Lower your body and absorb the hit: the essential roller derby move when a block is incoming.

Short answer, big impact: when you’re about to be blocked, you should lower your body and prepare to absorb the hit.

Let me set the scene. Roller derby is a fast-forward sport where every inch, every decision, and every breath counts. The moment a defender leans in, teammates rely on timing, balance, and a tough, smart stance. In that split second, there’s a choice to make, and the choice matters.

Here’s the thing about the block you’re about to feel: rushing past it isn’t always possible. Blocks come in fast, angles can be tricky, and if you sprint to outrun one, you might misjudge your line, stumble, or get pinned. Slamming full speed into a wall of body is something you want to avoid—yet you still want to keep your momentum and stay in control. Lowering your body and absorbing the hit is the clean middle ground. It stabilizes you, helps spread the impact across more surface area, and buys you the moment to decide what comes next: push through, pivot away, or reset your speed.

Why this is the smarter move

• Stability over bravado: A lower center of gravity improves your balance. Think of your knees as shock absorbers. When they bend, your legs become a spring, and you’re less likely to get tossed off your path.

• Distributed impact: If you stay stiff or brace with your arms too rigidly, the force hits a small spot. Bend your knees, tuck your chin slightly, and let your torso and hips absorb some of that energy. It’s a more forgiving hit, and you’re less likely to lose control.

• Quick reaction window: At the moment of contact, being lower makes it easier to pivot, sidestep, or drive forward after contact. You’re not frozen; you’re ready to respond.

• Momentum management: Blocking is as much about momentum as it is about brute force. Absorbing the hit lets you keep or regain speed more smoothly than trying to outrun a wall of opposing skaters.

• Safety first, always: A solid, controlled stance reduces the risk of turning a hard hit into a knee or hip injury. Skaters who train this properly tend to stay in the game longer and keep their confidence high.

What not to do

• Don’t skate faster to dodge every block. It’s a tempting impulse, but it’s not always practical. An oncoming blocker can close the gap fast, and outrunning them might push you into a worse position or force a collision you can’t recover from.

• Don’t freeze and stop. Stopping in the middle of active play kills momentum and makes you an easier target. If you react too slowly, you’ll be stuck, and the block becomes a bigger problem.

• Don’t call for a timeout mid-play. Timeouts are for breaks in the action, not for handling a block in progress. You need to adapt on the fly.

• Don’t brace with your head up or shoulders squarely to the blocker. A sudden, abrupt brace can jar your neck and throw you off balance. Softening the impact with a controlled bend is smarter.

The mechanics in plain terms

• Bend your knees and drop your hips a bit. This lowers your center of gravity so you’re less likely to tip. It’s the same idea as getting into a squatting position, but quick and ready to move.

• Keep your core engaged. Abs and obliques support your torso so you can transfer or diffuse energy rather than letting it bounce you backward.

• Position your shoulders and hips to stay tight but not rigid. You want to present a stable frame without becoming a brick wall that can’t react.

• Soften your arms just enough to maintain balance. You’re not swinging wildly; you’re stabilizing. Your arms can help shield your ribcage and guide your direction as you absorb the hit.

• Look where you want to go. Keep your line toward your intended path. Your gaze helps you steer after contact rather than letting momentum push you off course.

Putting the move into real-game rhythm

Think of this as a micro-skill you can execute without breaking stride. When you sense a block coming:

• Micro-step to angle your body toward the intended lane.

• Bend your knees, drop your hips, and brace your core.

• Let the blocker meet your side or shoulder first rather than your chest. The contact should feel controlled, not bone-on-bone.

• Immediately read the next move: can you sidestep to the inside or outside? Do you have a lane to pivot and push through? Does a quick shoulder check clear space for you to keep moving?

That split-second sequence is where the balance of offense and defense tends to tilt. If you can master it, you’ll find more opportunities to gain ground and keep playing with purpose.

Drills to build this skill (drills, not just a pep talk)

• Weighted shield and absorb: One skater acts as a low-impact blocker in a controlled, moderate pace. The other learns to lower into the stance and absorb, then pivots away or drives forward after contact. Do this from a few angles to simulate different blocks.

• Center-of-gravity control: Slow-speed drill focusing on knee bend and torso stability. The goal is to hold a solid, flexible stance while a partner challenges you with light pushes.

• Side-on blocking drill: Practice presenting your body to a blocker with a slight diagonal angle. Your aim is to maximize the force you absorb along your lateral side, not on a straight-on front.

• Pivot-and-breakthrough sequence: After absorbing a block, practice a quick pivot or a change of direction to predict and exploit gaps in the wall.

• Gear check and confidence boost: Make sure your pads, helmet, and shoes fit well. Confidence in your gear translates to better posture and safer, more aggressive moves on the track.

Common misreads and how to fix them

• Hunching over: It’s natural to want to protect your torso, but a rigid, hunched stance hurts mobility. Relax your shoulders, keep your chest open, and keep the spine neutral.

• Over-bracing with the arms: You don’t want to turn your arms into a rigid shield. Let them assist with balance and slight shielding, but don’t lock them up.

• Looking down at the ground: Your eyes should guide your feet, not lure you into a stumble. Keep your gaze forward to spot lanes and openings.

• Forgetting to breathe: Smooth, even breaths help you stay calm under pressure. Short, shallow breaths make you tense and slow.

Real-game mindset: reading the play and staying in the moment

Blocking isn’t just physical. It’s a mental chess game. The moment you feel the pressure, you should be asking: Where is the best lane to head? Who’s behind the blocker? Is there an opening on the inside or outside? The answer often comes from knowing the roster, the crowd energy, and your own body’s responses.

If you’ve ever watched a roller derby bout, you’ve probably noticed the craft behind the crash. It’s not about bravado; it’s about balance, timing, and smart execution. The phrase you’ll hear most often from veterans isn’t a flashy move—it’s a steady, effective stance that can carry you through a dozen blocks in a single jam.

A few practical tips to carry forward

• Practice in short bursts: Work on your absorb-and-react sequence in quick arcs around the track. Short, focused cycles beat sprawling, aimless drills every time.

• Build a mental checklist: Stance, breath, gaze, and lane choice. A quick mental rhythm helps you stay composed when the pace hits peak.

• Watch and learn: Observe teammates who excel at absorption. Notice their knee bend, how they manage energy, and when they pivot rather than push straight through.

• Respect the body’s limits: If a hit feels off, back off. Safety isn’t a luxury; it’s a prerequisite for long-term success.

Bringing it back to the core idea

In the heat of a match, the right response to an impending block isn’t bravado or panic. It’s a controlled, prepared posture: lower your body, bend those knees, engage the core, and be ready to absorb. This stance gives you balance, increases your window to react, and sets you up to keep moving with purpose. The other options—trying to outrun the block, stopping, or calling a timeout—either waste momentum or pull you out of the moment altogether.

If you’re new to this, it might feel like a lot to remember. The good news is that with a few targeted drills and some steady practice, you’ll start to instinctively adopt the right posture at the instant you sense a block coming. The track rewards players who stay calm under pressure, who know when to lean in and when to step aside, and who can read the pace of the game with a quiet confidence.

Final take: keep it smart, stay balanced, and keep moving

Roller derby moves fast, but the best responses aren’t flashy. They’re efficient, reliable, and repeatable under pressure. Lowering your body to absorb a hit is one of those dependable fundamentals that can change a jam’s trajectory. It’s the difference between absorbing momentum and losing it to a hard collision.

If you ever wonder how to stay sharp during a bout, remember this: a stable stance, smart absorption, and ready-to-move feet will carry you much farther than raw speed alone. And as you rack up more jams, you’ll notice your confidence grow—because you know you can handle what comes your way, one measured, deliberate move at a time.