From the beginning of derby journey, they've been under tremendous pressure to perform, and as it turns out my kneepads (read about them here), were a pile of shit. I should have known when I got mysterious bruises under my pads, or maybe when my knee started swelling after training. The injury I got scaling Mt Tamborine was an extension of what was already happening under my pads really. A massive disgusting hematoma that eventually ran down to my ankle and swelled there. I couldn't afford better pads when I returned to derby which led me to my local sports store to get volleyball pads for underneath to create extra cushioning. It worked, for a spell, until my freshmeat pal told me of this amazing sale at Boardshop. I'd been lusting after some Deadbolt knees and Gladiator Gaskets, but I needed a cheap solution NOW. I launched at the website and couldn't believe luck - 187 Pro Derby knees for $85.00 with FREE shipping??
This might seem expensive for Americans, but here in the great land of Oz, if you wanna play derby; you better have a pile of gold somewhere cause livin' on an island ain't cheap.
I also got some Smith's scab's gaskets, for about $40.00 and this was all delivered in a day, so big ups to Boardshop; I was super happy with the service. The only sell protective gear for derby, given they are actually a skateboard shop, but it’s cheaper than other places in Oz.
Yesterday I took them for a spin at training. I'm sure if my knees could speak they'd sing reggae, cause they were so chilled and happy. My review:
Smith's scabs gaskets
I expected them to be a little tighter, as I didn't have to fight to get them up. I was around the centre of XL according to my size measurements, but retrospectively I wonder if I could have gotten away with an L. Still, the padding is good, and my joint felt like it was being cuddled tight :) I still had the full range of movement, and today my knee feels great.
187 Pro Derby kneepads:
I wasn't so sure about getting these, they seemed bulky and sitting-on-top-of-your-kneecap-like but I'm glad I got them. The padding is AWESOME, they don't cut in anywhere so are really comfy. I did feel like they affect my crossover step but I think it's manageable. I did notice when trying to Turkish Get up they slipped to the side slightly, but I had my gaskets under my training pants and the kneepads over, so there was no contact to hold the pads in place. Stupid I know.
Honestly taking double knees almost felt like I wasn't falling at all, and an added bonus is I could push my hips out further because I wasn't as shocked by the tap-tap.
Ultimately, if you are pre-freshmeat or currently in a league, I offer you a wake-up call. Buy your pads BEFORE your skates, don't skimp, do your research and spend every last penny on them. Even for me, about 7 months of skating on bad pads has taken a toll. Spend big on your knees, take them out to dinner, offer them elevation and rest, ice and compression and daily squats. Pretend they're like already unhappy, do happy knees exercises. Turn your weakness into your strength!
I tried Bikram Yoga, which I could go into with great depth but in short - it was pretty culty, and I can't believe I'm saying this but it was competitive. I couldn't bear all the gentle and free-spirited voices and competitive origami limbs. Margaret Cho couldn't have said it better IMO.
So now I'm about halfway through this:
And my leg strength has gone through the roof! It's totally worth it, and seriously, I promise you that it only lasts for about 5 minutes of your day. It's a great way to ease yourself into daily movement if you aren't doing this normally.
I have half of my workplace doing it with me too : )
Things are on the move. Hope they are for you too.
No comments:
Post a Comment