Watched my first live bout yo!

On Saturday I took my tribe of midgets down to see a Sunstate bout (Riots v Defiants). It was amazing to watch live, despite my squinting a lot from having no glasses on. The live atmosphere was like 80% better than youtube :)

I learned heaps from it, but feel like it really reiterated hows much more work I need to be putting in on a daily basis. Those girls are brutal, in the peak fitness of their lives, and amazing skaters.  I cant yet tick any of those boxes (well I'm brutal in a non-derby way). Yet anyway. I tried to pay particular attention to the way they skate; what skills they most frequently use and referenced this to what I've been learning in class. The two most important aspects I found to be stops and starts. How to quickly recover from a fall. Learning to skate fast can wait, being able to dynamically change direction is imperative.

I've broken this into exercises I already know and am going to really focus on:

1. T-stops and starts
2. Falling safely on my butt (getting up without hands)
3. Turning to face behind me (as in turning using my skates)
4. Braking backwards onto stoppers
5. Crossovers

Then I started to research skate-specific training, I've read a lot about doing interval training but how? I stumbled across Fartlek training and whilst a lot of specific drills require a group, it can definately be done alone. Of course I'm more in favour of group punishment, it's too easy to give up when it's just you (a bit like a bikini wax, you just cant do that shit to yourself). Dem's the brakes I guess. Hence now my plan its to make myself a training schedule by the week. 

My plan feels something like this:

3 x skate sessions a week (2 focussing on the skills as above and one free skate with fartlek elements)
2 x off-skates sessions based on fartlek/interval training, with quad killer exercises like wall sits, squat jumps, or maybe a bike sesh to mix it up..

Plus of course my weekly class with the tattooed goddess. I'd like to have the luxury of a daily skate but I have kids, and therefore schedules coming out of my arse as it is. I think the 5 sessions might be slightly hopeful but I gotta have goals right? I figure I'll do 2 skate sessions and an interval training during the week, with the last two over the weekend...

What do you do and how is it working?

IT'S NOT GOING TO KILL ME, I'VE FALLEN BEFORE AND SURVIVED

So I've had my skates 2 weeks now and I'm making steady improvement it seems. My delusions of grandeur involving 5:30 mornings have died in the proverbial so far, but the good intention is still there. 

My improvement is heavily tied to my fear factor, which is permanently fixed to I'm-going-to-surely-die-in-T-minus-2-seconds. I've developed a method of coping which is repeating the mantra: eyes forward, stay low, relax. I've found that by forcing my stance and legs and feet to relax has helped dramatically every time. It's so bizarre that as an adult, I find I'm consciously having to remind me of what was a given as a child. IT'S NOT GOING TO KILL ME, I'VE FALLEN BEFORE AND SURVIVED. Aah to have the child-like wonder of not having fallen much before. I can't wait to get to the part where its subconscious and I can focus on funner (it's a word, nerd) things; such as how to remain upright after smashing someone.

I've been getting to know my skates and a love affair has begun. Obsessive much? Adjusting, checking, preening, changes to my wheels - theres so much to do! 

Best things I've learned:

1. Keep your trucks loose, if they're too tight you're workin' too hard
2. Loosen your wheels for road skating, tighter for rink skating
3. Set yourself one primary goal for each session, and don't make excuses for yourself!
4. Get road wheels and skate on a solid footpath/basketball court/flat surface. The better you get at rough terrain, the easier it gets in a rink. (In fact a rink seems luxurious, like showering after you've been camping)
5. Watch a lot of derby - pick out the most useful and frequently used skill and become a pro at it. Given my current level of skating and wimp issues I've fittingly picked falls and getting back up quickly/safely.

6. Lead with your boobs. For reals, it works. Turn your boobs and point them where you wish to go. 

Ultimately, I'm getting there, though mostly I think I've become more accustomed to the idea of occasionally eating shit, it's my new thing this falling over business. As a result can push that thought back a little further in the buzzsaw that is my inner monologue.

Freshmeat Roller Derby gear: My miseducation and subsequent demystification

I'm a really impulsive person, and though close to danger as it takes me, none is more dangerous than anything I approach with my keycard. Impulse purchaser extraordinaire am I, driven by impatience and blissful ignorance. Then I had step children. Money is tighter than a nuns @#/%. The beauty of this is I learnt how to be an expert researcher of purchases. (all credit to my partner). I stopped buying things before checking every possible avenue, brand, price, shipping cost and forum for clues. It's kinda workin' I think.. When I started thinking seriously about derby, I began scouring online stores for clues as to what to buy. Given I'm in Australia, most things are cheaper online so I sorted site after site, comparing blogs and forum advice with prices and packs. I became obsessed. How do i get the best skate for the lowest price? What protective gear do I need? What brands are going to last me? 

I figured out I'd need this at a start: 

Derby Skates (no shit!)
Helmet
Elbow pads
Wrist pads
Knee pads
Toe guard (to stop you from ripping your skates)

For me, I knew I would be skating daily at the basketball courts near my house so I'd need outdoor wheels and bearings and a skate tool.. I've since read you can use a socket set to take your wheels off, so I'll try that before I buy a tool.

Basically, I learned for someone with a family the $500-$600 or so dollars is a massive commitment, that's our monthly food budget!

I learned that good pads were a necessity, knee gaskets might be good for me because of my size (and dodgy knees, cheers dad). After all the comparing of US skate stores I eventually found a freshmeat pack on derbyskates.com.au that had all the right stuff in the right places. Suregrip rebel invaders with 187 pads and came with a helmet, gaskets, mouthguard, and toe protectors.

I also tried calling and emailing skate stores in AU to find out about basic outdoor wheels, and beginner skates. No one could give me a solid answer, I needed to speak to someone! 

Fortunately, I hung back after my first skate class and queried the tattooed goddess about my dilemma. She said, contrary to what I'd read online; big girls don't have to have aluminium plates, the nylon plates are just as strong and will break eventually no matter what. That dropped my starting price by about 100.00! My biggest miseducation though was working on the premise that I needed the best quality skates I could afford, when in all reality I was going to fall a whole bunch and fuck them up regardless of what price I paid. 

Also I have private health cover so can get a mouthguard through my dentist. Sweet deal.

The rink had a skate store in-house and when I told the lady what I was going to pay she offered to quote me on a pack. On the advice of the skaters there I went with a cheap skate (crazy skates vx) and the best pads because:

1. I won't understand what I'll want in a skate until I figure out how they work on my feet (and how not to kill myself on them)
2. I'm going to get familiar with the floor, so I'll need the best cushions I can get

My original freshie pack was $550.00 without even getting to the outdoor wheels and bearings. The rink mama quoted me $391.00!! Plus cheap outdoor wheels which will be about $70.00 and bearings at about $50.00. BAM. A saving of at least a hundred bucks :)

The moral of this story is: you read everything you can find online, check all the forums and blogs, read all the reviews and as per usual the best advice is found out when you find someone who knows their shit.

My first real skate class

Last night was ‘adult skate class’. Second to my experience in munchkinland on Saturday, I noticed a more suitable slot for my significantly larger and less bendy frame so my friend, my partner and stepdaughter and I went along. Doesn't help that we were running late and I had already broken a sweat before we were on the rink due to rushnerves! My partner being the supportchampion he is said he was making his roller skating debut that night also. I hurried into my skates, then stood up and WHAT? I had forgotten everything I’d done the other day, for fucks sake it had been 3 days! I looked up at the class and saw an all women group, with just- past- ginger skaters. Their ringleader – a beautiful tattooed woman with a giant voice and an even bigger laugh. She glided gracefully over to where we were sitting and very loudly made a joke about us being late, followed by a happy hearty laugh. Phew. So happy to see a freak like me was taking the class. I was immediately more at ease.

We started with gliding out on one leg, then a T Stop, though at this stage my legs weren’t cooperating so I spent most of my time on the wall. The class then ran through front scissor rolls, roll and get low, skate while tossing a ball in the air, skating round markers, and through markers whilst bouncing the ball.

I couldn’t decide if it was going too fast, I was too slow, or if I was being wimpy. I’d wager it was the latter. Our tattooed ringleader was brilliant, she encouraged me and gave good clear directions and generally was awesome. I finished the class disappointed with myself that I didn’t just have a crack at more of the class. I avow to kicketh more ass next Tuesday.

An absolute jewel she gave me, she noticed my arms would flail and stopped me from doing it by holding a ball and skating, and BAM 100% more stable. It was like roller skating made perfect sense afterward.

In the end I left the class more perplexed with skating than when I entered, though I think this had more to do with this delusion I had about it somehow clicking and doing 360's in the air by the end of the class. Reality, as always, is a cruel cruel mistress.

Nothing both brutal and amazing ever happened to a benchwarmer

So the only time I’ve ever skated, I was about 8 years old and went with vacation care. I don’t think I’ve ever tried and failed so hard at anything since. The next day, I felt agony like I’d never felt before. I remember coming out of my room screaming and unable to lower my arms. It seemed all the grabs for the railing left my arms shredded. My mother laughed of course, as I’d never had sore muscles before and was positive I was dying.

21 years later, I’ve made a not-so-secret pact with myself that I will, at all costs, be a Derby girl. So last Saturday my friend (who also intends to learn) and step-daughter headed out to our first ‘Star Class’ at the local rink. $8 entry, $3 skates, couldn’t go wrong!

That was, until we entered what looked like a swarming village of small children. Tiny people all around going extremely fast, and I’d be lying if I said my heart didn’t sink a little. I somehow thought adults still tried to be cool? Seemingly not, judging by the coffee-swilling packs of mothers seated all around. I felt SO uncool. What adults were there, were speeding past at break-neck speed. I strapped on my skates, and then the thought occurred to me. How the fuck am I going to stand up in these? My friend who swore she “couldn’t skate” miraculously seemed to speed merrily away, leaving me at the bench, wondering how to get to the rail without making a complete arse of myself.

Well, nothing both brutal and amazing ever happened to a benchwarmer so I psyched myself up to ignore everyone and stand on my own 8 wheels. UP! Now. TO THE RAIL! Gingerly, doesn’t even come close to how I approached the next hour of rail holding and trying to remain upright on these disastershoes. After a short burst of confidence, I’d realise I was going too fast with no bail plan and grab desperately for the railing leaving my legs and wheels to continue after me. Then, I slowly made my way out onto the rink. (Yes I was skating outside the rink). What I found was not only was I having the time of my life, I was drenched in sweat; not so much from physical exertion (it’s impossible when you’re travelling that slow) but from CONCENTRATING! My mind was on fire, I was more focussed than I’ve been in years! I dared myself a new dare every time I went round don’t grab for the rail at all this lap, bend your knees and skate faster, try and snow plow stop. I headed out at the end of the session high as a metal kite, but not without sneaking a lustful glance at the derby skates on the shelf begging to be mine.

My friend and I were hooked, we had to knowlearnsmash derby. I’d told myself, if I showed any signs of being able to skate, that would be it, I’d join roller derby. I passed my own test :)

My biggest concerns about derby, not as much the injuries, but my weight. I’m 100kg’s at the moment, not exactly the ideal weight for impact sports (or anything for that matter, except cuddling). I’ve been lucky in my build as I’m also 6ft, so I don’t look like the weight I am. Well, not entirely. I’m doing this to play team sport because I LOVE and MISS it, to get fit in a way that is more sustainable than the boredom and jerks I hate at the gym, and because well, I’m part islander which means I’m physically destined for contact sport. But mostly because I’m in awe of the girls who do it, and wonder if they’d ever be my friend being so fiercely divine as they are. I’ve watched everything I can on youtube and read all the stuffnthings and forums and reviews and its decided!

And so here I am, writing a blog about it, perhaps because I’ve read a few of the derby blogs and realised that my big girl experience that might be of use to other women who want to smash their way to physical freedom. Because derby already made me feel more comfortable with my body, and I haven’t even played yet!

Tryouts in 2 months, buying my skates on the 15^th May and then.......SKATE EVERY DAY UNTIL I CANT MOVE!