Busting Kittens.

I follow as ghostsfortea. This is a resources place as well as a log-down-whatever-felt-important-while-training-space.

[bustingxkittens-blog]

Happy Knees Training Programme by Roller Derby Athletics.

[rdjunkies]

If You Don't Know Who Shaina Serelson is, Learn.

Denver has a few of the best defensive skaters out there in roller derby. Shaina Serelson is one of them. Some people are intimidated because of her size and power, but the scariest thing about her, to me, is her footwork and ability to judge a jammer’s path before she takes it. She can sometimes be downright spooky about it, letting the jammer tire herself out and smashing her to the ground once she’s committed to a lane.

And her backwards blocking…

Devastating.

Just devastating.

[pghderbybrats]

Hip whip assists at the JRDA championships. Des Moines and Duval.

[miriamswartz]

Yoga poses for better balance

Balance poses challenge and strengthen the ankles, knees and pelvis in standing poses, the wrists, elbows and shoulders in poses that are dependent for these to balance. Mentally, balance poses challenge our self-image, help us find courage and help us let go - especially of our image of what we can or cannot do!  Remember to have fun falling, trust yourself and don’t judge or criticize yourself. You are where you are and that is precisely where you are supposed to be :)  All comments or questions are as always warmly welcomed. Lots of love and light Namaste @mimiyoga

[beijingrollerderby]

The Rickshaw Rollers practice their sideways skating on another extremely hot and polluted day, good work team! 

[beijingrollerderby]

Beijing Roller Derby’s ‘The Rickshaw Rollers’ practice different types of weaving around cones. 

[beijingrollerderby]

Care For Your Skates! Roller Derby Skate Maintenance Resources

Here is a list of some articles and videos to make sure you never struggle again putting your skates back together.  ARTICLES: 

Best Wheels for Roller Derby Zen and the art of skate maintenance (Chapter 1)  Zen and the art of skate maintenance  (Chapter 2) Deez Nuts! What you got under them fuzzy things? (Shin Guards) Mouth guards: You kiss your mother with that mouth… Skate and Bearing Maintenance: How to keep your skates for longer than 6 months - Richmond Roller Derby Fresh meat guide to roller skates Skate Maintenance (From Devaskation) Skate maintenance 101: cleaning bearings That bearing cleaning blog: Clean up your act! Skate Maintenance in a (big) Nutshell You have a problem: derby hoarding

VIDEOS:  Crazy Skate Company - How To Adjust Your Bushings/Cushions & Actions (Video) Rotating Wheels(Video)  Tighten Your Wheels Cleaning Your Wheels Hand Press Bearings & Tips Remove & Press Bearings Bearing Disassembly Bearing Assembly How to install toe stops on theSuregrip Invader Cleaning & Drying after Skating in the Rain 

How to Start a Roller Derby Team : How to Pick Roller Derby Equipment

[bustingxkittens-blog]

Pre-Hab: Stability Workout by Roller Derby Athletics

[rdjunkies]

Use Your Toestops

Learn to run on them. Learn to walk on them. Learn to hop around while you’re being beat on by big scary Gotham blockers.

Protip (learned from the great Chantilly Mace): Kneel and go up on one toestop. If you can put more than four fingers under your wheels, your toestops are up too high. In general, find a height you like between 3 and 4 fingers (though some people—crazy people—like them closer to 2 fingers under a wheel). I promise you won’t trip on them.

[bustingxkittens-blog]

Balance, Position, + Mechanics with Quadsilla L.K.

[beijingrollerderby]

Love love love this article from CalltheJam. 

[flexibilitygoal]

If you feel like you need some direction in your stretching session, try following a video like this one. Even if you don’t use it every time, it might give you some new ideas!

[beijingrollerderby]

Stretch at the start of practice and at the end! 

[bustingxkittens-blog]

[bustingxkittens-blog]

Block escapes

[bustingxkittens-blog]

To try list just got a new item!

[pipsixtwo-deactivated20150107]

Atomatrix’s Guide to Form

(taken from Atomatrix’s facebook page, you should definitely follow her as she posts up super interesting stuff and it’s nice to get a small insight into how such a high profile derby athlete lives and trains https://www.facebook.com/atomatrix)

'SYNERGY! Want to be efficient in the corners? Who doesn't?! Find a photo of yourself and draw a line across your hips and your shoulders. Are they parallel? On a banked track, your shoulders tip the same angle as the track - if you can dial this in and skate the right line, you will float through the corners without much effort at all. It’s mind blowing. Whether it be roller derby….Indoor speed skating on a 100meter safety track….Outdoor speed inline skating on a road track (Joey Mantia is pictured in both inline shots- multiple time World Champion)…..or….long track ice (Chad Hedrick is pictured - most decorated inline skater of all time and also a 5 time Olympic medalist on long track ice) the basics are the same. The hips are parallel with the shoulders.  Anything less is not efficient and your scrubbing speed / making yourself work harder with every step.’

This is all really interesting to read and see, it seems like the more ‘balanced’ your form and stance is, the more you will be able to ride the shape of the track and have maximum efficiency whilst skating (which all makes perfect sense, but perhaps not something at the front of your mind whilst skating the track, I know personally I’m just like “get low get low get low!”). Something to think about when you’re next skating, I certainly might be getting a buddy to take a quick snap of me skating to see where my imbalances are and how I can improve on them.

[rdjunkies]

The Sideways Turn-and-Toe

Turn-and-toes are awfully useful in avoiding going out of bounds if you learn how to do them against a boundary.