Article: You're going to begin a powerslide by turning or "carving" out to one side of the road. The turn is an integral part of the powerslide, as it involves drastically turning the board until it's perpendicular to the road, causing you to skid or "slide" to a stop. The side you carve out to depends completely on how you situate yourself on your longboard. Carve out to the side your toes are pointing ("toeside") to complete one of the most basic standing powerslides. Be mindful of traffic coming from both behind and ahead of you. You will not want to attempt to slide and stop with cars coming in either direction, as the powerslide is a tricky maneuver to perform until fully mastered. After carving out and setting up your powerslide, shift your weight to your heels. This will mean you're leaning more backward than forward, allowing your bodyweight to dictate the board's slide. In addition, put the majority of your weight (60 to 70 percent) on your front foot. This will help when fully turning and fully sliding. The more weight on your back foot, the harder it will be to slide. While it's a perfectly normal tendency to have some weight on the back of your board for stability, it'll actually prevent you from completing a slide in the proper fashion. After you've shifted your weight appropriately, swivel your hips and shoulders in the direction of the slide. If you've leaned back on your heels and toward the front of your board, use your front foot as a pivot. This will begin your perpendicular slide. Exercise caution in regards to anything that may be on the ground before performing this step. The tiniest piece of gravel, stone, wood, or glass can easily sabotage your slide and make for some gnarly road rash. Determine the speed in which you want to turn based on your speed. If you turn too fast, you're just gong to turn 180 degrees without detracting any sort of speed. Ease into the turn slowly to attain a fuller stop. As you pivot with your front foot, kick out in the direction of your slide with your back foot. This will turn you 180 degrees and complete the slide. If performed correctly, you will have slid your board "sideways" along the road or path. Be prepared to skid and slide a short distance. It's important to remember to continue leaning back throughout the slide. If you lean forward, you run the risk of bringing your board to a complete stop. At higher speeds, this can be very problematic and runs you the risk of injury. Continue rotating throughout the entire slide. If you slide completely sideways (perpendicular to the road) for too long, you'll warp the shape of your wheels to the point of having flat spots. Continuing your rotation will help your wheels evenly wear when power sliding. After you've turned 180 degrees and continue moving, lean forward and even out your weight. This will prevent you from falling backward after the slide and allow for a smooth transition and a significantly shorter speed. If performed correctly, the powerslide will slow you down to the point you can utilize a foot brake.
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Set up the slide. Shift your weight to your heels and the front of the board. Turn your hips and shoulders in the direction you're sliding. Kick out with your back foot. Lean forward as you complete your slide.