Beginner roller skating

Toe Stop Drag vs T-Stop on Quads

Two drag stops, one warning for both: the trailing leg is working, not resting. Pressing it down is the whole braking force. If it feels effortless, you're not slowing.

Toe stop drag — quads only. Weight on the front foot, trail the other skate behind and lower its toe stop onto the ground. Controllable, gentle on wheels, and the one to learn first.

T-stop — works on both. Trailing foot turned perpendicular, dragged flat behind the leading one. Effective, but it grinds a flat spot into that wheel over time.

The mistake in both is leaning back. Keep your weight over the front foot; the trailing foot is a brake, not a support.

Keep going: this is one section of the full Roller Skating for Beginners guide — sizing, gear, stopping, and where to skate, in one page.