How to Stop on Ice Skates: Learn the Snowplow Stop

A snowplow stop slows a forward glide by scraping the blades across the ice. Learn the feel of that scraping while stationary, then try it from a very slow glide. The goal is gradual braking, not driving an edge hard into the ice.

Start in an approved beginner practice area with clear space. You should already be able to stand and glide on two feet; our first ice-skating exercises cover that starting point. A coach’s demonstration is especially helpful because small changes in blade angle can make the difference between a scrape and an abrupt catch.

1. Feel the Scrape Without Moving Forward

Before combining balance, travel and braking, isolate the blade movement:

1. Stand still and use one blade to make a small sideways scrape on the ice.
2. Try a small change in its angle and pressure until it shaves the surface rather than digging in.
3. Repeat with the other skate so you explore the movement on both sides.

This drill comes from How To Hockey’s free Snow Plow Stops lesson, which includes a video demonstration. Use permitted support or instructor assistance if you cannot balance for the stationary exercise.

2. Try a Two-Foot Snowplow From a Slow Glide

1. Glide slowly with feet apart, knees bent and torso upright.
2. Turn your heels outward so the toes point slightly inward.
3. Apply gentle outward and downward pressure with shallow inside edges, keeping the skates separated.
4. Let the blades skid gradually until you stop, then straighten up.

See the snowplow illustration in Scouting America’s skating manual.

A one-foot snowplow is another version, but you do not need to add it to the same practice. Sport Singapore’s stopping guide describes both one- and two-foot snowplows.

If the Blade Catches or Chatters

How To Hockey identifies two useful checks: too much weight on the heel can make the blade hard to turn, and the wrong blade angle can make it bite instead of scrape. Do not respond by pushing harder. Return to the stationary drill and have a coach check the movement if it keeps happening.

A failed stop does not, by itself, diagnose dull blades. If a skate appears damaged or behaves unexpectedly, have rink staff inspect it rather than changing equipment or sharpening based on that symptom alone.

A Practice Routine You Can Repeat

Pick a clear stopping area with extra space beyond it. Make one short, slow glide and apply the stop. Reset and repeat at the same speed. Work toward a controlled finish without touching the boards, grabbing a person or leaving the practice area.

Do not skate toward a wall to test whether you can stop in time. If you cannot control the exercise, reduce its difficulty and get feedback before adding speed. There is no universal number of sessions after which a beginner is ready for a crowded rink.

Before practice, check your clothing and equipment, and follow the rink’s rules about traffic and where drills are allowed. Falling and getting up deserve their own supervised practice; see our falling preparation guide.

T-Stops and Hockey Stops Come Later

A T-stop uses a trailing blade’s outside edge; a two-foot hockey stop uses different edges on the front and rear blades. They are not simply the snowplow with your feet rotated farther. These distinctions are explained in Sport Singapore’s linked guide.

Treat them as separate skills to learn with instruction after your basic balance and stopping are established. This page focuses on the first snowplow practice rather than compressing several different stops into one tutorial.

Common Beginner Questions

Should I learn a hockey stop first?

Start with the stop your beginner program teaches and can assess. A hockey stop is a separate skill, not a required shortcut to joining recreational skating. The snowplow exercises above give you a clear starting task.

Does this apply to figure skates or hockey skates?

The snowplow practice uses the blade edges, not a rubber brake or a figure skate’s toe pick. Tell the instructor which equipment you are using so they can demonstrate on the appropriate setup.

Why do I turn instead of stop?

The blade may be following an edge rather than skidding across the ice. Return to the stationary scrape and have someone qualified observe your attempt. Do not increase speed to force a different result.