Stopping in Figure Skating

In figure skating is is always a good idea to start with stopping!

Snowplow Stop

The first sop you will learn is a snowplow, in which you turn your toes toward each other in a V, then put pressure on one of the blades so that it skids sideways along the ice, and slows you down. Try not to lean forward or tip onto your toes when doing this. It may help if you first bend your knees and think in terms of pushing your heel out, rather than turning your toe in.

Hockey Stop

Hockey stops involve an up-down movement and a slight forward shift of weight to the part of the blade under the balls of your feet. With both skates together and on the ice, rise up , which will cause your weight to rock forward a bit. Quickly turn your skates 90 degrees to the side which will cause them to skid, and then sink down again, leaning slightly away from the direction of travel, which will press the edges into the ice.

T-Stop

While gliding forward on one skate, bring the free skate in toward the heel and turn the skate perpendicular to the one on the ice all in one smooth motion without lifting the free skate more than an inch or so from the ice. Firstly, remember that it is the outside edge of the braking skate that touches the ice. The braking skate should be placed so that the middle of the blade intersects with the skating foot's blade, that is you are forming a perfect T. You want your foot far enough back so that you do not step on the blade of the skating foot (disastrous results will ensue if you do), but close enough so that you can comfortably gradually shift your weight onto that braking skate's outside edge.