practice recap & blog referrals

Tonight I was late to practice due to a staff meeting at work. I honestly debated not going since I hadn't been feeling great today, and I was still sore from yesterday's practice, but I sucked it up and went anyway.  We practiced a few falls and I worked on trying to get up on my weaker leg (still darn near impossible). Then, we did the dreaded 25 in 5, in which you attempt to skate 25 laps in 5 minutes. I managed to get 16 3/4 laps, out doing my personal best of 14 1/2. Slowly but surely I am getting there! Once I can manage to figure out cross-overs I know I will improve faster.

After that, the skating part of practice was over, since they needed more people to NSO the scrimmage the veteran skaters were doing. NSO= non-skating official.
It was really cool to watch a scrimmage from inside the track. I got to learn how to keep score. Thankfully I was able to take my skates off, because spinning around trying to keep my eyes on my jam-ref was dizzying! I really learned a lot more about the game, and I look forward to future NSO opportunities.

Now onto some blog referrals.

A friend of mine back home in Canada, joined her local derby league just a few weeks before me. She, unfortunately, broke her tailbone on her first night. But she has not given up, and in fact, spent her time off skates, learning how to NSO. I mention this, because she has just started her own derby blog (and I have to say, based on the single entry so far, it is more entertaining than mine!)
You can find her blog here: http://bruisedandlovingit.blogspot.com/
Please stop by and give it a look.

I was also pointed in the direction of another blog, by one of my teammates.
http://www.theroadtorollergirl.com/  I just read the entire blog in the last hour or so. Its another story of a girl's journey into the roller derby world. She has just past fresh meat status so I will continue to read her blog as a sort of sign of things to come.

practicing falling means practicing getting up

Today we practiced more falls. This means I practiced getting up a lot too. If you read my last post, you know that I had to use my hands to get up. Well, I had a breakthough today.
We've been told that it is more stable to get up on your toe stops, which I cannot do without using my hands. The angle just doesn't seem to work for me. Today I was able to balance on the wheels of my skate and get myself up without putting my hands down. So far I can only do it with my left foot down and pushing up on my right leg, and this has resulted in my right quad muscle being very sore from repeatedly pushing up on it.
I know I'll have to practice more with the other leg and eventually I'm sure I'll be able to get strong enough to do it just fine with either leg.
For now tho, its time to take some Advil and get some rest. There's another practice tomorrow night!

First Practice with my gear!

Let me start off by saying, that after practicing for 2 full weeks without gear, practicing with gear feels a thousand times hotter. My head was drenched in sweat! (I'm gonna have to wear a bandana under my helmet like some of the other girls do)

Stepping onto the rink in my own skates, with my new wheels, I instantly felt more stable than while wearing the rental skates. The wheels I got were recommended by a few of the girls on my team for being a wheel with a lot of grip, but also with speed. I definitely noticed a difference between them and the rental skates.

I am in love with my wrist guards and my elbow pads (although I'll definitely have to wear some kind of sock under the elbow pads because I'm already getting some irritation from the sweat.)

My knee pads required some tweaking. The pad itself is the perfect size, but the straps that fasten behind the knee were a wee bit small. I'm told they will stretch over time, but in order to make them work tonight, I had to buy some velcro strips to connect the pieces. Then the outer straps fastened just fine over them, but I noticed as the night wore on that the pads became looser so hopefully I'll be able to go without the extra velcro next time I try.

The difficult thing about the knee pads, is crossing your legs while wearing them.
This is problematic for me, as crossing my legs is hard enough to do in skates, although I have been getting better. But it is definitely going to take some practice to cross my legs around these giant knee pads!

The awesome thing about knee pads tho, is falling on them! Tonight we practiced some different falls. (single knee, double knee, and single knee 180s). The falling is the easy part. Getting up (in 2 seconds, without using hands) is the EXTREMELY HARD part!
I can get up, but it takes me a lot longer than 2 seconds, and as hard as I try, I can't do it without my hands. This is bad, because in a real derby situation  you do not want your fingers on the track (someone could skate right over them).
I know that with practice I will get better. I already have improved since the first practice when I couldn't even get up without using the wall.
Tonight, getting up was made further difficult by the fact that my toe stops were coming loose, so trying to stand on them while getting up was nearly impossible. Thankfully one of the other girls had a wrench and was able to help me tighten them, so it shouldn't be a problem in the future.

That's pretty much all I've got to say for now. My brain is exhausted so it must be time for bed!

MY GEAR!

Just a short post to say that I got my gear delivered today!
Its all shiny and new and clean. When I get access to a decent camera I will take pics of all of it, and maybe of me in it, and post it on here! :)

Getting Better

I'm not gonna lie to you, derby is hard work. For the first several minutes of each practice I am unsteady and unbalanced. I have to continuously remind myself to get into derby stance: bend knees, straighten my back, and get low! It's a lot to remember and it definitely feels unnatural at first, but once I've done a few laps I start to feel more comfortable in it and I am confident that in time it won't be something I have to think about, it will just naturally be how I move.

Tonight we got to pair up with the more experienced skaters to work on a few skills. I find it really helpful to have the one-on-one time with the other girls who all have different ways of explaining how to do a certain move. It's interesting to hear their thought processes because not everyone thinks the same way and sometimes the things they tell you just click and it makes it so much easier to understand how to do a certain move (even if I still can't actually DO the move, at least I am figuring out HOW TO do it).

I feel like we also did a lot of squats tonight, but maybe that was just because we did them in between our sidestepping which also involves a lot of thigh muscle use. I am definitely getting better at them. The first day we did squats I was so wobbly on my skates that I opted to do them on my toe stops, which gave me some more balance initially, but was much more difficult to hold (since I also wasn't getting low enough). Today, after 2 weeks of derby-ing, I am much more stable and steady on my skates. I can squat with the rest of the girls, without feeling wobbly. Sure my thighs burn while we do it, but that's the point.

I did fall a few times tonight, while practicing stops mostly. I landed on my elbow a couple of times and am going to have a nasty bruise. It's been a week since I ordered my gear, and I can't wait for it to get here!! I am so excited to have it all. I feel like it will give me magic super powers or something! Like I'll strap on the knee pads and elbow pads, buckle up the pink helmet and put in the magic mouth guard and all of a sudden I'll be the best derby girl ever! HA! I do know that it will give me more confidence and make me push myself to try more things because it'll take away most of the fear of injury. I won't have the gear for tomorrow's practice because even if it does get delivered, I won't be home to get it before practice. But hopefully I will have it for Thursday's practice. I'm so looking forward to it!!!

On Not Giving Up

During the recruitment night, we were told "You get out of this what you put into it."
These are very important words. If I want to improve I have to keep practicing, keep trying, make changes to the rest of my life to assist me in becoming better at this.
So far that has meant that I have adjusted my work schedule to allow me to still get a functioning amount of sleep on two of the three nights of derby practices, I've begun to eat healthier and am trying to go to the gym more.
I'll be honest here, I know I'm overweight, I always have been, but I thought I was in relatively OK shape considering. One thing derby has taught me is that I was dead wrong on that front.
My abs and thighs and calves get so sore after each practice, but I know I need to do more to help strengthen them.
On Thursday night, we were practicing walking sideways in our skates. We walked across the width of the rink and back side stepping, and the next drill was side stepping but crossing your leg in front of your other leg one one step, and then crossing it behind the leg on the next step. Now for me, walking in skates is pretty awkward. I was the slowest of the group, but I kept going. I tried to keep my head up, looking at a point on the wall across the rink, although I admit I did occasionally drop my eyes to the floor. I kept my knees bent,(for balance) and didn't worry about being fast, I just worried about getting it done.
By the time I began my crossover steps, the other girls were on their way to being finished with theirs, but I kept going. My calf muscles were shaking. As I started to make my way back, I felt tears come to my eyes. I was frustrated that I was having so much difficulty with a seemingly easy task, but I took a deep breath and I made myself finish.
I could've given up, skated over to the group, and continued on to the next drill, but what would I have learned from that? I'm sure there are going to be much tougher things ahead of me on this journey, and if I give up on a drill how does that prepare me for the real tough sports situations??
It doesn't! And that's why I will never give up, even when I am crying and my legs are shaking and I don't feel like it, I will keep going.

How to locate your abs!

If you are like me, you have probably wondered a time or two where your abs are hiding under your layers of flab. Well I have found the best way for you to locate your abs. Lace up a pair of roller skates. Lay on your back on the floor, put your legs up in front of you and begin to move them as though you were riding a bicycle. At the same time, lace your hands behind your head, and lean forwards (as though you were doing a crunch), turning so that your elbow touches the opposite knee. Repeat in 30 second intervals 2-3 times over a practice. You will definitely find your abs!

Fresh Meat and Derby Names

One of the coolest things about joining derby is choosing your derby name. You want a name that represents who you are, but that also is either tough, or sexy or funny.
For a complete list of derby names go here: http://twoevils.org/rollergirls/

Before you are allowed to skate in a bout, you must submit your name to the above list. You may be denied if your name is too close to someone else's, but keep thinking and try to come up with something creative and unique.

In my league, when you first join you are considered "Fresh Meat" and are not able to compete for 3 months, or until you can successfully pass the WFTDA (Women's Flat Track Derby Association) minimum skills test. Once you pass the test, you can submit your chosen name and number to your team (and the two evils site).
In the meantime, Fresh Meat on my team are assigned "meat names" by our "meat mistress" (new player coach). If a player is vegan or vegetarian they get a meat alternative name.
On Sunday night, we were assigned our meat names. I can't tell you how excited I am to write my meat name on the back of my tank top and to emblazon it on my helmet with sparkly stickers!
For the next three months (or longer if need be) I shall wear my meat name proudly, until such a time as I get to choose my own name.

Ordering Gear

Roller Derby is a dangerous sport.
In my few practices so far, all I've had for protective gear are the wrist guards I bought after I first went skating back in late February. I'm thankful I had those, because I have sure fallen a lot.
One of the things we will learn in an upcoming practice is proper falling technique. Because you are propelling yourself forward, most of the time you should be falling forward, onto your knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist guards. However, if you are without protective gear, falling on your ass, where there is padding, is advisable. Just try to fall either left or right so as to avoid injuring your tailbone.

On Sunday night, when I found out I would in fact be a member of the team, I went ahead and placed my order for my gear online. Where I live, there aren't much in the way of skate shops. You can find a few things, but if you are looking to get all your gear at once, it is best to look online. I won't list a specific shop here, but you can google "derby gear" or something similar and you should find plenty of places. Your local league will likely have some suggestions on where to order, and may even have some discount codes for you.

The MINIMUM gear you will need is:
helmet, knee pads, wrist guards, elbow pads, mouth guard, and your skates.
You may also want to purchase some padded shorts for added hip/butt protection especially if you are a new skater.
Also, talk to your league about skates and wheels. If you are going to stick with derby for a while, you don't want to go cheap. Talk to the girls in your league and see if you can try on some of their gear to see if you like the way it fits and feels. That way you can order a brand you'll be comfortable with.

I haven't gotten my gear yet, but when I do I plan to take pictures and post them here!

Joining the Team

At the recruitment meeting we learned about the basic skills necessary for joining, the type of gear we would need, the time and financial commitment necessary to join and we were even able to strap on some skates and try a few things.

It was a bit intimidating at times to see these confident, powerful, beautiful women doing things on skates I didn't think I could ever do. But it was so exciting to be there and have the idea be "real."

The recruitment manager told us we were all welcome to come to the next three practices, to see if we would really want to join. She said it was something that you need to be sure of since it isn't a cheap sport to start in, and there of course some dangers.

Over the course of the next three practices we learned a lot of basic "derby-skating" techniques, practiced various steps, stretches and fitness exercises and talked a lot with the veteran skaters. My stomach, and thigh muscles have never felt so sore.

On that 3rd practice we were evaluated as to our basic skills and even though some of us (myself included) did not necessarily meet the standards, they still made the team based on effort, attitude and willingness to try.

In my experience so far, derby girls are a very accepting group. The girls on the team are of all shapes and sizes, ages and from many different backgrounds. I may be one of the most out of shape girls on the team now, but I am sure with my 3 2-hr practices each week I will soon be in the best shape I've been in a long time.

And so it begins

A few weeks ago, due to a number of factors, I got the crazy idea in my head that I wanted to join roller derby. A couple of years back my much thinner and fitter sister, joined her local roller derby team and it sounded like she had a lot of fun. I never really gave it much thought at the time, thinking that I would never roller skate on traditional quad roller skates (as opposed to inline skates).

Fast forward to a few months ago, I watched the movie "Whip It" and thought it was awesome. (I've been in love with the acting skills of Ms Ellen Page since "Juno" and any film with Drew Barrymore is amazing in my opinion).

Then, about a month ago, a friend of mine posted on her LJ that she was planning to join her local roller derby league.

I had been thinking for a while about starting a serious (this time) weight loss / get healthy mission. I also thought that it was time that I met some friends that were not either coworkers or my husband's friends first.

So one day I looked up the times for open skate at my local skating rink. I posted on facebook to see if anyone would want to join me. A friend of mine did. Before we went, I watched a few e-how videos on how to "derby skate."
The day came and I met my friend at the rink. We laced up our rental skates and the moment I stepped onto the wooden track, I fell flat on my ass. I got myself up, shook myself off, and skated around the track tentatively. Growing up in Canada, I was used to skating on ice skates, and I had had rollerblades as a young teen, but here I am, nearly thirty, and it felt like I was learning to walk all over again.
After that first night, my legs were sore, but I felt good.
I went out and bought wrist guards before I dragged my husband to the rink to watch me skate again a few days later (he's a big chicken!)
Meanwhile, I researched the leagues in my area, and after emailing the recruitment for one of them, found out there was a recruitment event later that same week. I made plans to attend that meeting.