To help solidify this concept, here are two mobile-friendly drill setups that directly apply the two-phase progression, moving from the foundational Anchor to the intentional Control Step.

Phase 1 Drill: Mastering the Anchor (The Stop-Block)

This drill isolates lateral stability and forces skaters to find their strongest bracing position.

Drill: The “Immovable Wall” Test

Setup: Skaters pair up. Skater A is the blocker; Skater B is the hitter. They start facing each other, slightly offset (shoulder-to-hip block distance).

Goal: Skater A’s goal is zero forward movement—as if they are anchored to the floor.

1. Instruction to Skater A (The Blocker): “Get into your lowest, strongest block stance. When B hits you, your goal is to absorb the impact and redirect it laterally, but you must not move your skates forward at all. Think ‘rooted to the floor.'”
2. Instruction to Skater B (The Hitter): “Deliver a quick, strong forward push into Blocker A’s shoulder/hip. Aim to knock them forward.”
3. Coaching Focus: The trainers watch Blocker A. If A slides forward, the trainer should immediately tell them, “You moved forward! Find a lower stance, engage your core, and use your outside edge more.”

Trainer Takeaway: This drill is the only way to teach a skater what maximum stability feels like. If they can hold this against a strong hit, they have the foundational body control for any block.

Phase 2 Drill: Adding the Control Step (World Skate Application)

This drill takes the stability learned in Phase 1 and adds the controlled, minimal forward motion needed for legality.

Drill: The “Minimum Movement” Block

Setup: Skaters remain paired.

Goal: Skater A’s goal is to maintain the stability from Phase 1, but deliberately add a minimal forward step after the initial impact.

1. Instruction to Skater A (The Blocker): “Assume your strong, anchored position. When B hits you, you will hold your anchor for a split second (like Phase 1). THEN, you will execute one small, intentional forward step to become legal, and immediately re-anchor.”
2. Instruction to Skater B (The Hitter): “Deliver the same quick, strong push.”
3. Coaching Focus: The trainers must watch for two things:
   • Success: Did A maintain lateral engagement while only taking one controlled step?
   • Failure: Did A take too many steps or were they pushed forward as a reaction (losing their anchor)?

Trainer Takeaway: This drill demonstrates that the forward movement is an intentional action built upon a foundation of strength, not a defensive reaction to being hit. They are combining the WFTDA-style anchor with the World Skate requirement.

By focusing on this clear two-phase progression, your trainers will see that the ‘illegal’ WFTDA technique is simply the necessary isolation phase that unlocks advanced, legal World Skate blocking.

Here are a few options for Mantras your skaters and trainers can use:

Mantras for Blocking Progression

For Phase 1: Mastering the Anchor (WFTDA Training Mindset)

These phrases emphasize stability and zero-movement.

1. “ROOT IT. HOLD IT.”
   • (Simple, direct, and emphasizes grounding.)
2. “IMPACT THEN IMMOVABLE.”
   • (Focuses on absorbing the hit without giving ground.)
3. “I AM CONCRETE.”
   • (A strong visual cue for non-movement.)

For Phase 2: Adding the Control Step (World Skate Application)

These phrases link the initial stability to the minimal required movement.

1. “ANCHOR, THEN STEP 1.”
   • (Connects the foundation with the single, intentional forward step.)
2. “STABLE, THEN LEGAL.”
   • (Reinforces that stability comes first, then the movement that makes it legal.)
3. “CONTROLLED, NOT COMPROMISED.”
   • (Highlights that the skater must be in control of the movement, not forced by the opponent.)

Suggested Trainer Use:

Encourage the trainers to use the mantra for the specific phase they are drilling. For example:

• During the Immovable Wall Test (Phase 1), the trainers simply shout, “ROOT IT. HOLD IT!”
• During the Minimum Movement Block (Phase 2), the trainers call out, “ANCHOR, THEN STEP 1!”

This verbal cueing will help the skaters mentally transition between the “stop-block” foundation and the “legal movement” application.