So you’ve been preparing your body and mind for your freshmeat intake classes for the past few weeks, but what about the rest of it? I know that I was pretty keen on getting my skating gear when I started contemplating getting involved in roller derby but I wasn’t really sure where to start.
ROLLER SKATES AND WHEELS
When you’re just starting out in roller derby it’s not necessary for you to have the top-of-the-line skates. What you’ll be learning during your freshmeat classes will be basic and, while the quality of your equipment will contribute to your performance, it’s more important for you to just get used to being on eight wheels and falling over safely than it is for you to figure out what will make you go faster and what will make you more flexible on the track. Discuss your options with your local skate distributor – they’ll be able to give you advice on the product that will suit your needs and budget.
I was surprised when I discovered that there were all different types of wheels, and a little overwhelmed too. Here’s basically what you need to know about wheels as someone trying out for freshmeat: when you skate indoor you need indoor wheels, when you’re skating outdoor you need outdoor wheels. Indoor wheels are hard and generally smaller than outdoor wheels, they allow skaters to go faster on smooth surfaces. Outdoor wheels are larger and much softer than indoor wheels which allows the skater to roll over pebbles and cracks without causing them to fall.
PROTECTIVE GEAR
Like with roller skates, you don’t necessarily need the most expensive gear available because of the basic nature of your initial training. You will fall over, yes, and you will need gear that will protect you when you do so; however, you won’t be participating in full-contact exercises yet. I bought the base model fresh meat pack from my local retailer and I’m happy to say that the gear has served me incredibly well over the past couple of years.
Don’t forget that you will need a mouthguard – most leagues won’t allow you to skate unless you’re completely protected and it’s fair enough. You need to protect your game-face smile as well as your knees and elbows.
ENLIST A FRIEND 
Getting into something new can be really scary, especially if it’s unlike anything you’ve ever done before. I think the older we get the more terrifying it can be, so I find it’s always a good idea to get a friend interested in coming along for freshmeat.
When you have a friend with you it kind of gives you this courage that you can’t quite get anywhere else. It’s important to have someone you can practice with during the week, to complain to about your roadblocks and celebrate your accomplishments with. Someone who understands how amazingly brilliant and hopelessly challenging roller derby can be for freshies, someone who can high five you when you pass or hug you if you don’t. Most importantly, you absolutely need someone to help keep you motivated when you’re working your ass off and you maybe don’t feel like you’ve progressed as much as you wanted.
Having a good friend go through the freshmeat experience with you is invaluable and, in my opinion, entirely underrated. Enlist a friend in your roller derby adventure – you’ll be surprised by the difference it makes.
GET YOUR DERBY UNIFORM ON
Another entirely underrated tool in the roller derby freshmeat experience is having a special outfit to wear to class.
It can make you feel like you’re a part of something when you designate a special uniform (so to speak) to derby, whether you’re pulling on your stripy knee high socks and cute little booty shorts or your workout leggings and sports tank.
When I started exercising, I felt about 100% more motivated and excited when I put on my sports bra and leggings, it was like marching into battle. I know that there are a lot of people who argue that fishnets and face paint takes away from the seriousness of the sport, but that’s not something you should worry about as a freshie – you can decide for yourself how you feel about that. Getting into roller derby is a lot of hard work, you will put blood, sweat and tears into your journey so find a way to make it fun and find a way to be a part of the experience in a way that’s unique to you.
Rockin' Roller Derby and Fitness 