Friday, October 22, 2010

Blocker Hell

Alternative names: --
Objective: To build up endurance and stamina; to build up muscles
Typical length of drill: 15 minutes
Materials needed: A full track or just four cones to mark the inside track line
Skill level required: Skaters must know how to stop effectively
Description: This is a variation on the Jammer Hell -drill.  All the skaters skate around the track at 80% capacity for two full minutes, then do 30 seconds of plyometrics or calisthenics (i.e. planks, push-ups, crunches, flood kicks, ab straddles, etc.).  Repeat this cycle until the 15 minutes have gone by.
Additional notes: I learned this drill at Rally in the Valley 2010, Germany's first roller derby bootcamp organized by the Stuttgart Valley Roller Girlz.  At the camp it was used as a warm-up exercise.  Although you are not sprinting at 100% during this drill it can sill be considered an endurance drill (particularly for blockers who don't usually skate at 100% during a game anyway) since you are skating quite hard for quite a long time.  This drill can of course also be lengthened to make it more endurancy.

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4 comments:

  1. Sounds like something Pia Mess would come up with

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  2. She was indeed one of the coaches at the camp so this may very well have been one of her drills!

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  3. what are flood kicks and ab straddles

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  4. When you do a flood kick, lay down on the floor on your back, and lift one leg at a time into the air using your core muscles. For added challenge, you can lift your upper body onto your forearms, as seen here in the Reverse Elbow Plank with Leg Lifts: http://www.fitsugar.com/Equipment-Necessary-Reverse-Elbow-Plank-Leg-Lifts-2459721

    Ab straddles can be seen in the excellent workout video "Roller Derby Workout" (http://www.rollerderbyworkout.com/). You lay on your back, lift your feet slightly off the ground and then alternate opening and closing your flower. It really works out your core. You can see a brief glimpse of it at 0:23 in the trailer for the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEd6y7uH-PI

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