Inside Outside

A great warm up to improve lateral movement, accurate aim and get the blood pumping.

Bridging

Less talking, more skating! Put the discussion from last week to good use, by exploring the fine art of bridging. When your teammate is chasing ahead, or is positioning their booty in front of an upcoming jammer, you can make sure that their amazing hit doesn't send them to the bin by manipulating the boundaries of the pack and bridge the gap.

Define the Pack

You can booty block, laterally hit, and transition like a pro. But do you have a clear definition in your mind about exactly where a pack starts and ends, or how to gauge the engagement zone? Many skaters have a vague fuzzy idea of these concepts, but if you want to play your best strategic game, you need to understand this inside and out, and your team does too. Many people are visual learners - so just because they have read the rule book back to front doesn't mean they can translate that information into practical application. This week, spend 10 minutes talking with your team about what the terms mean (and how you want to use them to your advantage!)

Lethal Can Openers

A well executed can opener can put the other team on their booty before they know what hit them. Bust this out when a jammer is lingering behind you, or when you are alone up the front of the pack.

Bobble Headed Jammer

Even the sneakiest of jammers sometimes finds themselves stuck behind a stellar blocker. This duking technique can introduce an element of confusion that the jammer can take advantage of to get around.

Derby Stance

Let's get back to basics. Derby stance is the basic body position that provides stability, agility, speed and power when playing roller derby. This week, let's spend 10 minutes evaluating our stance and trying to improve it.

Pace Lines in Pairs

A good partner in roller derby is a valuable thing. They cover you when you leave the inside line, stay side by side with you to form a impenetrable wall, and seemingly read your mind as you change tactics. This is a simple drill to practice taking your partner with you as you navigate through the pack.