Creating & Breaking Walls

WALLS! WALLS! WALLS!

Two is better than one, right? Yes! That's exactly why you want to be with your blocker friends when you're on the track. On your own, you might do some damage, but with a teammate or two you take up more of the track and your chances of catching that wily jammer more than double. Don't be an individual on the track - save that for the after-party.
The following is a two-hour practice with the theme of Creating & Breaking Walls. The practice is designed to progressive with each drill, so don't move on to the next drill until the skaters grasp the one before.
This practice is created for 20-40 skaters and should be executed on a WFTDA track. Coaches should demo each drill prior to beginning.

WARMUP | 20 MINS
1 min each | skate @ 75%, traverse the track, scissors, quick stepping, sprint
2 mins x 2 | One on One : Divide skaters in half, one half acts as slow-paced blockers, the other act as sprinting jammers. The blockers try to stop the jammers. After two mins switch.
3 mins | Stop on the whistle and explode after reaching a complete stop
3 mins | Dynamic Stretch
5 mins | Static Stretch

CREATING EFFECTIVE WALLS

The wall's inside skater must protect the inside line so the jammer never escapes through it. The inside blocker only steps as far away from the line as she can, knowing she can quickly return and stop the jammer. The wall's outside skater does most of the dirty work by swinging to the outside and back to her partner in order to stop the jammer on the outside. Remember to skate low and wide as to take up as much of the track as possible.

Great Wall of Ghina | 2 mins x 3

Repeat with new jammers
Cannonball Drill | 6 mins
Repeat if needed
Anchoring Drill | 5 mins
Repeat if needed
Great Wall of Ghina + Pacecar | 10 mins
Now that you have a few techniques to use in your wall, it's time to add pack definition to practice keeping your wall in play.



BREAKING WALLS

Persistence is key when breaking through a wall. Jammers don't always get through on the first try. With each attempt to pass through or around the wall gets weaker and less prepared. She must never give up and be ready to explode through the smallest opening.
Wall-Breaking Progression Drills | 25 mins



PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Let's put it all together and focus on both creating and breaking walls. In the next drills, if you are a wall, use all the techniques you've practiced. If you are breaking walls, use the wall-breaking techniques you've practiced.
The Homewrecker | 6 mins x 2
Repeat with Roving Jammers