How-to: Stability Archives | Roller Derby Athletics

How-to: Squat with Weight

Exercise: Squats with Weight Do: Keep weight in heels, maintain a slight curve in the lower back at the bottom position, keep chest and head lifted. Don’t: squat lower if you can’t maintain good form. Easier: Use lighter weight; use a Smit…

How-to: Split Squat with Raised Leg

Exercise: Split Squat with Raised Back Leg Do: Place about 70% of your weight on the front foot. Drive through the heel of the front foot to rise up. Don’t: allow front knee to cave inward. Easier: Do standard split squats instead Harder: lift he…

How-to: Side to Side Switches

Exercise: Side to Side Switches Do: Hold weight close to body, use core to control the movement, move quickly and sharply Don’t: swing the weight in large arcs or compensate with a wide stance. Easier: n/a Harder: go faster, use heavier weight. …

How-to: Lunge Stretch

Exercise: Lunge Stretch Do: Focus on tilting your pelvis under; keep your knees aligned with your ankles Don’t: let your front knee drive forward past your toes, or cave inward towards your centre line. Easier: Back knee resting on the floor. B…

How-to: Lunge (Basic)

Exercise: Basic Lunge & Variations Do: Try lunging in different orientations; keep your knees aligned with your ankles; keep your head and chest lifted; drive through the front heel as you push back to standing. Don’t: let your front knee dr…

How-to: Walking Lunge

Exercise: Walking Lunge Do: Keep head and shoulders lifted, drive up through your front heel Don’t: let your front knee drive forward past your toes, or cave inward towards your centre line. Easier: hold on to a wall for support, don’t be…

How-to: Single Leg Squat

Exercise: Single Leg Squat Do: Engage your core, shoot for a 90 degree bend, try different leg positions Don’t: let your shoulders and head do all the lowering! Easier: hold on to a wall or counter for support Harder: get lower!To access this p…

How-to: Single Leg Dead Lift

Exercise: Single Leg Dead Lift, aka SLDL or 1LDL Do: Engage your core, hinge your torso and leg as a unit, send your hips backward and weight over your heel Don’t: use the same forward arm as your supporting leg! Easier: n/a Harder: Add a dumbb…

How-to: Cross-Under Squats

Exercise: Cross-Under Squats Do: Keep head and chest lifted, get hips down low, reach far across with the back leg Don’t: take miniature steps, or only bend forward at the waist instead of bending from the kneesTo access this post, you must purch…

How-to: Calf Raises

Exercise: Calf Raises Do: Rise and lower with control; distribute weight evenly across the balls of your feet. Don’t: let your heels splay out to the sides. Easier: hold on to a wall for stabiity Harder: one-leg calf raises; add weightTo access …

How-to: Bird Dog on a Ball

Exercise: Bird Dog on a Ball Do: engage your back, abs and glutes throughout; keep your neck in a neutral position Don't: overextend, arch your back [rda_video video_url="//player.vimeo.com/video/65507210"] Click here to see all the How-To Vid…

How-to: Seated Marching on a Ball

Exercise: Seated Marching on a Ball Do: Go slowly, check your form in a mirror Don’t: Allow the ball to roll or dip from side to side as you march; rush through Easier: No arms Harder: Add arm raises Click here to see all the How-To Videos&#…

How-to: Seated Hip Tilts and Swivels

Exercise: Seated Hip Tilts and Swivels Do: Go slowly, with control, using small movements Don’t: rush Click here to see all the How-To Videos…To access this post, you must purchase Sun's Out Guns Out Challenge.…

How-to: Russian Twists

Exercise: Russian Twists (with a ball) Do: Keep a flat back, keep hips relatively still so that knee caps remain aligned Easier: Sit up at a more upright angle Harder: add weight Click here to see all the How-To Videos…To access this post, y…

How-to: Reverse Leg-Lifts on a Ball

Exercise: Reverse Leg-Lifts on a Ball Do: engage your back and glutes throughout; keep your neck in a neutral position Don’t: overextend your legs, arch your back Easier: One leg at a time Click here to see all the How-To Videos…To acce…

How-to: Crossover Twists with a Ball

Exercise: Crossover Twists with a Ball Do: Keep your shoulders in contact with the mat Don’t: rush, or twist further than you can with control Click here to see all the How-To Videos…To access this post, you must purchase Sun's Out Gun…

How-to: Clamshells

Exercise: Clamshells Do: Line up your shoulders, hips, and heels on a straight line Don’t: Race through the reps Click here to see all the How-To Videos…To access this post, you must purchase Sun's Out Guns Out Challenge.…

How-to: Bicycle Situps

Exercise: Bicycle Situps Do: Go slowly, keep your lower torso still, twist strongly Don’t: Go fast, “flail” Easier: keep your outstretched foot higher Harder: lower your outstretched foot closer to the ground Click here to see all…

How-to: Chair Squats

Exercise: Chair Squats Do: Lower with control, keep your supporting knee pointed straight forward over your toe Don’t: Drop heavily into the chair; allow your supporting knee to cave inward Easier: use a higher platform (bed, arm of a couch), or do …

How-to: Bridges & Variations

Exercise: Bridges Variations: Basic, One leg, Marching, One leg with a Kick Do: Keep hips level and as still as possible. Engage your abs and glutes before lifting your hips Don’t: Allow hips to dip side to side Easier / Harder: The variations are …

How-to: Leg Circles

Exercise: Leg Circles Do: Keep your trunk as still as possible; keep circles small enough to allow this control. Easier: smaller circles Harder: larger range of motion Click here to see all the How-To Videos…To access this post, you must pur…

How-to: Flying Plank Push-Up

Exercise: Flying Plank Push-Up Do: Keep your hips neutral – flat line from your head down to your heels; do a full push-up; try to keep your hips and shoulders square to the floor when doing the “flying” Don’t: Allow your hips to r…

How-to: Fire Hydrants

Exercise: Fire Hydrants Do: Keep hips and torso as still as possible Don’t: arch your back, lift your hip, or look down Click here to see all the How-To Videos…To access this post, you must purchase Sun's Out Guns Out Challenge.…

How-to: Lunge Jumps

Exercise: Lunge Jumps Do: Jump high! Keep your chest and head lifted Don’t: Allow your front knee to cave in towards centre, or push forward past your toes Easier: Go slower, step between positions instead of jumping Harder: n/a Click here to…

How-to: Prisoner Get-Ups

Exercise: Prisoner Get-Ups Do: take your time, and hit all the “Stops”: 1) lie down 2) sit up 3) tuck your knee under 4) rise to kneeling 5) stand up Easier: Use your hands to support Harder: Add weight Click here to see all the Ho…

How-to: Plank – Elbows to Hands

Exercise: Plank – Elbows to Hands Do: Follow all the good form advice for a standard plank; remember to alternate which arm leads Click here to see all the How-To Videos…To access this post, you must purchase Sun's Out Guns Out Challeng…

How-to: Plank

Exercise: Plank Do: Keep hips in line with heels and the crown of your head, keep arms “pulled out” of their shoulder sockets Don’t: drop or raise hips, sink into your shoulders Easier: plank from the elbows on all fours Harder: from the…

How-to: Lunge Twist

Exercise: Lunge Twist Do: Practice good lunge form – front knee tracking straight over your supporting ankle Don’t: Allow front knee to “cave in” towards centre or come past your toes Easier: Keep arms closer to your body Harder: A…

How-to: V-Sit

Exercise: V-Sit Do: keep head and chest lifted, try to keep a flat low back Don’t: round your back Easier: support yourself with hands behind your knees Harder: longer balances Click here to see all the How-To Videos…To access this post…

How-to: Push-Ups on a Ball

Exercise: Push-Ups on a Ball Variations: FOB Push-ups; FOB single-leg push-ups; HOB push-ups from the knees; HOB push-ups (lowering motion only); HOB full push-ups Do: Practice good standard push-up form Don’t: Allow your shoulders to rise towards y…

How-to: Rollover & Situp

Exercise: Rollover & Situp Do: Use your core muscles to roll you over Don’t: use your hands or feet to roll yourself; use momentum to rise up to the situp Easier: Use hands to support yourself in the situp Harder: n/a Click here to see a…

How-to: Praying Mantis Plank

Exercise: Praying Mantis Plank Do: Return to good plank form between each rep Easier: Touch outstretched foot to floor near hand, instead of touching hand & foot in the air; or leave both hands in place and just reach your foot out. Click here…

How-to: Split Squat

Exercise: Split Squat Do: Keep chest lifted, stance wide enough that both knees bend to 90 degrees but no further Don’t: Allow your front knee to cave inward Easier: n/a Harder: add weight Click here to see all the How-To Videos…To acc…

How-to: Skater Jumps & Hops

Exercise: Skater Jumps Variation: Skater Jumps & Hops Do: Take speed skater posture, low and bent at the waist. Jump wide and low. For the jump+hop variation, get as much air under your toes on the Hop as you can! Don’t: Pop up and over; tran…

How-to: Planks with Knee Tucks (FOB)

Exercise: Planks with Feet on the Ball & Knee Tucks Do: Initiate the movement by lifting your hips up Easier: straight knee tucks Harder: Side to side knee tucks Click here to see all the How-To Videos…To access this post, you must purcha…

How-to: Planks with Single Knee Tucks on a Ball

Exercise: Planks with Single Knee Tucks on a Ball (HOB) Do: Try to keep as still as possible in your upper body and trunk Modification: do this from the ground, or with your elbows on the ball if you have wrist pain Click here to see all the How-…

How-to: Walking Push-up

Exercise: Walking Push-up Do: Practice good push-up form Don’t: Allow hips to pike up or sag Easier: Do pushups from your knees; step hand and foot one at a time instead of simultaneously Harder: n/a Click here to see all the How-To Videos&#…

How-to: Planks on a Ball

Exercise: Planks on a Ball Variations: Feet on the Ball (FOB) and Hands on the ball (HOB) Do: Keep a straight line from the crown of your head to your heels Don’t: allow hips to sag or rise, or sink into your shoulder sockets Don’t: attempt th…

How-to: Lateral Roll on a Ball

Exercise: Lateral Roll on a Ball Variations: Iron Cross, Charlie’s Angels Do: Keep hips lifted Don’t: Easier: Iron cross variation Harder: Charlie’s Angels variation Click here to see all the How-To Videos…To access this pos…

How-to: High Bridge with Marching on a Ball

Exercise: High Bridge with Marching on a Ball Do: Keep hips lifted, keep torso as still as possible Don’t: let hips sag Easier: no arms Harder: with arms Click here to see all the How-To Videos…To access this post, you must purchase Su…

How-to: Bridge – Feet on a Ball

Exercise: Bridge – Feet on a Ball (FOB) Click here to see all the How-To Videos…To access this post, you must purchase Sun's Out Guns Out Challenge.…

How-to: Roll-downs on a Ball

Exercise: Roll-downs on a Ball Do: Roll slowly and with control, initiate the roll-down by tucking your pelvis under Don’t: Start sitting in the centre of the ball, or go too quickly Harder: Raise one arm at a time as shown To access this post…

How-to: Swimming on a Ball

Exercise: Swimming on a Ball Do: Maintain a straight line from head to heels, keep your neck neutral, engage your abdominal muscles Don’t: Overextend/arch your back, look up or look down Click here to see all the How-To Videos… Click…

How-to: Tabletop Rollout on a Ball

Exercise: Tabletop Rollout on a Ball Do: Go slowly, with control; bend at the hips; keep your neck neutral Don’t: pitch forward at the hips as though in a plank Click here to see all the How-To Videos…To access this post, you must pur…

How-to: Tricep Rollout on a Ball

Exercise: Tricep Rollout on a Ball Do: Maintain a plank position and neutral neck position Don’t: Pop back up to the starting position (go slowly instead) Click here to see all the How-To Videos…To access this post, you must purchase…

How-to: Walkout Push-ups on a Ball

Exercise: Walkout Push-ups on a Ball Do: Maintain a plank position and neutral neck position; alternate which hand leads the march Click here to see all the How-To Videos…To access this post, you must purchase Sun's Out Guns Out Challenge.…