How to Make Butt Padding for a Roller Derby

Although fun for participants and fans, roller derby can be a dangerous sport and injuries can be serious. While skaters are taught to fall forward, this can cause needless and irreversible knee damage. Falling backward is much safer. Still, whichever way you happen to fall it's important to wear safety padding. Butt padding not only protects the behind muscles, but also the hips, and most importantly, the tail bone. By following a few easy steps, you can make your own butt padding at home.

Things You'll Need

  • Tight-fitting spandex shorts
  • Marker
  • Knee or elbow pads, gardening knee pad or high density medical foam
  • Sewing scissors
  • Thread
  • Big sewing needle
  • Thick and sturdy fabric
  • Sewing machine
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Instructions

    • 1

      Try on your tight-fitting shorts inside out. Feel your body for your hip bones and your tail bone. With someone's help, outline these areas on the shorts with a marker to designate where the padding will go.

    • 2

      Design padding pieces that will fit the outlined areas. You will need to make separate padding pieces for each hip and buttock, your tailbone, and the sides of your thighs. With sewing scissors, cut the padding to fit your measurements.

    • 3

      Trace the padding pieces on the fabric leaving an extra inch to cover the sides of the padding and the seam. Cut out the fabric pieces, which you will later sew over the padding to keep it in place.

    • 4

      Keep the shorts inside out. The padding must be sewn on the inside of the shorts because padding on the outside could easily be torn away. Secure each pad in place directly on the shorts by docking them on four corners using a thick sewing needle and doubled thread.

    • 5

      Do not sew the padding directly to the shorts because the thickness of the padding could break the sewing machine. Instead, place the fabric cover over each padding piece. Sew the fabric cover onto the shorts with a sewing machine, covering the padding and going over each hem twice.