Roller Derby doesn’t really have an official season, a topic which I’d love to
explore later, but it seems like a lot of teams take time off during
the holidays. If you’re entering an extended period out of practice,
don’t completely end your training. Periods of rest are important, but
so is cross-training. When you’re not concerned with competitive play,
it’s important to build your athletic base and worry less about finite
skills.
Our league ramped up competition the past few seasons, once we became part of the WFTDA, and we have been pretty busy. Last year we did take off time in December from
skating but continued to workout, which started us out right in January.
This year is different for two reasons: I started a derby break early,
and we have no formal training for our off season, so it’s all D.I.Y.
Part of the reason for my break was a mental one, but also a restorative
and physical break. I have an odd sleeping schedule (work at 4am) and ran myself into the ground in October. I have gotten a little too
lax on working out on my own though, especially when Thanksgiving hit, and I am
feeling it now.
Winter can make it doubly hard to keep moving, especially if you live in a cold, wintry place, but there’s no excuse to quit
trying. Since there aren’t bouts keeping you busy, you should have more
time to work on your strength and conditioning. Don’t worry about
skills or even skating during this time, but just focus on those
building blocks.
This
is also a good time to work on any imbalances that your body might have
from rigorous training. We skate hard and turn left, so your body is
likely to have a bit of lopsided muscle development or training wear.
There might also be a nagging injury or pain that has haunted you all
season, and this would be the time to address it and work it out gently.Work on your strength and stability with workouts like this one by Smarty Pants (page 50, article on Texas Rollergirls proceeds it).
The
training doesn’t need to be of Olympic caliber or intensity, and cutting
out high-impact exercise during this time can help your body recover
and help prevent future injury. Maintaining the same level of training
as during the season, when you have no bouts to work towards in the off-season, can be just
as detrimental as dropping training completely. The mind isn’t as
focused without an objective to work towards, and you can get sloppy or
hurt yourself maintaining that mid-season intensity. Going into the next
season you don’t want to start from scratch though, maintaining a small
level of fitness is better than starting all over.
Sandrine Rangeon’s recent blogpost about hypertrophy training
emphasizes how we must put balance in our training. Skaters often work
hard on their quads and glutes, but forget about hamstrings. Performance
relies on muscle groups working together, and these two have an impact
on your skating power and the functioning of your knees.
This
is also a good time to work on flexibility and make sure your body
doesn’t go frigid during these off months (and cold months for most.) If
you haven’t tried yoga before, this could be the time to find your zen
during holiday stress. Invest in a foam roller, or chunk of PVC pipe,
and roll out your muscles with a deep tissue massage. Flexible muscles
help prevent injury!! (If I talk enough about injury prevention, will it
sink in?)
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| Some of the people I've been missing while on break.... |
If
your league doesn’t believe in breaks, talk to your board or coaches
about implementing one. One or two specific times of the year where you
completely stop skating for a month or so. It can do wonders for team
morale, motivation, and your bodies. Roller Derby is filled with a
varying degree of bodies and fitness, so of course some people can
handle heavy training, but others may not. Give everyone a break, and
those who crave more can do it on their own.
This
also means plugging in small breaks through the season. Plan your bouts
so you’re not competing too much back to back. Think of getting knocked
down and around repeatedly like getting hit by a car; your body
deserves a bit of recovery. Plan some low-impact practices the week
after a bout, and then build back up to the next one.
 | |
| Living History Farm's Cross Country race. Over the creeks and through the woods, in 9 degree weather.... |
The
off-season isn’t only time to get sweaty, but to brush up on your
nutritional training as well. Discover healthy ways to eat your favorite
foods, try new recipes and allow yourself to indulge a little over the
holidays, but compensate elsewhere. (i.e. salad for lunch with tons of
veggies!) Get in a food routine and carry it on into the season.
Don’t just throw up your hands in the off season because you’re not meeting for practice weekly or you had a weekend full of holiday dinners, start molding next year’s athlete now! Hold yourself accountable and form weekly goals. Force a teammate to meet you at the pool, sign up for a 5k, or get a gym membership. Do whatever it takes to keep you moving and you’ll thank yourself when January hits. -L4D
Some sources I pulled info and ideas from:
How to Recover from a Tough Racing Season
One Simple Strategy for Avoiding Weight Gain in the Off Season
December Naturally Fit Magazine - Article on Texas Rollergirls and workout by Smarty Pants
The Pro Secrets to Off-Season Training
Off-Season Training
(look to other sports to help cross-train!)
Also a reminder to relieve some of the pressure your team might be experiencing, and the off-season can be a good time to refresh. Blog by Elektra Q-Tion.
