So, you’re preparing to go skiing and wish to know how to stop yourself from insanely hurtling down the peak. Understanding how to stop is a pivotal mastery that every skier needs to comprehend first. How do you stop pizza when skiing? Let’s find out more below!

There are 3 primary methods for you to stop in the skies. In order of efficacy and difficulty, we have the pizza, the parallel hockey stop, and the wedged turn stop.

The most eminent stop – The Pizza Stop is a technique that every newbie skier needs to learn. It affects making a triangle shape (or pizza) by employing your skis. By extending out your skis at a curve to construct a triangle, you make friction against the snow and slow your velocity.

The Pizza Stop (Snowplough)

The most well-known of stops, the Snowplough (known as The Pizza stop) is a practice that every newbie skier needs to learn. It’s truly the best way for you to stop on that slope if you just started skiing. The Snowplough concerns making a triangle formation (or pizza slice) by using your skis.

By stretching out your skis at a curve to form a triangle, you make friction against the snow and slow your speed.

Rather than moving forward, the Snowplough angle lets you control your speed. So, if you apply enough force, you will come to a stop.

Tip: Let’s focus on snow boots and snowboard boots and see if they’re the same. They are really not, as snowboard boots are too heavy and not quite fit for walking.

How to Snowplough Stop?

The most manageable way to try the Snowplough is on the balanced part of a baby slope. Maintain your poles and get a buddy to drag you onwards. After you begin to slide, start to rehearse your Snowplough as described below:

• Press the rears of the skis out to create a pizza shape. This will offer you some opposition and the feeling of slowing down.
• Firmly push out the rear of the skis further until you reach a full stop.
• To enhance your plow, gently press into the inside edge of each ski to improve the variance and the rate at which you slow down.

Significant Snowplough Tips

• Try not to utilize your ski poles to try to stop.
• Hold your upper body rested and gently go into the plow until you are confident enough. 
• Keep rehearsing on baby slopes before proceeding to the more vertical ground.

Tip: Have you been wondering if a beginner can ski a Black Diamond? Perhaps it’s best to first practice more!

Wedged Turn Stop

Another method to stop as a new skier is to create a Snowplough turn. By shifting to the side, you stop quickly and can evade things straight in front of you.

Observe the same instructions as for the regular Snowplough. This really goes without saying! Yet, this time, set more force on one leg than the other.

How to Stop Using a Wedged Turn?

• Firstly, begin to glide and then go into a Snowplough.
• Move more poundage into one ski and twist it to the side.
• Press into your right ski to go left or the other way around. 
• As you gently twist to the side, your drive is to stop with your skis meeting the side of the peak.
• As you reach a stop, hold more weight on the inner border of your skis. Do this so you don’t slide down the gradient while in the stance.

Tip: So, have you been asking yourself the question – why do my calves cramp in ski boots? If so, there are a few reasons behind this that you should know!

Parallel or Hockey Stop

This is for more progressive skiers who can perform the parallel turn. Keep this in mind! A parallel turn is a fundamental constituent that everything in skiing builds upon.

It’s the essential move of the skier, and it lets you adjust the direction and stop at pace. The parallel stop is the quickest & most practical way to avoid barriers or crashes at rates. Also, it is only advisable for skiers who are ready to go beyond the Snowplough and are pleased to turn at speed.

Note: Winter sports such as freestyle ice skating and hockey are so thrilling. If you haven’t tried it yet, make sure you do!

How to Stop With a Parallel Stop? 

• Just stand up slightly before you go to your stop to ease up the ski’s connection with the snow.
• Form a parallel turn, and put your weight on the exterior or downhill ski of the turn.
• Flex your feet and legs similarly whilst beginning to bend your knees and scour into the snow. Touch the snow with the inner border of both skis and move through your heel.
• The better your drill into the snow is, the speedier your stop will be.
• Let go of the angle of your skis and flatten them towards the snow. That way, you don’t fall backward.
• Repeat this process. (The more you rehearse, your muscle memory will improve)

Tip: You should mind that skis are not immune to rusting. It is best to wear and store them appropriately!

The First Thing You Should Learn

Now let’s see why stopping is the first thing you should learn. Without understanding how to stop, you can fast become a runaway train. Knowing how to Snowplough should be at the top of your list. Without learning this basic trick, you won’t be able to advance much further without jeopardizing yourself or other people on the slope.

It’s tough at first, so be ready for a few falls. Notably, it won’t take long before you’re Snowploughing like a winner and moving towards the Snowplough turn stop.

The hockey stop can wait for sure! You should get better at turning your wedged turns into a parallel turn before you should attempt to do a hockey stop.

That is unless you’ve got some valuable familiarity with doing it on skates. In that case, you’ll be much faster.

Note: Move on to more progressive tracks. After you have conquered the bunny hill, you can swing the lift, walk on the lying part, ski down in a steady way, turn both ways and stop easily!

How to Go From Pizza to Parallel Skiing?

After you have conquered the “pizza”, you can carry on to a more refined way of stopping. Turning is an essential component of skiing (just like stopping). To turn, you should point your feet (and your skis) in the path you want to cross.

For a potent “parallel turn”, press the “exterior” ski apart from the body holding it parallel to the straight direction. You and the skis will shift. For an additional soft “sculpted” turn, tilt the outer ski’s ankle to bite its ski inside edge into the snow and swing on a banked turn.

You should sense the ski cutting into the snow to render the turning force, sooner than gliding sideways over the snow. If you wish to stop while shifting, keep your feet in the plow standing. After that, turn negligibly up the hill. You will then arrive at a slow stop.

Avoid Using Your Poles to Stop

Many newbie skiers usually try to utilize their poles to stop themselves, and it’s a terrible mistake. The poles can readily become bent, and you can harm yourself fairly easily if you count only on your poles for stopping.

Poles are excellent for resilience and for moving off on your skis. Still, if you’re running over 1-2mph, then cultivating your pole in the snow to stop yourself is not a good concept.

Tip: Some people like to utilize a hiking pole as a ski pole, and this is possible if they are long enough.

Ride Out the Turn

Let’s say you’re going overly quick to Snowplough and you ought to stop, but you haven’t yet mastered the other methods. In that case, you can deploy what’s understood as the ‘ride out the turn’ approach.

It’s rather easy, but a good tip for newbie skiers who are losing command or need to avoid a barrier. Put your weight more on one ski and form a turn. Rather than connecting the turn, keep skiing and ride through and uphill to slow for a stop.

The uphill gradient will slow you down much faster than a Snowplough on the downhill. Turn into the hill and use the uphill to scatter your speed.

Don’t end up fronting uphill as you will glide rearwards. Instead, try to strive for a parallel pose and to stop altogether. Place the weight on your inner borders. This will truly stop you from sliding diagonally.

If you are a fan of other extreme sports as well, here you will find out more about many other sports too.