Fresh Meat Week 3
3rd December

WHIPPING
Like pushing, whipping is a great way to help a jammer or blocker gain speed and get through the pack.  It can also be used to get a team mate in front of another skater.

Hip whips:
Hip whips can be used to get yourself around a team mate, as well as increase speed.
+ Touch first to let your team mate know you're there, then pull yourself around.
+ Don't pull your team mate down - instead, pull them straight toward you.
+ Like with pushing, come in close first in order to increase your power.
+ Don't be afraid to use some fore
+ Make sure you communicate what you are intending to do!

Outside arm whips:
+ You must feel confident giving each other your full weight
+ It's not about how big or small you are, but about using your core and your whole body to transfer energy
+ As the whipper, make sure you follow right through the whip (ie. don't stop half way) to give your whipee the option of where to let go
+ Think about: counter balance, stable feet and strong core
+ Use your hockey stop to transfer all your possible energy to your whipee - it's okay if you stop entirely
+ Remember to use closed fists (ie. not locking fingers)
+ Communicate!  Use your eyes and your voice to let your partner know what to expect, and when
+ Don't just move from the shoulder.  As GoGo says 'the arm is like the handle, but it is the body that gives the power'.
+ A whip will be most useful when going into or coming out of an apex

Inside arm whips:
Inside arm whips will not be as powerful as outside arm whips, but are useful in small spaces, or when you need to sneak a blocker or jammer through on the inside line.  There are two variations on the inside arm whip: first, using a locked (bent) left arm as a lever or, alternatively, pulling your partner through with your right arm and then giving them a little push with your left.
+ Remember that all skaters must stay inside the track lines!
+ Derby stance will always help you to stay stable.  + + And, once again, remember to communicate your intentions!


Love and Bumps
3 Veg & Gravy xxx

Fresh Meat Week 4 - Dress Rehearsal!

6th December 2012

Here are the essentials for each of the Fresh Meat testing stations.  If you have any questions about any of the stations, please comment here or email us.

JUMPS & FALLS
For falls remember: quick recovery, standing without using your hands (use your core!) and keep your arms and legs tucked in (no flailing or chicken arms).

• Single knee fall (both legs) (engage your core to stay stable)
• Double knee fall (A soft 'tap, tap' fall. ie. don't jump into it, slide into it!)
• Four Point Fall (hands tucked into fists (no fingers!))
• Single knee fall with a turn (Turns a full 180.  Then stands, turns in same direction, and resumes skating)
• Hopping & coasting (land on both feet during hopping, stay strong and stable)
• Jumping (start and finish with feet together, land on toes first, then heels - to help with stability and shock absorption)

PACK WORK
For pack work remember: communicate verbally and with body language, be a safe skater (no tripping or grabbing other skaters), and look around you - be aware on the track.

• Stopping as a pack
• Leaning 
• Clipping wheels
• Avoiding obstacles

BLOCKING
For blocking remember: safety first always!  Only give what you can take.  Stance - nice and low.  Follow through with your blocks.

• Booty blocking (think about your close proximity and peripheral vision)
• Hip checks (both sides, giving and receiving) (remember to use your 'gate stance' and find the 'sweet spot')
• Body checks (both sides, giving and receiving) (think about following through your block)
• Repeated contacted (the 'mouldy sandwich') (practise that solid stance and good recovery)

WHIPS & PUSHES
For whips and pushes remember: whips and pushes are about transferring power from one skater to another.  You need to be able to commit to your team-mate, even if that means stopping entirely.

• Pushing (giving and receiving) (coming in close, and then pushing out without unbalancing your team-mate or yourself)
• Hip whip (giving and receiving) (coming in close, taking your team-mates force, and then taking their spot on the track)
• Outside whip (giving and receiving) (use your whole body)
• Inside whip (giving) (remember to make a hole for your team-mate on the inside line, and then close the gap after them)

ENDURANCE
25 in 5!

Fresh Meat Week 2

26th November 2012

Our trainers for Blocking 101 were Tricksey Belt'Em, Blow Up Betty, Killakaze & Blue Wrenegade.
Offskates
We started training with some off skates blocking with a partner.  This included hip checks, booty blocking and body checks.

Hip checks
Things to remember include: stance (low and locked, with arms loose and relaxed), feet (in gait position) and finding that sweet spot!  Breathe!  Tenderise both sides equally.  And don't forget that recovery stance: stay low and reform that nice, strong derby stance as quickly as possible.

Booty blocking
Booty blocking - or 'positional blocking' - can be used to shepherd your opponent and, ultimately, take away her speed.   Keep your stance low with your butt out, and get used to those lateral butt movements (they look and feel weird, but are so effective!  Use your peripheral vision to keep an eye on your opponent - get comfortable looking around and knowing where she's going and where you're taking her.  Get close!  It is your close proximity that will direct her and take away her power - if you're a metre away your booty will have nothing to block!  We hope you've been practising your 'dirty toilet' hovering to build up those powerful legs and get you used to that low butt-out stance!

Body checks
Recently, ADRD has decided to replace shoulder checks with body checks.  Why?  Because they are more powerful and do less damage to you and your opponent.  Everybody wins!  Once again, remember your low derby stance and block horizontally (rather than diagonally) - it will help you to retain your stability and force.  What are those elbows doing?  Make sure they're out of the way!  Use 'hula arms' if it is most comfortable or effective for you.  Feel comfortable rotating your body and hitting with your 'bra fat' area (ie. back of shoulder / side of body) rather than the pointy end of your shoulder.  Then follow through, or block through your opponent.  It's kind of like kicking a ball - your leg doesn't stop once it reaches the ball, it follows through to reinforce where the ball is going.  Similarly, don't stop as soon as your body touches your opponent - block beyond the contact, and follow through to move her where you want her to go.  And always remember your recovery!  Reset your stance so that you can re-engage after the initial hit.  If you're standing up straight when you finish your block, you are a sitting (or standing) target for another blocker.  Stay low and stable!

Final words:
Know your limits - only give what you know you can take.  Don't be a dangerous blocker!  It is much more effective to block within your limits and stay stable and engaged, than to wipe out your opponent and fall down in the process!  We are all about safety, so if you give a block in an unsafe way (whether it be intentional or not) you will most likely be sent to the box or, worse, expelled from the game.

Lastly, if you'd like a refresher on those legal blocking zones, check out the WFTDA (Womens Flat Track Derby Association) rules: