Keep a low stance and brace for impact to handle contact on the track

Roller derby is a whirlwind of speed, strategy, and honest-to-goodness contact. If you’re stepping onto the track, you know the hits are coming—sometimes from the side, sometimes from behind, always with a little bit of chaos mixed in. The key isn’t to avoid contact entirely. It’s to handle it with balance, control, and a mindset that helps you soak up the impact without losing your footing. In other words: keep your stance low and brace for impact.

Let me explain the idea in plain terms. When your knees bend and your hips soften into a lower position, you’re creating a more stable platform. Think of your center of gravity as a tripod—three points under load: feet and hips. Lower that tripod, and you’re less likely to topple when an opponent pushes, bumps, or shoves. That stability matters not only for surviving the hit but for continuing to move afterward with purpose. And bracing for impact? That’s the mental counterpart. It’s about anticipating contact so you can respond rather than react in fear or flail in bewilderment.

What a low stance looks like on the track

Here’s the practical picture. Your feet are about shoulder-width apart, knees bent to a comfortable depth, hips tucked under, and your spine long but not stiff. Your chest stays over your hips, not leaning forward so far you’re begging to be knocked off balance. Your arms are up for balance and quick shielding, but you’re not waving them around like you’re trying to win a high-five contest. Your head stays up, eyes scanning the lane ahead, shoulder blades loose, and core engaged.

Now, the brace part. When contact arrives, you don’t freeze or brace by tensing up into a rigid statue. You brace with intention: breathe, tighten your core, soften your knees further if needed, and redirect force through your body rather than letting it push you out of the singular line you’re trying to hold. The goal isn’t to absorb every hit with brute force; it’s to maintain balance, absorb energy, and keep moving in a controlled way.

How to translate that into on-track cues

Coaches often use simple prompts that athletes can feel in the moment. Here are a few you’ll hear echoed in most training rooms and on most tracks:

• “Low legs, tall chest.” It sounds almost poetic, but it’s a solid cue: keep the legs bent, but the torso still enough to see ahead and react.

• “Brace and roll with it.” Don’t fight the hit—absorb and redirect the momentum through your legs and core.

• “Keep your feet under you.” In derby, losing a step or getting knocked off balance often comes from a foot that’s too light, too far out, or too slow to re-plant.

• “Protect the wheelhouse.” Shield your torso and hips; use your arms as a balanced shield rather than as bony whips flailing at nothing.

If you’ve ever watched a top-tier skater ride a hit, you’ll notice the same themes: posture, breath, and a calm, calculated response that keeps skating forward rather than dropping to the floor.

Drills that ingrain the stance and the brace

You can build this feel with focused, bite-sized sessions. Here are some drills that emphasize low stance and effective bracing while still feeling fun and practical.

• Static stance with traffic: Hold a low stance for 30 seconds, then the partner lightly taps your shoulders or hips from the side. The goal is to stay in your posture and not pop up or shove your partner away. Start soft, increase the pressure gradually, and finish with a few seconds of controlled movement to reset.

• Shoulder contact absorption: A partner skates toward you at a moderate pace, makes light contact to your shoulder or upper torso, and you respond by lowering a bit more and absorbing the hit through your legs. You’re not trying to push them away; you’re trying to stay in position and keep your lane.

• Weight shift under load: From a low stance, practice shifting weight from one foot to the other while keeping your core engaged. The idea is to move fluidly to absorb hits coming from different angles without popping out of your stance.

• Hip-angled response: Practice slight hip rotations to guide incoming force rather than bracing with stiff shoulders. This helps you steer a collision rather than getting knocked off course.

• Quick center resets: After a light contact, your job is to re-establish your low stance and forward march quickly. It’s a micro-recovery drill that pays dividends when the pace heats up.

Why this approach beats leaning back or avoiding contact

If you’ve ever seen someone lean backward to “evade” a hit, you’ve witnessed a recipe for instability. Leaning back places your center of gravity behind your feet, making your ankles and knees work overtime and inviting a tumble. In derby, stability is king; a strong, compact stance keeps you grounded and ready to respond.

On the flip side, trying to dodge contact by avoiding it altogether isn’t realistic or healthy in a full-speed game. Skating at top speed into a wall of players requires a disciplined approach to contact, not a denial of it. The best skaters treat contact as a manageable variable—one you train for, not fear.

Bracing isn’t about bristling with tension either. It’s a balance of power and control. You’re not stiff-arming your way through a collision; you’re absorbing energy and keeping your body aligned so you can push back into the pack when the moment calls for it.

Safety gear and why they matter

All this technique sits on a bedrock of protection. Knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards, and reliable pads protect joints during the inevitable awkward moments. A well-fitted helmet rounds out the safety net. In roller derby, gear isn’t a luxury; it’s part of the game plan. The better you feel protected, the more you can focus on technique, not the possibility of a bruise taking you out of play.

A few gear notes worth your attention:

• Look for knee pads with a good blend of impact absorption and mobility. You want protection without pinching or slippage as you skate through turns.

• Wrist guards should offer support without restricting your ability to catch yourself when you stumble.

• Your skate choice matters, too. Well-fitting skates with solid ankle support help maintain that low stance and reduce wobble when a hit lands.

Beyond the basics: the mental side of contact

Technique is crucial, but derby success also hinges on a calm mental approach. Anticipation matters. If you know a hit is coming, you can prepare your stance and your breath in a heartbeat. Visualizing the moment before it happens—seeing your hips drop, your chest stay tall, your core engage—translates into a more instinctive response when the time comes.

Communication with teammates is another pillar. Callouts like “I’ve got your inside!” or “Shield on the right” keep the wall intact and reduce misreads on the track. When everyone’s bodies and calls align, a single hit becomes a shared rhythm rather than a chaotic moment.

Real-world context: what the pros do right

In competition, the best skaters use contact as a tool, not a liability. They anticipate where force will come from, position themselves to absorb it, and transform that energy into forward momentum. It’s a choreography of balance, body leverage, and strategic footwork.

If you’re chasing that level of control, you don’t rely on luck. You build it—one drill, one session, one game at a time. It’s not about brute strength alone; it’s about tuning your body to listen to the track and your teammates.

A quick recap you can carry into your next skate

• Stay low: a compact stance lowers your center of gravity and boosts stability.

• Brace intentionally: absorb and guide impact rather than resisting with rigid force.

• Keep moving forward: your goal is to return to speed and lane control after contact.

• Protect your gear: wear reliable padding and well-fitted skates to support the stance.

• Communicate and anticipate: calls and awareness on the track keep your team aligned and your body ready.

If you’re curious about taking these ideas further, consider pairing your drills with a few off-track conditioning days. Core work, hip mobility, and leg endurance all support the stance you’re building on the rink. And when you lace up those skates, you’ll notice that the difference isn’t just in your legs, but in how you approach every collision, read the lane ahead, and glide back into play with confidence.

A few closing thoughts that tie it all together

Roller derby isn’t about surviving contact; it’s about mastering it with poise. The low stance and a well-timed brace build a dependable foundation, letting you absorb what comes your way and push back with control. It’s a habit you cultivate through consistent drills, mindful breathing, and clear communication with your team.

So the next time you lace up your skates, start with your stance. Stay light on your feet but solid in your core. Look up, not down, and welcome the moment you meet a hit with a calm, collected response. That’s how you turn contact from a challenge into an element you can use to your advantage on the track.

If you want, I can tailor a short, sport-specific sequence of drills that fits your team’s tempo and your training space. We can blend gear checks, warm-ups, and the exact drills you’ll reach for most during a typical session. After all, the track rewards readiness, and readiness starts with a strong, braced stance.