Sliding is arguably the most efficient and effective way to reduce your speed while longboarding. It is considered a smoother and safer technique for stopping than braking with your foot or jumping from your board. The pendulum slide involves sliding the board 180 degrees, then reversing direction and sliding back 180 degrees. The “pendy” is an advanced trick, and you’ll need to psych yourself up mentally to pull it off effectively. Expect a bunch of botched tries while you work to perfect your technique.
It is advisable to master more basic slides before attempting the advanced back-and-forth action required of a pendulum slide. The Coleman slide is a basic 180-degree heelside slide, meaning the skateboarder positions his hand on the pavement adjacent to his heels before sliding the board around and coming to a stop. In contrast to the Coleman slide, the 180-degree pushup slide is a basic toeside slide, which requires hand placement on the pavement adjacent to the toes. By practicing the Coleman and pushup slides, you’ll learn to center your weight on the board during a 180-degree curve, which is excellent preparation for a pendulum.
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