How to Slow Down on A Skateboard? – 12 Different Ways!

A skateboard is capable of reaching speeds of up to 90 mph (145 kph) on a steep road.

It can be fatal if you’ve ended up on a hill and don’t know how to slow down on a skateboard before it’s too late.

Here we’ll show you several different ways to slow and stop your skateboard.

Reasons for Slowing Down Longboard

Some skaters have to slow down their skateboards in certain situations. Since skaters ride around people, they have to be careful too.

You may need to slow down your longboard for any of these reasons or situations:

• If you are out in public near a road crossing, parks or crowded areas slowing down property is important. Not only for your sake but for those around you.  Once you have passed the crowded area you can then ride again as usual.
• Long rides are common among skaters. Stopping for a while is needed so that they can take a rest. You should gradually slow down your longboard before you stop. Stopping suddenly could lead to injury.
• You’re riding your longboard and you’re doing one trick, but you want to change it. You need to slow down your longboard to dive into your next trick for safety and a good show. This is a must.
• The longboard rider must slow down if the road is uneven or bumpy. Whenever you are riding a longboard on bumpy roads, I suggest letting go of it.
• If you prefer not to let, go of the board then you need to slow down the board gently. This will help avoid any nested accidents.
• knowing how to slow the skateboard down is an advantage when it comes to sliding. When it comes to sliding slowing down cannot be avoided.

How to Slow Down on a Skateboard

Essential gear for skateboarding

• A dependable helmet
• Knee and elbow pads
• The right board
• Good quality wheels
• Skate shoes designed for skateboarding

1. Using scraping techniques

A scraping technique works like a back foot stop. As friction is applied, the skateboard’s momentum is slowed down, eventually stopping.

2. Deceleration on the back foot

Putting your back foot on the board’s tail is another way to slow it down. Both of your feet on the tail can make it more effective.

As the board rises above the surface, your board speed will be diminished.

3. Make a curve when your board is moving fast

Making turns or curving your board is the simplest way to slow down your board. A skateboard’s speed can be increased if it moves in a straight line.

The board turns sideways when you make loops, so it reduces your board’s speed

4. The Pop

if you want to stop and are rolling slow enough then you can try a pop. Just simply ollie pop your skateboard into your hands and done!

For this you need to know how to ollie, pop the board and catch it.

5. The Bluntslide

An example of a bluntslide is a power slide in combination with a heel scrape. Only experienced junkies should attempt this. The first two tricks must be learned before learning this one.

You should try pushing the tail with your foot as you skate with speed. Keep dragging your heel with your outside foot as you keep sliding the board 90 degrees.

6. The frontside powerslide

Most experts agree that power slides are the best way to slow a skateboard down.

The skateboard needs to be turned horizontally to perform a powerslide.

Put pressure on your toes and step on the tail of the board to slide and return your back foot to its vertical position.

Make sure that you maintain your body balance at the center of the board. During that time, turn the axis using the front foot. Use your back foot to push the tail of the board forward.

7. Powerslide against the wall

You have to power slide against the wall. When you reach the wall, you have to lean backward.

This is not for beginners since you can easily hurt yourself if you fail to act correctly. Always learn before acting.

8. Roll into the rough

Find some gravel or recently cut grass to use. Pick some short grass or even gravel.

Now with your board rolls off the concrete onto the gravel or grass. The friction would have slowed you down.

Doing this at too high a speed could cause a fall. Slow yourself down by carving.

Before you leave the grass, crouch down and brace yourself. The grass may stop you in your tracks if it’s very thick.

9. Hand powerslide

This type of slide reduces the speed as you do it. Use both hands to land and maintain a low position while leaning forward.

Make sure your board doesn’t get too far from you or get too overextended. This technique also requires your weight to be kept on your board.

10. Heel scrape

Raise the front wheels. Put the heel down and drag it across the ground. It’s difficult to stay balanced.

Avoid dragging the deck that may result in razor tails. You don’t want that.

11. Jump off when you feel unsafe

It is time to get off your board if you are not able to slow down the board due to its high speed. This will ensure your safety. If you feel threatened, just get off.

If you do not know how to slow down your skateboard, you could end up in danger.

Skateboarding won’t be enjoyable if you don’t know how to slow down. When you skate on busy streets, it may cause accidents and even fatalities.

12. Crash – we prefer you not to do this!

Unfortunately, if you are out of options or panic and can’t move unfortunately you might crash. As long as you are wearing protective gear you shouldn’t be hurt.

Values of slowing down on a longboard

• Know the basic rules first as it helps you balance and avoid obstacles.
• Practice makes perfect. The best way to become an expert on stopping and slowing down your board is to practice
• Learn to forward move which will help you to slow down. Don’t learn this on a hill
• Ride the board in a serpentine way and make your body balance so you can use foot braking or obstruct the air use
• A long board is easier tor ride so your best to practice slowing down and stopping on these rather than a skateboard
• Foot braking is a natural technique. This can be practiced to slow down
• The wheels are the most important and help you to slow down so ensure that you have quality wheels on your board.

Downhill Skateboarding: How to Stop With a Powerslide

Step 1: Place the foot in front close to the front truck

Step 2: Adopt a low stance and bend your knees

Step 3: Push the board and both of your feet forward

Step 4: Put your upper body in a slight backwards lean but keep your shoulders aligned

Step 5: To help you balance open both arms

Step 6: The board needs to glide across the ground

Step 7: When the board speed starts to decrease center your body back versing the 90-degree rotation

Step 8: Continue on

Speed wobbles on skateboards

You have more difficulty turning your front truck than your back truck

The back of your board starts to fishtail if the front truck is tighter than the back one, this causes you to get thrown off the board because the back turns more than the front.

Try to keep your trucks equally tight, or slightly tighter on the back truck than on the front!

Your board is too tall for how loose your trucks are

You will have much easier time turning a topmount board than a drop-deck or drop-thru board since topmounts are much taller than those. Essentially, your truck has more leverage. Already, you lose some stability with the topmount.

If you are using a top mount board then riding will be better than if you are riding a restrictive bushing setup or a lower degree truck.

You are leaning too far backwards on the board

Putting all the weight of a board’s back truck is one of the most common mistakes beginners make when learning to ride. A truck will turn more because the bushings are being compressed more when there is more weight applied to it.

The bushings in the back truck are compressed more than those in the front when you put all your weight on your back foot. This means that the back of the truck is looser than the front.

Dealing with the speed wobbles

Move confidently but carefully

You should never shift your weight abruptly, so be cautious and confident when doing so.

Be aware that our board will turn somewhat when your weight is shifted be sure to go with the turn when it happens.

Use lower angle trucks and wedging

By altering your trucks’ angles and wedging, you can change how far they will turn. In addition to reducing turning, lower angles will result in a more stable ride.

Skaters that ride downhill often have a low angle truck located in the back to help the board turn from the front side but still remain quite stable in the back.

Get low and relax

One of those things that is easier said than it is done. When you’re heading a hill but your starting to wobble try to relax your body it will help a lot.

Lowering your center of gravity and gaining more stability by bending your knees will have a dramatic effect on your posture.

Unfortunately, speed wobbles won’t always be resolved by this method. It is crucial to remain relaxed and go with the flow.

You should position your upper body slightly forward and descend low with relaxed legs. Keep your confidence and relax when you start to wobble.