What technique is recommended for maintaining speed on straightaways?

Maximizing push while minimizing drag is the ideal technique for maintaining speed on straightaways in roller derby. This method focuses on efficiently propelling yourself forward with each stride, ensuring that you are exerting enough force through your legs to maintain momentum. By concentrating on keeping your body position streamlined, you reduce air resistance, which can slow you down. Proper body alignment and employing powerful pushes with the feet enable you to capitalize on your speed without wasting energy or encountering excessive drag from your movements.

In contrast, other techniques such as incorporating quick turns or using short, rapid strides might be useful in specific scenarios, but they can introduce instability or reduce the power of your forward motion on straightaways. Shifting weight from side to side may also detract from forward acceleration, as it can create unnecessary lateral movement, which does not contribute to straight-line speed. Focusing on maximizing a powerful push while minimizing drag remains the most effective strategy for speed maintenance in this context.