The Pink Forum

[mercurysmile]

I am having trouble getting the hang of the snow plow stop- I can do it slow like, but at faster pace, other girls can kinda slide their wheels and make that awesome screechy noise.... I kinda fall on my face.

It feels like my wheels are too sticky or something (i only have radar flat outs) Any ideas? should I just be leaning back way more? :/

I am fresh meat, and we're doing drills where you skate in front of the pack, and then slow down to control the speed, but I can't seem slow down fast enough... Any and all tips are great!

Thx

[RollerGirl]

Hey Mercurysmile!

The screeching that you are talking about is key. It is caused by your wheels sliding across the floor causing friction which slows you down. Hard wheels slide easier, but you can plow stop with even the stickiest/grippiest wheels. Don't buy hard wheels, you don't what to give up grip just to make plowing easier.

When plowing you need to lean back a little bit. If your weight is planted and your skates are right under you, you won't slide, you will bite and fall forward. Think about this like if you sliding on ice in a plow position. You want your weight back, feet forward. Now the floor isn't as slippery as ice, but your wheels will slide on it if your body is at the right position and you have some momentum behind you.

The techniques goes like this:

1. Go wide - really really wide. Your feet (and weight) should NOT be under you, your feet should be about a meter apart with your weight slightly back.

2. Dig in with your outer edges first. Your stance should be wide (about a meter apart) with your feet angled inward. You will feel the pressure on the outside edge of both feet. Push into this pressure hard! Dig in and you will slow down.

3. As you slow almost to a complete stop bring your stance smaller (with your feet almost right under you), squeeze with the muscles of your inner thighs and with dig with the inside edges of your skates. By doing this last move you will come to a complete stop. If you find that you can slow but not stop using the plow technique is probably because you lack the finish move.

4. Practice, practice and then practice some more!

Hope that helps!
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RollerGirl