You Should Work Out.

Hey dudes. I know that it’s been a while–a lot has been going on, both in derby and Ye Olde Personal Life. Running your own business, playing roller derby, and attempting a personal life does not exactly leave a lot of time for blogging, so I have a sad folder full of blog post drafts that barely got started before I was pulled away by something else.

That will not be the story today, however! I’m here to deliver this important message, friends: if you want to get better at derby, and at life in general, you should work out.

Yeah, I know, you’re probably thinking, “but I don’t like cross-training,” or, “I can’t afford a gym membership,” or “I don’t have time to work out!” Well, my dears, GUESS WHAT?:

• Working out produces endorphins. They’re happy-making. If you’ve had a bad day, sweating it out is damned good therapy.
• Cross-training prevents injury! And, speaking from experience, there’s nothing much worse than being injured.
• When you do a thing consistently and see yourself improve, that’s pretty empowering. I mean, you’ve experienced that through derby, right? The same principle applies to push-ups.
• You don’t have to go to a gym to work out. You don’t even need a bunch of wacky equipment to do it–bodyweight training can do wonders.
• YOU TOTALLY HAVE TIME TO WORK OUT. Even a few minutes a day can make a difference.

DISCLAIMER: Before I talk about workout options, it’s on you to take a look at what you’re already doing, and seeing if it’s not enough, just right, or too much. I wrote about Overtraining a while back, and being overtrained is NOT FUN, so pledge to give yourself at least one complete rest day each week.

I’m a big fan of workouts that are short, intense, and effective, so this list is especially for you I-Don’t-Have-Time complainers. Here’s a quick run-down and review of a few workout resources that clock in 20 minutes or less, and are guaranteed to get you sweating.

Roller Derby Athletics

This site is a pretty stellar resource for derby players–the workouts are demonstrated in video form by Booty Quake, a skater for Terminal City, so she’s intimately familiar with the training needs of derby players. She offers a nice mix of full-body workouts, and workouts that address specific issues.

The Great: The derby-specific focus is my favorite thing about this site. Got issues with balance? Want to protect your knees from injury? Need to strengthen your core? Trying to build explosive power? Whatever the issue is, you’ll likely find a workout here that addresses it, so you can tailor your workout time to your needs. The exercises here also require little-to-no equipment–if you have a carpeted floor or yoga mat, you’re basically good-to-go.

The Not-So-Great: Some of these workouts seem almost *too* short, and in some cases, not quite as intense as others you’ll see on this list. There’s usually a good reason for that, though, such as focusing on proper form or one body part. But, if you’re short on time during the day, one of these less-than-10-minute workouts will get you a hell of a lot farther than not working out at all. And if you have more time to spare, pick two and do them back-to-back.

12-Minute Athlete

12-Minute Athlete is exactly what it says it is: high-intensity, strength-building, interval workouts that clock in around 12 minutes long. There are some slightly-longer workouts (16-minute and Challenge workouts that are rep-based), but all of them clock in under 20 minutes, so you can easily fit one in before your morning shower.

The Great: There’s a nice variety of workouts here–there are workouts that are more focused on certain parts of the body, so you can choose a core-blasting routine one day, and a leg-heavy workout the next. Still, no matter which one you choose, you’ll be working hard and getting your whole body moving. Just grab an interval timing app for your phone (I use MiniHIIT on my iPhone) and you’re on your way.

The Not-So-Great: Many of these workouts do call for a piece of equipment, but most can be modified by swapping in a bodyweight-only exercise. In fact, if you’re at a more beginner level of fitness, get used to modifying your exercises–there are some pretty hardcore moves in these workouts. (seriously–how many of you can do even one Handstand Pushup?)

Rambo’s Quick ‘n’ Dirty

This is actually a series of guest posts by Rambo Sambo, featured on KateInSkates.com, the blog of Nashville skater Hoosier Honey. Rambo is also a big fan of workouts that are shorter and more intense, so all of her workouts clock in around 20 minutes, and they’re full-body workouts that will kick your butt!

The Great: Rambo does a nice job of incorporating exercises that can help you become better and more explosive at derby, in addition to conditioning your body. She also brings in some truly brutal-but-effective techniques, like Tabata intervals. If you really want to challenge yourself and try something new, this is an awesome place to start.

The Not-So-Great: While there is a written guide to the exercises Rambo has you do, there’s not as strong of a video demonstration component here, compared to some of the other options listed. There have definitely been a few times when I’ve read the description of a new exercise, and gone into the workout thinking, “well, I hope I’m about to do this right…”

30-Day Shred and Ripped in 30 (DVDs)

On some days, you need more than just a list of exercises to do. Some days, you want someone running that interval timer for you, and you need that trainer’s voice hollering at you to push through the last couple of reps. When I’m having that kind of day, I bust out a workout DVD, and it’s usually one by Jillian Michaels. Both of these DVDs feature her interval training format of 3-minute Strength, 2-minute Cardio, and 1-minute Ab segments, and they’re some of the toughest DVD workouts I’ve ever come across. This is not your mom’s obnoxiously peppy aerobics video, guys.

The Great: Both of these DVDs have multiple workouts, so you can increase your difficulty over time, and that helps you avoid plateaus in your results. They also have a dedicated demonstrator who shows modified versions of many of the exercises, in case you don’t have enough strength to do the full exercise yet–it’s a nice starting point for a beginner who wants to be challenged by her first workout, but not completely demoralized.

The Not-So-Great: There has been some criticism about the form used in the kettlebell-ish moves that Jillian includes in some of her more recent videos, including Ripped in 30–so, be careful when you do those, or substitute a different move. Also, when you include the warm-up and cool-down stretch, the workout does go a little over 20 minutes. Still, you’ll be done by the 25-minute mark, so don’t you dare skip that post-workout stretch!

Baby’s First Bout

The training wheels are off: Saturday was my first bout, and it was nothing short of wonderful.

I had about a million different expectations for how it would be. I thought that performance anxiety might get the better of me. I thought the weight of knowing that my teammates are counting on me might be too much to handle. Or, maybe knowing they needed me would make me stronger. Maybe I’d end up being amazing on the track. Or awful. Or stunningly mediocre. I could’ve been that key blocker in a defensive wall, or also the person who gets sent to the box over and over. There are so many places your brain can go when you’re faced with an occasion as momentous as your first bout, both glorious and terrifying.

A lot of the things they say about bouting are true, though. These are just a few things my rookie brain meats have latched onto:

• Practice really can beat performance anxiety. I’ve done martial arts, theatre, and music for an audience in the past, and performance anxiety was always, always a thing. No matter how prepared I felt in those times, there was that familiar tightening in my chest every time I stood up to take my turn in the spotlight. At my first wushu tournament, I remember stepping onto the competition floor and promptly checking out–my brain went somewhere else and had no idea what my body had done until the final salute.

  The awesome thing about this bout? That anxiety didn’t happen. I didn’t freak out, I was present in each moment I spent on the track, and I knew what to do. My team let me know that they trusted me to do what was needed on the track. All the hours of practice I’d put in, both with my team and before they drafted me, prepared me for the physical movements, and built up the instincts for knowing what to do and when. Knowing that you’re ready for a moment is worth everything, and it’s pretty cool to realize that, hey, maybe you CAN be someone who performs well under pressure.

• The noise isn’t as distracting as you might think.  There’s a lot going on during an actual bout, as opposed to a scrimmage. There’s the crowd, of course, and there’s also the DJ playing music, the announcers commentating on the action, mascots whooping and hollering, referees making penalty calls, bench coaches signaling and shouting to be heard above it all. The funny thing is, when you’re actually playing the game, a lot of that noise fades away. I could hear penalties being called, my teammates calling out to me, my bench coaches communicating with us, but the rest didn’t even register, in the moment. One of the announcers talked about me during a jam, but I didn’t notice while I was skating–I didn’t know that’d happened until I watched the bout video this morning. It’s amazing how much the act of focusing on the game drowns out the extraneous stuff.
• It’s pretty thrilling to have fans and skaters giving you hugs and high-fives. It’s thrilling as all-get-out to have your name and number called out by the announcers, and be introduced with your team. And yes, even when you only get to play in two jams, it’s still it’s pure joy skate around the track after a bout, and have amped-up derby fans waiting to high-five you and congratulate you.
• Having fun is the best way to have a first bout. I have to say that, even though we won in points, the place where we really won was having the most fun. I wondered at times if sitting on the bench might get depressing, but my captains had prepared me for the mental dynamic of being a relief player. The mood on the bench was positive, and it was obvious that we were having a good time playing the game, even when we didn’t have the lead. That mood was so infectious that I couldn’t have been sad if I tried.

So, yeah. In the end, we pulled out the win, but even if the points hadn’t come out in our favor, I wouldn’t feel too badly about it. I spent a lot of last week nerding out over old-school kung fu movies, and found a Bruce Lee quote: “Success means doing something sincerely and wholeheartedly.” We absolutely did that. I have no doubt that we’ll do it every time.

I’m looking forward to doing more of that with these awesome ladies. <3 This season is going to be great!

Me blocking with two of my amazing teammates, while our magical jammer slips past a Betties blocker.

It’s Happening!

So, yeah, I’ve been quiet. The holidays, the flu, and a whole mess-load of work have been kicking my butt over the past several weeks. I feel fortunate to have survived the madness.

BUT! I am officially on the roster for the Season Opener! OMJESUS. Being one of the newest skaters to the team, I wasn’t exactly certain I would make the roster, but I’m on it. The reality of that hasn’t completely sunk in yet, and it probably won’t until 5 minutes before intros–I still have to remind myself every so often that, yes, in less than a week’s time, I’ll be skating in my first bout with my team.

I also got my team uniform last week. I probably should’ve gone a size larger, but eh, I still love the thing, and I can skate in it.

Transitions can sometimes be pretty jarring, when you skate with a league like Rose City. In a small league, you might show up, learn to skate, and be thrown into your first bout with your new team in the span of a few short months. The size of the venue, the loudness, the intensity will probably not be so massive–you’re most likely in a smaller town, with a smaller population, so the scale adjusts accordingly. You’re playing just as hard, of course. You just haven’t been doing it as long.

Here at RCR, you could be grinding away at skills and drills in the Fresh Meat pool for the better part of a year, or even longer. And that’s after picking up a lot of basic skating skills in Wreckers or Derby 101 classes. Once you get drafted, you may have to wait a while before you get rostered for an actual game. And when you do get rostered, your audience is not a cluster of your friends and locals sitting on bleachers at a high school gym–you’re taking your first strides into real derby gameplay for thousands of fans, at Memorial-frickin’-Coliseum.

The way things run in a large, competitive league like this one, it can be pretty easy to get intimidated by it all. Fortunately, the joy of playing derby eclipses any of the terror we might feel, if we just give it the chance. I’m expecting Saturday’s bout to be that way, too.

So, yes, I’ll soon be playing in my first bout with my team. I know that I’ll be a relief player, so I probably won’t get a lot of play time, but you know what? I’m going to be out there, in my shiny new uniform, being introduced over the loudspeaker. And I’ll be right there, on the bench, ready to support my team when they need me–whether that means pumping them up, calming them down, or skating alongside them, I’ll be ready to give them my best.

It’s going to be GREAT.

New Team, New Gear, New Rules

NEW TEAM

So, I’ve officially been a High Roller for a scant few weeks. How am I liking it? Simply put, it’s AWESOME:

• When I was a Meatie, this team’s practices were the most intimidating for me to attend. There are a lot of really, really good skaters who have a lot of experience, and they tended to run more athletically-challenging practices. There were times when I left feeling like The Most Hopeless Skater Ever, but in retrospect, that had more to do with My Dumb Feels than anything the team said or did. Now that I’m actually a member of the team, it’s gotten less scary. It’s amazing how much your perspective can change, just by simply knowing that your team has chosen you, believes in you, and wants you to succeed.
• We’ve been digging into strategy at a level that we didn’t on Fresh Meat, and have worked on unique plays and strategies. It’s really smart thinking, and it’s really exciting. I had a massive nerd moment about this a few days ago: awhile back, I’d thought up a strategy that seemed to me like it should work, and then lo and behold, while I was reviewing my team’s new strategies, one of them was the same strategy I’d thought up on my own weeks ago. Hey, maybe I’m not so dumb, after all!
• It’s a pleasant surprise how quickly you can come to love your team and feel like a part of it. In less than a month, I’ve gone from shocked-and-befuddled to head-over-heels with adoration for my team. Everyone has been super-welcoming, and I’m constantly impressed by and grateful for the supportive practice environment they create. Going in, I had my worries about being the introverted and not-very-outgoing New Person in a group of people who’ve skated together for ages, but these ladies have made it easy.
• It’s really weird to be able to say, “my team,” without any reservations or hesitation. It’s also a really, really good feeling.

NEW GEAR

Seeing as my heels slide around like crazy inside my skate boots–which I bought used, so lord only knows how old they actually are–I took the plunge and put in for a not-so-little draft present for myself: Antik AR-1s. I have a large, wide foot (Size 11 in street shoes) with pretty narrow heels, so I’ve had my share of weird boot-sizing debacles and attempts at crazy lacing techniques, to try and get that heel snug without crushing the life out of the front of my foot. After trying on several different boots, I really liked how cuddly-close the AR-1 felt all the way around my foot.

I just got the new boots–along with DA-45 Avenger plates–this past Sunday, and it’s definitely an adjustment. The plates are mounted a little further back than my old ones, so I feel that when I skate hard, and there are definite aches and pains, and tying and re-tying of skate laces to try and adjust. I can tell they’re going to be worlds better once I get used to them, but right now, they feel kind of strange and a little bit scary. And I have a weird temptation to go stick with the old ones, even though I know they’re a bad fit, just because their familiarity is comforting.

Yeah, it kind of sounds like the last bad relationship I was in, but a derby player spends a lot of time with her skates, and much like a relationship, a good fit can make your entire experience better, and a bad fit can make everything seem hopeless. Everyone’s assuring me that I’ll love the Antiks after a couple of weeks of break-in, so I’ll just have to deal with feeling slightly wonky for a bit longer.

NEW RULES

Now that we’ve had an actual bout with the new WFTDA ruleset, I have to say: THUMBS. UP. I love the one-whistle start. I appreciate the fact that, when I hear a ref call out my color and number, I know I’m supposed to go to the penalty box, because there are no more minor penalties. There have been a few changes and hiccups as the interpretations of the new rules have taken shape, and a few frustrations to go with, but I think things are going to smooth out quite a bit for skaters, once we get used to things.

I thought the rules changes would be great from a fan perspective, too, and it was great to have proof of that at the Portland vs. Seattle 4×4–my boyfriend, who’s seen several bouts before, liked the rules changes and thought they helped keep the game moving. Even better, a friend of ours who was watching derby for the first time LOVED the bout, and he also seemed to pick up on the rules without any real trouble. Boyfriend said that he didn’t quite understand things after attending his first bout under the old rules, so I take it as a good sign that a newbie had an easier time understanding the game under the new rules.

P.S. My team’s bout at the 4×4 has been lauded by more than a few people as the best bout of the night. That was for good reason, too: my teammates were awesome, and I couldn’t have been prouder of them! I can’t wait for the day when I get to bout with them. <3

An Ending and A Beginning

WOW. So yeah, THAT HAPPENED:

I’m positively floored to be saying that I’M A HIGH ROLLER! I’m now part of an amazing, experienced team, and I’ll be joining with two of the kindest Meaties I could ever have asked for. They even had a green and gold shirt ready with my name and number on it, waiting to welcome me.

It still hasn’t completely sunk in yet–maybe it will tomorrow, when I realize I don’t have to get up early for Saturday Fresh Meat practice, or on Monday, when I have my first actual team practice with my team.

And, just, wow. I get to say, “my team,” now. That’s weird. But, you know, in that good way.

It’s been a long and difficult journey to getting drafted, and it’s still a bit surreal that it’s finally happened. I’ve been on Fresh Meat for almost two years–minus those few months when I was injured and then waiting for the next opportunity to re-tryout–and it’s hard to wrap my brain around the idea that I won’t be, anymore. I nearly started crying this morning, at the thought of leaving my Meatie family. It’s the end of this story, and I’m being hit by all the nostalgia that comes with that.

It’s also, however, the beginning of a new story–are we going to make this an epic trilogy? Heh.–and the anticipation and excitement of that is whacking me upside the head, too. I’m headed into the unknown, and it’s a little scary, but I’m glad I’m going on this adventure. We’re going to see how many mountains we can climb together. My man-friend said this morning that I’m acting like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders, and, yeah, it’s true. I’ve been wound-up with tension, both derby- and non-derby-related, for the past several weeks, and last night was the best I’ve slept in probably a solid month.

So relieved. SO EXCITED.

And I really, really couldn’t have made it this far without the beyond-wonderful people who stuck by me along the way. I want to explode with happy just thinking about them.

I don’t even know what else to say. So much love.

My super-best bitch and first-day-of-derby sister Nabi, and me with my Muppet face. That is the face of excitement, y’all.

Risking Your Heart

A dear friend of mine shared this today, and it resonated with me:

“Life will break you. Nobody can protect you from that, and living alone won’t either, for solitude will also break you with its yearning. You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on earth. You are here to risk your heart. You are here to be swallowed up. And when it happens that you are broken, or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes near, let yourself sit by an apple tree and listen to the apples falling all around you in heaps, wasting their sweetness. Tell yourself you tasted as many as you could.” 

~ Louise Erdich, The Painted Drum

With draft upon us in a few short hours, it reminds me of how much we put on the line. We sacrifice our time, and put our bodies at risk every time we step out onto that track, but more than anything, we’re risking our hearts. We’re opening ourselves up to all the uncertainty, pressure, and doubt that comes with working towards a goal so massive. There’s potential for hurt that goes beyond simple bumps and bruises.

We experience the loftiest highs and the most crushing lows while we’re pouring everything we have into this, but we’re wise enough to know that we’re here on earth to take those risks. We’re daring enough to take the gamble, because we might just get to taste the sweetest of life’s moments–we allow ourselves to believe that we can achieve the thing we want so much, even where others have failed.

I’d say Good Luck to all my Meaties tonight, but you know what? Luck has nothing to do with it. I’ve watched us all work hard and improve by leaps and bounds, and every person on this squad has earned those triumphs, and deserves the respect that comes with them. No matter where you end up tonight, you deserve to have what you’ve worked so hard for, and you will get it.

No matter what happens tonight, you are brave beyond expression. Keep risking your heart.

Most Valuable Partner

(I am not responsible for this picture. Only for reposting it. Hurhurhur!)

You know who’s great? This guy right here. ——->

Okay, so, many of you don’t know him (yet), but I’m a fan. He’s the guy who’s been enjoying my company,and my smooches, on a regular basis for close to two years now. He’s the guy who puts up with all my crap. And by, “all my crap,” I mean, “the fact that I’m playing roller derby all the damned time.”

I made it onto Fresh Meat two days after our first date, so he’s never really known me without derby in my life, but he’d seen a bout or three before we met. He already liked and respected roller derby, and was pretty jazzed to be dating a derby girl.

He’s the guy who gave me awesome hugs during those first few dark, dark months on Fresh Meat, when I felt horribly outclassed and wanted to cry after practice on a regular basis.

He’s the guy who never, ever makes the stinkface when I tell him I have to go to practice, instead of going to some fun nerdy thing with him.

He’s the guy who tells me when I’m being too hard on myself, and reminds me that, yes, I am awesome, and I can get through the rough patches.

He’s the guy who kept my spirits up when I injured my ankle, couldn’t skate for 2 1/2 months, and had to leave Fresh Meat. And, he’s the guy who was legitimately thrilled when I finally got to put my skates back on, and try out for Fresh Meat again.

He’s the guy who not only lets me drag him out to derby gatherings, but actually has a good time and charms the socks off of people in the process.

He’s the guy who actually asks me how scrimmage was, and wants to hear the real answer.

He’s the guy who was waiting by my car on draft night, when I got passed over, and still insisted on hugging the crap out of me, even though I said I didn’t need it. (I probably did, at least a little)

When I hesitate and say that I’ll “hopefully” be on a home team soon, he’s the guy who cuts in and says, “you WILL get drafted!”

He’s the guy who says that, after I get drafted, he’s going to “make lots of Shaolin Spocker signs and go ‘wooooo!’” And I know that he’ll actually do it.

He’s been my biggest fan since before I ever did anything to deserve having a fan.

I know it’s hard for some people to understand why we do derby. My mother, by contrast, isn’t exactly on-board with derby–she’s never been a fan of anything “alternative,” and thinks I’m going to get myself killed. She offered pay for my wushu classes, just so I would go back to wushu and quit derby. Obviously, that didn’t work–derby is a really demanding lifestyle choice, but I know that it’s what I want, and that it makes me happy.

I also know that a lot of people have it harder than I do–they have families who need to see more of them, or partners who can’t easily accept or appreciate what derby does for our hearts and our spirits. I know that I’m lucky to have someone in my life who isn’t mired in the derby world, but still understands it, and throws his support behind me 100%, every time, without fail.

So, hats off to my super-awesome man-friend. If there were a Most Valuable Partner award, he’d win it every time. <3

And, hats off to ALL of the partners, families, and friends who are there for their derby-playing loved ones: the people who are in the stands screaming their heads off for us at every bout, the people who have dinner waiting when we get home from practice, the people who watch the kids for the evening while we’re tied up at committee meetings. We appreciate your support more than we can ever express, and it’s more important than you’ll probably ever know.

And finally, if you’re a skater who hasn’t thanked your Most Valuable Partner lately? Yeah, go give them a big hug.