Drink up!

Whats up roller derby world! Krissy Krash here. Rowdy and I are so excited to share our Top 10 Tips for the 24 hour athlete...yes that means you! If you have a body, you are an athlete.

This week we will be covering Hydration. I learned very early on in derby that drinking water during games and practices as well as in the days and hours leading up to practice made a huge impact on how I performed both in the game/practice and the after party. In fact, after my first game, I was literally sick for 2 days because I lost so much water and electrolytes during the bout. So key point to remember, roller derby is like we used to say in college....drink early and drink often....except this time I mean water.

Why hydrate?

You are losing 2 key elements when you sweat. What does this mean for you and your derby performance?

When you sweat you lose water. Losing water results in a drop in your blood volume (yes blood is mostly water) which means that your heart will now have to work harder to circulate the blood through your body. This can result in muscle cramps, dizziness, and fatigue. Yeah, water is THAT important!

When you sweat you also lose electrolytes.

WTF do electrolytes do anyways??? Basically they are electrically charges ions/particles that are required for regulating the balance within your body on a cellular level. So not only do normal body functions rely on these little guys, but performance can be greatly impacted by a loss of electrolytes as well.

How much water are we supposed to get anyways?

Take your body weight in pounds and divide it by two. That's how many ounces of water you should drink on a daily basis. For example, I am 200lbs so I drink 100 ounces of water PLUS any additional water during my workouts.

When do I need to supplement electrolytes?

Unless you are working out heavily for over an hour, water will typically be an acceptable form of hydration. When getting your sweat on for an hour or more you may want to consider an electrolyte supplement. Current research shows there are 3 key pieces to look for in a hydration supplement. 1)Carbs 2)Electrolytes 3)Protein

Carbs:

Your body burns carbs as an easy access energy source. If you are working out for over an hour, you can sometimes get low blood sugar or what I call "Getting the stupids"...where its hour 1.5 of practice and you are scrimmaging after a hard endurance session and you feel a bit worn down and dizzy and you can't for the life of your remember you pivot's name and everything everyone does or says seems funny... this is usually a sign of low blood sugar. Because your brain also runs on glucose (sugar) you will want to get some quick carbs to replenish both your body and mind.

Electrolytes:

Keep away muscle cramps and keeping your body going on a cellular level

Protein:

Yes I said protein. Are you confused? Well here's the deal. As you workout, you damage your muscle. This damage results in muscle protein breakdown. Your body will actually start taking the protein from your muscle as an energy source. One way to avoid this is to drink protein during workouts. Doing so will minimize muscle protein breakdown during your workout and actually help to speed muscle recovery after your workout.

So where do you get all 3?

Well, you can drink a bottle of water, eat an apple, and drink a creamy protein drink, or you can do what I do. I use something called Prolong. I use a 1/2 serving during a 2 hour workout. Its an endurance drink designed by cyclists to prolong your ability to kick ass and take names (thus the name Prolong). Here is a video on why its awesome and why I use it. We are also offering a sweet hook up on Prolong for All Derby Drills readers. Email us for details.

Ready to get your ass in gear? Get 10% off www.goherbalife.com/krissykrash by using the coupon code  AllDerbyDrills 

KrissyKrash.Derbalife@gmail.com
 

KristiBravoHealthCoach@gmail.com

Easy juking drill

Alternative names: Faking

Objective: Agility; to practice juking; to improve jammer (and blocker) skills

Typical length of drill: 10 minutes

Materials needed: A taped down track

Skill level required: None

Description: Count your skaters off by two so that you get two groups (ones and twos).  Have all the skaters spread out on the track and start skating.  On your first whistle the #1 skaters all stop and stay put on the track in a nice squat position.  At the same time, all the #2 skaters begin sprinting and juking around all the obstacles on the track.  Make sure you tell them that this is very specifically a juking drill so they should be skating right up to their stopped teammates and then juking around them; this is NOT a weaving drill.  Tell the skaters to challenge themselves, so if someone for instance has stopped very close to inside track boundary then this is an opportunity for them to try and juke to the inside line.  After 60 seconds blow the whistle again and at this point the #2s stop where they are and the #1s start sprinting and juking.  Repeat these 60-second cycles for up to 10 minutes.

Additional notes: I feel like one of my Helsinki Roller Derby teammates ran this drill at a practice a long time ago but I can't remember who so I'm sorry to say I have no credit to give (or take) here.  This is a really simple drill that's good for agility and beginner juking practice. Before doing a juking drill I like to really demonstrate to the skaters how jelly-like I want to see them act on their skates.  Lots of moving your body around and changing your height and direction to really confuse the opponent.  I've also been known to call juking "dancing on skates" and enjoy giving everyone a chance to embarrass themselves as a group before we begin the drill by doing a little group dancing.  It loosens everyone up and can actually have a great effect on their viscosity on the track.

Finally, I'd like to add that this is a good drill to do in the opposite direction!

For a quick juking lesson, watch this excellent Juking 101 -video with Bonnie D. Stroir and the San Diego Derby Dolls:

Let's Talk Breakfast

Hey there Everybody, this is Rowdy Roulette,

Over the next few weeks, our goal is to share with you tips and tricks and answer any questions about having a better nutrition plan to fuel your bodies as well as ours for optimum performance on and off the track.

The next 90 days Krissy and I committed to each other to achieve our personal BEST results. We both are working with trainers as well as each other to stay accountable, (yes even coaches need accountability buddies) I look forward to taking you on this journey with me/us.

So, how do you start your day off? Do you eat first thing in the morning? Do you work out? OR do you just hit the ground running? I’m curious to hear what you do. I KNOW we’ve all heard and know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But for most of us we are busy in the mornings, rushed for work, school, the gym whatever it is. So we just skip it and plan to make up for it later. You can’t really make up for your breakfast when you skip it.

Being a single mom with three boys mornings are so hectic at my house I have to have something fast and easy in the morning to eat. It also has to be packed full of minerals and vitamins as well as good complex carbs and proteins. I want that kick off to my day. I currently have skates on my feet a minimum of four times a week and am in the gym 4 days a week so I count on my nutrition to keep me going.

For those who like to geek out on stuff like blood sugar levels here is an interesting little read..

No Breakfast - When we skip breakfast, blood sugar drops below the normal level, leading to cravings and a drop in energy. To deal with cravings, we usually revert to snacking on simple carbohydrates, causing a fast rise in blood sugar levels and a substantial insulin emission. The insulin removes most of the sugar from the blood and turns any excess into fat. Our body, now low in blood sugar, experiences further cravings and a drop in energy. This vicious cycle constitutes one of the major reasons for diabetes, high blood pressure and extra weight.

Make sure to start your mornings with something that has minerals and vitamins, complex carbs and protein. I currently have skates on my feet minimum of four days a week and am at the gym four as well so I count on my nutrition to keep me going and that's how I start my mornings.

Each week we are going to blog about different things, if you have something specific you’d like to talk about here leave us a comment or shoot us over an email.

Hope you have a rad day,

Rowdy

Guest blogging: Rowdy Roulette & Krissy Krash

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Rowdy Roulette is one of the lead coaches for Derbalife. She’s been laying skaters out for the for Arizona Derby Dames in Phoenix, AZ for seven seasons.  Two years ago she started to take a more serious interest in health and fitness when she got introduced to Derbalife through Krissy Krash. She now cross trains regularly along with using a comprehensive nutrition program to support optimal performance. Since breaking her ankle in May of 2011 and making such a quick recovery, she’s really taken an interest to supporting other skaters who have had serious injuries on their road to recovering and getting back on skates.

Krissy Krash is a health and nutrition coach and founder of Derbalife, a group created out of love for nutrition and roller derby. She has 6 ass kicking years of derby experience and 3 years as a health coach working with skaters who are looking to transform from Derby Girls into all star athletes. Several years ago Krissy began to study performance nutrition and through personal experience and top level training has learned how every day simple changes in one's nutrition can take energy, strength, and endurance to a whole new level. She currently skates flat track with the Angel City Derby Girls and banked track with Team Bionic.

Derbalife supports the athletic roller derby lifestyle. Our coaches are skaters themselves who are knowledgeable users of our products and participants in our programs which we believe provides our clients with enhanced real life support and the ability to identify the individual needs of each skater. Derbalife is a revolution among skaters across the country who are looking for a simple way to step up their game and improve their skating performance. Nutrition is a vital part of athletic performance. Roller Derby has grown from a hobby into a competitive sport and as a result, skaters are stepping up to a new level of competition. Skaters need to fuel their bodies like the ass kicking machines that they are. We offer nutrition education, kick ass nutrition programs and personal 1:1 coaching and support for skaters of any level. Reduce the risk of injury, build lean muscle, lose fat, have more energy, boost endurance, and a whole lot more.

Contact Derbalife@gmail.com for your free Nutrition Evaluation and goal setting session!

Krissy Krash and Rowdy Roulette will spend some time on All Derby Drills blogging on the top 10 keys to nutrition for the 24-hour athlete (balancing life and derby).  Nutrition is an important part of your training and the path to becoming the best athlete you can be, so A.D.D. excitedly welcomes Krissy and Rowdy!

White Board Magic

Alternative names: --

Objective: To visualize penalty scenarios

Typical length of drill: --

Materials needed: white (dry erase) board, magnets, dry erase marker

Skill level required: --

Description: As a ref I have come across some crazy 'what if' scenarios regarding the rules. The derby ref forum's are chock full of scenario's like "What if the red jammer skates a circle around the black pivot then does a back flip across the turn but lands with her feet facing non-derby direction all while reciting the Battle Hymn of the Republic?". What better way to visualize these scenarios than with a white board.

Pick up a small white board and dry erase marker from your nearest super gigantor box store. The one I use is 15" x 12". Then get yourself some white board magnets and number/letter stickers. Label your pivot and jammer magnets. You can also put numbers on the blocker magnets so you can explain things easier. Use the marker to draw your boundary lines. Now sit down with your ref's and think of a rules scenario. Explain it on the white board. After someone gets it (or after you explain what happened) pass the board on to the next person. I've done this a few times with my ref's and it is VERY effective.

Additional notes: White boards are a very effective way to show strategy, plays and scenarios across all sports. Unfortunately I rarely see them used in roller derby.

Referee Penalty Calling Circuit

**Drill as follows is written for on-skates but can be done either on-skates or off-skates.  It was submitted by Sintax of Wollongong Illawarra Roller Derby in NSW, Australia.
 
Alternative names: 'Are we doing the circuit Sintax?'

Objective: 1. To develop derby thinking skills (by calling penalties) which still function while we are doing cardio activities; 2. To continuously practice seeing 'ten feet' while using derby thinking skills.

Typical length of drill: 15 minutes (two complete run throughs with six participants)

Materials needed: Trainer: Tape/cones to mark corners, interval timer (or app), penalty flashcards (or app/website, see Zebra Huddle), chair to put penalty app/flashcards on; Participants: Whistles

Skill level required: All ref skill levels but works particularly well when you have a mix of experienced and less-experienced referees. Injured/off-skates refs can also join in this drill and work to their own level. 

Description: We have been doing the following circuit for a while now and try to fit it into every referee training session. It has changed a bit with use but this is it's current format. Each station runs for 60 seconds with a 15 second break in between. Trainer can easily join in.

Mark out a square on the floor with the corners exactly ten feet apart. These are the 'corners' and are marked as 'C' on the diagram. Mark the points of an imaginary triangle laid on opposite sides of the square approx 5 feet out, these are the 'points' which are marked 'P'.

The circuit is broken into two parts, the physical activities are at the corners and the penalty calling practice is at the points. Set the interval timer to 12 rounds of 60 seconds work time with 15 seconds rest.

At the points the referees will be looking at four bodies ten feet apart as measured at the hips while using ref brain to call penalties. Point one (P1) is set up with the penalty practice app on a chair. Ref at P1 calls penalties as they appear, with correct whistles, calls and hand signals. Ref at P2 mirrors call back at P1, repeating whistles, calls, hand signals. Inexperienced refs at P1 may call just number and penalty and then mirror back hand signal/format to P2.

The activities at the corners should be a good mix of cardio and strength training. By the time refs get to P1/2 they should be a bit puffed and have to work to switch into ref brain mode. Each activity should be done with the participants' hips directly over the 'C' mark on the floor. Set a different activity for each corner and remember to discuss alternatives with anyone who is injured/off-skates. Suggested activities include: stutter steps/running on the spot on toe stops; isometric squats; planks; sit-ups/push-ups; alternating knee-lifts; anything you can do on-skates, in one place, which will get your pulse up.

Additional notes: This drill is designed for six people per circuit (though if you don't have enough people for two circuits extra stations can be set up between corners and points with extra activities). Drill can also be done with players who are eager to get more familiar with hand signals though it is probably best to try and get players and refs at opposing corners.

Derby Burpee

Alternative names: sonsabitches
Objective: endurance and balance
Typical length of drill: 3 sets for two minutes each. 10 second break between sets
Materials needed: Full derby gear and whistle for the leader
Skill level required: Pass the fresh meat/level 1 test. There will be some falling, hopping and jumping.

Description: Inside referee's are really the only people that skate the full 60 minutes of a bout. The jam ref's really need to be in tip top shape in order to keep up with the jammers. There's nothing worse than a jam ref getting winded and lagging behind, thus missing out on points and penalties. This drill is a re-work of the classic burpee excercise. If you don't know what they are check out this video:



Make a circle. Put yourself in the middle. Start off in derby stance and start picking up your feet, alternating between left and right. Sort of like running in place. Get those knees high. When you blow the whistle everyone does a double knee fall then goes down into a four point (knees and elbows). Then immediately get to your feet and start running in place again. You can take it to the next level with a short jump when you get to your feet. Blow the whistle at random intervals. This really gets your heart rate up. See if you can go for two minutes. See if you can go longer. Take a short break and get back into it.

Additional notes: If you (as the leader) want to do this drill too then yell "down". I tell the group that the one that does it the best during the second time gets to come to the middle and lead the third. Make sure they're landing on all four wheels. It doesn't take much to twist an ankle or worse.