Could 2015 have been any more [insert spazzy word here!]??

I’m going to give you the hit list of my best advice of the year, but first, a quick rundown on what 2015 brought.

• It was shocking: Rollercon left the Riviera, Rose City won the Hydra, and our Facebook Page surpassed 25,000 fans this summer.
• It was frustrating: I changed leagues, got injured, and swore at my computer a lot.
• It was full of new beginnings: WFTDA launched Junior Flat Track Roller Derby. I moved across the continent, and launched our advanced StrideBooster program. I coached at the first ever Camp Elite in Austin, and in Europe for the first time too. Plus, a bunch of folks reading this probably started playing derby for the first time ever. Wow!
• It was freakin’ fun: After parties, tournaments, boot camps, travel, friends, smiles, selfies… I can’t complain!

And through all of that, Roller Derby Athletics kept pumping out our free roller derby advice, “Pre-Hab” injury avoidance exercises, and at-home workouts!

So as we usher 2015 out the back alley, I wanted to share the absolute best of the blog from the last twelve months. These are the posts that got you talking, liking, sharing and – hopefully – getting a little better on your skates every single day.

11,023 of Roller Derby Athletics’ many shares and likes this year on Facebook came from these seven articles: (Just click the title or image to go straight to the article)

#7 The Top Ten Exercises for Roller Derby Athletes

You don’t need a ton of time or equipment to be your best! These top ten exercises for roller derby athletes will help make you strong, stable, flexible, and pretty much a bad-ass. I originally put this list together for a chapter I contributed to Margot Atwell’s (aka Em Dash) book, Derby Life: A Crash Course in the Incredible Sport of Roller Derby . You should get your hands on the book!

#6 The Gun Show Workout

If you have a lower body injury, this workout is dedicated to you! I get so many requests from athletes rehabbing this or that injury, and looking for things they can keep busy with to keep their fitness and strength up while their activities are limited. Well, I joined their ranks with a torn calf muscle this summer, so I finally got around to producing a workout that you can do even in a cast!

#5 Fresh Meat – You Got This!

“It is how you get yourself through the challenges and come out the other side, still smiling and still rolling, that matters.” With permission, in September I re-posted Delilah Decider’s (aka Shawn Sanders) wise words to all new skaters entering a Fresh Meat program. They are just as relevant to those of us who have been at this derby thing for years, and proved that I should let others write my blog for me more often!

#4 Three Non-Sweaty Ways to Improve at Roller Derby and Life This Week.

Sure, I’m always here to tell you how many push-ups or burpees to do, and how to become more agile. But sometimes you can also make big strides and improve at roller derby by working out your mind… In this April article, I cover watching derby footage, and once again I borrow from a better writer than myself! This time it’s not one but two blog posts from my friend Kar Harvey: on breaking through your plateaus, and dealing with injuries. Harvey’s words are fantastic and readers clicked the heck out of this one.

#3 Power Up With Plyo

When you’re looking to step up your game and get explosive acceleration and powerful hits, plyometric training MUST be on your training plan. Wether you want to punch through the scrum start or move another blocker at will to create offense, you’ll want to power up with plyo to make it happen! This post got you excited with a primer on where to start and how to progress, including my Top Six Tips for Plyo Training.

#2 Returning to Derby after a Concussion

PLUS: PreHab: How to Reduce Concussions

It’s a shame this two-part series had to be so damn popular. We all wish that concussions would FOAD.

But if you play roller derby, and you value your brain, you should be doing neck strengthening. This Pre-Hab provides exercises that can actually help reduce the frequency and severity of roller derby concussions. Already got one, or helping out a teammate who has? Please, please, PLEASE follow the Return To Derby Protocol.

And finally… with the requisite drumroll…

#1 Cross-Training for Roller Derby: A Primer

So you wanna cross-train for Roller Derby? Don’t know where to start?? Sometimes I forget that you haven’t all been doing this with me for the whole 3+ years that RDA has been going. And when I remember, I write fairly useful back-to-basics articles that help you break down where to start and what to do when you want to get better on the track. This primer was the #1 most popular article I produced in 2015. If you missed it, or need a refresher, it’s time to dive in!