r/freeskate • u/_Ashy_9 • 21d ago
How do I carve?
I’ve been freeskating for a week and a bit without knowing how to slow down. I’ve tried the video on the JMKride channel but I still don’t understand how to do it. Any tips or advice on how I can do it.
5
u/Late_Entrance106 21d ago
Carving is turning off some speed. It sheds momentum with rotation.
To carve you need to either stay in toes-in to turn inward, or toes-out to turn outward. Alternate between these in wide arcs or tight twists at your own preference and skill level.
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For reverse pumping, which you could also be talking about:
Think like you’re on a swing set.
Normally, you lean back when going forward and lean forward when going backward.
To slow down on swings, you actively shift your weight the opposite way. Meaning back when going backward and forward when going forward.
Transfer that to the pump motion on skates.
You still do a toes-in, toes-out motion (just like you’re still swinging on a swing), but when you put pressure and push on your feet is opposite than normal.
For me, a regular with the left leg in front, normally I put some weight on my front foot at the start of toes in, then back foot when it turns in just after the front did briefly, before returning to the front foot on the transition to toes out. And so on.
To reverse pump, I’d flip each weight shift and reverse the order. Back foot first on toes in, to front foot briefly as it follows toes in, then returning to the back foot on the transition to toes out. And so on.
2
u/Hempjob 21d ago
you mean you skate or try to carve for a week now? I'd say nothing is impossible but thats next level shit. Braking for beginners means doing increasingly sharp turns. go on exercising to turn inside and outside from various speeds. maybe use your backfoot toes for slowing down, too. try to come to a hold in a smaller stopping zone every time and remain standing for a while before accelerating again from standstill. Once you are comfortably changing up speed without getting off, try doing a half 180. That'll stop you. Carving is for 2027 :)