321 Ouch!

Astra Knot  , #321, is one of our amazing blockers.  She has been on the official game roster since February 2013.   This past April 12th was our first game of the 2014 season. We were all ready to go and Astra was set for a day of awesome blocking!













All was going as well as can be expected in a rough and tumble roller derby game.  Then all of a sudden... 

Broken Fibula!

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!

Graduated on to the Moon Boot!   Keep healing and come back to us Astra  :)

You can Like Astras Facebook Page here.

Astra Knot 

Great article on Healing from broken bones

Pair O'Dice City Rollers vs.Bangor Maine

April 12th was a hard hitting game!
Welcome to Melissa and MoJo - first official game ever.

If you are not sure,  there is one person on each team that wears a star on their helmet.   this is the person who is trying to collect points for each team.   first time through the "pack" there is no points.   once they make it through the next and all subsequent times,  they get one point for each player they legally pass on the track.  (skaters with stars are Jammers,  skaters with stripes are pivots,  all other skaters are blockers)

MVPs for the 4-12-14 Bangor Game!

MVP - POD - Blocker -  Eve N. Meaner

MVP - POD - Jammer -  Donny Brook

Congrats girls!!  

Game Changer or Mood changer?

Game Changer? or Mood Changer?    I think I will say the Sisu 2.4 mouth guard is a little of both.  Ya maybe it will be a game changer - I HOPE.  But I know for sure it is a mood changer! I was SOOO happy to get my new mouth guard.  I jumped for joy when it arrived in the mail. Then I opened it up and popped it in the hot water.  (you can see some pix of the process below)  After trying a couple times to get it to feel right,  I tried for the 3rd time.  Third times the charm right?   I was happy to feel how well it molded to my mouth.  It didn't dig into my lips or feel bad in any way.   So I went to take it out... well, that proved to be a huge challenge.  The mouth guard fit SOO Well that it would NOT come out! I tried and tried and it would not budge.  My happiness turned to slight panic.  After some thoughts of cutting it out of my mouth or having to go to a dentist (LOL) I came to my senses and decided to flush my mouth with the hottest tap water I could stand.  I softened the guard enough to unbend the front where it had shaped so perfectly over the front of my teeth/gums.  It finally came out!    

So my mood was no longer very happy at this point...  I was quite annoyed.  So I tried again and again and again... and...    Do I look a little Krazy here?  You bet I do.   This is what happens when you are on your 7th, 8th, 9th try at molding your mouth guard!   You get a bit nutty.  

I said,  damn this Freaking Game Changer!  My son said, it's not a game changer, it's a mood changer - hense the title to this blog!   I said yes!  I started out so happy and now I was so frustrated bordering on pissed off.

So anyway,   here are some of my "in the process" pix.  At least the white guard turns clear in the hot water, which was nice, because it lets you know when it is ready to be molded.   I used a wider spatula so that it would not bend over and possibly touch itself.   Didn't want it to stick to itself, that would not be good.  

Here it is soft, pliable & ready to go for the 100th freaking time  ;)   

 

Put it in and pressed on the lips,  Looks good,  feels good too. 

Had to go through this process many times because it would fit so perfectly over the top part of my teeth/gums that it would literally be stuck in place because it molded inward so could not come back off over my teeth.   I had to do the hot water removal a few more times.   

This last time I didn't suction my lips as much as they tell you to do.  I didn't push in on my lips to mold it as much either.   Then as it was almost cooled I pulled on the top to make sure it was not molded too much around the top of my gums, put it up and down a few times too and....  FINALLY it fits !

I can actually REMOVE IT!!  (without hot water)

Yeay!   Now this thing BETTER be a game changer in a POSITIVE way....  I hope the holes do not act like a cheese grater on my lip if I get hit.   I'm concerned cause it really does feel very rough! 

We shall see  :)

UPDATE :   I really like the Mouth guard.  Although I did change from the thicker 2.4 one to the thinner 1.6 one.   The thicker guard just would not fit right and was impossible to mold and still remove from my mouth.  The thin guard is wonderful.  it pops in and is tight fitting.  Comes out quick with a tug.    Did grate my mouth a couple of times, but not THAT badly.  Would definitely get it again.

Author:

MoJo 

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!

The Pair O' Dice Officials

Here are the awesome people who make derby work!  

 Pair O' Dice officials! 

Photo  © 2013 Ashley Krakowski

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:

MoJo 

Amazing Photo

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

This amazing photo was taken by Ashley of  Krakowski Photography. 

Nikki Tesla

Skater name: Nikki Tesla

Number: 134

Story behind the name: It's an electrifying choice! LOL.

In real life: I'm a Librarian, avid reader, and a blogger.

Skating experience: From way back in the high school era.

Hometown: Enfield, CT

Likes: Books, All things steampunk, good food, DERBY!

Dislikes: Hurtful people and things that make my OCD-ishness go crazy

Why I love derby: Great exercise, great people, great fun.

2014 Schedule

2014 Season:
April 12 @ Bangor, ME
May 17 @ Worcester, MA
June 1 @ home vs. Hartford
June 14 @ Elm City, NH

August 2 & 3 @ Worcester - Tournament: All 8 on the Floor

Sept 7 @ home vs. Elm City

Oct 11 @ Hartford, CT

Oct 26 @ home vs. Worcester