Running laps isn’t an agility drill in roller derby — focus on sharp direction changes and balance

Roller derby is a fast, fierce mosaic of speed, balance, and smart footwork. It isn’t just about skating hard; it’s about moving in tight spaces with control, changing direction in a heartbeat, and staying upright when chaos swirls around you. That’s where agility drills come in. They train your feet to react, your hips to stay low, and your mind to read the track like a weather map.

Let me explain a small but important distinction. In many gym corners and track rooms, people talk about agility drills as those quick, multi-directional movements. Think fast pivots, sudden stops, and the kind of footwork that makes a defender blink. Now, you might come across a list of activities and wonder which ones actually sharpen agility on the track. Here’s the thing: not every cardio move is an agility move. Endurance has its own role, but agility drills are about bursts and direction changes more than long, steady miles.

The quiz in your head (and in many coaching chats) often boils down to a simple question: which activity doesn’t belong with the quick-change, high-control moves? The correct answer is running laps. Running laps build stamina. They’re excellent for building a solid aerobic base, but they don’t train your body for those instant, precise shifts that matter when you’re weaving around a blocker or swinging to the inside line for a scoring pass. Agility drills, by contrast, are the tools that teach you to respond in the moment.

Let’s unpack the four options to see why.

A. Lateral shuffles

• Why it matters: Roller derby thrives on side-to-side movement. Lateral shuffles train your hips and ankles to respond to pressure from blockers and to push you into the right lane without tipping over.

• What you get: Better balance during quick sidesteps, improved ability to slip past a jam line, and a steadier core when you need to absorb contact while moving fast.

• The feel on track: It’s about accuracy as much as speed. The feet move in a tight corridor while the eyes stay level and focused.

B. Quick stops and starts

• Why it matters: In derby, you don’t glide through a straight line unless you’re setting up a deceptive play. Stopping and starting rapidly mimics the moment you change tempo to avoid a block or create a lane for your teammate.

• What you get: Explosive bursts from a low stance, deceleration when a blocker cuts you off, and the confidence to accelerate again without losing control.

• The feel on track: It’s the moment your brain and hips sync—the stutter-step that keeps you unpredictable.

C. Backward skating

• Why it matters: backward skating is the secret weapon of many track stars. Skating backward opens up angles you can’t reach by moving forward alone. It also builds the spring in your stride when you need to pivot and switch directions fast.

• What you get: Enhanced defensive and offensive mobility, safer backward transitions, and a knack for reading gaps as you retreat and respond.

• The feel on track: A little dance, a little shield wall, all with the goal of staying one step ahead of the game.

D. Running laps

• Why it’s not an agility drill: Running laps are great for building endurance and lung power. They push your cardiovascular limits, which is fantastic for long jams or an entire bout. But they don’t consistently train the quick, multidirectional changes that agility drills demand.

• What you get: Stamina, steady breathing, and a bigger aerobic engine. Not the primary builder of explosive footwork, pivots, or tight control.

So, yes, running laps is the odd one out in a set of drills aimed at sharp, on-demand movement. It’s not that endurance isn’t valuable; it’s that agility drills hone a different set of skills—those that let you react in the blink of an eye, move with precision, and stay balanced when the track feels like a moving obstacle course.

Now, if you’re building a training plan (and who isn’t, in a sport that moves this quickly), how do you weave these elements together without losing the bigger picture? Here are a few practical ideas.

Core principles to guide your agility work

• Stay low, stay light. A slight knee bend and a quiet core help you absorb shifts in momentum. When you rise, you lose some control; when you stay low, you keep your feet underneath you and your decisions sharp.

• Eyes up, ears open. Don’t look down at your feet all the time. Your vision should scan for blockers, openings, and teammates. Your ears should catch the coach’s cues, the whistle, and the sound of opposing players adjusting their plans.

• Smooth transitions beat frantic flails. It’s not about how fast you can move one foot; it’s about how cleanly you can switch directions, keep your hips pointed where you want to go, and stay in a strong stance through the change.

• Feet before speed. Quick feet set the pace for fast moves. Speed comes after you’ve established trust between your brain, your hips, and your feet.

A practical micro-set you can try (without turning the gym into chaos)

• Drill 1: Lateral shuffles with a pivot

• Set up cones in a straight line, about a step apart. Shuffle to the cone, plant, pivot 90 degrees, and push back the other way. Repeat down the line.

• Focus on keeping hips closed and feet under you. Don’t let your toes cross and don’t overstride.

• Drill 2: Stop-and-go bursts

• Sprint forward for five steps, plant hard, stop in a controlled squat, then accelerate again for another five steps.

• Keep shoulders square, breathe in on the stop, out as you drive forward.

• Drill 3: Backward skate zigzags

• Go backward between cones arranged in a zigzag. Each turn is a controlled heel-to-toe glide, not a wild scramble.

• Eyes forward, hips guiding the direction, knees slightly bent to absorb wobble.

• Drill 4: Quick arc cuts

• Skate in a shallow arc around a cone, then switch to a tighter cut to another cone. The aim is to feel the change in angle without losing balance.

• This one blends forward movement with sudden rotation—great for jam tactics where you need to slip through a lane.

Putting it all together on the track

• The real value isn’t in doing each drill once. It’s in repeating them in short clusters and letting your body learn the feel of rapid direction changes.

• Mix up the order. Sometimes start with backward skating; other times, lead with quick stops and starts. The unpredictability trains your instincts and keeps your body adaptable.

• Add a responder. Have a partner act as a blocker or a moving obstacle. Your goal is to navigate around them using the agility tools you’re practicing. This adds a touch of real-game pressure and helps you translate drills into on-track decisions.

Common errors to watch for (and how to fix them)

• Overstriding on the turns. Shorten your steps and keep your feet close to the line. Think quick taps rather than long strides.

• Hips not guiding the movement. If the hips swing wildly or stay locked, you’ll lose control. Make a habit of letting your hips point where you intend to go, not where you just were.

• Looking down at the ground. Your head should stay level; it helps your balance and your read on the track.

• Tensing up on contact. Agility is also about how you absorb contact without halting your flow. Relax your shoulders and stay poised.

Why agility skills matter when the whistle blows

Roller derby is a chess match with wheels. You’re constantly reading body language, predicting the next move, and choosing a path that keeps you safe and effective. When you can shift direction in an instant, you gain inches that feel like miles in a jam. Blockers lean to one side; you pivot to the other. The faster you react, the more openings you create for your team. Agility isn’t just flash—it’s reliability under pressure.

A short note on balance and safety

Agility work isn’t about showing off fancy footwork. It’s about staying on your feet and preventing falls that cost you precious seconds or, worse, a harsh tumble. Keep your knees bent, your core engaged, and your weight centered. If something feels off or you hear your ankles groan in protest, scale back and fix the form before you push the pace again.

A few tangents worth a smile (and a reminder)

• Ever notice how experienced skaters seem to glide even when they’re changing direction? It’s not magic; it’s groundwork. The drills you do today become the instincts you rely on tomorrow.

• Some players swear by a tiny warm-up: ankle circles, shoulder rolls, and a couple of light steps across the floor. It sounds simple, but it primes the nervous system for quick actions later on.

• If you enjoy gadgets, an inexpensive ladder or a handful of cones can turn a dull drill into a precise, repeatable sequence. Tools matter, but the real power comes from consistent effort over time.

The bottom line

Agility on the roller derby track is a mosaic of fast decisions, precise footwork, and balanced bodies. Lateral shuffles, quick stops and starts, and backward skating are the core moves that train you to respond with speed and control. Running laps, while excellent for endurance, sits in a different lane—it strengthens stamina rather than the rapid direction changes that really matter in a jam.

If you’re building a routine that feels like a good jam from start to finish, give these elements room to shine. Practice the drills with intention, add a touch of game-like pressure, and let your body find the rhythm between speed and control. The track rewards the skater who can switch gears in an instant, who can read a blocker’s move in a blink, and who lands each change with balance and purpose.

So next time you lace up, take a moment to map out a small set of agility moves. Benches, cones, and ladders are great, but the real edge comes from the way you breathe, the way you bend your knees, and the way your feet kiss the floor as you move. That’s where the magic lives—the quick, smart shifts that make you feel in control even when chaos swirls around you. And when that happens, you don’t just skate—you glide with intent.