLE SPINOUTS:  A spinout with your skates in a
bent spread eagle position (i.e., heels pointed towards each other,
skates at slightly less than 180 degrees).  There is no pivot foot
here, instead both your skates trace the arc.

There are inside and outside spread eagles, where you skate on both
inside or both outside edges.  The above paragraph describes the
inside spread eagle.

A sustained outside spread eagle is more of an artistic skating move
than a practical stop, although I use it occasionally to stop on flat
surfaces.

NOTE that all types of spinouts require a fair amount of room.
Your forward motion is quite suddenly changed to angular motion
so I'd recommend this mainly for low traffic areas where you won't
have people running into you from behind when you do the
spinout.


* CROSSOVER STOP:   This stop works both forwards and
backwards at higher speeds.  I call this the crossover stop because
your feet are held in the position of a spread-out crossover.  In this
stop, you're going to be arcing to one side.  The harder and sharper
you turn, the faster you stop.  If you tend to trip on your skates,
spread your skates farther apart (forwards-backwards).

The braking pressure comes from the turn. The harder you press
with the outer edge of your back skate, the faster you stop.  So if
you're turning left, your right skate is in front, the left skate is
almost right behind it (so that all your wheels are in line).  Press on
the outer edge of your left skate (your back skate) and on the inner
edge of your right skate.

There is also the inverted crossover stop where your feet positions
are reversed:  so you turn left with your left foot forward and right
foot back (and vice versa for right turns).  Watch ice hockey players
just after play has stopped.  More often than not, the circle around
in the inverted crossover position.

Both crossover stops are good for high speed stops but make sure
you have plenty of open space.


* SLALOMING/PARALLEL TURNS:  For skiers, this maps over
very nicely.  This is more of a speed control technique rather than a
stop, but it's very useful to know.  Explaining slalom turns can take
an entire book in itself, so I will merely suggest that you find a skier
or a ski book to show you how.

One way to practice this is to find a nice gentle slope with plenty of
space at the bottom, set up cones in a line, and weave through the
cones.



ADVANCED LEVEL

This next set of stops require good independent leg control.  These
advanced stops will require you to be skating only one foot for
some portion of the technique.


* T-STOP:  This stop uses your wheels as a source of friction.  To
do the T-stop, place one skate behind you, nearly perpendicular to
your direction of travel.  Bend a little in both knees to drag your
wheels.  You should think more of dragging the heel than the toe.
Apply the braking pressure to your heel.  If you drag the toe too
much, you will end up spinning around.  Keep your weight mainly
on your skating (front) foot.  As you learn to stop at higher speeds
you will apply more downward pressure to the back skate (but your
weight is still on the front skate).

NOTE:  One particular phenomenon to avoid in the T-stop, or any
wheel-dragging stop (such as the toe drag) is the "flats".  If you T-
stop or toe drag such that the wheels do not roll as your drag, you
will end up with a flattened wheel which will not roll smoothly at all.
In effect, ruining your wheel(s).


* TOE DRAG:  Similar to the T-stop except you drag only the toe
wheel instead of all four or five wheels.  Unlike the T-stop it's not
critical to keep the skate perpendicular to your line of travel.  In
fact, you're free to drag the wheel anywhere in a 180+ degree arc
behind you.  Also, your toe can be pointed into the ground at
pretty much any angle.  (If you have old wheels, the toe position is
a good place to put them if you want to avoid shredding your good
wheels.)

The toe drag is better than the T-stop in that you wear down only
one wheel, and more importantly, you are also allowed much better
control over steering, since you can still stop effectively even if the
drag wheel rolls too much.  The toe drag can stop you even when at
cruising speeds, although at  significantly longer breaking distance
than the brake-pad or the T-stop since you are dragging only one
wheel.


* BACKWARDS T-STOP:  This is a T-stop when you're rolling
backwards.  There are two ways to perform this stop.  The first way
is to stop by dragging the outside edge of your skate (i.e., toe
pointed outward).  The harder way is to point your toe inward,
much like a reverse New York stop (see New York stop).


STEPPING STOPS

These three stepping stops are essentially advanced low-speed stops
("advanced" since they require good independent control over each
skate).  They could also be called "pushing" stops, since most of the
braking action is done by pushing a skate against your motion.
Many advanced skaters will do this intuitively, but I will detail them
here for completeness.


* BACKWARD STEPPING STOP:  This is like while wearing
shoes, and someone pushes you from the front.  One foot
automatically steps back to keep you from falling backwards.  On
skates then, while rolling backwards, you simply put one skate
behind you, 90 degrees to the other skate, and hold it there so that
your body doesn't roll any further.  This is basically a very low-
speed power stop, and so without the sliding and scraping action of
the wheels (see the Power Stop).

The faster you are moving, the closer you are to doing a true power
stop.  This may be a good method to learn the power stop,
gradually building up speed.


* FORWARD STEPPING STOP:  A low-speed stop very similar
to the backwards stepping stop except you're rolling forwards, of
course.  This time you plant your skate 90 degrees out in front of
or right next to the rolling skate.  Your front heel will be pointing
inwards (it's probably easier for most people to keep the toe pointed
outward here).  This is especially useful at curbs, like just before
you accidentally roll into an intersection, in crowded indoor places,
or if you just want to get a little closer to people you're talking
with.

This stop should halt you immediately.  Once you plant your foot,
your body should stop moving forward.   You may find it easier if
you bend slightly at the waist and knee to give your skate a better
angle to grab.

You can also use this stop in a sort of shuffling fashion:  stop, roll a
little, stop, roll a little, etc., until you get to precisely where you
want
to be.


* REVERSE STOP (FORWARDS SNOW-PLOW):  While
rolling, point one skate (only) inward, lift and set it back down.
Roll on it and push off slightly at the heel.  Now lift the other skate,
and do the same.

Essentially you are skating backwards even though moving
forwards.  Keep doing it and you will eventually start skating
backwards.  This can be done even at high speeds.


* BACKWARDS HEEL DRAG:  This is for rolling backwards.
Similar to the toe drag except you drag your heel wheel.  If you
find your drag skate rolling sideways, apply more pressure to your
heel wheel.


Now that you can do toe-drags, heel-drags and spinouts...

* TOE-DRAG SPINOUTS:  This is a one-footed spinout with an
accompanying toe-drag on the other foot.  The toe drag will be in
the inside of the spinout.  So for a right-foot toe-drag spinout, you
will be carving a right turn.  It takes a bit more balance and strength
and will shred your toe wheel a lot.  The more pressure on the toe,
and the sharper/harder you carve your turn, the faster you stop.

At maximum effectiveness, it can stop you very quickly.  The
skating foot will be nearly doing a power slide (see Power Stop)
and the dragging foot will be doing a very hard toe-drag.  Done
correctly at low to medium speeds, it takes up at most a sidewalk's
width.  At downhill speeds, expect to take up most of a car lane.

NOTE that hitting a crack or rock during this stop really bites since
you've got most of your weight on one skating foot.  Look for any
debris or holes ahead of you and be prepared.


* HEEL-DRAG SPINOUTS:  For this spinout, just plant one of
your heel wheels on the ground out in front of you and spin
around it.  The only tricky part is that the pivot heel wheel may roll
a little, so keep some downward pressure on it.  It probably helps to
keep your pivot leg straight and slightly locked to help stabilize the
pivot.

A variation on heel-drag spinouts is to use your brake-pad as the
pivot.

This stop looks pretty neat when going backwards, although you
should be careful to protect your knees if you have to abort.  To
perform this backwards, start a heel-drag stop (you're skating
backwards), carve the skating foot behind and to the inside, and you
should spin around the heel wheel/brake.


* CURB RAMMING:  You approach the curb at around 90
degrees (i.e., straight on) and lift your toes enough to clear the
curb.  This should jam your wheels and runners into the curb.  You
should be prepared to compensate for the sudden change in your
motion.

An alternative curb ramming stop is to do a spinout near the curb
and ram the back of your skate into the curb.

Both these techniques cause quite a bit of shock to your skates
(especially at high speeds) so if you really love your skates you
may not want to do this stop too often 8-)


* POWER STOP/POWER SLIDE:  This is one of the most
effective stops, and also one of the hardest.  To do this stop, you
should be able to skate forwards and backwards well, and also be
able to flip front-to-back quickly.

There appear different approaches to learning the power stop.  The
end result should be the same, or nearly so, but both are detailed
below.  It is left to the reader to decide which one is easier to
follow.

One way:

You can piece the power stop together by combining two things:
1) flip front to backward.
2) place one foot behind you and push the entire row of
wheels at a very sharp angle into the ground.

You can practice this by skating backwards, gliding, and then with
nearly all your weight on one foot, bring the other foot behind you,
perpendicular to your direction of travel (see the Backward
Stepping stop).

You should start out doing this while traveling slowly.  Your wheels
should scrape a little.  If they catch, you need to hold your braking
skate at a sharper angle.  Once you get this down, you can practice
flipping front-to-back, coast a little, and then stop.  Eventually, the
combination becomes one smooth move:  just get the braking leg
extended as soon as you flip.

You can use any flip (mohawk, 3-turn, toe-pivot, etc.) for this stop.
This stop is good for hockey, and a good stop when going
backwards (especially at higher speeds).  A power-stop using a
jump turn is called a chop stop (see following section).


The other way:

The second method involves one continuous motion instead of
two:  Skate forward on an outside edge, while extending the free
leg to the side. All weight is on the skating leg. The free leg is
dragged along the ground. Now sharpen the turn on the outside
edge of the skating leg (with its knee greatly bent), and swing the
free leg in front. This continuous transition causes the skating leg
to turn, so it's now skating in reverse.

The key is to have all the weight on the skating leg. If you place
any weight on the free leg, you will go into a spin and lose
control.

Some prefer this method because you do not need to go into a
complete power slide to stop. At any point in the continuous
motion, you can abort if something is going wrong.  Only at
higher speeds is it necessary to completely turn the skating foot.
There is less risk of catching the free leg on an uneven surface
because it is already extended and dragging before you swing
around.


* CHOP-STOP:  For skating forward or backward at low to
moderate speeds. This is much like the hockey stops done on ice
except, since you can't shave asphalt, you need to jump and turn
both skates and hips perpendicular to the direction of travel.  Land
with the skates at an angle (like in the power stop) and push your
wheels  against the ground.  To maintain balance you can keep one
skate mainly beneath you, while the other goes out forward to stop
you.

Most of the shredding will be done on the lead skate, where the
inside of your lead leg should make a sharp angle against the
ground.

Basically what this is, is a power stop using a jump turn.

The jump isn't so much for air time as for lifting your skates off the
ground so you can reposition them sideways.  The lower the jump
you can get away with, the less off balance you should be when you
land. However, if you don't jump high enough you may not be able
to place your lead skate at a sufficient angle.  Caution should be
used even more so in this stop than in others.

The particulars of the jump aren't crucial.  You can lead with one
foot followed by the other, and land in that order; or jump and land
with both feet at once.  Pick whatever style you're most comfortable
with.


* NEW YORK STOP:  Harder than even the power stop, the New York stop is
  mainly a power stop but you don't turn your gliding foot!  It doesn't
  appear that just anyone can perform this stop, since it seems to
  require quite a bit of knee flexibility.

  L = the track left by the left skate,  R = ditto by the right skate

  ------ direction of travel --- >

  L----------------------   |  <-   slide with skate, scraping edges of
                            /   |---all the wheels like the power-slide
  R---                     /   <-
       \                 /
         \             /          (A NY stop with the right foot)
           \         /
             \_____/


This stop requires your knee to be twisted inward (not a natural
position, by far), so if you can't do it, I wouldn't say it's a big loss
since it seems to have above average potential to cause injury if
done wrong.


* COMBINATION/SEQUENCE STOPS

  Once you've got some stops perfected, the next thing you might want to
  try is a sequence or combination of several stops.  These are
  definitely more fun and a bit more showy.  These are some of the
  random combination stops that I do.  You can easily make up your own.
  (Sequences are denoted with "->" and combos with "+")

  S-stop:  Crossover stop -> turn opposite direction -> toe-drag
           spinout.  So for example, you can crossover stop to the left,
           ride your left skate and do a toe drag (right toe pivot)
           while turning to the right to complete the S-pattern.

Double crossover stop:  crossover stop -> inverted crossover
           stop (or vice versa).  This also traces out an S-pattern.

Braking T-stop:  T-stop with non-brake foot + brake with brake-pad

Braking toe-drag:  Brake with brake-pad + toe-drag on other skate The
           braking toe-drag and the braking T-stop are the two of the
           most effective ways to stop that I know of when cruising.

Braking spread-eagle:  Spread-eagle (follow w/ spinout optional) with
           braking skate in front + braking with brake-pad

Braking glide stop:  glide -> reverse feet positions -> brake-pad.  The
           effect is that of shuffling your feet quickly and stopping.
           (Glide:  a heel-toe glide, one skate out, and one skate back;
           use only the back toe and front heel wheels.  The back skate
           should be the one with the brake since the assembly gets in
           the way on the front skate)


Related Topics

FALLING:

Falling should be one of your last resort techniques, but everyone
falls some time, so it's a good and safe thing to know.  Falling can
be practiced at low speeds to get used the idea that indeed, you can
plop on your guards and pads, and come away safe as houses.

1) One of the less graceful and more painful ways to stop is to
wipeout into a face plant or another nasty, bloody occurrence.  I
daresay no one does this "stop" voluntarily.  These stops work
vicariously:  If you see someone else do it...you're likely to stop or
slow down too 8-)

2) At low speeds, a better (and less painful) falling-stop is to
collapse your body in a way so that the primary scraping areas are
the knee pads and your wrist guards/gloves.  Bend your knees, fall
on your knee pads and follow by falling on your wrist guards.
Keep your wrists loose since there is still some risk of injury.  See
the collision section below.

If you tend to fall backwards, your rear-end will probably be your
biggest cushion (just how big, depends on you 8-).  You should try
to spread out the shock to your arms and over as much body area
as possible (in general)...the less directly on your wrists and elbows,
probably the better.  NOTE however, that your tailbone is, after all,
located in your duff and a hard fall at too sharp an angle will either
bruise or fracture/break the tailbone.

At high speeds, when you desperately need to stop, an outright
collapse on your protection gear may not be enough.  High speed
falls are best when you take the brunt of the force with the entire
body, save for the head (besides, you're wearing your helmet,
right?)

Rolling with the fall is a key to reducing the force of impact.  So if
you happen to be careening down a hill, if possible, turn sideways
to your direction of travel and fall uphill (to keep you from
tumbling further down the hill).  When you hit, keep your body
loose, with hands up near your face or over your head.  With luck,
and no other dangers eminent (such as approaching 18-wheelers or
rolling off a cliff), you should be able to stand up, thank your
favorite deity, wipe yourself off, and go take a lesson in skating
safety and control.


COLLISIONS WITH STATIONARY OBJECTS:  Hopefully you will never ever have to
use a collision as a means to stop, but if you insistIkeep your limbs bent
and be a big human shock- absorber and cushion your contact with bending of
the arms and legs.  Locked limbs will only increase the shock going into
your joints causing likely ligament/tendon tears or other damage.




Bottom line

Practically speaking, all the stops that require dragging the wheels
will put a bigger dent in your wallet since wheels cost a bundle.  If
you don't use your brake-pad, harder wheels may slow down the
wear on your wheels.



[Copyright 1992 by Anthony D. Chen.  All rights reserved.
License is hereby granted to republish on electronic or other media
for which no fees are charged (except for the media used), so long
as the text of this copyright notice and license are attached intact to
any and all republished portion or portions.]

=END OF PART 1==========================================================