Monday, February 22, 2010

Day 5 indoor training

I haven't gotten outside yet. David's working on his workshop and the it's still chilly out. But that doesn't mean I can't start practicing.

So I've been reading and watching Youtube videos on roller skating. Not a lot of info specific to roller derby skating, but there is this entire world of jam skating, circa 1980, that seems to have continued on into this century.

It's pretty freakin crazy. Some of it is cool, some a little silly, but whatever.
What these jam skater people do really well is do crazy moves on their skates.

In derby it's all about dodging, taking and giving hits, but mostly moving in one direction. With jam skating it's all about dancing like Jamiroquai on the Virtual Insanity video. But instead of sliding with your feet, they slide with their skates.

Pretty much these guys are more coordinated on skates than I will ever be on my feet, but they have some good pointers.

So I currently skate like someone very freaked out and surprised that there are wheels on my feet. I do the wobble, the concerned facial expression and the robot moves. I would like to change this.

When I see competent skaters move, they have this whole smooth flowing gate like gliding on water. Well on wheels. I would like to do that. I currently shuffle like an Parkinson patient.

So while indoors is limited for track practice, it is perfect for jam practice. Which while I won't be bustin moves on the derby track, it will highly improve my balance on skates.

So with T.V. on I am doing heel toe balancing transitions. This gets me used to balancing on one foot and smoothly transitioning to the other. And it's helping figure out how to skate backwards, which is super cool.

I'm hoping this afternoons post will be full of how just a few hours indoor practice improves my outdoor practice.

2 comments:

  1. I like your blog. Who are you reffing for?

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  2. If all goes well I will be a skating ref for the Tilted thunder rail birds. If all does not go well I will still get to be an nso official and I can keep practicing skating!
    I saw you guys play in Edmonds last weekend, it was great!

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