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IV.5.3. Braking, small turns

1. Falling safely:

First put down the hands, for a short time, then the elbow, shoulder and roll on the back with the legs crossed. Keep the head bent forward and press it. Practice it on grass or a gym mat. 

2. Rolling into an object:

Approach the object with the arms stretched in front of you, then, after touching the object, bend the elbows to brake the momentum. When you reach the object, keep one leg more to the front.

3. Snowplough stop:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNqswWjgNNQ

You have to turn both skates inwards with the legs spread, then bring the front wheels close together and put outward pressure on the heels with the knees bent and the centre of gravity kept at the back. This is a safe way of stopping from a slow pace. It is important that the two feet do not slide in.

Incorrect execution:

  • The front wheels of the two skates touch each other, slide in together.
  • The centre of gravity is placed too much to the front.
  • The two feet are turned inwards too much.
  • The knees are not bent.

4. Snowplough stop with small steps:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk9W_UNY6U4

The technique is similar to the snowplough stop, the two toes are brought close together, but only one leg is kept on the ground at a time. Braking is achieved through small pushes, which are perpendicular to the blade of the skate (like during skating backwards).

Incorrect execution:

  • The skate rolls out from under the body.
  • Pressure is not perpendicular to the blade, but parallel with it.
  • Execution with the legs stretched.
  • Feet turned inwards too much.

5. T-Stop

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB-qazst0ww

The body weight is placed on the supporting or rolling leg, while the braking leg is placed behind the supporting leg as in a stride. The back skate should be perpendicular to the front in a way that all the wheels are touching the ground. This is a highly effective braking technique, but it requires good balance and wears out the wheels to a great extent.

  • Lead-in exercise:
    • Starting position: the two feet form a letter “T”, the back foot is perpendicular to the front. Then, the back foot pushes forward, pulls back and brakes to get back to starting position.

Incorrect execution:

  • Turning outwards: the feet are not perpendicular to each other or the braking foot does not get back behind the rolling foot.
  • The braking foot is too close to the rolling foot, and the stride and the pull do not happen.
  • The rolling leg is stretched.

6. Turning outward:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfUiDMiRyxI

By turning one skate to the side (the two skates are at a 100-170° angle), the skater makes a 180° turn on a short arc. Overturning is a mistake. Practicing at a high speed is not advised before reaching proper balance.

  • Lead-in exercises:
    • Without moving to any direction, slide one leg backwards in a way that body weight is on the front skate, and only the front wheel of the back skate touches the ground. Then turn the back leg and put it back to the ground in a way that the two rear wheels should face each other and the skates are at a 100-170° angle.
    • While moving forward, stretch one leg backwards in a way that you keep your body weight on the front skate and only the front wheel of the back skate touches the ground.
    • The previous exercise, while turning the back leg and putting it back on the ground like in the exercise without moving. In the meantime, place the centre of gravity to the front and turn on the arc formed by the two feet.

Incorrect execution:

  • The legs slide apart and the feet are at an acute angle.
  • Turning stops,and the feet are only at a right angle.
  • The skater turns more than 180° and the legs are not spread enough.
  • Turning does not happen, as after turning the leg, the body weight is not placed inwards.

7. Turning on heels:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgTVfI8D8bY

Their body weight placed on the supporting leg, the skater stretches the other leg forward in a way that only the rear wheel of the skate touches the ground. While bending the foot outwards, this is going to be the axis of turning. The supporting leg rolls in a semicircle, while the centre of gravity is between the two legs. Then at a 90° angle, that is, in the middle of the semicircle, the skater slightly spreads their legs, then closes the legs in at the end of the semicircle.

  • Lead-in exercise:
    • While moving forward, the skater stretches one leg forward in a way that only the rear wheel of the front skate touches the ground, and the centre of gravity is on the rear foot.
    • The previous exercise, but with bending the forward foot to the right and left. This way, the front skate draws a small wave.
    • While moving slowly, the front leg is turned outwards in line with the arc of turning, and the skater follows the arc by spreading then closing in the back leg.

Incorrect execution:

  • The front leg does not lead the movement.
  • The front leg does not bend outwards to the side in the direction of turning, it only rolls out.
  • The spreading and closing in of the leg rolling in the semicircle does not happen.
  • The centre of gravity is not between the two legs during the turn.