Plow Stop Tips

I'm not the fastest, strongest, or the hardest hitter on my derby team by any stretch of the imagination.  One thing I can do really well though is plow stop, and it makes me a force to be reckoned with at the front of the pack.  Finally, my ridiculous pigeon-toedness is coming in handy for something.  Thank you mom for passing on your messed up hips. <3 

I put together this list of plow stop tips for my home team a few months ago.  I've had lots of questions about plows recently, and thought I'd repost it here for the world to enjoy.

Photo by Beaker Teh Muppet

• Start low and wide. It's like everything else in derby - if you don't start low you make it infinitely harder for yourself. Think sketchy toilet in a wedding dress. For those of you single ladies who haven't had the experience of helping a woman in a wedding dress pee, the suggested method is to sit facing the toilet tank. 
• Don't lock your knees. You can't get low if your knees aren't bendy. You also lose all agility and stability the minute you lock your knees.
• If you don't start with your feet at least shoulder width apart you're going to pick up a ton of speed as you glide out wide. Recently, I've tried stepping into my plows instead of gliding. This is super effective when positionally blocking someone. 
• The stop comes primarily from your inside heel wheels. You should feel those wheels slip and hear them buzz. If your plow stops are quiet you're not putting enough pressure on your heels. It's ok to put more pressure on one than the other. I've upped my practice wheels to have a 97 under both of my inside heels. It's ridiculous but the slip I get is awesome.
• Few people are as pigeon-toed as I am, but the closer you can get your feet to 90 degrees the better.  I've heard it helps to think more about pushing your heels out than bringing your toes in.  Stretch your groin A LOT.
• A good, fast plow is a quick pop, not a slow controlled movement. Throwing your arms either forward for balance or popping up your shoulders and bringing your arms in can help you force that.
• Don't bob like a chicken. Get low and stay low through the whole thing. When you're just practicing plows, standing up and bringing your feet together at the end of a plow stop cheats you of really getting that buzz in your heels. Part of the reason this is so common is because many people are taught to plow using the all eights rock forward / backward drill, which encourages you to dip up and down as you bring your feet wide and in again.  Only bring your feet together if you need to switch directions or you're only plowing to slow down, not totally stop.
• If you do need to change directions while plowing, use a good hop to the left or right. Feet start apart, come together for just a split second, and then that other foot goes out and you end up just as low and just as wide as you were. 
• Your center of gravity should be even with or slightly behind your heels. Stick that booty out behind you and your hands out in front.  Shake it like a polaroid picture and show that plow who's boss.