Footwork drills

Edgework drill with one/two cones

Objective: Skaters to get comfortable using their edges

Action:

Each skater has one cone
Skater goes around the cone without turning and using their edges
Practice in both directions

Coaching Points:

go around the cone with hips facing forwards
as close to the cone as possible
Avoid looking down too much
Skater will lift either toes or heels depending on the move eg.
- Start on the left of the cone
- Lift toes and pivot on heels, shifting the front of the skate to the right
- Then lift heels to the right to end up on the right of the cone
- Then bring heels to the left and then lift toes to the left
- Skater should be back on the left of the cone

Progression: Practice on one foot

Edgework Drill with two cones (5 mins)

Action:

Skaters spread out to do edgework - set cones about 10 feet apart
Start at around the rear cone
Then skates forward to the next cone, plow then go around the cone using edgework above
Then skate backwards to the back cone and edgework

Progression: When skating backwards add in a crossunder

lane gliding

http://rollerderby101.weebly.com/drills

A breakdown of this move:

Start with both feet facing forwards.
Pick up the foot nearer to the direction you intend to go.
Turn that foot 90 degrees, with toes pointing in the direction you want to go.
Push off whilst gliding on that foot.

*There are two ways of stopping at this point*

Easy version (which is essentially stepping out of it): Place the trailing foot down facing forwards, transferring your weight onto that foot, lift your gliding foot up returning it to a forwards facing position. Now this is fine, but it is far clunker as there are more steps, stopping is less instantaneous, which means that changing direction is also slower.
Harder version: For this, you will need to have an understanding of how to do hockey stops (more specifically one footed hockey stops). Ok, so here with your gliding foot you do a one footed hockey stop to get your foot to snap into the forwards facing position, then place the trailing foot parallel.

So in either version you should finish in your derby stance, strong and stable. The key thing to keep in mind is that you are finishing with your hips facing forward.

This move overall is quicker than side stepping and more efficient to do as a pack (when practised).

Drill (Part 1):

Groups of 1. Send people out in a space. I’d judge which version to teach based on the competency of the skaters you have to do hockey stops myself. Get people to practice the above chosen version. Encourage them to move back and forth across one lane. After a while get them covering more than one lane with the movement.

Part 2:

Groups of 2. Send skaters to practice moving across the track as a pair using the London lane gliding. Get them to focus on staying together; communicating which lane they are stopping in, which direction they are going in.

Part 3:

Groups of 3/4. Have a jammer behind the wall that the blockers can track across the track at 50%. The jammer would be enabling the drill – i.e. not attacking the wall.

Part 4:

Groups of 3/4. Again, have a jammer behind the wall. This time the jammer is attacking the wall, but not challenging the wall above 50% as they are still enabling the blockers.

covering the lines - power stops / c-cuts

Video shows:

powerslide to the lines

180 c-cut to the lines

Other lateral drills

Drill 1

1-1 with cones - jammer laterals to take a line

Drill 2

2 wall (backs) + jammer laterals to break wall and take middle

360 laterals

Covering the track in walls

Video_1 (1).MOV

One Foot / Half Plows

Practice moving feet correctly while stationary. Stopping foot should come forward so it is in front of your body and heel should kick out to apply pressure instead of foot carving a C in the floor. Hips should stay square. If your hips turn then your whole body turns. Practice both sides.

- Next practice with a partner watching so they can give feedback.
- Finally practice stopping with your partner pushing on you. Stopping foot should be the opposite of the side being pushed on.
  - Half plow in a two wall- stop together at the same time. Then add in a jammer to push on your wall. You are responsible for your own weight. Make sure you are not leaning on your partner so much that they are unable to move.
  - Half plow in a four wall- stop together at the same time making sure to all use the same foot so feet don’t get tangled up. Then add in a jammer to push on your wall.

Drill Progression:

Get into partners, one is blocker type other is jammer type. For one minute blocker is controlling jammer with the stop we just practiced. Goal is to travel less than half a track distance by the end of one minute. This drill can be combined with other stops too.
Groups of 4. Three wall with brace and a jammer. Go until jammer gets through or you hit the pivot line. Control jammer with the stop just practiced. It is important for skaters in the wall to give their partners room to stop and manoeuvre. It is important for brace to let other blockers use them rather than the brace trying to control their movement.

Sideways stops

Practice moving feet correctly while stationary. Feet should flick out in front of you like a transition and hockey stop paired. Feet should be perpendicular to the direction of movement.

- Next practice with a partner watching so they can give feedback.
- Finally practice stopping with your partner pushing on you. Use sidestepping to maintain contact with your partner.

Drill Progression:

Get into partners, one is blocker type other is jammer type. For one minute blocker is controlling jammer with the stop we just practiced. Goal is to travel less than half a track distance by the end of one minute. This drill can include other stops too.
Groups of 4. Three wall with brace and a jammer. Go until jammer gets through or you hit the pivot line. Control jammer with the stop just practiced. It is important for skaters in the wall to give their partners room to stop and manoeuvre. It is important for brace to let other blockers use them rather than the brace trying to control their movement.

Backwards plows

Practice moving feet correctly while stationary. Feet should be shoulder width apart and toes should kick out to apply pressure rather than feet carving a C in the floor. The movement should be in your feet, not in your legs.

Next practice with a partner watching so they can give feedback.
Finally practice stopping with your partner pushing on you.

Drill Progression:

Get into partners, one is blocker type other is jammer type. For one minute blocker is controlling jammer with the stop we just practiced. Goal is to travel less than half a track distance by the end of one minute. This drill can include other stops too.

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