Hi, I recently moved apartment and started skateboarding to work. I have a nickel board, so more for cruising than tricks.
My question is: what's the best way to slow down and stop on sidewalks?
I've watched several YouTube videos about different techniques for slowing down and stopping, but they tended to assume an environment with more room and smooth ground. Where I ride, it's a sidewalk with cracks and leaves and changing terrain. It is also somewhat hilly so I really need a way to slow down on sustained (not steep though) downhills.
One of the best techniques I found was called pumping, basically the opposite of pushing. This works well on any terrain and on skinny sidewalks. However, it's really hard on my ankles, and I actually made my right ankle swollen. So I figured I need a better way.
I don't particularly want to use techniques that scrape my shoes. And I'm not sure powerslides are the best idea on the uneven terrain.
Surely there's something better than just dismounting? Do I have to ride on the road to do powerslides?
I would greatly appreciate any and all advice!! I'm quite new to this so anything is helpful
What I do is like pushing, but without actually pushing for speed. I've never heard it called pumping and I don't understand how it hurts your ankles? Anyway, with all weight on the front foot, put the back foot on the ground ground somewhere ahead of the toe side of the board. As you ride past it, you can use it to slow down. Don't scrape it or anything, just take it off the ground when it's back at your tail and put it down again somewhere further ahead again. If you're going fast it'll take a few "pushes" to come to a stop.
Yep, that's what I meant by pumping. I think my ankle actually hurt from pushing to speed up — I googled it and others had similar issues. My tendons or whatever have gotten stronger now and it's no longer and issue.
I've gotten better at slowing down, mainly because I got much better at carving