#ahility

4 weeks of training equals time for an assessment.

To pass this assessment, we must be able to do:

5 laps in under 50 seconds

15 slaloms in 30 seconds

40 line jumps in 30 seconds

Not sure I am ready for that.

As a general rule, I dislike being tested – I don’t like to be compared to others on any sort of similar level, mostly due to an overwhelming idea that I lack what most others exceed at, and I exceed at anything inconsequential (albeit perhaps unique and interesting). It’s not that I fail everything, and in fact I do excel at some things, or don’t fall too short of that mark. But, every test is yet another potential to prove to myself where I will fail. I am a most harsh critic when it comes to me.

So, faced now with this news from Coach Kola that us Rioters will be having our agility test sets up a lot of anxiety on my end – as well as the other ladies. It’s been 4 weeks, have we actually gotten any better at being agile on these 8 wheels?

We shall see.

So, what have we been doing for 4 weeks then that deems it necessary for such tests of this caliber?

Our Saturday mornings revolve around 4 basic drills; crossovers, plow stopping, turning backwards (via a Mohawk turn) and knee falls. While such repetition might seem tedious, I have realized some method to their madness. With each passing week, we are hopefully honing each of these skills at a more defined level – starting with the basic form and function on week 1, and refining it and picking it apart to instill more efficiency and strength of function.

For example, I have learned that while I do a crossover, I tend to straighten my inside leg – thus propelling my torso in an upward (think standing) movement. While not technically incorrect, by straightening upwards I become less balanced and a better target for a takedown. So – instead, I am learning to keep myself in a nice bend, ensuring my head stays level throughout the movement (it’s kind of like the modeling drill where you walk all tall and proper with a book on your head without it falling off, except I am bent, wearing skates and a helmet…. Yeah – the same thing).

Plow stops are a work in progress, but I am retooling my thoughts on weight transfer – pushing down and out with my wheels rather than just out and forward; trying to remember to learn farther back with my rear – aiding to that push and stop.

The knee falls are pretty good in theory, so my homework is learning to rise without raising my arms up or out like a goober. This involves 2 things at this time: holding my hands in front of me with my arms straight down – preventing either arm to rise up on its own ghostly accord; and really pulling in and up with my abs. Oh, and of course grunting like nobody’s business.

My nemesis though is the Mohawk turns. Well, namely turning to the left.

Mohawk turns involve skating forward, transferring your weight to one foot (the lead foot), opening up your hips, turning your back foot in reverse, and then transferring your weight to your back foot – thus now being turned around and skating backwards.

Me and my Right Mohawk go way back, and are pretty happy with each other, although I am trying to encourage Right to do these turns at a faster clip. But, faster equals doing a curving flailing turn, no doubt taking out many skaters with me. Right is beginning to trust me though – so we shall see.

But Left will have nothing to do with a Mohawk turn. “Why should I do a Mohawk when Right does it so well” it mocks me every time we try to do it. “Because,” I say, “you are weak and I want you to be strong and versatile.”

Left ignores me. Left can be tricked into doing it though from a standstill, but add any speed to the movement and all is found out, and Left refuses to turn, laughing as I trip over my toe stops trying not to fall.

We are now in counseling.

So – agility test …. Where does this come in? I am not sure! Other than as a benchmark right now – as none of us feel we will actually pass it 4 weeks in as we have only touched once on the agility skills since we had tryouts. But, I think some of us are in for a pleasant surprise.