Monday, May 23, 2011

Hit me with your best shot

Another week has rolled on by filled with lots of fun, hits, spills and pain which is the way derby was intended to be :)

The week before I was coming back from the flu but I was still coughing up my guts on the Friday so I had to sit out the training session with a shitty look on my face because I couldn't skate. I got back on my skates the next day at Skatel for a general skating session with some of the guys and girls from H.A.R.D and our future freshies. Leo and I continued our cat and mouse game, we each got the better of the other one at various stages. The funny moment came when I went to shoulder charge him but I clipped his skate and stacked it instead :D I somehow bruised his ankle with my skate during the morning, something tells me this will end in blood or tears or both hehe. Cherry and Mon also joined in on the fun with both of them lightly hitting me or carving in front of me. I was doing all this stuff for the first time and I think I coped with it ok. When they were about to hit me I'd squat down and try and provide some resistance so that I wouldn't go flying when they hit me. I had a lot of fun practising with them. In other major news after Cherry adjusted my toe stops I was finally able to stand up unassisted using my toe stops. I had never been able to do it until then, it was a massive relief because I was the only one in my league that couldn't do it. Once I started doing it a few times it became effortless and I thought to myself you have to be bloody kidding me it was so easy.

Last Friday was my first training session back from the flu and boy did I feel it. The ten minute endurace skating towards the end was the killer. My legs were so stuffed towards the end of the endurance that I don't think I was even skating properly anymore. Cherry was telling me during the endurance to think I was skating at Skatel because I'm still skating with fear at training which annoys me I wish it wasn't the case. Umm Cherry can we just switch our training sessions to Skatel I might improve a lot faster :) Along with Poz we had a photographer come out and take photos of us training for some promo shots, here's some of them we had to look angry in them :)



Last Saturday I headed out to Skatel with the usual crowd, I love skating with them. I trash talked with Cherry, the thing is I know I'm full of shit because I really can't back up what I say to her but one day I hope to back it up not because I want to hurt her (which I don't want to do of course) it'll just mean that I'll be competant at roller derby. Cherry continued with carving in front of me, my natural instinct is to either elbow her in the back or stick my hands out both of which are illegal moves in roller derby. Personally when she carves in front of me it's a mixture of fun and my life flashes in front of my eyes sort of feeling. At one stage I had her lined up for a shoulder hit but I couldn't follow through with it because I thought I was going to clip her skates and stack it just like I did with Leo last week. Getting used to skating close to other people
and bracing for hits is all great practise and helps with my confidence. My legs were stuffed so I'd take breaks but Cherry exploited my weakness by getting under my skin and calling me a piker. I knew she was trying to get a rise out of me and it bloody worked because all I could think was 'I'll fucking show you piker' so I'd get out and skate even though my legs weren't co-operating properly by that stage :D Cherry even helped the WSR freshies that were there, she really never stops coaching.

Sunday was brutal, it was off skate and on skate training. My legs are still suffering today. Cheya took over the training role for the freshie and she was really good. We practised various falls and stops, I was more confident with my t-stops after that. My toe stop caused me to injure my ankle just my luck so the endurance skating was a pain in the arse because I kept having to go off and try and somehow stretch the pain out not that that did much but I didn't give up and somehow got through it.

Our Corporal (white star) test is coming up in less than a month. The last two training sessions really highlighted how far behind I am everyone else. I don't believe I'll pass the test on my first attempt and I'm not stressed about it, I'd rather pass on my own merit than be passed on a dodgy because it'll only help me in the long run. I'm going to give it my best shot and I've got all my own training set out between now and then so I'll see how I go.

For those looking for some live derby action Sydney Roller Derby League have a double header on the 4th June. I'm bringing some friend's along who will be going to a bout to the first time. I'm hoping they enjoy it. All the details are here.

Lastly my league H.A.R.D is having its next freshie intake. Come along it'll be a lot of fun!

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Checkpoint

Far out its been a while since my last post (maybe that's a good thing I hear you say!). I've still been training but I got hit with the flu which I'm still getting over so I haven't been training for over a week now, hopefully I'll be back on the track this Friday night.

I thought I'd take the time to analyse where I'm currently at and what I've got planned in the near future. Overall my progress is going way too slow and it's all because of fear. I still haven't attempted to do things like jumps, I can't do crossovers, I haven't attempted four point falls etc etc and the list goes on. After the stacks and injuries I had in quick succession I've been too scared to try new things which is all the more ridiculous given the fact that horror movies don't scare me so this shouldn't be scaring me. It's pissing me off that I can't get out of this rut and until I fix it I won't be progressing, it's a vicious circle I tell ya. I think I need to actually think less and just let go and see what happens.  The Corporal (white star) tests will be coming up soon. I don't believe I'll pass on first go but I'll still do it and see what I can pass and what I need to work on.

Normally when I've been stuck on the sidelines I'll get angry that I'm not skating but lately I've used it to learn especially when Haterade from Sydney Roller Derby League came out to train us last Sunday night. She got the guys doing so many cool things for the first time that I really want to try to do them. The other great thing was seeing my team mates push themselves past their limits, they should all be proud of what they achieved not just that night but also our other training sessions you can't help but be inspired.

It hasn't all been negativity I've managed to improve my skating and awareness of skaters around me which is down to the Saturday morning sessions at Skatel with Cherry and Leo. Cherry often carves in front of me so that's helped getting used to having someone cut in front of me and get in my personal space. I can't wait until I start paying her back :) Leo and I have developed an ongoing cat and mouse game at Skatel and training. He would grab my calf as he skated past, I used to let it go until I started to retaliate, just as he about to skate past me I put a stiff arm out and clocked him in the chest :) As a result now I always keep a look out to see where he is, he hardly gets me now because I spot him first. The times he does get me I now attempt to chase him around the track, I can't catch him yet but I've got the confidence to skate faster. The other cool thing about these cat and mouse games is that although my competitive nature comes out and I don't want to let him win I'm having fun so it makes it all the more enjoyable which in turn helps me improve faster.  

Before I came down with the flu a group of us attempted a marathon skating session at Skatel on the Anzac public holiday. I lasted from 10am - 2:30pm. I had breaks in between but I skated until my legs gave up. I know I can push myself which will serve me well in derby. Also before the flu I finally got into a routine with exercise and weight management, it was actually working and I was beginning to lose weight. It has been derailed with the flu but I'm eager to get back on track again. I'm actually going to set up a proper exercise plan and try and stick to it to get some results not only for derby but also for the fact that I'm going to have to wear a dress to my sister's wedding next year (the things you do for the people you love!). I've actually found some tips from a great roller derby related fitness blog by Hard Knox check it out it's well worth the read.

I've been reading up on the roller derby rules and one of my team mates recorded the Team Unicorn vs WSR bout last Saturday so I've been using that to get a better understanding of the rules and seeing tactics and formations unfold so it has been educational.

Overall there is room improvement but I'm not a lost cause yet :)