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#1 Rule: Get into shape.
Get into better shape. Not yet. Keep working. More conditioning. Stronger legs. Better lungs. Jammers skate twice as fast as blockers. Jammers hit three times as much as blockers. Jammers fall down (and get back up) twice as much as blockers. Jammers need to be in WAY better shape than blockers. Blockers will always have fresher legs.

#2 Rule: Never surrender.
Blockers can smell blood. Never let them see you getting discouraged or tired. That gives blockers MORE energy. Always keep trying and keep moving. You will eventually escape. A hole will open. Just don’t give up. Your team is counting on you to just keep trying. A jammer who quits is dead to me.

#3 Rule: Move your feet.
A jammer’s main advantage is that blockers have to react to YOU. The second your feet stop moving in a pack, blockers can anticipate your movements. As long as your feet are moving, they can never be sure what your next move will be. Keep moving your feet in the pack…always.

#4 Rule: Follow your blockers.
When you enter the pack, don’t focus on the opposing blockers. Focus on YOUR blockers. Your blockers are going to open holes for you to skate through. The opposing blockers will not. If you are looking for a way out (and you are ALWAYS looking for a way out) then look at YOUR own blockers.

#5 Rule: Stay out of the danger zone.
Never skate outside when you are in the turns. Get back to the inside line on the turns. Don’t let blockers get inside position on you in the turns.

#6 Rule: Stopping fast is more important than skating fast.
If you are able to stop faster than your opponents (in bounds and out of bounds) you gain a much bigger advantage than being able to outrun your opponents. Master at least two of these stops: plow stop, turnaround toestop, hockey stop.

#7 Rule: Jam like a blocker. Block like a jammer. When you’re blocking the best thing you can do is think like a jammer. Where would you go? What would you do, if you were jamming now? The same goes for jamming. What is that blocker expecting me to do? When are they at their most vulnerable? Can I HIT THEM to get them out of my way?

Jamming is 1% physical and 99% mental. It’s all about intimidation. The best jammers are FAR more intimidating than the meanest blockers. Be intimidating. Be cocky. Jamming is about attitude. Time to be a star.

Quad Almighty’s seven rules for jammers changed the way I think about jamming.  I stopped being afraid of it when I read these rules and started relishing it. (via malicemunro)

Fantastic advice!

(via roadtoderby)

(Source: wontretiremightretread)