Roller Derby Training for Fatties: Basics

A reader messaged me about fat-specific training for roller derby. When I started out, there were absolutely no resources on this topic, and I still can't find any, so let me start with some basics, and later I'll post on ever fat derby girl's nemesis: the cross-over.

But first, some basics -- and all this with the caveat that I'm no Suzy Hotrod :)

The muscle groups that challenge me the most are my upper thigh/hip muscles, my lower back/core muscles and my shins. If you are trying to achieve proper derby stance, these will all be working hard, no matter what your weight. The thing is, if you are a big girl, your muscles are carrying more weight, so you need more muscles to carry yourself in the right position. What is the right position? Click here. You may have trouble getting as low as you can go because your belly might press against your thighs. This is a common problem, and I notice many larger skaters, no matter how accomplished, often ride higher than their tiny pals. That being said, always press for the burn -- if you can't feel your muscles working, guess what? they aren't. 

Getting your muscles toned to carry your weight in proper derby stance is 90% of the battle. It can take a long time. I would say that it has taken me a full year to get myself into the shape I want to be in for proper derby stance each time I've taken an extended break from the sport. The good news is, once you have those muscle groups working well, you will have an easier time doing transitions, skating backwards and increasing your speed. You need these major muscle groups to be working well in order so you can get to the fine muscle groups in the next step of your training, learning agility and quick movements.

Remember, we're all built differently. You might have some muscles that are all ready there. You might have one group of muscles that needs more work than another. Don't sweat it -- or rather, do sweat it!

When I go to the gym, I do the following workout on these muscle groups to target my derby needs.

1. Cardio

I hit the elliptical trainer for 20-40 minutes depending on the day and how much time I have (I spend 20-40 minutes on weights, for a total hour workout). The more cardio the better. Every time you do cardio, you force your lungs to develop new blood vessels that carry oxygen to your muscles. Your whole workout, your muscle strength, everything rests on your cardiovascular health.

2. Core

This means your abs, your obliques and your back. I do basic sit-ups, oblique sit-ups, and then I use the back machine. You can also do "reverse sit-ups," something I created on my own. I stand with my legs shoulder width apart, knees bent in derby position, and then I bend forward with my hands behind my head like when doing a sit-up. Keep your back straight! Then I press upwards. Find the sweet spot that is the hardest and press against it. Do tiny movements or big ones, whatever gives you the burn. You can also do these on skates on your knees. Bend your butt backwards like you are sitting on your skates and crunch forward. When you come up again, press your ass forwards and suck in. ** When you are exercising your back, keep your abs taut -- stabilizing your core.

3. Thighs/Hips

I use the hip abductor machines (inner and outer), the hamstring machine and the quad machine. If you are brave, you can use the glute machine, but I find these machine is not very fatty friendly, and prefer to work my glutes on the elliptical or wave machines.

4. Shins

To offset shin pain, I work on my calves, doing calf presses. You'll find with time and stretching, your shin splints will disappear.

Now, I skate recreationally. If I were a competitive skater, I would do this 5 times a week. But I'm a busy momma, so I do this Monday and Wednesday, and I skate with LOCO Roller Derby on Fridays.

Later I will blog about going to the gym and being fat (a whole issue on its own) and crossovers.

Just a quick disclaimer: if going to the gym triggers dieting mentality or body-loathing for you, try finding alternatives to these exercises at home. You can also do a lot with climbing stairs (really works all those target groups at once!).

Vansterdamn

XXX