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: