Thursday, March 27, 2014

2014 is shaping up

Many new faces from last year.  Pair O' Dice City Roller Derby is on it's way to have a fun and exciting 2014 season.  WOOO HOOO!


Thursday, March 20, 2014

The Pair O' Dice Officials

Here are the awesome people who make derby work!  
 Pair O' Dice officials! 


Photo  © 2013 Ashley Krakowski

Thursday, March 13, 2014

OUCH! My Groin Hurts

Okay, here's the scenario, everyone is skating around the track.  Warm up is over and some strength and endurance drills are underway.   One of the of the drills includes practicing going down on one knee as you skate and coming back up.  (called a knee-tap)  It's a pretty easy move assuming a skater has strong legs.

Newer skaters or ones who have not been focusing on groin strengthening like squats and these knee taps may have problems.   I know I DID!   7 months ago I joined derby.   For the first 4 months (at least)  I kept having issues with pulling my groin muscles.   First time was probably 2 months after starting,  we did  a lot of knee taps and suddenly my groin started hurting.   Since I was new, I was not aware of the problem that was starting and I continued to keep working through my discomfort.   I WISH I had NOT.   I should have put R.I.C.E into action!!  ( R.I.C.E = Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation)
I ended up being in severe pain that night AND for the entire week that followed.   I had to wrap my upper thigh with a compression wrap and could barely walk.  It took more than 2 weeks for my poor left groin to heal.

About a week later a similar thing happened to my right groin.  This time I was aware of the onset of the feeling so I stopped and rested right from the get-go and that groin pull only hurt for about a week.   My inner thighs were very weak apparently.   So I took things a bit slower for the next few weeks to work up to doing the full number of knee taps and other squat exercises.   I was feeling much better and more confident.  But then all of a sudden BAM the left groin cramped up on me one night when doing some triple knee taps.  Once AGAIN I had a groin pull which took a week to recover from.  This was getting so very old.   So as I sat there with an ice pack between my legs that night,  I searched the web for ways to remedy my reoccurring groin pull problems.

I found lots of good articles  (see the links at the bottom of this page)  If you have been suffering with groin pain, they will help you understand what's going on with you, and how you can heal yourself, along with strengthen the muscles so they will behave for you in the future.

I have been working out my groin muscles a bit more, with in reason so that I don't hurt them.  I have been working up to heavier weights and now am to the point of setting my adductor machine to about 120 pounds.  My chronic groin cramps and pulls have stopped.   Strengthening the muscles has been the BEST decision I made.   I highly recommend you do the same if you find that you have chronic pains or issues.   Your muscles are probably trying to tell you something.

(Word to the wise - if you are currently hurt,  do NOT work out the muscle -  ice it on and off for at least the first 24 hours, then use warmth like a heating pad for the next few days)  once the pain is GONE, then it is time to start with a light adductor exercise.  One that does NOT kill the muscle, but works it up over a matter of weeks and months. *  Good luck!!


Excellent resource Adductor Strains
http://mublog.marymount.edu/MUBlog/adductorstrains/acute-and-chronic-treatment/



Stretching!  Stretching!  Stretching!  Stretching!

Can't say it enough.   Hopefully you were doing it before any injury... but wether you have or havent, from now on, after you are feeling better be sure to ALWAYS stretch -

Begin and End every workout with a bit of groin stretching.  this is one of my favorite groin stretch positions.



)

More info and references:


http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/finder/lookup/filter/muscle/id/17/muscle/adductor

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/groin-pull

http://www.active.com/soccer/articles/how-to-prevent-groin-injuries

http://orthopedics.about.com/od/sprainstraintreatment/ss/groinstretch.htm

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/rehabilitation-exercises/hip-groin-exercises


* NOTE:  I am not a physician.  I am merely sharing info that I found helpful.  If you have questions or concerns be sure to consult with your doctor before you work any exercise plan you are  not familiar with.


Author:

Monday, March 10, 2014

Amazing Photo

Astra, Macrum, Creep, Becky, & Mae Z Dukes

This amazing photo was taken by Ashley of  Krakowski Photography.