Creating & Breaking Walls

WALLS! WALLS! WALLS!

Two is better than one, right? Yes! That's exactly why you want to be with your blocker friends when you're on the track. On your own, you might do some damage, but with a teammate or two you take up more of the track and your chances of catching that wily jammer more than double. Don't be an individual on the track - save that for the after-party.
The following is a two-hour practice with the theme of Creating & Breaking Walls. The practice is designed to progressive with each drill, so don't move on to the next drill until the skaters grasp the one before.
This practice is created for 20-40 skaters and should be executed on a WFTDA track. Coaches should demo each drill prior to beginning.

WARMUP | 20 MINS
1 min each | skate @ 75%, traverse the track, scissors, quick stepping, sprint
2 mins x 2 | One on One : Divide skaters in half, one half acts as slow-paced blockers, the other act as sprinting jammers. The blockers try to stop the jammers. After two mins switch.
3 mins | Stop on the whistle and explode after reaching a complete stop
3 mins | Dynamic Stretch
5 mins | Static Stretch

CREATING EFFECTIVE WALLS

The wall's inside skater must protect the inside line so the jammer never escapes through it. The inside blocker only steps as far away from the line as she can, knowing she can quickly return and stop the jammer. The wall's outside skater does most of the dirty work by swinging to the outside and back to her partner in order to stop the jammer on the outside. Remember to skate low and wide as to take up as much of the track as possible.

Great Wall of Ghina | 2 mins x 3

Repeat with new jammers
Cannonball Drill | 6 mins
Repeat if needed
Anchoring Drill | 5 mins
Repeat if needed
Great Wall of Ghina + Pacecar | 10 mins
Now that you have a few techniques to use in your wall, it's time to add pack definition to practice keeping your wall in play.



BREAKING WALLS

Persistence is key when breaking through a wall. Jammers don't always get through on the first try. With each attempt to pass through or around the wall gets weaker and less prepared. She must never give up and be ready to explode through the smallest opening.
Wall-Breaking Progression Drills | 25 mins



PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Let's put it all together and focus on both creating and breaking walls. In the next drills, if you are a wall, use all the techniques you've practiced. If you are breaking walls, use the wall-breaking techniques you've practiced.
The Homewrecker | 6 mins x 2
Repeat with Roving Jammers

Wall-Breaking Progression

Alternative names: n/a

Objective: to practice breaking through walls

Typical length of drill: 25 mins

Materials needed: WFTDA track, jammer panties

Skill level required: contact level

Description: Skaters are divided into threesomes and staggered around the track.

PHASE ONE: THE BLIND SPOT Two skaters hold a wall, while the third skates close behind (just a foot or two) ducking and juking to find the wall's blind spot. Each skater in the wall tries to locate the jammer. She raises her hand when she can't find her. Switch every 2 mins so each skater practices finding the jammer and hiding from the wall.

PHASE TWO: TAKING THE INSIDE/MIDDLE Two skaters hold a wall, while the third acts as a jammer. The jammer tries to bait the wall, so she can blast through the middle. She does this by skating to the outside at the end of a corner (which causes the blockers to look at her and not the inside line) and then sprinting through the inside or middle of the wall. Explosive power is what gets her from point A to point B. See diagram below.

PHASE THREE: TAKING THE OUTSIDE Taking the outside is risky, but can be done on the straightaway using explosive power and giving your back to your opponent or avoiding contact by hopping. Two skaters hold a wall, while the third acts as a jammer. The wall stays close to the inside line. On the straightaway, the jammer turns on her jets and tries to blast around the wall. Usually when a blocker sees the jammer going for it, she'll commit to a big hit. The jammer should anticipate this and jump to the inside to avoid the blocker. If the blocker does not commit to a big hit, but instead swings out for a less-committed hit, the jammer should give her back and roll off the blocker using the momentum to propel her forward.

Additional notes: Persistence is key when breaking through a wall. Jammers don't always get through on the first try. With each attempt to pass through or around the wall gets weaker and less prepared. She must never give up and be ready to explode through the smallest opening.

Dynamic Stretch Routine on Skates

The following stretches should be done after a skating warmup and before static stretches. In the clockwise direction, skaters should skate at a slow pace, performing each dynamic stretch for about a lap each. Remember to rotate in both directions and stretch both arms and legs.

Arm Rotation: Rotate arms like you are swimming laps.

Shoulder Rotation: Lift up shoulders like you're shrugging and rotate back and around.

Neck Rotation: Roll your neck forward, around to the side, back, other side and to the front.

Knee to chest: Lift each knee up to your chest.

Foot to butt: Kick up each foot to your butt, but do it slowly so you feel the stretch in your quad.

Hip Rotation: Lift knee up and rotate out to the side and back around.

Angry Cat: Squat, put your hands on your knees and bend your back so you create a "U" between your butt and your head, then push your back up like an angry hissing cat.

Torso Twist: Twist at the side while traversing the track.

The Matrix: Bend forward at the hips and turn to your side, then lean back, then the other side and back to the front (think about giving your back to your opponent; this was named after the move in the Matrix, see this video).

Ankle Rotation: Rotate each ankle in a full circle.

Floor to ceiling: Squat and touch the floor, then reach high to the ceiling.

The Anchor

Alternative names: n/a

Objective: To improve defensive blocker assists

Typical length of drill: 5 mins

Materials needed: WFTDA track, jammer panties

Skill level required: contact level

Description: Skaters are divided into pairs and staggered around the track. You'll need 4-6 jammers to skate fast and take the outside of the blocker walls. One blocker acts as the anchor and holds the inside line. The other blocker uses her to push off and sweep across the track to connect with the jammer. Take turns acting as the anchor, the attacker and the jammer. Repeat with new jammers.

Additional notes: n/a

Great Wall of Ghina + Pacecar

Alternative names: n/a

Objective: To strengthen defensive walls within a legally-defined pack

Typical length of drill: 5 mins

Materials needed: jammer panties, WFTDA track, knowledgable refs to call out-of-play penalties

Skill level required: must be cleared for contact

Description: Blockers pair up and

walls are positioned 10' from each other.

A designated coach skates in front of the first wall and sets the pace (changing it from fast to slow to moderate to slow and so on). If a wall reaches the another wall or the pacecar, they must let the jammer go. If a wall falls 10' feet or more behind the wall or pacecar in front of her, she must let the jammer go.

Jammers enter anywhere on the track at the starting whistle. Only one jammer at a time attempts to skate past/through a wall.

Additional notes: The wall's inside skater must protect the inside line so no jammer escapes through it. She only steps as far away from the line as she can, knowing she can quickly return and stop the jammer. The wall's outside skater does most of the dirty work by swinging to the outside and back to her partner in order to stop the jammer on the outside. Remember to skate low and wide as to take up as much of the track as possible.

The Cannonball

Alternative names: n/a

Objective: To defensively work as a blocker pair against a jammer.

Typical length of drill: 6 mins

Materials needed: WFTDA track

Skill level required: contact level

Description: Skaters are divided into groups of three. Two pair up as a wall and the third acts as a jammer. The blocker on the inside pushes her blocker partner into the jammer, who attempts to pass the wall on the outside. The blockers work on timing the push so they catch the jammer at the right moment. The jammer tries to avoid the hit by hopping to the inside. After two minutes, switch places so each skater practices pushing her blocker, being pushed and jamming.

Additional notes: n/a

Dynamic stretching: Forward Lunge / Forearm-to-Instep

Alternative names: "World's Greatest Stretch" (1)

Objective: "To improve flexibility in your hips, hamstrings, lower back, torso, groin, hip flexors, and quads." (1)

Typical length of drill: 3 mins

Materials needed: None

Skill level required: None

Description: Our series on dynamic stretches continues with the Forward Lunge  / Forearm-to-Instep. 

Starting position: Take a large step forward with your right leg, as if doing a lunge.  Place and support weight on your left hand, even with your right foot. 

Procedure: Take your right elbow and reach down to your instep (forward leg) while keeping your back knee off the ground.  Then move your right hand outside your right foot and push your hips straight to the sky, pulling your toe up toward your shin.  Finally, step forward into the next lunge. 

Coaching key(s): Keep your back knee off the ground.  Exhale as you reach your elbow to the floor.  At the end, make sure both hands remain in contact with the ground as you lift your hips and pull your toe toward the shin. 

You should feel: A stretch in your groin, your back leg's hip flexor, and your front leg's glute.  During the second part, you should feel a stretch in your front leg's hamstring and calf.

Repeat 8 times on each leg.
(you can click the image to enlarge it)

Claire Leah Threat, #514. By Mick Dagger, Helsinki Roller Derby.

Additional notes: All text from Core Performance by Mark Verstegen and Pete Williams (1).  This is part of a series of dynamic stretches that we have been posting over the last few days/weeks.  Now check out the News -section to see how you can help the derby community get more limber and stretchy!

Great Wall of Ghina

Alternative names: n/a

Objective: To strengthen defensive walls

Typical length of drill: Repeated in 2 min increments

Materials needed: jammer panties, WFTDA track

Skill level required: must be cleared for contact

Description: Blockers pair up and stagger around the track. Jammers enter anywhere on the track at the starting whistle. Only one jammer at a time attempts to skate past/through a wall. Blocker walls skate at a slow pack speed and try to stop each approaching jammer.

Additional notes: The wall's inside skater must protect the inside line so no jammer escapes through it. She only steps as far away from the line as she can, knowing she can quickly return and stop the jammer. The wall's outside skater does most of the dirty work by swinging to the outside and back to her partner in order to stop the jammer on the outside. Remember to skate low and wide as to take up as much of the track as possible. The Great Wall of Ghina is not great unless it's large and in charge.

Baby Gazelle

Alternative names: Goating/Trapping Drill, Four-on-One

Objective: Two parter: One is to work with your teammates to trap an opposing blocker and slow the pack; the other is to practice getting out of a trap.

Typical length of drill: 10 minutes

Materials needed: WFTDA track

Skill level required: must be cleared for contact

Description: Skaters are divided into groups of five and staggered around the track. Four skaters trap the baby gazelle (the fifth skater) and try to keep the pack at a slow to near-stopped pace while keeping the gazelle trapped. The four must work together and communicate to hold the gazelle and keep from speeding the pack.

The gazelle attempts to free herself of the trap. She must juke, weave and constantly keep her feet moving to free herself. If she's not able to get through, she should never give up. The more she struggles to get free the more she speeds the wall of four.

After 2 mins, a coach blows a whistle and another skater in the group takes a turn as the baby gazelle. Continue for 10 mins, so every skater of the group gets to be a gazelle and gets to work on gazelling.

Additional notes: The term "baby gazelle" was coined by Polly Gone (of Gotham Girls and Maine Roller Derby).

The Homewrecker

Alternative names: n/a

Objective: Two parter: One is to offensively break up a strong partnership/wall, the other is to strengthen partnerships/walls

Typical length of drill: 6 mins

Materials needed: jammer panties, WFTDA track

Skill level required: must be cleared for contact

Description: Blockers split into groups of three and stagger around the track. Two of the blockers will be partners, while the other (the homewrecker) tries to break them up. The partners do everything they can to stay together. They can skate behind or in front of the homewrecker, and they can temporarily split to get around the homewrecker and reform. They do not want to race away from the homewrecker, as that defeats the purpose in the drill. The homewrecker’s goal is to use contact or positional blocking to keep the partnership from staying together. Every 2 minutes the whistle is blown and a new skater in the threesome serves as the homewrecker.

Additional notes: Increase the level of difficulty by adding roving jammers. The partnership attempts to stay together and stop every jammer. The homewrecker tries to keep the partnership from walling up to stop the jammer.

Dynamic stretching: Calf Stretch

Alternative names: --

Objective: "To increase flexibility in this very often-neglected area." (1)

Typical length of drill: 1-2 mins

Materials needed: None

Skill level required: None

Description: "Current research work [Medicine & Science in Sport and Exercise 33(3), pp354-358 and Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol 15 (1): 98-101] suggests that the use of dynamic stretches - slow controlled movements through the full range of motion - are the most appropriate exercises for the warm up. By contrast, static stretches are more appropriate for the cool down" (from BrianMac Sports Coach).

HRD fresh meat Ronja.

By Marko Niemelä.

Calf Stretch

Starting position: From the pushup position, place your right foot over your left heel.  Your weight should be on the ball of your left foot.

Procedure: Pull your left toes up toward your shin while you push your left heel down toward the ground with your right foot.  Exhale as you lower your heel.  Hold for a one count, raise your left heel again, and repeat.

Coaching key(s): You're pulling your toes up toward the shin at the same time you're pushing the heel to the ground.  Then push back through the new range of motion.

You should feel: A stretch in yor calf and ankle.

Progression: Bend the knee of you working leg to shift the emphasis to your Achilles tendon." (1)  Shown in image #3.  For maximum effect our volunteer could straighten out her left leg, the one resting on top of the leg with the bent knee.

Repeat 8 times on each leg.
  
Additional notes: All text from Core Performance by Mark Verstegen and Pete Williams (1) unless otherwise noted.  This is part of a series of dynamic stretches that we have been posting over the last few days/weeks.  We are now half-way through the series.

Guest blogging: Punchy O'Guts

Punchy O'Guts, Maine Roller Derby

Punchy O'Guts is a skater for Maine Roller Derby. She joined the league when it began in 2006 and has skated with the Port Authorities, the league's all-star team, since its inception in 2008. She is a team captain, serves on the league's training committee and works as the league Marketing Director. Prior to joining roller derby, Punchy's athletic background includes a few years of gymnastics in grade school and playing tennis in high school. She plays the pivot position and will talk strategy until her lips fall off.

We are super stoked that Punchy O'Guts will be gracing All Derby Drills with her presence for the next few weeks!  While guest blogging Punchy will be writing about themed practices focused on breaking walls and how to improve awareness.

Welcome Punchy O'Guts!

Figure of 8

Alternative names: --
Objective: To practice being mindful of what’s going on around you; to practice skating smoothly and in control in chaotic situations.
Typical length of drill: 5-10 mins
Materials needed: None
Skill level required: This is non-contact, open to all levels.
Description: To skate in a figure of eight around the hall avoiding other skaters in the middle. The skaters form a long line. Then the one at the front starts to skate in one big figure of eight around the hall. All the other skaters follow. As the skaters approach the middle of the hall they have to identify the gap in the skaters traveling across them in which they wish to pass. The skaters need to speed up or slow down accordingly. Ironically speeding up to go through a gap is usually the best option as you will spend less time in the middle and therefore spend less time in someone else’s way.

Video:



Additional notes: During the dynamic stretching series we're sprinkling in some on skates drills to keep things mixed up.  This drill and video were recently submitted to All Derby Drills by Reckless Rowly of Helsinki Roller Derby.