An Actual Post About Skating

Yesterday I went to a Sunday practice. Sunday are lower intensity, aimed at newer skaters and more about skating technique than about roller derby per se. We have higher intensity practices where we do a lot of drills to improve our roller derby skills (blocking, jamming, skating in packs, speed management, developing strategy, etc.). But I still really like technique practices too. They can be a good workout (just keep 'em moving) and since I skate from my head (rather than or in addition to intuitively) I find them helpful in focusing on skills and understanding what works and why (and having the time to play with weight transfer, balance, muscle isolation, etc -- yes I'm a bit of a geek).

Yesterday we worked on skills we've worked on many times before: stopping. But what I realized is that I can still have moments of clarity on things I've been working on for months. I realized my general skating abilities slowly improve, my strength and muscles slowly increase, my confidence slowly increases, and then wa-la I can plow stop effectively (sort of like when you ski except using one leg more than the other) and use the plow stop to do one of my nemesis drills: the suicide. (You know, run to the closest gym line, touch it, run back to the start, off to the next line, etc.). My turning ability has always been less than elegant (picture the turning of a large 1970s era car, vs. turning a Honda civic). It actually all clicked for me yesterday, there was a light bulb over my helmet! (the light for those who care, was in fact blinking between pink and brown).

I've been skating regularly for 1 year and 7 months, and it's a process. I actually really like that. That I can work on something, get a piece of it, come back to a month or two later, and get more out of it. I know that some people skate more intuitively, and practicing more basic skills can get boring, but as long as I'm working at it, playing with it in my head as I do it, finding ways to challenge myself, (and don't have to do it toooooo long), I like it. It's also about presence. Yes I can stop without really thinking, but if I am focusing on it, I'm focusing on it, and not on laundry, groceries, getting my car serviced, or any of the other 1000 things I'm always thinking about. That's actually one of the biggest benefits of skating.

(And as an aside, my continued joy in skating really makes me believe in the future of roller derby as a sport: for everyone! )

So the rolling lane is rolling along. Long live Roller Derby! Long Live Derby Lite! Viva Underpants!