Tips for Competition Preparation
As I mentioned last week, I attended a skating seminar focused on competition preparation. My all-star faculty included Audrey Weisiger, Doug Webster, Laurent Depouilly, Kalle Strid and Nick Perna. Wow, that’s like a “Who’s Who” in figure skating coaches. How amazing is that?
The first section of my seminar was a lecture provided by Audrey Weisiger. Here are the tips and advice that she offered us:
-
- Visualize
victory. - Make
a plan that starts with the successful outcome you desire and map it out, in
reverse, about 6-8 weeks back. Select a specific focus for each week. “Failure to
plan is planning to fail” (Winston Churchill)- Taper training the week of the competition and
take it easy
- Taper training the week of the competition and
- Identify
purpose, problem-solve and progress. Use training logs. Be honest and focus on
details. See sample training logs below.- Do exhibitions during the worse possible times
to prepare for the worst case scenario in order to toughen up.
- Every program run-through should have a purpose.
Come up with 2-3 things you want to improve during each run-through.
- Do exhibitions during the worse possible times
- Expect
the unexpected. Practice coping skills. Watch your language.- Say, “This is a great day. I am here and I am
ready.” - Laugh while you are scared (watch funny vidoes online). It will make the
frightened part go away.
- Say, “This is a great day. I am here and I am
- Simulate
a variety of scenarios. “The best draw is the one you drew” (Audrey Weisiger)- Have a friend cut your lace (or simulate it)
- Have your coach skate next to you with a camera
in your face - Have friends boo at you
- Have friends ring cowbells during your program run-throughs
- Have friends tell you negative things prior to
your run-through (“Don’t mess up! You’re going to fall! You’re going to fail!”)
- Get
inspired and be inspirational. Who are your role models? Are you the person
that somebody would aspire to be like?- Watch your own videos and find elements you want
to copy - Watch videos of others to get inspired
- Watch your own videos and find elements you want
- Approach
competition as if your life depended on a successful outcome, but realize that
it doesn’t and be grateful for that.
- Visualize
You become what you practice the most.
Other thoughts
Why do we compete?
- To see if we’re improving. There will always be
somebody better than you. Don’t worry about the other skaters – control only
those things that are within your control. - Remove the barriers – if a jump combo isn’t
working, move it or change it - Review your video (of previous performances) and
watch it as if you were critiquing your best friend.
Sample training log
Sally Smith
Long Program LRP (Landed, Rotated, Popped)
|
8/28 |
8/29 |
8/30 |
|
|
Axel |
L+ |
L- |
L |
|
2salchow |
L- |
P |
L |
|
SSp |
R |
L- |
L |
I have been using the training log and listed out all the elements in my program and mark down how I execute it during program run-throughs. I’m aiming for Ls (“landed”) on my most difficult elements and want to keep those as consistent as possible. If I see a pattern in certain elements (if I am popping or falling on them), then I know it is an area that needs attention.
Hope this has been useful for skaters reading this blog.
Next week: Warmup exercises.
