At Home Roller Derby Practice Exercises

If you are thinking about joining a roller derby team, there are some basic skating exercises you should practice and perfect. You can practice these exercises in your driveway, in the road if there are no cars or on a basketball court. You’ll need roller skates, a helmet, and elbow and knee pads for safety. Take your time with each drill and have fun.

  1. Toe Stop Walk

    • The toe stop walk will help you acclimate to your skates, build balance and stability and build awareness of good form when you're skating. This exercise will also build strength in your calves, glutes and quadriceps; it's important to have strong legs to skate fast. Bring your weight onto your toe stops, so your heels lift up. Bend your knees, bring your hips back, engage your abdomen, stack your shoulders over your hips and maintain a straight back. Look forward as you slowly and carefully take steps while balancing on your toe stops.

    Front Stepping

    • Front Stepping teaches you the foundational roller derby stance, one that you'll build upon as you improve your skating skills. It also teaches you how to control and stabilize your skates, and it builds strength in your legs. Stand with your skates wider than hip-width, knees bent, hips back, core engaged and back straight. The lower your squat, the better. Step forward one skate at a time without spinning the wheels on your skates. If your skate moves around, stabilize it first and then take another step.

    Back Stepping

    • Back Stepping is a fundamental roller derby drill that will help improve your skating skills and build balance and stability while you maintain the proper roller derby stance. Come into your roller derby stance with your skates wider than hip width, knees bent, hips back, abdominals engaged, back straight and head lifted while looking forward. Step backwards one skate at a time. Press down through your heel as you step backward and stabilize your skate so that it doesn't roll around. Step slowly.

    Side Stepping

    • Practice Side Stepping to improve your skating skills while squatting low in the roller derby stance. Come into your roller derby stance with your skates wide, knees bent, hips back and core muscles engaged. Step to the side, stabilizing your skate so that the wheels do not move around. Once your skate is stabilized, side step your other skate. The lower you squat, the more you will engage your quadriceps and glutes to build strong legs for power and speed.