Feature Article - December, 1997

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Number 1             December, 1997             Issue 5

~ Feature Article ~

Gimme a Brake!
By Susan Davis
Over 31 million people, half of them women, have taken to the streets on in-line skates this year. With all of these new skaters rolling around out there, the most common question I hear at my inline skating workshops is not 'What colors do they come in?' but 'How Do I Stop?'

Braking acquires a whole new mea ning when it moves from the tires on a car to the boot on your foot. I learned how to stop properly from an International Inline Skating Association (IISA) certified instructor, after I had skated over 1,400 miles without a brake on my skate. I had mastered the 'snow plow' (a maneuver borrowed from skiing in which the toes are squeezed together to form a point and the heels are pushed outward to create drag) and developed muscles that inspired remarks such as, 'Crack walnuts with those legs?'

Having spent the post-childbirth years feeling like I had Jell-O in the back of my pants, I didn't mind the new wisecracks. That's why I didn't stop skating when I couldn't stop skating! Misinformation about braking lurks on street corners, at shopping malls, in gossip circles, and, most often but not exclusively, at discount sporting goods stores. Here, the nice, friendly salesperson is perhaps an expert in making guacamole, but is not an expert on the particulars of the sport in which you are about to trust your life.

Meet three beginners who experienced the mysteries of trying to stop their skates once they got rolling.

To The Store

Suzy and Steph, ready to buy their first pair of 'good skates,' gathered their courage and credit cards, and headed out to the local sporting goods store. Their glazed eyes reflected their mission to make a major purchase. He came at them with a smile and introduced himself as a professional skater and athlete. He offered his expertise in selling Suzy and Steph 'just the right skates for them.' The salesman didn't focus on the dozens of manufacturers and styles of skates on the planet; he did, however, give strong attention and accolades to the skates on his wall - two brands, one model from each. (One model! That's like expecting womankind to collectively accept a 'one size fits all' bra.)

Wide skate selections do have pluses, but unfortunately 'sudden overwhelm' sometimes overcomes the shopper. Buying skates is not for wimps, but neither is childbirth. You can do it, with great results, and you will not have to wait eighteen years to see how you did. Suzy and Steph were not faced with overwhelm, but 'under-whelm.'

This helpful salesman was very serious about getting their tender toes into those skates. He huffed. He puffed. He seemed to have a little trouble breathing as he yanked, yanked, and yanked one onto Steph's foot. He said it was a buckle problem, easily solved, and then did the same for Suzy as perspiration dripped off his brow. The ladies exchanged clandestine glances that said, 'This pro skater/athlete certainly gets tired easily.' They also noticed that he seemed to wear his belt three sizes too small for his over-developed stomach muscles.

Suzy and Steph, having thrown their girdles into the fireplace years before, sympathized immediately, and tried not to concentrate on his constant references to being nimble and swift. At last they were wearing the skates 'designed with them in mind.' They may have been old enough to 'know better,' but they were having big, big fun. They hadn't felt so free in years. They rolled around the store, laughing like kids and hoping none of their neighbors would stroll by the shop and peek in the windows.

'How do you stop?' asked Steph, her expression innocent but hopeful. 'Easy,' the salesman answered. 'Just lift up your foot and put your heel down.' Sure enough, on the completely flat, smooth surface of the store carpet it worked. 'Keep practicing,' he encouraged. Steph and Suzy purchased helmets and protective gear and headed for the asphalt.

On The Hill

With renewed gusto and their buddy Nancy in tow, they strode onto their neighborhood street. Ignoring the hoots from the lawns of their neighbors, they approached a small hiill with a gradual climb on one side and a steeper slope on the other. A mere pimple to an experienced skater, it was a summit to these gals. They were frightened, but prepared. After all, they had learned from a 'professional skater.'

They climbed the gentle side of the hill and admired the view from its top. Primed and ready, they had a strategy: they would brake all the way down to control their speed and celebrate at the bottom. They collectively raised their right feet to engage the brake and in unison they fell - Plop, Plop, Plop. The scraping of plastic safety equipment across pavement made a ghastly sound. Pain can be forgotten, but it's impossible to forget a sound like that past the age of twenty-five. For a few moments their joy and surprise at being alive was exhilarating.

To The Store: Part 2

Frustrated and emboldened, Suzy and Steph returned to the store. Their new safety equipment, bearing clear evidence that they had been to battle and prevailed, remained home. Instead of the 'professional skater' from their previous visit, they were greeted by a very tall, handsome young man, made taller by the skates on his feet.

Our heroines, born in the fifties, winced and tried to overlook his funny haircut and the earring in a spot that looked like it would hurt. Stephanie took a deep breath, a big step forward, and looking right into his nose hairs said, 'Show me how to use the brake.' 'You don't need the brake,' he said to the top of her head. 'It doesn't work. Take it off. When you want to stop, squueeze your legs, like snow-plowing, and you'll stop. With some practice, it's easy.' The gals weren't skiers, but they watched his demonstration and tried his technique right there on the smooth, fluffy carpet. It worked very well.

On The Hill: Part 2

Back on the hill, Suzy snowplowed all the way down. Going only twice as fast as she wanted, she was invigorated by her accomplishment. Nancy's descent took a little longer - 11 minutes to be exact - she zigzagged back and forth, left to right, carefulfulefully proceeding inches at time.

Then there was Steph. She contemplated her strategy atop the hill until Nancy was ten minutes into her journey. Then, taking a deep breath, she made her move. She proceeded with caution. Within seconds she realized that her legs would not form a snowplow. She reached Nancy's ten-minute mark in fifty-five seconds, her wheels whirring as she flew past onlookers and flowerbeds. Hands and arms straight out in a Frankenstein's monster position and legs wide apart, the forty-one year old mother of four reached the bottom of the hill still standing. And kept on rolling.

As witnesses cheered her bravery and balance, she entered a straightaway that intersected a road marked with an ominous sign: 55 MPH. Steph was headed for trouble. With her body still frozen in Frankenstein position with outstretched arms, palms down and fingers limp, her wheels roared under her. She made a sharp turn and careened onto a narrow strip of grass. Still standing with back razor straight, she rolled six feet before falling to her knees then flat, face down. It was like watching the ceremonial folding of a card table.

A roar of laughter from all directions soon overcame genuine concern for Steph's welfare. Her first statement, 'I can't believe I'm alive,' was well received by the crowd. She later announced she wanted a t-shirt memoria lizing her 'flight.' About 100 members of her community now wear the 'Bonsai Babe' tee shirt. It's the perfect accessory for those who have skated without a particular braking plan.

Give Yourself A Brake

The good news is that braking is almost easy if someone who really knows how to teach teaches you. Quality skate magazines are good resources for learning more about technique. However, your first braking encounter is best expperienced with a person who knows how to do it correctly. Typically an adult skate has a three-to five-inch rubber pad behind the right heel. You could hold it with two fingers. Your life lies between those two fingers. A skating brake doesn't caress your wheel to make it stop rolling. What it does instead is train you to balance on your left leg, while scissoring your feet and applying pressure under your right heel. With practice all the little shifts in weight and balance that need to happen at the same time become automatic.

Learn and practice braking on a flat surface without cars, cattle or other distractions you could accidentally roll over or into. Find a place and a partner that make you feel comfortable. You can contact your local skate retailer for the names of instructors in your community. Meanwhile, if you find a store that provides free lessons and the teacher shows up without a helmet ask her why she doesn't wear one. There is no acceptable answer to this question. No helmet means the person doesn't have the brains to teach you; find another instructor. Your skating adventures will be a lot more fun if you learn to properly brake, from a qualified instructor, before you tackle the tarmac. Have fun, drink lots of water, and always wear your safety gear, especially your helmet. Soon you'll be skating - and braking - like the mucho macho athlete that you are nurturing within your proud self.

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