Ignite Portland 11: Become More Awesome at Roller Skating!

Hey guys! Thanks for listening during my Ignite Portland talk. I’m glad you came, and I hope you learned a few things from all of the super-cool speakers, and hopefully from me, too.

As promised, here are some handy links to videos and blogs, that’ll help you get more in-depth on the skating techniques and exercises I talked about. And, you can also download a PDF of my slide presentation from the talk, if you want to take another look what I shared!

Stopping

• Here’s a video overview of different stops used by roller derby skaters: T-Stop, Plow Stop, and the “Tomahawk Stop”/Turn-around Toe Stop: How to Play Roller Derby : How to Stop in Roller Derby Skates
• For a more in-depth breakdown of Plow Stops, check out this writeup from Kamikaze Kitten: Anatomy of a Plow Stop
• Or, try this writeup from Double-Easy of the Denver Roller Dolls: Beginner’s Guide to the Plow Stop.

How do derby skaters use their toe stops for stopping?

• If you’re feeling froggy about backwards skating, here’s a short video demonstration: Demo: Turn Around Toe Stop
• Or, have Kamikaze Kitten break down the Turnaround-Toe-Stop for you: Anatomy of a Fast Derby Stop.

Work your ankles and feet

• Here are some additional exercises for stretching and strengthening your feet: 4 Moves to Build Strong, Fast Feet
• And, here are some tips with more focus on ankle strength and stretching: Exercises for Strong Ankles & Feet

Squatting

• This covers squat technique in the context of weight lifting–the tips on form still apply to unweighted squats!–with a great explanation of the benefits of squats: Squat Form: How to Squat with Correct Technique
• This blog does a simple breakdown of correct squat form, and also includes a video at the end: How-To: Proper Squat Technique
• And, if squats are killing you at first, here are some squat alternatives: http://exercise.about.com/library/blsquatFAQ.htm

Transverse Abs and Psoas

• There aren’t a lot of ways to specifically target your transverse abs, but this has several great plank variations: Transverse Abdominal Exercises
• As for your psoas, here are some stretches, and an overview on how a sad psoas can lead to back pain and other issues: The Psoas: Is It Killing Your Back?
• And, here’s a closer look at the psoas crunch, and psoas stretching. It’s good for cyclists, too!: Strengthening the Psoas Muscle

Portland web design – Portland professional photography – Sarah Giffrow Creative

Share this: