First-timers, find a friend with a grinder and shave off the first
1/4" of rubber to make it easier to learn on a new brake. This makes
it easier to push the skate forward to lift the toe.
Make sure your toes are both pointing the same direction and skates
are no more than 3-4 inches apart (side-by-side distance, not frunt and
back distance).
Press the supporting leg's knee into the back of the braking knee for
stability and balance. This also makes it easier to stop along a straight
forward path.
The more body mass you place behind the brake, the more effectively
it stops you. To keep your upper body behind the brake, imagine you are
pulling a rope in a game of tug of war. To hold your ground you've got to
dig in with that heel and push against it.
The more your braking leg is angled to the pavement, the better your
leverage for pressuring the heel brake.
Practice stopping on a line (a lot!) at different speeds to find out
how far ahead you need to start braking.
Plan on no less than 10 feet to stop, and at greater speeds, up to
30 or 40 feet.
Don't be shy about making long, proud black streaks on the pavement.
Use your brake as a speed governor. If you are picking up too much
speed on a decline and just need to slow down enough to stay in control,
simply brake lightly until you reach a speed where you regain your confidence
and skills.
At higher speeds, you need to increase the pressure on the brake to
make it stop. Using the power from way up in your hip muscles, squeeze it
down and make it scream!
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