(Part 2) Best products from r/rollerderby

Seconding the Starting Strength book! I transitioned to Wendler's 5/3/1 program but still refer back to the SS book all the time. The explanations and diagrams are ace.

To answer OP, 5/3/1 is still powerlifting like SS but I work a 4-day split, focusing on one lift a day. Mon is overhead press, Tues deadlift, Wed rest day, Thurs bench press, Fri squat. Plenty of time for your various bits to recover before you're at it again. I use the rest of my hour for assistive exercises, getting in some plyo or derby specific weight work, sometimes HIIT or flexibility - just depends on what I feel like. I'm a big lurker in /r/Fitness (though interesting threads often turn into circlejerkery fairly quick. Fair warning!)

I basically destroyed my ankle in my first year of play, and now almost always wear a brace. I've been trying to wean off and down onto tape the last few months but I feel super insecure because of how the break was before. If you have someone who knows how to tape, try that. Otherwise, perhaps try one of these braces?

I used this one when I first came back

I use this one now (less rigid)

I like both of them and they fit in my skates without feeling bulky at all. I still go back to the first one when the weather changes and my ankle gets super painful.

Even though I now feel like my skates fit awesome, (1) I still run a piece of tape around my big toes to keep my nails firmly attached to the nail bed. And sometimes the baby toes, as well. I struggled for a long time with my previous skates, though. To help break my current ones in, while they were still tight, I also (2) used the "double helix" lacing technique and (3) skipped holes that were near the places where I seemed to be the tightest. (4) taking out the stock insole and replacing it with the memory foam inserts. (5) I also used moleskin on a couple of the most sore parts. [But I didn't put the moleskin on the spot where the callous was, but like in a donut around the sore spot (so the boot rubs on the moleskin, not the sore spot AND you're not making the boot wider at the exact spot of the pain.] Where is the pain? ANY shoe expert might be able to help you with some custom heat molding. Just make sure if they use an oven, that they take the wheels off before they heat them up. EDIT: some people suggest skating barefoot so the oils in your sweat help break down the leather so they'll "break in" faster. I don't do this, tho.

Double helix lacing: http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/doublehelixlacing.htm
memory foam insert: http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Scholls-Insoles-Air-Pillo-Cushioning/dp/B00130LMVW

get the 187s, don't fuck around with anything else. Also, get some Gumballs (not the short stem, the regulars), and invest in some toe caps for the skates.

bonus item: get some gaskets. Knee support is always good.

Some Lexol leather conditioner will do wonders for the general dryness. Nothing lasts forever, but keep high-quality leather properly conditioned (for skates, I'd say condition every 3-6 months or so) and it'll last a long long time.

Any cobbler should be able to fix little things like a broken strap. I live in a northern city so it's easy to find shops that specialize in hockey boots, but anyone who works on boots regularly would be a good choice. You could also contact the manufacturer (if they still are in business) to see if they offer a recrafting service - they usually love to see their well-worn boots come in for a little TLC.

I think insoles are your best bet.

When I run, I use 'motion control' shoes and insoles to prevent the exact same thing you are describing. When I skate, I use insoles too and it helps alot.

/u/cyanicenine is correct, custom insoles are best.
However, if you do not have custom insole specialists available, you might want to try these:

http://www.amazon.com/Spenco-Polysorb-Total-Support-Womens/dp/B000Q8NDEQ/ref=sr_1_21?ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=8-21&keywords=insoles

These are what I use in my skates, and they work pretty well for me. Everyone has a different foot, so your milage may vary.

I had a arch injury a few years ago as well, and while that healed I also taped up my arch. I tried KT tape, but I could never get it work correctly. What I eventually did was use regular sports tape and this technique:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDyk7suigUw

Have you tried gel toe covers? They may help with the toe gripping problem. Look on amazon for silicon toe pouches/ toe covers make for ballet dancers going on pointe. Like these. If your skates are a little too big, these will help fill up the extra space too.

Ever tried skating barefoot? I switched to barefoot and that solved a lot of my heel slipping issues.

Pre-warning, the below is 100% anecdotal:

I've heard good things about the Shock Doctor insoles, though I've never personally tried them. I figure the Skate Insole would be good to use, though I think its primary audience is hockey skaters.

I'm personally using the regular old Dr. Scholl Sport insert, but only because my boot has unplugged holes from an old plate mount. It does what I need it to do, but it kinda lifts my heel up higher than it would be normally since I think it's designed for running.

I'd also recommend the heel-lock lacing technique posted by makeout :P

I have the atom gear bag and I love it. this one they also make one that has wheels. I do clip my helmet to the outside of the bag though so I have room for extra wheels, drill cones, and a few scrimmage shirts. Probably could hold the helmet if I didn’t fill it so full of junk. I really like the skates on the outside and it comes with a built in waterproof rain cover to pull over if it’s rainy.

Well, if you aren't able to get your money back, I would recommend trying to spot-mold the toe box. If it is just a little pinchy, this might work for you.

Put your feet in the boot. Mark the spot of pinching with a pen or a marker. Just a dot for reference. Take your foot out of the boot. You can then heat it up with a heat gun and try pushing the spot out with a wrench or the back of a screwdriver. There are professional boot stretchers that use balls that you can get off of Amazon for pretty cheap too and are more precise than the wrench option. (And cheaper than new boots.)

Products like these toe protectors are great for toes that rub. They're reusable, and some even moisturize while you wear them!

So, a lot of issues with the outside of the right foot are caused by ill-fitting boots letting the foot slide to the right off the insole. Try this: notice what's happening to that area of your boot when you're pushing laterally, like in a hockey stop or hard crossovers. Does the side of your boot roll under the side of your foot? If it does, your boots are still too wide at the front.

What boots are you wearing?

ETA: Maybe try lowering your toe stops? If you can get up onto your stops without coming up so far, you can keep your weight just a smidge more distributed through your whole foot. If your stops are getting pretty thin, replace them and get a couple more centimeters of height too.

OOH, AND! If your foot is slipping to the side during lateral pushes, and forward during toe stop work, look for ways to get more grip between the insole and the bottom of your foot. I found I got TONS more control by going barefoot in my boot.

Same advice as others - you probably won't need to snack in the middle of practice unless you've been starving yourself or are going for more than a couple hours. I always keep a Clif bar or trail mix with my gear for snackmergencies, and usually end up giving them to someone else who hasn't eaten all day.

On a related note, my league practices in central Texas throughout the summer (read: 100+ degree days and 90 degree nights) in a warehouse without air conditioning - we keep our freezer stocked with freezy pops (you can even get them with electrolytes!) and it has been a literal life-saver. Easy treats between drills/bouting that cool you down and give you a little burst of sugar energy.

Is this something that you had before derby? and was it diagnosed by a podiatrist?

A few things come to mind...
Next time you have an appointment with your podiatrist bring your skates in with your socks, inserts and whatever else you put on your feet when you skate. Make sure the orthotics you are using are helping and fitting correctly in your skates.
The skates you're currently on are relatively cushy, but not that wide. If the toe box of your current skates isn't wide enough then no amount of taping/bracing/orthotics will fix the issue and cramming your feet into narrow skates is only going to make the pain worse.

I have pretty bad bunions and have struggled to find a skate boot that fits well. I've recently bought a pair of the new Antik AR-1 and have been very happy with them. The toe box is wider in the new style and I've had almost no break in time.
Beyond getting a new pair of boots/skates (which I know is expensive) here are a few cheap things to try.

• Lace your skates differently to relieve pressure on problem areas. From your photo you have a standard/normal lacing - you can relieve a lot of pressure by lacing differently. You may even need to lace each foot differently depending on what feels good to you. Most sites for this are geared for runners so experiment...
  Ian's Shoelace Site
  Top 10 lacing techniques for runners
  
  
• Buy some cushions/pads to wear under your socks - there are lots available on Amazon.
  
• Buy different socks or don't wear socks at all! I personally wear socks, but I know a good number of skaters that swear by wearing no socks.
  
• Try KT taping your problem areas before practice. Here's an option to start with
  
  
• Ice the area after practice if you have inflammation to help slow the formation of scar tissue.
  
• See a massage therapist to work on your feet and help break up the scar tissue and fascia restrictions. Myofascial Release (MFR) would help, but it can been very deep, intense work and you would benefit from multiple sessions to see results.
  
• Do self-massage on the area at home:
  These Foot massagers are awesome though you may be able to find a cheaper alternative
  
  
• Other ideas for treatment
  
  
• I wouldn't encourage you to skate through the pain for very long - if you're not able to relieve the pressure from that area you're only going to cause more trauma, inflammation and scar tissue to form and make the issue worse. Some time off skates now to rest the area and allow the inflammation to go down may be what is needed if you really want to skate in the future.
  Ultimately, you and your doctors should figure out a plan that is right for you. Good luck!

If you're sure it is the mounting hardware, I have two suggestions:

1. Make sure everything is still tight. I've had my mounting hardware loosen up a little in the past and make things uncomfortable.
   
   2)Look at some different insoles. I'm a big fan of hockey insoles like this
   
   Edit: Derp.

I shower right after skating. I put all sweaty clothes and pads in tub. Plug tub while I shower. After I get a good bit of water, I swish everything around real good. I have a spin dryer next to my bathroom sink (a bigger version of the bathing suite spinner in your gym locker room). Spin, spin, spin. Then hang everything on a drying rack in my bedroom. https://www.amazon.com/Laundry-Alternative-Nina-Soft-Dryer/dp/B00CDWTQKI/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=spin+dryer&qid=1550117168&s=gateway&sr=8-4

I spray my gear with a 50/50 alcohol/water mix with some tea tree oil and/or peppermint oil after all practices, and then let air dry. I also keep an activated charcoal bag in the bottom of my skate bag, along with a dryer sheet. I also tried witch hazel instead of alcohol, but it doesn't work as well.

I try to wash my gear about once a week. I put it in two laundry bags and just wash on a hot water cycle. I bought some Funk Away laundry booster, but honestly don't think it makes a huge difference.

I just bought a set of these for my first outdoor skating experience. I haven't ever tried any other outdoor wheels, so I don't have a basis for comparison, but I really like them!

Sure-Grip Boardwalk Outdoor Wheels - Pink https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015OZ5J10/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_buJZAhnfdHuap

Gah! Please send us a message. We'll totally replace the helmet cover, and your teammate's jersey. It could be that that the helmet cover snagged on a fingernail, or (less likely) that there was a flaw in that piece of fabric that we missed somehow. Stitching snags too sometimes, which may be what happened you teammate. Sharpie is a bit tougher (we wish everyone would wear armbands, even if they are not ours) but it should come out, or at least fade, if you attack it with some Fels Naptha laundry soap, which you can get here, among other places:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0063KXEIG/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&th=1

We would seriously love to replace the helmet cover and the jersey with loose thread for you. That's standard practice for us. Our Customer Happiness policy is that if you don't love it we fix it, with very few exceptions.

As one of the guys at my gym once told me, you pay the same fees as everyone else, right? As for figuring out what you're doing, this is a good place to start: http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

(I am not saying that you may or may not find a pdf copy of this with a well-tuned web search. I would never suggest piracy.)

http://www.amazon.com/Mueller-Adjustable-Ankle-Stabilizer-Black/dp/B0027VKR5S/ref=sr_1_19?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1453865563&sr=1-19&keywords=ankle+brace

I use these on both ankles because my ankles are the worst. They don't seem too bulky to me. There's also the ones that are basically compression socks which are better than nothing.