Three Skate Stops: Heel Brake, Plow and T-Stop

A progression of three inline-skate stops, from easiest to most technical. Knowing how to stop is the first safety skill for skating on the street.

How to play

1. Review glide with low stance and duck steps (3 min).
2. Heel brake: slide the braking skate forward, lift the toe and sit back, first standing still and then gliding (6 min).
3. Plow stop: toes in, heels out, pushing the ground with the inside edges (6 min).
4. T-stop: drag the back skate perpendicular; only for those who have the first two down (5 min).
5. Cone corridor: glide in and stop before the line with the stop of your choice (5 min).

Rules

• Everyone glides in the same direction in the marked lanes.
• Stop in the marked zone, never toward another person.
• All four pieces of gear are required.
• If you can't stop in time, fall forward as practiced.

Variations

Adaptations

• Skates without a heel brake: use the plow stop and add the T-stop later.
• Students with low vision: stop line marked with tall cones and a sound cue.
• Ankle injury: practice the plow motion in sneakers on a smooth floor, without skates.

Learning goals

• Perform at least two kinds of stop with control.
• Choose a stop based on speed and space.
• Keep balance by shifting weight back while stopping.

Equipment for a class of 25

• inline skates: 28
• helmets: 28
• knee pads: 28
• wrist guards: 28
• cones: 20

Teacher tip

Rented or hand-me-down skates often have worn-out heel brakes: check them first. Split the class into a confident zone and a beginner zone.

More main activities for Middle School