Secrets

Cardiovascular Health

Let’s take a look at the components of the sport of roller derby. First and foremost, you must be able to roller skate, and you must be able to do it well. Skaters, even those with previous experience, spend hours doing laps to learn the mechanics of speed and agility on eight wheels in the physics of the flat track.

Roller skating is a form of cardiovascular exercise approved and encouraged by the American Heart Association (AHA), and those that skate enjoy the same full body benefits as runners (1). Most government bodies recommend that an adult should do at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week to maintain cardiovascular health and keep obesity at bay, any more than that (or any more intense) will lead to an increase in health and a shedding of pounds (2).

Since most leagues practice twice a week minimum, skaters are already going to get about 175 minutes of pure skating or drill work (two practices a week turns into 240 minutes of practice does not usually equate to 240 minutes of skating). However, many leagues have three practices a week, and most skaters are serious enough about their sport to seek cardiovascular and strength workouts OUTSIDE of practice times as well (3).

A healthy heart means increased blood flow. This allows the body to clear arteries naturally, repair muscles more efficiently, and strengthens the immune system. This all equates to lower blood pressure (great for stress) and a control on blood sugar (great to avoid diabetes). (3)


From Why roller derby? by Kristie Grey


I've mentioned numerous times that I'm extremely out of shape. Extremely. It's hard for me to keep up with the rest of the group as a result. Well, one thing I haven't really mentioned was my recent scare when it came to my heart's health.

This past fall and spring, I had numerous occasions where I'd be lying around my apartment and would be able to feel my heart randomly start beating harder than normal for one or two beats, often skipping a beat. I'd just lay there freaking out that I was about to have a heart attack at any moment. This was part of my inspiration to start losing weight. I started back in January with a slow weight loss plan (slow because drastic changes to my diet never work for me longer than a few weeks.) I still had problems all through the spring despite losing a little bit of weight and a bunch of inches thanks to the physical activity involved in my renfaire performances. By the summer, they finally went away after I started learning to skate. I've sworn I'd never get to that point again. (The weird heart beats started up this week as I start freaking out due to school/work/derby, so now I know that it was never actually my heart. I suppose that explains why my cholesterol was never elevated and my blood pressure was normal.)

But the whole thing started me on what will hopefully be a lifetime of increased cardiovascular health. Roller derby has been great in that way. While I know now that the issues were never really my heart, I can feel how much I'm starting to shape up. I'll always be a chubby girl, but at least now I'm a chubby girl who is at least semi-healthy.