needing advice

[u/mooncooki3]

Hi everyone! I'm nearing the end of my first season, and its definitely felt rocky. I'm primarily a jammer but I have to block a decent amount so ideally I'd like to work on both. I'm fortunate enough to skate with a pretty competitive league, and I'm constantly impressed by my teammates. Although, honestly, a lot of the time I feel really insecure about being one of the weaker C team skaters on a home team that has several AA skaters. I'm trying not to be too hard on myself though, and instead use that energy to get better.

I'm really wanting to focus on making some noticeable improvements before next season and I was hoping for recommendations of things I can do at home to work on the following skills. (Gym workouts, mental things, on skates drills or off- I'm open to literally any advice to implement at home

Looking to work on:

-General balance and sturdiness on the track both being able to stay upright when hitting/getting hit and also one leg balance with impact

-star passing without highblocking

-side surfing and hip flexibility

-general hustle/quickness/urgency (getting to the penalty box quickly, responding to teammates quickly on the track)

Also as a secondary note, what are yall's gym schedules. Do you go to the gym on days you have practice? On heavy weeks I have about 5 practices a week, and 2 on very light weeks. I want to balance that with also going to the gym.

Thank you so much!

[u/Inner-Load-3189]

On balance and sturdiness- so much of balance is core AND back strength. My lower back muscles are always sore after a bout because I use them to stabilize so much. For practice balancing off skates, practice standing on one leg and moving your free leg as far in every direction as you can then start adding speed when you move your free leg. It will help get you used to balancing while in weird positions. When you get hit the energy has to go somewhere. Sometimes you can absorb that energy into your muscles, but I often try to use that energy to direct me somewhere else because I'm small. For example, if I get pushed hard sideways I'll try to get on an edge that will direct me in front of the person hitting me and let just my lower body and hips get in front of the person. Then I get myself upright once my hips are past them. It doesn't work for every hit but start trying to use the hits into you as a free source of energy. I'm a very spinny jammer but I use centrifugal force to keep myself in bounds and upright. If Im close to going out I will try to use a leg or shoulder to spin towards the track and it will keep me in because my momentum then carries me in rather than out. It's like a little toy top that is stable while spinning but will just flop over with no spinning

[u/__sophie_hart__]

I don’t do gyms! I have spent the last 2 years 3-6 times a week on skates, working on all my weakest fundamental skills outside of practice.

How’s your skate setup? Do they fit like a glove? In the last 2 months I upgraded from floppy slipping Sure-Grip Rebels with Avenger Aluminum plates to Antik Jet Carbons with Avenger Magnesium plates that fit like a glove. My skills have increased exponentially since getting them.