First, how to stop with ice skates?
On ice skates, stopping can be accomplished in two ways. Even though it isn’t always graceful, the “snowplow stop” is a beginner technique that works. If done properly, the more complex “hockey stop” is much faster and smoother than the snowplow but still requires balance and finesse.
Please continue reading as I provide more detailed information about stopping with ice skates.
Table of Contents
How To Stop With Ice Skates For Beginners?
Snowplough Stop
The snowplough stop is one of the most fundamental stops. Both one foot and both feet can be used to make this stop. Start by pushing the flat portion of the blade and scraping the ice to perform a snowplough stop. Put pressure on the flat part of the foot by pushing it outward, and then bend your knees. As a result, there will be some snow on the ice, and you will come to a complete stop.
Hockey Stops Are Also For Figure Skaters
Similar to the stop used by hockey players, the skater concentrates on posture, arm positions, and carriage. It can take a lot of control and balance for figure skaters to perform this stop on one foot. When executed correctly, the two-foot hockey stop ends with the back foot directly behind the front foot on the outside edge, and the front blade pressed to the inside edge. The front portion of the blades are being pressed while both knees are bent.
Front T-Stops
The front T-Stop is a common way for figure skating competitors to end their ice entry. With the exception that the stopping foot in this stop is in front of the moving skate, as the name implies, it resembles the T-Stop. The front T-stop is challenging to execute.
T-Stop
The T-stop, yet another straightforward stop, is not typically preferred due to its unattractiveness. Despite how simple it may seem, mastering this is fairly challenging. A “T” shape is created when the skater performs a T-Stop by positioning the middle of one blade behind the other. The foot behind actually stops the skate by scraping the ice with its back outside edge while the forward skate flies forward. When the skater completely stops in the “T” position, it is deemed finished. Since they drag the trailing foot behind on an inside edge, beginning figure skaters typically struggle to execute a good T-stop.
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Tips To Stop With Ice Skates
- You can push sideways and alternate sides while standing holding the boards and facing them to get used to the sensation. Skates should slide sideways with no problem. If not, you are pressing down too forcefully.
- Avoid applying excessive pressure to avoid having your edges catch. The objective is to transition from coasting forward to sideways sliding. With skates that have not recently been sharpened, this is simpler to learn.
- It is not simple to learn on the first try, so keep practicing. To learn how to stop, ask a friend or a bystander to demonstrate it for you.
Who Can Use Ice Skating Stopping Techniques?
There are various ice skating disciplines. The most popular ones, though, are figure skating, ice hockey, recreational skating, and speed skating. You should also learn some fundamental and slightly more complex stopping techniques if you’re just beginning to learn any of these ice skating activities.
This means that the T stop, snowplow stop, and hockey stop are applicable to all ice skating disciplines. So, all you need to do is learn how to stop and then use that knowledge in your preferred ice skating sport. The objective is to develop speed control skills and fall injury prevention techniques.
Protective Gear When Practicing Ice Skating Breaking Techniques
When ice skating, it’s essential to wear safety equipment to guard against collision or fall injuries. Even expert ice skaters will eventually fall, which is unfortunate. To protect your head, elbow, wrists, and knees, you should make sure you’re wearing the appropriate safety equipment.
This is significant when learning the various ice skating stops or performing routine ice skating tasks. Following are the essential safety items you need when practicing ice skating breaking techniques.
- Helmet: To protect your head from injuries from falls, you need a helmet that has received ASTM certification.
- Elbow pads: When you fall on your sides or back, elbow pads can help protect your elbows.
- Wrist guards: Wrist guards are especially useful when you try to avoid a fall by landing on your wrists because they shield your hands and palms from injury.
- Knee pads: When learning how to stop while ice skating, beginners should practice with knee pads to protect their knees in case (when) they fall.
Finally, when practicing at an indoor or outdoor rink, dress appropriately. To keep you warm enough throughout the practice session, they shouldn’t be either too heavy or too light.
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Be Better At Breaking While Ice Skating
It takes guts to become proficient in the proper ice skating stopping techniques for beginners. To pull them off, though, takes commitment and dedication. The good news is that you can quicken the process by carrying out the following actions.
Watch Free Video Tutorials
To learn how to stop when ice skating for beginners, you can watch a ton of free video tutorials on YouTube. It’s only necessary to locate and subscribe to ice skating channels. It would be beneficial if you also had a smartphone, a laptop or a PC, and an internet connection.
The good news is that if you send certain YouTubers a log of your practice sessions, they may be able to evaluate your progress. This is, in my opinion, a fantastic way to connect with hip, more seasoned ice skaters around the world. You can get started on this useful YouTube video tutorial by clicking the link below.
Practice In The Company Of More Experienced Ice Skaters
Being a lone ranger makes it difficult to learn quickly. At your preferred indoor ice skating rink, it is therefore best to bring at least one skating partner. Teaming up with other ice skaters in your neighborhood is an option if you’re skating outside during the winter.
Practice with more seasoned skaters if you want to guarantee that your learning curve will be slashed. After that, you can ask them to record you as you practice the various icebreakers.
Enroll In Ice Skating Lessons
At the nearby indoor ice skating rink, you can also sign up for ice skating lessons offline or online. Lessons online are more flexible and practical. Therefore, you can sign up and practice whenever it’s convenient for you.
Additionally, having an advantage when learning how to stop while ice skating is having a professional trainer teach you. The lessons could be expensive, which would be a drawback if you didn’t have the money to pay for them. People who have money to spend on ice skating lessons may choose to go with this option.
Maintain A Positive Attitude
Last but not least, having a positive outlook helps you stay inspired and motivated to push through any obstacles you may face. Learning these ice-breakers for beginners may take longer than you had anticipated. But what will make a difference for you is continuing to be optimistic.
Practice More Often
Nothing attracts success like perseverance. In order to improve your ice skating stopping techniques, you should practice more frequently. As a general rule, try to practice at an indoor ice skating rink at least once per week. The following winter, you can practice daily at a frozen lake or pond in your backyard.
Use The Correct Ice Skating Posture
One fundamental skill that every ice skater needs to master is using the proper posture. Do you know why this is significant? Weight transfer from your body to your footballs is facilitated by the proper ice skating posture. This has a significant impact on how quickly you learn the various stops as well as helping you master proper balance.
Having said that, the proper ice skating posture entails bending at a 90-degree angle. The shoulders should be above the hips, and the knees should be higher than the toes. It would be best to begin by learning the proper skating stance before attempting to break while skating if you haven’t done so already.
Learn & Master Proper Balance On Ice Skating Shoes
Skating posture has a direct impact on proper balance. For this reason, you should start by learning how to bend properly while ice skating. Try standing on one foot, using the scooter technique, or standing on a Bosu ball as some awesome balance exercises.
Final Thoughts
How to stop on ice skates was the main topic of the post.
It’s important for beginners to know how to stop when ice skating. No matter where they are in their skating development, all ice skaters need to be able to stop.
Please leave a comment if you have any queries regarding how to stop on ice skates. If I see it, I’ll respond right away.
Thank you so much for reading. Thank you!
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