Tips and Tricks

[Dirty Constance Agt #99]

Hi all! I was thinking about this yesterday actually, and decided to do a piece for our website and newbies. I came up with a list of things that would help girls/guys out in starting to learn to play this game... I'd love more ideas/input/things I couldn't think of at the time...

So far I've come up with:

Fishnets and why they are a BAD Idea
Gear and other helpful attire (shin guards)
Proper wrapping
Helpful products (like Band Aid blister block)
Getting the stink out (smelly pad tricks - vinegar soaking)

So those are some of the topics... I'd love input from anyone/everyone who has any ideas, or want to share any secret tips! :)

[Celia Graves]

Maybe:

Hydration - DRINK!!!
Stretching - preventing injuries
Skate maintainence
Proper Diet
(For smelly pads you can also put cheap vodka in a spray bottle and spray them down, then let them dry in the sun =) )


I also wrote a piece for our rookies on skates 101. It broke down what different things meant such as bearing ratings, and wheel hardness. That can be extremely overwhelming when starting. Sooo many questions on what the parts are of a skate, how to clean bearings and what kind of skates to buy.... There's just so much information to give!

Hope some of this is useful!

~C

[Dirty Constance Agt #99]

vodka. i would have never guessed. :) thanks for the info! more, more ! please :)

[Coach Pauly]

Hydration- Water is great but you may need a little more. Some girls like to take a bottle of gatorade and mix it half and half with water. If you are hitting a big tourney pedalite works awesome to get electolytes in to your system.

Stretching is a great way to prevent injuries. The key is the duration and the proper use of each stetch must be taught.

Skate maintenace: I wrote this up for my skaters and skaters I have coached out and about.

Tools / supplies needed:
• Small blade flat head screw driver (to tighten the nuts that hold your boots to your plates)
• Skate tool I recommend the “Fix Stick” skateboard tool or the “Reflex Utilitool” skate tool. Both of these tools have a tool for your wheel bolts, boot bolts, trucks and bearing press. The difference between the tools is the “Reflex Utilitool “has the added benefit of an axle rethreading die, and a removable multi tool that features 2 Allen wrenches and a Philips head screwdriver. If you don’t have either tool you can use a socket wrench kit. You will need a ½ in socket and a 9/16 socket to get the job done.
• High speed machine oil, speed cream or manufacturer recommended lubricant.
• 2 cloth towel and some paper towels
• A nylon scrub brush
• A small Bucket half full of hot water
• Any household multipurpose cleaner (I recommend Simple green)
• A bottle odorless mineral spirits (you can get this at any hardware store) or 97% pure alcohol (you can get this at any drugstore on food store).
• One large opening plastic bottle ( I recommend a cheap squeeze bottle with the pop top, but a Aquafina will work ) If you use a squeeze bottle once you are done agitating the bearing in the cleaning solution you can squirt out the dirty solution without worrying about losing your bearings.
• Toe stops wrench or if you don’t have one a standard 15/16 wrench will work.
• One safety pin or small knife

Skate disassembly:
• Remove your wheels and place your nuts into the bottle.
• Pull your bearings take the dust shield off of each bearing. To get the shield out use a Safety pin or the edges of a small knife. Make sure that you are careful not to bend the shield. If you bend the shield it won’t protect the bearing properly. Remember there are many different bearing styles out there so do your research on what type you have. In this section I will be speaking about the Swiss bones style bearings
• Add odorless mineral spirits or 97% pure alcohol till all of your hardware is covered. Leave them set.
• Take your wheels and put them in to the bucket of warm water and add the prescribed amount of simple green to the water. (Read the directions on the bottle for best results).
• Shake the bottle for at least 2 minutes, and pour out the dirty fluid.
• Repeat this process until the fluid looks pretty clear.
• Open squeeze top an squeeze out the dirty liquid that just cleaned your bearings and hardware.
• Allow the bearings to dry COMPLETELY open side facing down on paper towels.
• Unscrew the kingpin nut and pull off your truck. Separate all the parts and keep them with the kingpin the came from.
• Take one of your cleaning cloths and clean all the parts. Axels, kingpin, plates and boots.
• Take one of your cleaning cloths and lay it flat out on a flat clean surface.
• Now that all that s done take the nylon brush and brush your wheel. Bruch out the hub and the tread and place them on the cloth that you laid out. Let them dry.
• Make sure to clean and inspect your pivot cups. If they are worn you may want to get some new ones as back up.

Skate assembly:
• Take your bearings and spin them out to be sure they don’t have any fluid left in them. If at all possible leave them sit over night then inject a couple of drops of lubricant and spin add a drop and spin until you hear the metal to metal sound
go away. Most Swiss Bones bearings will be ultra quiet when cleaned and lubed correctly. Be sure that you r make sure
• Put the rubber coated dust shields back into your bearings. Wipe any excess oil from the outside metal surface. If you don’t dust and dirt will be attracted to the oil, they will get dirty ever faster.
• Once your bearings are all lubed and ready to go you can press them back into your wheels.
• Install your aluminum bushing keepers on the front and rear kingpin posts.
• Install your first bushing
• Install your truck
• Install your remaining bushing
• Install your remaining set aluminum bushing keepers
• Tighten nut to the specs that you listed in your skate journal for all four trucks.
• Install your wheels tighten nut till the wheel spins slower then back off a quarter turn.
• Now you are ready to rock and roll!!!!


Bonus Skate Maintenance

Tools and supplies needed:
• One shoe polish buffing brush
• One spray bottle filled with water
• One tin of black shoe polish.(If you have black boots) I recommend Kiwi shoe polish, just because I have actually used it. You can use what you like
• One bottle white nurses white shoe polish
• One bottle clear or neutral shoe polish
• One old t-shirt (t shirt material works best for polishing
• One old toothbrush.
•
Preparation before polishing
Black boots:

• Take of all your laces and toe guards , tape and so on
• Take a wash rag wipe of your boots inside and out
• Take the tooth brush and spread polish around really warn areas of your boots.
• Take the t shirt a place your index and middle finger out and twist the fabric so it tightens around both fingers to give you a tight smooth surface at the finger tips. User the remaining fingers and your thumb to keep it tight.
• Take your fingers and put some polish on the cloth and vigorously spread the polish all over the boots surface.
• Take the water bottle mist the surface on the first boot
• Take the buffing brush and vigorously buff the entire surface of the booth. (shoe polish is wax based so the harder you rub or buff the more heat you create and the better shine you get from your boots).
• Repeat process for the other boot.

White boots:

• If you have white boots the process is a bit difference. Same preparation but now take the white polish and dab the entire surface with the foam applicator. Once you have done both boots leave them to dry.
• Take the t shirt a place you index and middle finger out and twist the fabric so it tightens around both fingers to give you a tight smooth surface at the finger tips. User the remaining fingers and your thumb to keep it tight.
• Now open the tin of neutral polish.
• Take your fingers and put some polish on the cloth and vigorously spread the polish all over the boots surface.
• Take the water bottle mist the surface on the first boot
• Take the buffing brush and vigorously buff the entire surface of the booth. (shoe polish is wax based so the harder you rub or buff the more heat you create and the better shine you get from your boots).
• Repeat process for the other boot.
If you polish your skates regularly you will save the leather from scrapes and abrasions.


you asked for it you got it...

You can wash your pads in the dish washer, that works great but the key is making sure to kill the bacteria that cause the stench. So when you get ready to strap it on put a little antibacterial gel on all the affected body parts. It will allow you to stay smell free a little longer.

Feet are a huge issue in derby and the better you prep before you play the happier they will be. A little foot powder in you socks will help with blisters and smelly feet. If you keep you feet dry your callouses wont get moist and wet and leave you with blisters.

Duck tape does wonders for blisters and ankle bites

hope this helps.

Cheers ,
Coach Pauly
Former Owner,Head Coch and head Ref AZRD

[Dirty Constance Agt #99]

Awesome! Thanks. That's a lot of great information

[Envy MiYoni]

Maybe links to information about how the game is played depending on affiliation- Links to WFTDA, OSDA, Banked Track, Renegade/Rogue etc.

[Dirty Constance Agt #99]

Definitely.

[Kimmy Crippler]

Outside core and flexibility training is always going to help prevent injuries, and it improves skating so much.

[Dirty Constance Agt #99]

I agree, I have trouble feeling like we get enough time to properly stretch and do core training at our league practices. We do it at private and it's great.

[Sidney]

A secret to fishnets that one of the gals on my team figured out.
Wear PANTYHOSE underneath your fishnets... It wont cut you up as bad!


VI

[Stevie Hits, #911]

Hmmm...let me think for a bit, I could give you some.

I use peroxide in the wash with my pads and it works pretty well....

Take Calcium pills and Vitamin B Complex - great for energy and getting those vitamins to do their job!