How to Slow Down on a Longboard? Longboard Survival Guide

By: Josh Rosenberg
Date: August 3, 2022
Time to read: 9 min.

A longboard is a thing that everyone likes to ride but riding it is not an easy task. If you are a beginner then at first you need to get an appropriate longboard according to your weight and foot size. After that, the main concern for the beginners is how to stop or slow down the longboard.

If you don’t know how to stop the longboard then you can bump into an accident and can hurt yourself. So, it is very important to know how to slow down on a longboard at any particular speed.

So, what are you waiting for? Let’s begin!

How to Slow Down on a Longboard?

There are multiple methods that you can use to slow down or stop your longboard. Well, the applicability of all the given techniques will depend upon the expertise of the rider. There are difficult as well as easy ways to stop your longboard.

So, if you want to know how to slow down on a longboard downhill then follow the given methods in this guide. For your help all the techniques in this guide are listed, this will help you to read and understand all the techniques clearly.

The Frontside Powerslide Method

If you are interested in skating and skate a lot then you need to know the frontside Powerslide method, not only because it’s a cool trick but this technique also keeps your shoes safe from destruction. Well, this trick may make the wheels of the longboard smaller but it is very effective for stopping a longboard at high speed.

The frontside powerslide includes turning your longboard from the vertical position to the horizontal position and then sliding the wheels to the ground. This method for slowing or stopping your longboard requires a little practice but can be used even by a beginner.

The frontside powerslide method for slowing down your longboard is elaborated in steps in simple words so you can understand it clearly. Follow the given steps to apply the frontside powerslide method:

First gain speed on your longboard
Properly bend your knees and prepare yourself ready for the slide
Put your back foot on the tail of the longboard and apply pressure with your toes.
Put your front foot on the nose of the longboard that is the opposite side of the truck, then make sure you put your whole weight on that sole.
Carefully stable your body at the center of the longboard.
Then quickly apply the pressure on your front foot, and use the front foot as the turning axis to turn the longboard.
Then use your back foot’s toe to push the tail of the longboard forward.
If you don’t want to lose your balance while using this method, then make sure you keep your head above the board.

But while using this method there are some things that you need to take care of, if you even mistakenly put a lot of your weight forward then it can cause the longboard to stack on the ground. If you are a beginner in the frontside powerslide technique then make sure you don’t use it on a downhill, first you need to practice it on flat ground then use it on a downhill.

The Pendulum Technique

The pendulum technique to slow down your longboard is considered the most effective and efficient method of all. The pendulum technique is also known as the advanced technique because of its effectiveness. If it is the most efficient method then it is also a complex one, it requires a lot of practice and skill to apply.

This method requires some special equipment such as gloves, and to apply it you need to move your body a lot closer to the ground. Make sure you don’t apply this method until you have fully mastered the given steps.

First, gain some speed on your longboard
Then kick your back foot so you can reduce the speed of the longboard
Move your body close to the ground and put your gloved hands on the ground
While making contact with the ground make sure your body is not so close or far away from the longboard
Make sure you apply your whole body weight to the longboard
If your hands are placed correctly on the ground then your longboard will start to slow down in some seconds.

When using this technique you need to be careful while making contact with the ground, because if you are too close or too far from the longboard at that time then you can fall ending up hurting yourself.

Heelside Pendulum

The heel side pendulum is another cool trick to slow down your longboard, it looks pretty awesome when someone uses this technique. But the bad thing about it is that it’s a bit tricky from all other methods. In this method, the whole slowing down process depends on your weight. Before using this technique at home or any other place make sure you have practiced it a lot or have mastered it. At first gain speed on your longboard, and when you want to slow it down start putting your weight on both of your feet equally. Many of the riders think of it as an easy one and end up falling, so practice this method a lot before using it.

Furling on a Rough Surface

The method of furling on a rough surface is very easy and can be carried out easily even by beginners. Although there is not much to tell about this technique still it is elaborated on in this guide. If the speed of your longboard is very high then moving it to a rough surface would be a great idea.

The rough surfaces such as grass, gravel, etc. have more friction that causes the longboard to slow down or stop. But it is obvious in this method for you to ride your longboard on a road with grass or gravel on the side.

Well, this method has proved to be very successful but how quickly you can apply this technique depends upon how quickly you can get to the rough surface. If you are planning to move to the grass for slowing down your longboard then make sure you don’t move to the ground with short grass, because the short can speed your longboard even more.

So, whenever you want to slow down your longboard take the longboard slowly to the grass.

Use Foot Braking Technique

The foot braking method is the most common but technical one, many of the longboard riders know and use this technique. But while using it you must be very careful or you can end up falling. If you don’t know how to use this technique properly then here are some tips that can help you learn this technique faster.

The most essential thing in this technique is balance, you need to learn the ability to balance your body with only one leg which is usually the front leg. You need to put pressure on the longboard with the front leg and bring the back foot lower to the ground. After that touch the sole of your shoe slowly to the ground so your longboard can slow down with the help of friction created by your shoe.

While using this technique make sure that you put a lot of pressure on the front foot and less pressure on the back foot. It is because the pressure by the front foot causes to longboard to slow down because of weight.

And you need to put less pressure on the back foot because excessive pressure can form an accident by throwing you forward. Make sure you keep these tips in your mind while using this method for slowing down your longboard.

Apply Carving Method

There are many simple and effective techniques to slow down your longboard but sometimes a scene occurs where all those methods become dangerous or hard to apply. And for that time you need some other technique such as the carving method, this method is very effective if you are riding your longboard on a hill and want to slow it down. How to slow down on a longboard downhill is a complex task and needs a lot of practice. Well, it is elaborated here simply so you can understand it.

The carving method includes turning yourself backward and forwards while inclining against the wall as if you are trying to ride the longboard uphill. The main objective of the carving method is to make the wheels surrender the traction and make them glide. The surrender and gliding of wheels may happen in a few seconds if you keep carving.

This method may not stop the longboard completely but can help you a lot in slowing it down. While carving makes sure you don’t carve excessively because excessive carving may result in cramped turns and can cause you to fall.

Glide Over the Longboard

Gliding over the longboard is the most difficult and dangerous method to slow down your longboard. It requires a lot of practice and skill, most longboard masters use this technique to slow down. It is considered the most efficient and technical way for stopping or reducing the speed of your longboard.

With benefits the gliding technique also has negative effects on your longboard, it can damage the wheels and bearing of your longboard. Now you would think why you should even use this method, then you are right and the reason why you should use this technique is also given here.

Many riders do not like to ride at high speed, they usually don’t go higher than 20mph. if you are one of those riders who don’t want to go at high speed then really you do not have to learn this technique. Low-speed riders usually prefer the foot braking method for slowing down their longboard.

But if you are one of those riders who like to ride their longboard at high speed then you must use the gliding method. This method ultimately slows down your longboard if you are moving at any speed.

FAQs

Do you need a break in a Longboard?

If are a regular rider of a longboard then your longboard wheel requires breaking so you can easily turn, stop, skid, or slide the longboard.

How to stop the Longboard on a Downhill?

Well, there are many methods that you can use to slow down your longboard such as carving, etc. But at some point, you reach a downhill and you don’t know how to stop your longboard then hopping off from the longboard would be great as it can protect you from any accident.

Is slowing down a Longboard very hard?

Usually slowing down on a longboard is not so hard, it just requires some practice and effort. You can say it is a bit hard to turn a longboard for a beginner.

Which Longboard should a beginner choose?

If you are a beginner in longboarding, I would recommend you the cruiser longboard that is at least 30’’ long and 8.5’’ wide, it is because this longboard is very easy to balance.

Which is the front side of the Longboard?

For finding the front side of the longboard look for a long and narrow tail, this tail indicated the back of the longboard.

Conclusion

Most of the riders can ride the longboards but find it difficult to stop or slow them. For those riders, some of the useful and effective methods are explained in this guide. All the strategies elaborated are used according to the longboard’s speed, environment, your riding style, and the type of longboard you are using.

The simplest and best method for the beginners who ride the longboards around town is the foot-breaking technique. But if you love to ride your longboard in downhill areas then the best and most effective method would be the carving method.

Other than skills all you need to use the methods explained in this guide is practice, so make sure you practice a lot before using them for your safety.

Top Recommendations

How to Slow Down on a Longboard? Longboard Survival Guide