More backwards blocking practice

So, derby has evolved a bunch and now there are new skills you need, like being able to transition, backwards crossovers, etc. There's a lot more focus on being able to skate backwards, for example, so you can hold up your 3-wall or whatever.

Form a pace line at a moderate pace. The first person in the pace line transitions so they are skating backwards, and right as they do that, the second person jams to get around them, so that the first person has to quickly react and block them. Usually you end up blocking someone with your shoulders as they charge you. Then once the second person gets past, the first person skates to the end of the line, and the second person turns around for the third person to charge them.

You'll end up with something like this:

Meowmix shows how it's done. (Photo: Derbylife)

Because you're 1) going backwards and 2) trying to cover the whole track, it can be pretty hard. Also, because of my height, I just kept getting facefuls of boob and trying not to get a shoulder in my eye or nose or whatever. Drills like this make me want to consider getting a hockey helmet with one of those face shields.

Protip: MOVE YOUR FEET. Juking while you are skating backwards is hard, but it is much more effective.