Knowing how to stop is key to every safe longboard ride. This skill that lets you manage easy halting when you’re crossing the road or riding in a busy street. 

Learning longboard tricks is an ultimate milestone for beginners. But what completes the journey is knowing how to stop on a longboard. Here’s how:

How to Stop on a Longboard?

Remember that when you fail to stop properly, you might come crashing to one side. So when learning these beginner-friendly techniques, make sure that you wear the following:

• Slide gloves
• Helmet
• Shoes

Most importantly, bring some confidence! Now, let’s get started:

Method One: Foot Braking

If you’re curious about how to slide on a longboard without gloves, then you should master foot braking.

To start, hold most of your body weight to your front foot. You decide which food to keep in front. When using this technique, wearing flip flops or thin/soled shoes isn’t recommended. As you take your back foot higher, let it drag on the ground next to your longboard.

Slowly, give slight pressure to the ground. Keep applying pressure to the ground until the board comes to a stop.

When to use foot braking?

• When you’re riding on a longboard at slow speed
• When you want to carve into a turn when riding in a steep hill

Precautions:

• Never use foot brake while leaning onto your back foot. This will disperse your body weight, making your back foot shaky than the front one.
• Adjust your balance with the speed to avoid being tossed to the side when coming to an abrupt stop.
• Be aware of the friction changes depending on the terrain type.

Method Two: Coleman Slide

Crouch on your board. Carefully, carve into your toeside and make sure that your heels ease at the heelside edge of your longboard. 

Then angle your knee towards your front leg. Make sure to position all your weight over your front leg carefully. 

To throw into the slide, slap your front hand around and down to your heelside. Then rotate your shoulders following the direction of the slide. 

Note that the slower your rotation goes the more speed you will cause. So pay attention to look where you want to go.

When to use Coleman Slide?

• Aside from coming to a stop, Coleman Slide is useful for speed control and cornering. It can kill much more speed than foot braking and your feet don’t have to leave the longboard.

Precaution:

• This technique wears the wheels instead of your shoes. So be aware that your wheels will grip less over time with continued use of the Coleman Slide.

Method Three: Toeside Hand(s) Down Slide

Make sure your toes sit on your toeside rail. Then take a big heelside pre-carve into a toe side. Note that when you start to go toeside, timing is key. As you put your hand down on the ground, kick the board out with your back leg. 

To kill off more speed and consequently make a longer slide, rotate your body slower.

When to use Toeside Hand Down Slide?

• Like the Coleman Slide, it’s useful for cornering, speed control, and coming to a stop.

Precaution:

• Your shoulders and hips movements influence all slides greatly. 

Takeaways

How do you slow down and stop on a longboard? Foot Braking, Coleman Slide, and Toeside Hand(s) Down Slide are three of the easiest ways for beginners. 

Knowing how to stop complements the adrenaline rush you get when performing or practicing new tricks. These beginner-friendly methods in how to stop on a longboard can give you a cool attitude when the situation calls for it. So practice these techniques and get that slide working for you.

Are you a beginner in this turf? Are you curious about how to stand on a longboard? Or are you excited to learn how to slide on a longboard? You can learn all these with the right longboard.

Find the best ones that would suit you best. Start cruising and carving with one of our assorted longboard designs fit for every beginner’s needs.