It’s the 50 rep challenge

10 exercises 50 of each

Chin up’s
Jump lunges
Push up’s
Skater squats
Rack rows
Box or in our case stair Jumps
Tricep dips
Sprinter Tuck jumps
Hanging leg raises
Lunge kicks

I will post some video clips on my Facebook page later so if your not sure of any of the exercises head over to the Facebook page and check the clips.

Good luck, wish me luck too

While I have you here also check out this exciting new advert below

Looking back, I thought I did?

When I got injured during the Windy City game back in April, I wanted so badly to fight through it, I didn’t want to stop skating. I had worked so hard to get to this point, I didn’t want to have to stop even for a second. So I rested as little as possible and quickly returned to skating. Strapping up the ankle and carrying on through. Then we went on our north west tour, I wanted to be ready for this next step. I thought I was preparing myself by playing games and strapping the injury. So I knew how it felt during game play and it wouldn’t affect my mental state. Surprise, surprise I re-injured the ankle in the first game, sat out the next and struggled to play my best in the following. The Rose game during our tour meant a lot to me, Rose City have always been one of my favourite teams. Some of my favourite skaters to watch play for Rose City and I was excited to see how I matched. But my game didn’t go well, I felt tired and got frustrated. Mentally I couldn’t get my confidence back, I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong and I felt like I was not playing my best.

 
So after our 3 hour car journey from Chicago to Fort Wayne we all checked into the Holiday Inn. It suddenly got real, I was here again my second year at playoffs. A year wiser and more experienced, I was apprehensive but excited. The venue was just across the road and we had a chance to test the floor in the morning before the tournament started, but I chose to get a good nights sleep over this. I love concrete floors and I was not worried, I will get a chance to skate around plenty of time before the game tomorrow. We do a lot of mental preparation work as a team, all stuff to limit unnecessary worries on game day. And I was sticking to all of mine. Do I feel ready? Yeah I do, I am excited to play the game.

I really thought I was ready, I was playing everything by the book. I knew my pre game mental conditioning and how to prepare my body. Everything was going to plan, ready for that tough first game against Rose City. They had beaten us last time, but not again. It was all about winning, as the loser wasn’t just losing to the other team but the chance to go to Championships too. It’s was a real learning curve for me this tournament, but I didn’t learn about my skill set, or my fitness level, my strength or tactical ability. I learnt about my mental toughness.

The morning went well, we all met at the venue. Everyone was happy with the floor and we all looked physically ready to rock it. The venue was fantastic, a huge place with a large warm up area and track and good size team rooms. Playing around with a reaction ball Kami brought with her was great fun and a good warm up. I felt energetic and excited, if a little anxious. After all it was Rose City, a team who the last time I saw on the track I had struggled against. But today is different, the floor is great, it a neutral venue and I feel good, no injury. The game started the atmosphere was fantastic. All the teams hard work was paying off, our defense was stuffing their jammers. We were taking the lead, we have this! But somehow, I don’t feel like I have this. My head is all over the place, I’m suffering with confidence and I am drawn right back to that last game within minutes of the first half. A couple of silly mistakes on my part and I am focussing on my negatives. I can’t shake it, I start to feel tired like my legs are made of lead. I can feel my head drop and somehow I can’t seem to lift it up again. The second half I wasn’t really present, my body was going through the motions but mentally I just wasn’t there.

At the top level of sports, it isn’t the skill or physical fitness that tends to separate the athletes. Those margins tend to be very small, no instead it is the mental toughness that separates the winners from the rest in their field. And this playoffs weekend I learned a lot about my own mental toughness. This is something I have never really struggled with before. In fact I can count the few times when I have struggled with it on one hand.

We can believe we are prepared and follow our usual rituals but if we try to simply ignore things, they tend to catch up with you. My difficulties started with my injury back in April. I didn’t face facts and allow for change in my capability. I tried to ignore them and do what I thought was soldier on. Instead I was, setting myself up for serious mental challenge. I expected too much of myself and would not allow any room for failure. I was so hard on myself, I would not believe that because of my injury I was perhaps not performing to my best. I started to feel like I’d lost “it”, whatever “it” was I had before that made me a good jammer. I’d lost it! That doubt in my ability spread, swarmed me, consumed and constrained me. I thought I was in control, “stop thinking like that its ridiculous, just train harder you can do it.” By the time I got to playoffs, I was really a wreck but I wouldn’t admit it to myself let alone anyone else. I was fine, my injury was all gone now. I’m physically fit and so its all good. The fact that I still had self doubt quite a lot of the time didn’t factor in, I was just being stupid. It’s a very difficult thing to explain, how you can be simultaneously feeling two things and convincing yourself of one yet somehow not completely. The other feeling and thought is still there eating away at you ready to get you when you’re in a moment of fear. That moment happened during the first game at playoffs and affected the other two. In fact it wasn’t until after I was home and resting (another injury picked up at the after party in Fort Wayne) that it all became clear. A moment of rest and reflection and the pieces all fell into place.

I know all theories about mental toughness, I have known them for years. Using visualisation techniques, positive self talk. I know when I play my best and how to get to the correct arousal level (still makes me giggle). But I was missing one key thing, allowing for my injury to cause change in my ability and being ok with the process of building back up had caused a huge lack in confidence. Maybe I shouldn’t have skated as early as I did after my injury, I am sure many would agree with that statement. I actually think physically my body could take it and is fine from it. But I should have been more aware mentally of that challenge and should have cut myself some slack. I would have been much better off this playoff if I had. But I learned a great lesson and now know better how to asses myself. I felt that I was making excuses for why I did not perform to my best, but instead injuries have an effect on our capability and that is ok. We need to cut ourselves some slack now and then. Or we could end up messing it up when it really counts.

My team had a fantastic playoffs and I look forward to seeing our performance at Champs. I have learned a valuable lesson as always, maybe not one I ever expected to learn. But I am damn sure it will make me a better skater. I am more determined than ever to get better and become the best that I can be. And I am resting this injury and will treat it with respect when I get back on the track next week

Body Weight Squat to High Knee Kick - keep a slight flex at the knee, during the kick and a flexed foot. sit bum back and keep chest up in the squat

Knees to Chest Crunches - to help place you hands under your bum. Try and keep your feet 6inches of the floor, everytime you go back to straight legs.

Lunge to High Knee Kick - keep a slight flex at the knee during the kick and a flexed foot.

Mountain Climbers - try getting knees to chest.

Knees to Standing - make sure you work through full range up to standing and both knees down.
an advanced option for this exercise too. Advance Knees to Standing

So 20 reps of each and run through 3 sets. For those of you who have access to a gym or perhaps have some equipment at home here are a few other exercises.

Hanging leg raises

Hanging Knees to chest

Gym ball Lunges

Cable Lunge to High Knee Kick

Why not try my new video training guide Plyo for Derby 1: Speed and Agility. The first in my Plyo for Derby Series, where I will be covering areas such as speed, quickness, agility, power and strength to help you get the most out of your off skates training.

The training guide contains 15 exercise examples with video demonstrations and four 15 minute training plans, to show you how to add them into your current training routine.

Also a great purchase for those of you on your Roller Derby Leagues Coaching outfit, as it gives great examples of exercises to lead in your off skates training sessions.

So what are you waiting for click the paypal link below

The idea being presented, is that we can not make a change until we have made a conscious decision too change and it is very easy to fall back into previous state if there is not enough motivation to keep us in changed state. So once you have made the decision to change we need to educate ourselves and motivate ourselves to stay in our new ways.

It is very difficult to advise on nutrition as a generalisation because everyone has different needs, but here is some general guidance.

We need to stay clear of too many sugars, fats and simple carbs. We should try and gets as many colours on our plate as we can, so all the fruits and vegetables in varied colours give different vitamins and minerals which are really important in our diet.

For those of us who train a lot during the week, its important that we fuel our bodies for training. After a long training session, trying to get some form of protein in is a good idea to help with muscle repair. Also a complex carb based meal within two hours of training is also important to replenish glycogen stores and generally help us keep going. Many diet plans will take out carbohydrates, I personally disagree with this method as advice for someone who is training regularly. Our bodies need this to give us energy, in order to do well at our sport we need a lot of energy and we tend to be burning carbohydrates when we play Roller Derby as we tend to be using the lactate energy system. If we don’t therefore fuel our body correctly its not going to be working efficiently. So instead of cutting out I tend to advise getting the right ones, always go for wholmeal rather than white and try and replace bread and potatoes with pulses, lentils, bulgar wheat and such things. A lack of carbohydrate in the muscles during training, will also effect our concentration levels as well. It will still need to get it from somewhere and if there is not a sufficient store in our muscles it will take it from else where (generally this comes from our liver which holds the store for our brain, this is the main reason for confusion when we over train).

I am obviously just touching the surface when it comes to nutrition there are a lot of different areas to look into and also a lot of different theories out there. I am personally a firm believer of eat smart and clean, rather than diet and panic or worry to much about your diet. It’s so easy to get into a bad relationship with food. I am a food lover, but I am lucky that the foods I love tend to be the good ones. I love fruit and vegetables and eating healthy isn’t to difficult for me. I am not super healthy, measuring out my portions or counting calories however. Maybe I should pay more attention to my diet, but I know when I’ve had a bad day and I can recognise when I need to tidy up my diet. So my advice is, put back the donut and have a think about what is a healthier option.

Also to note, is when its difficult to make the right choices, is when we are pushed for time or being influenced by others. This tends to be early morning rushing off to work and lunch time, eating at the desk or popping out and grabbing fast food because we didn’t plan ahead. Here are some of my favourite quick breakfast and lunch options. I will note here, I pre prepare my food. However it doesn’t take a lot of time and it simply a case of building a habit. I shop on a Sunday and cook for the week on a Sunday evening after training, so they are generally quick to prepare. Occasionally I may do it on a Monday if I have run out of time.

BREAKFAST

Simple Fruit and Greek yogurt

Tinned pineapple (make sure its in juice not syrup)
Grapes
Grapefruit
Blueberries
Any fruit will work really
Can add granola as a topping and some honey to sweeten if you prefer

Smoothies

Your choice of fruit
Then I add half a cup porridge oats to bulk it up a bit and make it keep me fuller for longer.
I use Greek yogurt in mine too.
I make it the night before and leave in fridge for the morning, as I tend to have my breakfast after my morning clients. I will be leaving the house at 6:15 for a 7:00am client so don’t really have time to eat, this way I can eat either on the train or quickly between clients or even during training a client if they don’t mind

Bircher Muesli

Preparation time: 15 minutes
You will need
150g rolled oats
50g dried fruit of your choice
50g shredded coconut
A handful of pistachio nuts
150ml milk
150ml apple juice
150g organic plain yoghurt
1 tbsp agave syrup or honey
1 apple, grated
50g chopped hazelnuts, fresh blueberries, raspberries, passion fruit, pomegranate or any fruit of your choice really, to serve

This made enough for a three days for two, so would probably be enough for a week for one

Porridge

With toppings
Apple and cinnamon
Banana and honey
Raisins or blueberries or raspberries mixed in with honey on top

LUNCH

Salad (a real good one)

Chicken – I tend to buy chicken thighs as they are a cheaper option season to taste chuck in the oven and then refrigerate for the week. Simples

In my salad I usually have a selection of leaves. I like spinach and its got good lot of vitamins in it plus iron
Cherry tomatoes
Sweet peppers again all the colours
Carot – I like batons
Butter beans – you could do a mix of beans you can usually buy a tin pretty cheap
Avocado

Then I will have either cous cous, rice or a small amount of pasta

Good way of making your cous cous more interesting, make it up with chicken stock, then squeeze a lemon into the mix and add raisins or a mix of dried fruit. I quite like some herbs or spices mixed in to. Cinnamon and cumin work well for a Moroccan vibe. Or paprika and chilli with fresh coriander.

This is real easy to put together i will just cook a bulk of chicken and rice or cous cous on a Sunday evening and then put the salad together each evening ready for the next day. And why not add some nuts and seeds to the top of your salad too. With the change between seasoning on the chicken the choice between rice, pasta or cous cous this can keep you going for a couple of weeks before you get bored too.

Thai style burrito (my own invention)

Ginger and chilli chicken
Coconut rice
Tomato and sweet pepper salsa
Salad
All in a wrap
=
Delicious

This week I have made a big stew

Moroccan theme (bit obsessed with Moroccan style food at the moment)
Chicken, parsnip, butternut squash, apricot, spices, chilli and then pomegranate and fresh coriander stirred in at the end yummers!!

Quite basically put the boring sandwich away and get inspired. If your not a great cook simply google for a recipe its pretty easy food. The hardest part is getting yourself to get in the kitchen and prepare it all without eating it there and then

Want to improve your stability on the track? or your agility? or perhaps get that six pack to show off at the after party? well I have just what you need…

…The ‘Core Blimey’ Training plan

Core Blimey is a core focused exercise plan, consisting of 12 sessions based on a two week rotation. The body is a master adapter, so in order to keep it working in a progressive stage we need to keep changing up our exercise routine. This Core Blimey program works on a two week rotation to do just that and can be adapted to suit any level. Ideally suited to three sessions a week, but for maximum results couple with the included Daily Blast session. After 4 weeks you will not only have a greatly improved core strength but will also have a vast wealth of exercises to continue your training. Each session has been kept to between 15-30 minute sessions, so that they can easily fit into a busy schedule.

“I have been following the Core Blimey training plan and have noticed a massive improvement in my stability and agility on the track , I would definitely recommend it.” Total Frey-hem (Totes Frey Frey) LRG

 The Plan comes with an easy to use level guide, to ensure its suitable for all fitness levels. A training program planner to help you plan your sessions around your day to day life. And pictures and videos to explain and demonstrate all the exercises.

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First we have Step Up’s with heavy weight. I am using 10kg

Next we have over head squats with medicine ball.

Next exercise, lunges with barbell. Again go big here.

Next we’ve got, squat jumps with dumbells. I’ve gone for 5kg in each hand.

Lastly we have a bit of resistance training using the treadmill. Put the incline up to 4, don’t turn the treadmill on but push the belt round.

Run each of these exercises for 30 sec and break them up by 30 sec of abs exercises of your choice. X3 sets enjoy

This week we have a workout to do using the medicine ball. I quite like this piece of equipment for mixing up your usual routine. And it’s easy to get hold of too and a good piece of equipment to have at home. So here goes…

… Exercise 1
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, back straight shoulder back. Hold the med ball in outstretched arm in front of you, now slowly raise the ball up over your head then slowly back down to your thighs. Repeat x10

Exercise 2
Same position as before but this time, draw a large circle with the ball. Nice and slow and controlled. Repeat x10

Exercise 3
Same position as first two, but this time we are moving the ball from side to side. This should cause our torso to twist, but we want to keep our hips facing forward. Repeat x10

Exercise 4
Plank with hands on the med ball, make sure your shoulders in line with hands. Hold for 20 sec

Exercise 5
Roman twist. Sit on the floor feet off the floor, knees at 90 degrees. Keeping a straight back lean torso back, hold the med ball at sternum height and twist torso side to side. Repeat x20
(For beginners keep feet on floor)

Exercise 6
Sit ups with med ball over head. Normal sit ups but start with med ball in hands and arms above head, do sit up and fish with med ball above head. Repeat x20

Exercise 7
Press up with hands on med ball. Have one hand on med ball one on floor, perform a press up then roll the med ball to other hand, press up. Repeat x10
(For more advance try with both hands on med balls, don’t roll obviously).

X3 sets (now repeat the whole lots three times, 30 sec rest between each set)

Here are some exercises I tried earlier this week, not for the faint hearted

After a long break its always difficult to get back to training, especially as its always shocking how much we can have lost in the period off. So in light of the New Year and the Christmas break, I thought today’s post would be purely about inspiring change. Getting that fire back for the new year of new goals, more work and pushing all that much harder to achieve all that we want for 2013.

My goals are pretty simple this year, be better! Last year ended up being a lot of changes, so this year I really want to push that step further, get stronger, fitter and be a more technically adept skater.

With all that in mind I have started back to training with some good hard sessions. Here’s a workout for you to try, my second of the new year:

10x intervals on treadmill
90 sec @ 12kph incline 3
12x TRX pistol squats each leg

Lunges with kettle bell held at 90• 3×12 on each leg 90 sec rest

Press ups
Push press
Row TRX
x10 reps of each x3 sets

Here’s a video I found recently and thought was pretty inspiring for women in a sport.

Beauty in Strength

Good luck with the new year and I hope you achieve all that you want to.

;

You’ll need a bit of space for this.

We are going to do a circuit of 5 exercises, each station lasts 20 sec and you do the circuit 3 times. Why don’t you keep count of repetitions and then you can try and better it each time.

Station 1

Side to side shuttles over step. Put the step down to its lowest setting, stand to one side of it. Step onto the step sideways (don’t cross your feet over, foot closest to step first then other steps to meet it), then off the step the other side and back. Do this as fast as you can for 20 seconds.

Station 2

Squat punches with VPR (if you cant find a VPR, or your gym doesn’t have them then use hand weights, VPR is a rubber tube with handles in varying weights).
Hold the VPR in both hands, at shoulder height out in front of you laterally. Sit into a squat, extend one arm out at shoulder height punching the VPR out, then bring back and punch the other arm out. This should be fast again, try and maintain a straight back and a good squat. You should feel this working your core and shoulders.

Station 3

Plank on medicine ball. Hands on the medicine ball, makes sure that your shoulders are over your hands (so there is a straight line from ball up to your shoulder). In a good plank you should have a straight line running from your shoulders to your toes, try tilting your hips forward engaging your abs and keeping your back flat rather than arching your back.
If you find this too easy try taking one hand off and taking your arm straight up to the side hold for half the time then swap the arm.

Station 4

Jack knifes on the gym ball (if you gym has TRX then use these instead).
Put your feet on the gym ball, so you are in a high plank position (again make sure your shoulders are over hands and you’ve got a good straight back). Keeping your legs straight pull your feet towards your hands (your bum will raise up into the air so you create a V shape) then roll them back down to plank position. Keep repeating nice and controlled, for the 20 seconds.
If you struggle with keeping the balance for this exercise, try just bending knees and pulling knees to chest instead.

Station 5

Last station
Medicine ball sit ups
lye flat on your back, legs straight. Hold medicine ball in hands, arms outstretched above head. keeping legs straight sit up, keeping ball above head arms outstretched toward the ceiling. Try and make sure when you sit up, you keep straight back. this exercise is best slow and controlled try and focus on maintaing good form.

Each station for 20 sec and repeat 3 times, good luck.