How to Stop a Skateboard

Co-authored by Jon Depoian

Last Updated: April 19, 2024 Approved

Stopping on your skateboard is essential for maneuvering out of dangerous situations or learning tricks like powersliding. Depending on whether you're a beginner or more advanced skateboarder, different stops will fit your needs best. Practice each stop plenty of times before you try them out while riding faster. Once you've got these tricks in your muscle memory, you'll be able to perform advanced stops just as well as basic tricks.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Tail Scraping or Jumping Off

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Tail scraping is a very basic stopping method. When performing it, you can easily lose control of the board without meaning to. Try tail scraping when skateboarding casually on a sidewalk or even ground. Use a more restrained method (like controlled slide stopping) in dangerous situations.^{[1]
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Lean forward, and keep your weight on the balls of your feet. Your dominant food should stay near the middle of the skateboard. If you loose balance, lift up your arms to steady yourself.

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3
Press the tail with your back foot. Continue applying pressure until it comes in contact with the ground. If you hear a scraping sound, your board is in process of stopping. The friction between your skateboard and the ground will slow your speed.^{[2]
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- Do not step off the board until you have come to a complete halt.
4
Try the heel scrape as an alternative. Heel scraping mirrors tail scraping in many ways, but your board's tail will not make contact with the ground. Instead, extend your back foot out until your heel is not touching the board. As you press the tail back, stop once your foot has made contact with the ground.^{[3]
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- Over time, heel scraping can seriously wear on your shoe.
5
Jump off the board safely if you lose control. Sometimes, your safest option will be to jump off the board. Only do so in case of emergency, and make sure you jump with the right technique. Keep your arms and legs loose to absorb the fall, and curl into a roll as you hit the ground.^{[4]
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- Practice falling into a roll a few times on the grass to sharpen your technique in emergencies.
- Avoid the urge to "catch yourself" with your arms, as you could harm your wrists.
- In general, you should practice getting on and off before you start riding at high speeds. You can do this on grass or another surface that's more forgiving than cement.^{[5]
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  Jon Depoian
  Skateboarding Instructor
  
  Expert Interview. 5 June 2020.}

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Braking with Your Foot

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1
Footbrake when you're skating on level ground. Do not footbrake as an emergency stop or if you're going downhill. This method is only useful for casual skating on level ground. Because this method will involve using your foot to stop the skateboard, avoid using it if you're wearing flip-flops or open-toed shoes.
- An example of when you would use foot-braking: you are skating down the street and are going faster than you're comfortable with.
- Footbraking is a beginner-friendly way to stop a skateboard.
2
Turn one foot forward. To begin your footbrake, turn the toes of your front foot forward. You will want them to face the nose of the board for an ideal footbrake. Turn your upper body and head forward as you do so.^{[6]
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- It doesn't matter whether you use your left or right foot, but most people use their dominant foot.
3
Transfer your weight to your front foot and bring your back foot down. When you feel steady on your front foot, let your back foot fall to the ground. Keep your back leg straight as you do so. Do not lean on your back foot, or you could fall off the skateboard.
- Try to touch the ground with your heel first.^{[7]
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4
Let your back foot drag lightly across the ground. First, apply light pressure to the ground with your shoe as you come to a halt. Shift your weight slowly from the front to the back foot. If you want to slow down quickly, apply more pressure with your back foot.
- Apply even pressure with your foot for a smooth stop.^{[8]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Controlled Slide Stopping

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1
Do a controlled slide stop if you're braking downhill. Slide stops are ideal if you are going quickly downhill or need to brake fast. Use this move instead of jumping off your skateboard (which can cause injuries) unless you are in emergency situations.
- An example of when you'd use slide stopping: you are skating downhill and a car abruptly pulls out in front of you.
- Wear protective gear (such as knee pads and wrist guards) at all times in case you need to make an emergency slide stop.
Much like footbraking, move your front foot forward until it is facing the board's nose. If you know where your skateboard's front bolts are, position your foot directly above them.^{[9]
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3
Turn your board at an 180-degree angle. Pivot with your upper body, and turn sharply to the side. Shift your weight to the side so you can accommodate the swift turn. As you're doing so, crouch to your knees and lean forward to prevent falling on your back.^{[10]
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- During this move, your feet will remain on the board at all times. Do not drag either foot on the ground.
4
Place your hand on the road for stability. If you start to lean back, place your hand on the road and let it drag (similarly to your back foot while footbraking). Wear sliding gloves as you do so to avoid getting road burn on your palms.
- Let the board slide to a stop, and lift your hand back up when it has completely halted.
5
Practice before trying the real thing. Before you're in a situation where you need to brake while skating downhill, practice on a small incline. Your driveway or a gradually sloping sidewalk are both great places to start.
- Continue practicing until controlled slide stopping is in your muscle memory.
Karl Watson, Professional Skateboarder

Skating breaks down the race, language, gender, and age barriers that often divide us. When you're on a skateboard, you're just a skater, and that's all that matters.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Powersliding

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1
Powerslide if you're a confident skater. Powersliding is similar to controlled sliding, but it involves more advanced maneuvers. Do not perform powersliding as a go-to when you need to stop quickly. Instead, use it at skate parks or when practicing tricks with your friends.
- Look out for traffic anywhere near your skateboard before you powerslide. Powersliding is a tricky move and hard to stop abruptly.
As you do so, lean slightly to the front of the board. This will give your body full control of the powerslide and help you turn more fully. Concentrate most of your weight on your front heel, as leaning on your back heel will make this trick harder.
To make sure your upper and lower body moves, focus on turning your shoulders and hips. Use your front foot as a pivot as you slide at a 90-degree angle. Avoid moving too fast, which can cause you to lose balance.^{[11]
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After you've pivoted with your front foot, kick out in the direction of your slide. This will complete your powerslide as you slowly come to a stop. Lean back until your board has stopped to keep from losing your balance.^{[12]
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Expert Q&A

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Question

How do you stop a skateboard going fast?

Jon Depoian
Skateboarding Instructor
Jon Depoian is a Skateboarding Instructor and the Owner of Intro2Skateboarding, an organization based in Orange County, California that provides professional private, home-school, after-school, birthday party, and summer camp skateboard lessons for beginners and experienced skateboarders alike. Jon has over 21 years of skateboarding experience and over 10 years of skateboard instruction experience. He also has extensive experience producing street skateboarding videos and skating competitions.

Jon Depoian

Skateboarding Instructor

Expert Answer

If you're riding on flat without pads, take your back foot off in front of you and walk or run away from the board.

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Question

How should a beginner stop a skateboard?

Jon Depoian
Skateboarding Instructor
Jon Depoian is a Skateboarding Instructor and the Owner of Intro2Skateboarding, an organization based in Orange County, California that provides professional private, home-school, after-school, birthday party, and summer camp skateboard lessons for beginners and experienced skateboarders alike. Jon has over 21 years of skateboarding experience and over 10 years of skateboard instruction experience. He also has extensive experience producing street skateboarding videos and skating competitions.

Jon Depoian

Skateboarding Instructor

Expert Answer

In general, you should practice getting on and off before you start riding at high speeds. You can do this on grass or another surface that's more forgiving than cement.

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Question

Does this work for penny boards?

Community Answer

Yes. Most skateboarding tricks and stops will adapt to penny boards. Powersliding may be harder on penny boards, but with dedicated practices, you can master the move.

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Tips

Make sure the places you skateboard are dry, flat, and level. These conditions will give you the best control over your skateboard.^{[13]
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Practice these stops while stationary first so you get the hang of them before going faster.

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You will perform tricks best with slick wheels. Rubber and urethane are ideal wheel materials. Avoid wheels made of nylon compounds.

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Warnings

Powersliding can wear out your wheels, so replace them if your board seems to drag excessively.

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To keep safe, restrict your skateboarding to paved trails and sidewalks. Never skateboard on an open road. Every year, many skateboarders are killed or injured by vehicle collisions.^{[14]
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