Threshold braking
Threshold braking is braking at the very edge of grip, just short of locking the wheels or triggering ABS, for the shortest stop.
Also called: limit braking, maximum braking
A tire grips best just before it locks. Threshold braking means squeezing the pedal hard and fast up to that limit, holding it there, and then easing off as the car slows. Done well, it produces the shortest possible braking distance in a straight line.
The motion is a squeeze, not a stab. Hit the pedal firmly and quickly enough to load the front tires, then build to peak pressure within a fraction of a second. As speed drops, aerodynamic load and grip change, so most drivers gradually reduce pressure toward the corner, flowing into trail braking.
Novices usually brake too softly, too early. If ABS is constantly chattering, you are relying on the system instead of finding the threshold yourself. Practice in a safe area with an instructor and feel the difference between firm, max-effort braking and a lockup.
Braking harder and shorter lets you brake later while still arriving at the corner at the right speed.
Threshold braking finishes braking in a straight line, then turns. Trail braking releases the brake progressively as steering comes in, keeping the front tires loaded. It's an advanced skill: learn the straight-line version first.