Pre-Gaming Off Skates

Tigre Force's guest blogging series: 5 drills from the Skater Progression Diagram.

As the topic says, this post is about learning roller derby off skates. All the new skaters are always very anxious about getting to play. But since not everyone of us are talented skaters when we start derby, we must keep safety in mind and make sure we know the basic skills well enough before starting to scrimmage.

Nevertheless, roller derby is a sport that requires multi-talented focus. That is one reason why skaters should start doing pack drills, blocking and all possible derby drills both off and on skates. You can actually play roller derby off-skates as well. Keep in mind that you must learn to do those moves on skates later on, so don't focus on knocking your teammates down like a boss, if you are not able to do such a killer job on skates yet. Rather have your focus on the right technique so that you can build your muscle memory.

Footwork drills are also good to start off-skates before putting the gear on. We just had a practice with Helsinki Roller Derby (Tiina Kimari as our trainer) that we started off-skates, doing jumps on the stairs (after a proper warm up!) and ice-hockey footwork drills before putting the skates on and doing the same drills on skates.

I started this guest blogging series by posting the Skater Progression Diagram (link above) which will help you explain to your skaters why derby takes so much practice before you get to play. I decided to choose five drills to give a few examples of what the different sections could include. So far we've made it to the step three.

1) Basic Skills and endurance - the example drill for this section is the Quick Feet Drill
To this subject I'd like to add another link from the All Derby Drills -blog, and that is of course Showercap Derby aka "Sock Derby". You can do this outside, inside, in any weather!

2) Blocking: positional and contact - check out RMRG's Blocking Drill

3) Pre-Gaming off skates - this is the section that the Human Shield Obstacle Course is for (and I know 2x4 Roller Derby from Argentina has tried this drill out with an on skates variation but I encourage you all to keep it off skates! Murder City Roller Girls from Adelaide, South Australia has also tried the drill out)

Off skates derby with Helsinki Roller Derby

These two off-skates drills are a perfect choice to ease down the anxious skaters who wish to already get to the next level of practicing their derby skills. If you can play derby well wearing sneakers, it will make it easier to get comfortable doing all that on skates.

I will post the last two drill examples of the Skater Progression Diagram soon, so stay tuned and keep following All Derby Drills!

Building your strategies

Alternative names: --

Objective: To create customized strategies and counter-strategies for your own team; to practice thinking strategically about roller derby

Typical length of drill: 2 hours

Materials needed: Your team, a secretary to take detailed notes and send them all out to team members in a timely fashion

Skill level required: A basic understanding of the game and rules

Description: There comes a time in every team's life (perhaps as often as every season) when the whole team needs to sit down and think about /  discuss / develop / improve / edit / write down their strategies.  We do this so that we are all on the same page, so that everyone in the team knows what to do in every situation (or so we hope).  Learning new moves is great, practicing different moves is great, but without a plan of execution, these are basically just that: moves.  Not strategies.  A strategy (as explained by Wikipedia) "is a plan of action designed to achieve a specific goal.  Strategy is all about gaining (or being prepared to gain) a position of advantage over adversaries or best exploiting emerging possibilities.  As there is always an element of uncertainty about future, strategy is more about a set of options ("strategic choices") than a fixed plan."

So how do we begin to put our moves to good use, to create plans of action and sets of options?  How do we ensure that all of our teammates know that in situation A the team will execute strategy B, and in situation X the team will execute strategy Y?  We have to start from the hypothetical situation, think of the goal we must achieve in that situation, and devise a strategy for achieving that goal.  For example:

Situation: We're up 50+ points, there is 15 minutes or less remaining in the game
Goal: Don't give the opposing team an opportunity to score by playing for time
Strategy: [insert strategy here] 

To help my team work out strategies, I created a questionnaire of sorts.  We thoroughly analyzed all the different potential scenarios on the questionnaire, thought in depth about what we needed to do to maximize our chances of gaining an advantage in those scenarios, and then created a plan of action using the moves we had learned and practiced at our training sessions.  From this we got our strategy hand-book.  The hand-book was a living document that got updated as strategies developed and rules changed, but it was a really important tool for the team because it helped us with our teamwork and unity -- we all knew what we were expected to do in what scenario.

So without further ado, to help you out with your own strategy hand-book, here is the questionnaire that we used:

What do we do when:

• We are losing in the first half? Losing in the second half? Losing at the end of the game?
• We are winning in the first half? Winning in the second half? Winning at the end of the game?
• We are outnumbered at the beginning of a jam?  In the middle of a jam?  At the end of a jam?
• We outnumber the opposing team at the beginning of a jam?  In the middle of a jam?  At the end of a jam?
• We have lead jammer?
• We don't have lead jammer?
• Our jammer is in the box?
• Their jammer is in the box?

When do we:

• Play offense?
• Play defense?
• Force the jammer whistle? Do a knee start?
• Play for time? Start the game slow?

As you answer these questions in your group, also keep in mind counter-strategies: What do we do when THEY do a knee start?  When THEY play for time?  Cover all your bases.

Additional notes: When we did these strategy sessions we basically all sat down in a teammate's living room and went through each question in meticulous detail.  We did not watch anything as we were drawing from what we already knew from bouting and scrimmaging a lot.  The sessions would take a long time but we felt confident with our plans after we finished.  Because roller derby is still developing, and at a fast rate, any and all written plays and strategies must be living documents; what has worked this season may not work the same next season.  Even though we like what we have now does not mean that we're going to use it in the game after next.  The sport can change quickly so all of your strategies and plays must be adaptable. Not to mention, other teams' strategies change quickly so you must change yours so as to know how to react in a new situation. Know that some times you gotta "kill the baby" -- the strategy you so loved last season and spent hours perfecting might be totally obsolete (or even illegal) this season.  Throughout the season my team would work on the strategies we had written down, improve upon them, edit them, but since we already had that initial written document from our first session the improvements were simpler as we could just work on them during our on-skates practice time.  I also have to say that I think working on the strategies as a group can be more useful than having a strategy hand-book just given to you by your captains/coaches to study.  Being part of the process of breaking down the situation and building up the plan can really help a person execute the strategy well and at the right time.

The questionnaire in this posting is also a living document -- if you feel that something should be changed / removed / added, just drop a line in the comments below!

Dodgeball

Alternative names: Roller Dodge, Between Two Fires / Kahden tulen välissä

Objective: To get comfortable moving around on your skates; to improve your agility; to improve your reaction time; to practice playing both offense and defense at the same time (if playing with more than one ball)

Typical length of drill: 30 mins

Materials needed: Many cones or brightly colored painter's tape to mark out the different areas; one or more large, soft foam balls; 10 or more skaters divided into two separate teams

Skill level required: A command of basic skills is important so that no one gets injured

Description: Decide in advance if you will use one, two, or more balls in this game (directions below are for a game using TWO balls).

Make a large rectangle on the floor using your cones or painter's tape, and split the rectangle in half creating two facing courts.  The end zone behind each side of the court is "the field".    One player from each team is stationed in the field behind the opposing team's court (see illustration).  This way both teams are flanked by opponents on each side.  For the purpose of this explanation we will call this person "the cow".  Each cow gets a ball at the beginning of the game, and when the whistle blows, the cows are the first to start throwing the balls.  Remember to always aim BELOW the neck when you throw the ball.

The object of the game is to hit people from the opposing team with the ball in order to send them to the field.  Once all members of one team are in the field, the opposing team wins the game.

The skaters who are on the court are allowed to catch and throw the balls as well.  If a ball is caught before it hits the ground, the thrower of the ball gets sent to the field.  In advanced game play, each time a ball is caught, a member of the catcher's team is simultanously allowed to return from the field to the court (you should decide in advance if you would like to play the game with this bonus, note that it makes the game longer).  Any time a ball hits a player before hitting the ground, that person is sent to the field.  This includes failed catches.  Players on the same team are allowed to pass the ball to one another, either by throwing or rolling (and you cannot send your own teammates to the field by doing this).  Players on the court are not allowed to retrieve balls from the field and players in the field are not allowed to retrieve balls from the court.  No one is permitted to retrieve balls from the opposing team's court or field.  Players in the field are allowed to pass the ball to the players on the court, and vice versa.

In the illustration below you will see that the field extends beyond the end zone to wrap around the courts completely.  Decide in advance if you wish to allow your cows to use the whole area around the court or only the end zone behind each court.

An illustration of a team of 6 yellow skaters playing
against a team of 6 green skaters, using an extended field.

Additional notes: Roller Dodge is an actual, legitimate sport, developed by Tom Green, a retired referee for the Dallas Derby Devils.  The version portrayed here in this drill is a bit different though, this one is based on a children's game.  I learned this one from my teammates in Finland and we had an incredible time playing it.  The game was not only fun but it was a great team builder, and I think this is an excellent way to do some bonding with the referees as they too like to have fun and they too need to work on their skating skills, agility, and reaction time!

Please note: This is a drill you can also do OFF skates!

Redbull and Cheetos and French Fries OH MY! Eating on the road when you travel for derby

Away games! YAY! Its always so exciting to travel for derby. You get to see new places, meet new people, and knock over total strangers. But what always remains constant is the ever pressing question of "Oh crap, what are we gonna eat?"

Traveling as an athlete can be tricky. Its not like that college road trip where Cheetos, Big Macs, and unlimited Mountain Dew become totally acceptable for the long weekend. Nope. You've got a game (or games) to skate and traveling alone will take enough out of you so its important to fuel yourself properly to be ready to dish out a health serving of ass kicking once you get there. 

So how the F*#k do you travel and manage to stay game ready?

One word for you: PREPLAN

Its key to preplan and pack what you're going to need for the weekend instead of hoping you can just wing it through the weekend.

My Packing list for Dust Devil last weekend included:

Formula 1  and Protein Drink Mix (2 scoops of each of these two together can be a 200 calories 24 grams of protein healthy meal anywhere you get stuck. just add water)

Protein Bars - so much better than snickers or other gas station crap. Having it packed ahead of time makes those gas stops easier to avoid making bad decisions.

Almonds and Cranberries- a great snack just don't eat the whole bag! Raw or roasted, skip the salted or sugar coated...or chocolate covered.

Celery and Peanut Butter is a great on the go healthy snack as well but again, if you find yourself licking the bottom of the jar you may have gone too far.

Apples and Cucumbers and Banannas and other easily portable fruits and veggies

Hydrate - low calories electrolytes to drink throughout the day because car rides and planes dehydrate you but you don't need the sugars from a sugary hydration drink if you're sitting around. Ever notice you get a headache when you travel? Sip a hydrate and you'll likely feel loads better.

Restore - take 2 at night to reduce exercise induced inflammation and keep you from getting super sore the next day. This is a lifesaver for tournament weekends. While your opponents wake up day two of a tourney and feel like 80 year old grannies, you will wake up ready to hip check the world!

Best Defense - Airplanes especially carry butt loads of germs. I start taking best defense before I even get on the flight and take it throughout an entire tournament weekend. You will be exchanging sweat with lots of ladies over the weekend (both at the bar and on the track) so its important to keep your immune system strong. The echinacea and vitamin C in here will keep your immune system game ready all weekend.

Prepare, Prolong, Liftoff, Rebuild Endurance my pre/during/post game ritual of awesomeness... you can read about these in my other blogs. Today we're talking about travel eating.

 I also suggest that you ask your hotels to give you a fridge and then find the nearest grocery store and stock up on veggies, fruits and hopefully fresh deli meat.  Usually the hotel breakfast is carb city with minimal protein options and its always good to try and keep your travel food routine as close to your home eating routine as possible so I will always make a shake in the room for breakfast then swing by the Hotel complimentary breakfast to grab some fruit, yogurt and granola to take to the track a mid morning snack if they have it. But, the great thing about preplanning and packing what i mentioned above is I can have a shake for breakfast, a shake pregame, a few snacks and only really have to find one solid meal out in the traveling madness each day.

This is Krissy Krash, signing off! You can always hit me up with questions, for advice, to give feed back, or for a free nutrition and performance profile at krissykrash.derbalife@gmail.com Plus if you want to try out anything I mentioned above or you are are ready to get your ass in gear, you can get 10% off plus free 1:1 coaching from yours truely by hitting up www.goherbalife.com/krissykrash by using the coupon code  AllDerbyDrills 

The Myth of the Burn!

"Wow! That was an EPIC practice! Judging by my sweat soaked shirt, we must have burned like a million calories!! Lets look on Ichange.com and see how many calories we burned! Ok I will enter in 2 hours of aerobic exercise. Wow look at that, it says we burned 2500 calories! We are so awesome! We TOTALLY deserve some pizza and beer now because clearly we burned at least that much during our practice!"

We all do this, either weekly or at least every once in a while. We assume that 1) the internet knows everything 2) a sweaty shirt = massive calorie burn. As a result, we decide to reward our awesome athletic workout with a bunch of trash that does nothing good for an athlete's body. Two things to watch out for as you work on building your endurance, getting lean, and increasing strength:

1. You do not burn as many calories as you think you do.
2. Crap food as a reward for a job well done.


Ok, lets talk calories out vs calories in. We do not BURN a cheese burger on the track. Our body burns carbs, fats, and proteins at different rates and I promise you, you did NOT burn enough fat during your workout to make that cheese burger and fries at the bar justifiable. Be conscious of using online calorie burning trackers. While we at Derbalife do recommend you track your calorie/food intake as part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and nutrition program (get me as your FREE online coach and log your food by using this link www.ichange.com/user/krissykrash to track food and progress, mobile site is available to!), we want to caution you that online calorie burning programs are NOT accurate. Calories burned varies based on height, weight, exertion, rest times, # of jams skated, BMI, body fat percentage, and amount of lean body mass you carry.

According to Runners Magazine this month, running a 12 minute mile pace for an HOUR burns 470 calories if you are 130 lbs, 582 calories if you are 160 lbs, and 690 calories if you are 190 lbs.  So you can imagine that if you are stop-go-stop-go-stop-go on the track or doing drills with rest in between that you are not going to burn quite as much as you anticipated. Plus if you are actually trying to lose fat/get lean, you would want to consider that these calories are like an extra credit burn! Why eat back the calories you just worked so hard to burn off?


Did you REALLY earn THAT?!?!? We all do it. Practice is over, you head home or to the bar and you convince yourself that you totally earned that burrito, pitcher of beer, pint of ice cream, ____insert crap food here___.

But here is the deal. You are an athlete. Your body is getting beat to crap and dumping junk in after practice doesn't help your recovery time, nor does it make those lift and separates look any better in that next bout photo. So that being said, food is awesome and yummy and yes we do deserve a treat for a job well done but keep it in check. Life and health are about balance. Find things you love but that wont do too much damage if you have them from time to time. Skinny Cow is my go to treat if I want to indulge. Most times though, after practice I will mix up a Formula 1 shake with added protein, or I will have a Rebuild Strength shake because it satisfies my sweet tooth and helps my body to recover faster or if I want salty I will roll up spinach inside of Turkey Deli slices for a perfect recovery treat. YUM!

If I do end up out with my team, I order a salad with chicken if they have it or if all else fails a few protein packed chicken wings and celery are waaaay better than high fat high carb pizza or nachos.

What is all boils down to is that you are an athlete. You practice hard, you focus, and you want to stay strong and injury free. A key piece of that is keeping your self nourished. Making sure you hit your Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamins and minerals to keep your body healthy on a cellular level, getting the right balance of carbs/protein/fat, watching those calories. If you take care of your body and treat it well, you will have an amazing successful, ass kicking life in roller derby for many years to come! 




Want me as your FREE online coach with a great food log/progress tracker program? www.ichange.com/user/krissykrash to track food and progress - mobile site is available to!

Its like facebook meets food log! Great for anyone who wants to track their food, lose/gain/maintain weight, or to stay accountable.

Register for free, connect with me for a free nutrition profile, and join the All Derby Drills group on ichange to connect with other skaters around the world!

This is Krissy Krash, signing off! You can always hit me up with questions, for advice, to give feed back, or for a free nutrition and performance profile at krissykrash.derbalife@gmail.com


Ready to get your ass in gear? Get 10% off www.goherbalife.com/krissykrash by using the coupon code  AllDerbyDrills 

Nutrient Timing!

Tip #4 of Rowdy and Krissy's Top Ten Tips.....

You are WHEN you eat!

As an athlete nutrient timing is an important aspect of performance. When you eat certain types of foods is often just as important as paying attention to what you are putting in your body.


PRE-WORKOUT

Protein:
Working your muscles breaks them down and consuming protein pre-workout helps prevent muscle breakdown during and support muscle synthesis after your workouts. This being said, going into a workout with a full stomach is not the solution! When you have a full stomach your body actually sends blood flow to support in digesting food. That means less blood flow to carry oxygen to your muscle for your workout. Proteins to go for pre-practice are whey and casein proteins combined with a soy protein. The reason why is that each has a different absorption rate so you get immediate fuel and longer-burning fuel.

Carbs:
Eating something super carb-y right before practice can sometimes result in a spike and crash in blood sugar which results in your energy dropping half way through practice. This is why powering down a cliff bar right before you skate isn't always the best option **its called a CLIF bar cuz its for the cliffs and long hikes where your body requires more carbs...its not called a track bar for a reason :-) ** Carbs to go for about an hour before practice are whole grains, fruits and veggies. These have fiber which slows the absorption process and should be paired up with a lean protein.


POST-WORKOUT

Protein:
15-20 grams of protein to support in rebuilding muscle is key! Liquid nutrients are best because they are most readily absorbed into the system. Again, varying the types of proteins means different absorption rates which allows the protein to be used more efficiently.

Carbs:
Post workout carbs help replenish glycogen stores so you have energy for practice the next day and actually also helps your body to get the protein to your muscles more quickly.


MY NUTRIENT TIMING SCHEDULE:

PreWorkout (1 hour before practice)
2 scoops Formula 1 sport (varied proteins, carbs, and glutamine) mixed with protein drink mix and 8-10 oz water, plus a piece of fruit or veggie.

Directly before practice at the track
2 scoops Prepare in 4oz water (stand by for a blog about the importance of NitericOxide for athletes!)

During practice:
Prolong (fast and slow carbs plus a little protein)

Directly following practice (within 15 minutes)
Rebuild Strength (varied proteins, carbs, glutamine, and BCAAs)


While I am sure there are other whole food ways of meeting these same needs, I like to sandwich my workouts with shakes because its a simple way for me to get what I need without running around like a crazy person between running my own business and trying to get to practice. Plus, the research and development at UCLA that went into this nutrition program is second to none.

Here is the basics on the whole program I use.... John Heiss says it way better than I do :-) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJ7ME_mDW0w

If you have questions or want more info about what to eat, when to eat it, why to eat it, how to eat it...or you need someone to make sure you eat it, hit me up! Supporting skaters with their performance and health goals is my favorite thing to do! KrissyKrash.Derbalife@gmail.com

Ready to get your ass in gear? Get 10% off www.goherbalife.com/krissykrash by using the coupon code  AllDerbyDrills  plus a free nutrition profile and weekly coaching/support to make sure you get where you want to go!

Why Weight Train?

Hey Everyone,

The last six-eight weeks I’ve developed a real love for lifting weights. And naturally because I’ve been so excited about it, I thought I’d talk a little about it. Why? What’s the benefit? Are you hungry all the time?  These are the questions I get from my friends or team mates who see me daily.

I’ll be honest, when I first hit the gym, it was because I wanted to look better and I wanted to feel stronger.  I quickly became addicted to what I was doing. But the reality is that by lifting weights, you gain more power and explosion on the track, it helps your form, and who would have thought my endurance would get better from lifting some steel?

One of the most important benefits with woman and strength  training is bone health.  Strengthening your muscles also strengthens your bones. Bones are living tissue, just like muscle.  And, just like muscle, bones will respond to exercise by getting stronger.

I recently read an article about the average woman being afraid to lift weights because we don't want to be big like a man. I laughed because how true is that? How many of think that way? GOOD NEWS LADIES, we don't have the hormone makeup that a man does, therefore we will never get as big as them. So don't be afraid to lift.

It also said, women who train inappropriately or who avoid weight room training won't increase the strength of their muscles, bones, tendons and ligaments. In contrast, female athletes who build more muscle with proper strength training will run faster, jump higher, be more flexible and fight off injuries better than their weaker counterparts.  So when you’re thinking about how to get MVP in that next game or practice, you might think of the benefit from weight training.

Drink up!

Whats up roller derby world! Krissy Krash here. Rowdy and I are so excited to share our Top 10 Tips for the 24 hour athlete...yes that means you! If you have a body, you are an athlete.

This week we will be covering Hydration. I learned very early on in derby that drinking water during games and practices as well as in the days and hours leading up to practice made a huge impact on how I performed both in the game/practice and the after party. In fact, after my first game, I was literally sick for 2 days because I lost so much water and electrolytes during the bout. So key point to remember, roller derby is like we used to say in college....drink early and drink often....except this time I mean water.

Why hydrate?

You are losing 2 key elements when you sweat. What does this mean for you and your derby performance?

When you sweat you lose water. Losing water results in a drop in your blood volume (yes blood is mostly water) which means that your heart will now have to work harder to circulate the blood through your body. This can result in muscle cramps, dizziness, and fatigue. Yeah, water is THAT important!

When you sweat you also lose electrolytes.

WTF do electrolytes do anyways??? Basically they are electrically charges ions/particles that are required for regulating the balance within your body on a cellular level. So not only do normal body functions rely on these little guys, but performance can be greatly impacted by a loss of electrolytes as well.

How much water are we supposed to get anyways?

Take your body weight in pounds and divide it by two. That's how many ounces of water you should drink on a daily basis. For example, I am 200lbs so I drink 100 ounces of water PLUS any additional water during my workouts.

When do I need to supplement electrolytes?

Unless you are working out heavily for over an hour, water will typically be an acceptable form of hydration. When getting your sweat on for an hour or more you may want to consider an electrolyte supplement. Current research shows there are 3 key pieces to look for in a hydration supplement. 1)Carbs 2)Electrolytes 3)Protein

Carbs:

Your body burns carbs as an easy access energy source. If you are working out for over an hour, you can sometimes get low blood sugar or what I call "Getting the stupids"...where its hour 1.5 of practice and you are scrimmaging after a hard endurance session and you feel a bit worn down and dizzy and you can't for the life of your remember you pivot's name and everything everyone does or says seems funny... this is usually a sign of low blood sugar. Because your brain also runs on glucose (sugar) you will want to get some quick carbs to replenish both your body and mind.

Electrolytes:

Keep away muscle cramps and keeping your body going on a cellular level

Protein:

Yes I said protein. Are you confused? Well here's the deal. As you workout, you damage your muscle. This damage results in muscle protein breakdown. Your body will actually start taking the protein from your muscle as an energy source. One way to avoid this is to drink protein during workouts. Doing so will minimize muscle protein breakdown during your workout and actually help to speed muscle recovery after your workout.

So where do you get all 3?

Well, you can drink a bottle of water, eat an apple, and drink a creamy protein drink, or you can do what I do. I use something called Prolong. I use a 1/2 serving during a 2 hour workout. Its an endurance drink designed by cyclists to prolong your ability to kick ass and take names (thus the name Prolong). Here is a video on why its awesome and why I use it. We are also offering a sweet hook up on Prolong for All Derby Drills readers. Email us for details.

Ready to get your ass in gear? Get 10% off www.goherbalife.com/krissykrash by using the coupon code  AllDerbyDrills 

KrissyKrash.Derbalife@gmail.com
 

KristiBravoHealthCoach@gmail.com

Human Shield Obstacle Course

Alternative names: --

Objective: Team-building; Warm-up; Explosive energy; Agility; Fun

Typical length of drill: 10-15 mins

Materials needed: A full track or just four cones to mark the inside track line; minimum 11 participating skaters

Skill level required: None

Description: In this drill your skaters will make an obstacle course around the track for each other using their bodies.  I'm going to describe how the drill was originally set up by its creator, and then it is up to you to change it so that it suits YOUR needs.  You will need 10 people to volunteer to be the obstacles at the start of the drill, once everyone has gone through the course once you switch the obstacle -persons so that everyone gets to do it at least one time.  Here are the obstacle positions:

• 2 people balled up on the ground as turtles: You will jump over them
• 2 people standing next to each other in a wide stance, making a wall with a narrow space in the middle: You will squeeze your way through the space
• 3 people in a row with legs spread apart widely: You will crawl through the tunnel shaped by their legs
• 1 person standing really close to the inside line: You will jump/leap along the inside line to get by her/him (AND stay in bounds)
• 1 person standing at the end of the course waiting to chase you: You will run away from her/him as fast as you can, until you reach the goal line
• 1 person at the goal line to be the buddy who cheers you on the whole time and high-fives you when you cross it.  After high-fiving the buddy you stay and become the buddy for the next person going through the obstacle course.

Illustration of the set-up. Click to view larger.

This is a team-building activity and a self-esteem booster so the cheerleading buddy at the end is a totally necessary part of the course.  It also teaches the skaters how to be supportive of each other, and even helps some of them to come out of their shells.

CherryF jumps over the turtles

Coco crawls through the tunnel after she's squozen her way through the wall

When we do this with our league, many of our skaters choose to wear their knee pads while going through the course because they get so into it that when they dive (literally) into the tunnel they risk injuring themselves.  People really run through this course :)

Tigre (L) begins to chase Dyna (R) right after she has hopped over Kata (center)

Even though our version here is pretty condensed (only covers half the track) you could totally spread the people out around the track more, and really make your skaters weave around a lot, and force them to use their agility -- in the photos you might notice that the tunnel is located close to the outside line while the wall and the inside blocker are located close to the inside line.  This adds a little bit more challenge to it.  I also like to imagine a huge league doing this with like 50 skaters, all spread out in crazy ways around the track, making like this really intricate obstacle course that involve motions too, like lots of squats and the person going through the course has to wait for a certain moment in the motion to pass/jump/crawl around/behind/under the obstacle.  Perhaps we should create video game -like levels of this drill with increasing difficulty and obstacles in each level.....?

Additional notes: This drill was dreamed up by Team Finland's 2011 assistant coach, Tigre Force (pictured above).  By dreamed up I literally mean that she saw it in front of her as she was going to sleep on a warm July evening in 2011.  Tigre Force will do some guest blogging for us very soon and post other awesome drills that she's into.  She's also got a great little blog of her own called Travelling In the Name of Derby where you can read all about her derby excursions and coaching/skating experiences.

Dynamic stretching: Drop Lunge

Alternative names: --

Objective: "To improve flexibility in your hips, glutes, and iliotibal (IT) bands -- thick bands of tissue in either leg that extend from the thigh down over the outside of the knee and attach to the tibia (the larger lower-leg bone)." (1)

Typical length of drill: 3 mins

Materials needed: None

Skill level required: None

Description: "A proper warm-up routine is very important to the health and performance of an athlete. If the body is not adequately prepared for the demands of the upcoming sport or activity, injury is more likely to occur.  In addition, it is impossible for the body to perform to the peak of its ability without warm, flexible muscles. ... Dynamic warm-ups can increase muscular flexibility for the short-term through the neuromuscular system and potentially reduce injury though decreasing reflexive muscle contractions." (Dynamic Flexibility vs. Static Stretching for Warm Up, Therapeutic Associates Physical Therapy)

Drop Lunge

Starting position: Stand balanced with your arms extended.

Procedure: Turn your hips to the left and reach back with your left foot until it's about 2 feet to the ouside of your right foot, your left toes poiting to your right heel.  Rotate your hips back so they're facing forward again and square with your shoulders and feet.  You want your chest up and tummy tight, and the majority of your weight on your right leg.  Drop into a full squat by pushing your hips back and down, keeping your right heel on the ground. Now drive hard off your right leg, stand back up, and repeat, moving to your right for the allotted number of reps.  Switch legs.  Return to the left.



Bambi CrushBone, #13. By Marko Niemelä

Coaching key(s): Turn your hips to drop your leg behind.  Keep your toes pointed straight, with the back toe to the front heel.

You should feel: A stretch in your hips, glutes, and IT bands.



Bambi CrushBone, #13. By Marko Niemelä.



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 months.  Click on Stretching in the column on the right to see the other dynamic stretches in this series.  If dynamic stretching interests you, the most recent issue of Blood & Thunder Magazine just published a 2-page column called "Shirley's Plan" by Shirley N. Sane, covering the topic and suggesting a few different exercises as well.

One full off-skates workout session

Alternative names: --

Objective: This post is written to help you hold an entire hour's off-skates workout -session, and to give you ideas for new exercises to use at off-skates practice

Typical length of drill: N/A

Materials needed: None necessarily, though for a couple of the exercises in the videos below you need a step platform (noted next to the links), and for some it might be nice to have a yoga mat to lay on

Skill level required: None

Description: I was futzing around on YouTube one night, gleaning drill ideas and speed-skating technique tips from inline speed-skating videos, when I stumbled onto one of Ottawa Inline Skating Club's channels, chok-full of great skating-related plyometrics exercise demonstrations!  I know many leagues out there include off-skates hours into their weekly/monthly training regimes, and that it can sometimes be a little bit daunting to think of new, fun, useful exercises to do at each off-skates session (and particularly for those coaches who have no background in sports), so below is inspiration for a full off-skates workout session.  I have not embedded all 33 of the plyometrics videos below, just a couple of my favorites, but I have provided links to all of them so that you can easily click and check out on the ones that you wish to see/use!

Baby hops
Bicycle (the classic bicycle crunch; your skaters may want a yoga mat for this one)

Crossover steps



Crossover bounding
Depth jump (step platforms needed)

Dryland skating



Jump to box (step platforms needed)
Lateral jump to box (step platform needed)
Lateral hop (cones or other small items to jump over needed)
Leg lift (your skaters may want a yoga mat for this one)
Leg switch
Low walk

Ballerina low walk



Low walk elbow to heel
Lunge low walk
Rocket jump
Side lunge
Single leg leap
Single leg squat

Single leg squat with hold



Single leg vertical hop
Sit up + advanced version (your skaters may want a yoga mat for this one)
Squat (yes, the good ol' squat!)
Squat split jump
Star jump
Static squat (this one should be familiar!)
Tuck jump
Wall sit
Basic 45-degree skate leap
Single leg squat (position 2)
Skate leap with touch back (notice the back foot) 
Skate leap with hop

Skate leap with forward travel

Additional notes: For those leagues out there who don't currently have any off-skates sessions built into their training schedules, let this serve as your inspiration for your first off-skates workout day!  The benefits of cross-training are myriad.  If you're interested in the topic of cross-training, read the following interesting Runner's World article: "Eight Benefits of Cross-Training".  It's about cross-training for runners, but the list can certainly also be applied to roller derby!  And here is an additional article specifically about cross-training for skaters, from Skating to Better Health.  It includes descriptions of multiple different cross-training exercises and sports that you can do!  I for instance never thought about the fact that "basketball and racquet sports also develop agility."  Excellent.

Make a Call

Alternative names: --

Objective: To practice making calls and to test your knowledge of the WFTDA referee hand signals.
Typical length of drill: N/A

Materials needed: To run the program you need a Windows computer with .net Framework 3.0 or later.  This can be downloaded through Windows Update or the Microsoft website.
Skill level required: None

Description: The following post and the computer program associated with it has been created and submitted to A.D.D. by Major Madness of RuhrPott Roller Girls, Germany:

To make the right call and use the right verbal cue is on of the most important things while reffing.  A lot of refs start to practice these by making little note cards with a number and a penalty on it.  It's a good start but this way you always practise the same calls and it's quite a lot of work to do this.  With "Make a Call" it's easy to practice and test your calling skills.



Major penalty



The program has a Learning- and a Test- mode.  You just need to press "New Call" to generate a one to four -digit number in different colors and a verbal cue penalty.  These will be black for minors and red for majors. Now make a clean call by saying color, number, penalty with the right hand signal and whistle, and "Major" for majors.  If you are not sure you can press "Show Signal" to see the correct hand signal.  By pressing "Test your Skills" a new number and penalty will be generated for you every five seconds.  The handsignal will pop up four seconds later to show you whether or not you were right.



Test your skills



The software is free to give away, no rights.  The latest Versions can be found at Zebrahuddle.com.  If you like it, tell me.  If you find any bugs or have an idea for future development tell me too.  If you don't like it, tell it to someone who cares. ;-)  Feel free to Contact me by e-mail or by Facebook.

Additional notes: My refband (this is me, Geena, speaking here again :) has this program installed on his computer and we both think it's great!  Not only is this program good for referees and NSOs but it is also a good way for skaters and announcers to practice their own knowledge and understanding of the different referee hand signals and verbal cues.

If you like this post you may also like the post Handy Things to Know and its accompanying video.

Positive visualization

Alternative names: --
Objective: To get everyone in a positive mindset; to improve your game
Typical length of drill: 2-5 minutes
Materials needed: An open mind and good imagination
Skill level required: None
Description: This is an exercise that can be done on- or off- skates, and will be most beneficial if repeated at every practice for several weeks.  I've usually done it after stretching, before everyone gets ready to start skating hard.

First, have all of you skaters sitting comfortably in front of you with their eyes closed.  Then, tell them that for each statement that you say they should visualize themselves in first person completing the statement physically while they repeat it out loud.

Here is a list of some of the things that I have had skaters repeat after me at practices (these are just suggestions and you should definitely modify/add/customize to your own team's needs):

• I am a good skater
• I am a skilled skater
• I am an excellent skater
• I am a fast skater
• I am a really fluid jammer
• I am a really good blocker
• I am great at booty blocking
• No one gets past my booty
• No one can break through my walls
• I am the best blocker I can be
• I am amazing at holding the inside line
• I give hard hits
• I give well-placed and well-timed hits
• I am not afraid of getting hurt
• I am not afraid of getting hit
• I improve at every practice
• I never doubt my skills
• I support other skaters
• Other skaters support me
• I perform really well in front of an audience
• The audience does not distract me
• I respect my fellow skaters
• My fellow skaters respect me
• My team needs me
• We’re all in this together
• I am confident on my skates
• Every time I make a mistake I learn something new
• I am a strategic player
• I am great at playing roller derby
• I love roller derby!
• I FUCKING LOVE ROLLER DERBY!

Research has shown that "visualization can actually enhance performance to nearly the same extent as physical practice" (1).  Like physical practice, a little bit here and there may do some good, but for the best result your skaters should make this a routine part of their training.  This means doing it outside of practice as well, repeating to themselves the things that they wish to internalize, such as "I am a really fast skater" and "I give well-placed and well-timed hits".  Here is an excellent basketball reference for how to make this exercise the most beneficial: "You need to visualize everything out of your eyes (in the 1st person). You have to be there at the free throw line feeling the basketball. Seeing the goal. Hearing the noise.  As you shoot, you should FEEL the ball roll off your fingers. You should SEE the ball traveling through the air with perfect backspin. You should SEE your hands out in front of you with the perfect follow through. You should SEE your hands out in front of you holding the follow through as you HEAR & SEE the ball swish through the net." (2)

So if we apply this to say, jamming, you have to be there on the track, see that pack in front of you, visualize the space IN FRONT of the pack that you are going to occupy, feel your skates on the hardwood floor, see your own body move fluidly through all the holes, hear your quick feet on the track, physically possess the feeling of sprinting out of the pack.  Skaters need to focus while they do this, really meditate on each thing that they are visualizing.

Additional notes: It's been a while since I ran this exercise at practices but I was reminded of it by a really great recent roller_girls Yahoo group -post covering exercises to practice focus and mindfulness, by Chrome Molly of the Southern Oregon Rollergirls.  I highly recommend reading it!

Further reading and sources:
(No complicated academic journals here, just simple internet articles that any lay-person can understand, I promise!)

• Visualization in Cross-Fit (if you read only one of these articles, make it this one!)
• Visualization and Sports Performance (1)
• Mental Rehearsal & Visualization: The Secret to Improving Your Game Without Touching a Basketball! (2)
• The Healing Power of Mind and Visualization (this is more specifically about healing, but still very applicable)

Showercap derby

Alternative names: Sock derby, Skateless derby, Footsie derby

Objective: To learn and practice strategies; to slow down roller derby and allow new skaters to learn more about the basic rules and gameplay; to practice all the different little intracacies of derby without the element of speed; to allow the skaters and bench managers to prepare for all the things that happen on and around the bench during a bout (i.e. panty wrangling, signaling time from the penalty box between jams, signaling penalties from the jammer line, etc.)

Typical length of drill: Depends a great deal on what you are using it for but you should allow a minimum of 15 minutes for this

Materials needed: A WFTDA -regulation size track or just four cones to mark the inside track line (depends a little on who the drill is for and what specifically you would like to practice)

Skill level required: None

Description: I feel like there's been lots of talk about this in many derby circles recently -- playing roller derby without skates.  The idea here is that you do everything you would normally do, from booty blocking and hip hits right down to referees calling penalties and skaters wearing all of their pads (ok, I guess that's up to each league; admittedly I have played some very light-contact showercap derby in my streetwear).  This is great and useful and fun and awesome for so so many different reasons (just check out the list in "Objectives")!  I suggest that you decide in advance what the primary objective or goal is for YOUR team when you do this, so that you're actually using this to improve your strategies, or positioning in the pack, or communication, or understanding of rules, or to create new formations, etc. etc.  This training is especially great for leagues who have troubles securing practice venues -- you can do this outdoors in a grassy park or even in a gravel parking lot!  All you need is some fairy dust and an imagination :) 

Video: Here's a little preview of what you're getting yourself into



Additional notes: We call this "showercap derby" because at one point we actually used showercaps with Sharpied stars and pivot lines.  Kind of hilarious.  They actually DID fit better than the helmet panties do when you're not wearing a helmet.  I actually endorse it for this particular derby activity.  At the start of every freshmeat training period we demonstrate the basic gameplay and rules to the brand new skaters by having our veterans and referees demonstrate a couple of jams in slow motion using Showercap Derby.  I think if we had more time during our training sessions it would probably really bolster the freshmeats' understanding of the game if we did thorough demonstrations followed by them doing it on the track together with our veteran skaters.  You try it and tell us how it works our for your freshmeat skaters in the comments below!

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!