Remedies for the jitters....

[garyc254]

Since Dani was having a small case of pre-testing butterflies, I thought it might be a good subject for discussion.

What do you do to combat pre-test or pre-competition nervousness?

[sk8pics]

Well, being a "veteran" of two tests now, and having been told by two of my coaches that I really skate "up," I would say my approach in the week before the test consists of:
1. Freak out and lose basic skills.
2. Email or call skating friends, looking for some reassurance.
3. Complain to coach that I really don't want to do this. Listen to him explain that I really can do it!
4. Tell myself it doesn't really matter.
:wink:

In all seriousness, I find that I really just need to concentrate mostly on myself the day of the test. I make sure I won't be hungry when I'm getting on the ice. I also skate on the test ice surface that morning, not too hard but just enough to get used to it. This past Friday, my coach and I sat and chatted about the condo he is about to buy, and that enabled me to relax. That particular day, I just couldn't dwell on the test.

Once I get on the ice, I'm very focused and take things one element at a time. So I skated much, much better in my test Friday than I had been doing in practices or lessons, because I just do it and don't obsess. On the warmup or earlier in the day, I also scope out the ice to see where I'd like to place my jumps and spins. Good thing, too, because one section of the ice had a layer of loose ice crystals, and I'd have slipped doing my half flip if I hadn't noticed it. Oh, and remember to keep breathing! A deep breath also helps me to relax if I'm nervous about a particular element.

Pat

[LoopLoop]

[quote:1f835772fc="garyc254"]What do you do to combat pre-test or pre-competition nervousness?[/quote:1f835772fc]

I tend to get nervous the day of the event and get to the rink earlier than I need to. But walking in the rink helps me, just the smell of the ice...

Until it's time to get on the ice I chatter with whoever's around, my coach, friends, skate moms...anything to keep my mind off the skating, because at that point any technical thoughts aren't going to help anyway. In addition, my water bottle is almost a security blanket; I keep hold of it and keep drinking, so my coach has to keep reminding me to SIP not GULP (so I don't have to run off to the bathroom right before my warmup)!

Marna

[dani]

Well, I just posted here and soaked up the encouragement! I was stiff, but the shaky knees weren't there. I think that is a good sign.

I won't be able to post from Atlanta, so I will have to find another way ;-)

Hugs and thanks for your advice, Gary!!

Danielle

[Mrs Redboots]

Many of us swear by Dr Bach's Rescue Remedy, which you can buy in most health food shops and some chemists - you put four drops under your tongue, and it really does take the edge off.

Otherwise, breathe deeply, keep your mouth moist, and do whatever you need to do. Some of us like to chat to people before the event; others like to be left severely alone. Find out which type you are! And remember two things: you can't control what other skaters do, and you can't control what the judges think. All you can do is skate your best, and have fun. If you don't have fun, nobody else will - if you are out there enjoying yourself, you will give much pleasure to all who watch.

[garyc254]

[quote:0b4cdc3eaa="Mrs Redboots"]Many of us swear by Dr Bach's Rescue Remedy[/quote:0b4cdc3eaa]
Hmmmm. What proof is that? :lol: Made in Scotland by chance? :lol:


[quote:0b4cdc3eaa="Mrs Redboots"]And remember two things: you can't control what other skaters do, and you can't control what the judges think. All you can do is skate your best, and have fun. If you don't have fun, nobody else will - if you are out there enjoying yourself, you will give much pleasure to all who watch.[/quote:0b4cdc3eaa]
Never truer words spoken!!!

That is the reason we do all of this: FUN :D

[TashaKat]

My 'ideal' remedy:

[img:78a313d466]http://www.giftsinternational.net/products/remy.jpg[/img:78a313d466]

HOWEVER! I tend to go all quiet and don't mix much. As far as the day goes I try not to vary my usual routine too much, I don't need anything 'new' throwing me off! I DO like to skate on a public session or whatever before the tests start just so that I KNOW that I can skate (strange, I know).

I've had mixed experiences: incredibly shaky legs on my first free test, giggling through my first dance test (helped by my coach tripping up on the prelim foxtrot!), an incredibly bad experience on another dance test that I won't go into here (I passed but wasn't a nice pass), not so bad on a day when I took a dance and a free test in the same session, ACTUALLY ENJOYING doing my Bronze Dance (my warm up consisted of my coach pratting about and playing to the crowd, swinging me around, twirling me around and generally acting daft! someone said later that they were suprised that I held it together .... I'm used to him so it wasn't anything out of the ordinary, when I passed I was jumped on by about 10 kids ... it was really, really nice :D) and Prelim Free test (it helped that the kids were lined up at the barrier cheering for me, in my Free test I couldn't start my programme because they were all screaming suport for me ... aawwww!!! being okay on my Field Moves test (even pulling a face at the kids when I heard a tiny scratch on the back crosscuts) and having a stomach bug on my variation dance test!!

It DOES get better ..... honest!

I always say to people that they should do what is comfortable for them! Nerves show that you care about your performance ...... they can sharpen you up a bit though so watch your speed, either that or use it wisely ;) On a competition that I did with my ex partner people were commenting that we were FLYING round the rink ........ we weren't that slow to start with but it would seem that the adrenaline had given us an extra push!

L xxx

[flo]

For a test I try to remember that I am ready for it, and the outcome depends on me and my partner. You're going out there to show the judges what you know how to do.
For tests and competitions I do try and skate earlier if I can. I don't run through the program that day, I just loosen everything up, and get the feeling of the ice - it's more of an extended warm up. When at the rink I usually chat with friends testing, and watch a couple of them. I do make an effort to avoid the "nervous Nellie" skaters. Nervousness, like a cold is contageous, and best kept to ones self.
When I start to skate, I have to remember not to rush things, and enjoy it!

[MissIndigo]

I have a Hello Kitty plushie I keep in my skatebag. :D Helps to know she's there!

[iskater13]

that is really old, but given to me when i took my first test....now a few weeks ago I found him in a box and brought him out to play:0) I will be using him again soon, I also found a spaghetti dinner and imagining my program in my head before I skate helped me:0) LOL :D oh yeah, if you cannot sleep the night before we used to take a shot of Nyquil, however I don't know if that stuff would pass the drug test....LOL

[Kelli]

Hmm... well, if you have a class that ends at 10:00, a 5 minute walk to your car and 15 minute drive to the rink, and a 10:15 scheduled testing time, you won't have any time to get nervous! Helps even more if your coach isn't coming in that day and you have to borrow another coach who you don't really know (but she was great anyway).

In all seriousness, I like to stroke around the rink a lot, just to reasure myself that I know how to skate. While I'm testing, I pretend that there's a really cute guy in the stands, and that reminds me to stand up straight, keep my shoulders back, and bend my knees. (Laugh all you want, but I haven't failed a test yet!) Think of it as a chance to show off your skating, not a judging session. Lots of people who should pass fail because they don't really "present" their moves. Elite skaters suffer for this, and we will to! Go out there and strut your stuff!

[quarkiki2]

Well, I've only tested Pre-Alpha and Alpha and there's really no sweat when it comes to those two, Beta may be a bit diferent. Don't know.

I did test many times in Aikido (martial arts) and the thing one of my instructors told me was they don't nominate you to test unless they know you will pass. So I stopped being nervous then, figuring that I had already passed and only needed to show off a bit before getting my next belt. My last test was tremendous fun -- and we had a high ranking visiting sensei in to adjudicate and she was so impressed with my "flawless and amazing" technique that she wished she would have taped my test for instruction purposes. THAT'S a compliment! Especially because I had only been practicing for three years and was only testing for a second level blue belt -- still 2 levels away from black belt! I was really proud of that.

[melanieuk]

[quote:5a0cfe3a0f="garyc254"]
What do you do to combat pre-test or pre-competition nervousness?[/quote:5a0cfe3a0f]

[list:5a0cfe3a0f]I get nervous for about 2 weeks leading up to event.
I also lose basic elements! :roll:
I try to do everything as I would on the test day (warm up, off ice and on ice) for 2 weeks prior.[/list:u:5a0cfe3a0f]

My first test was: stroking round rink, waltz, salchow, upright spin, fwd spiral and step sequence.

I passed and skated quite well although I was very nervous.
The only skating we get on our test dates is the 6 minutes or 2.5 minutes for the test warm up (depending on whether it is a programme/ field moves etc)
I tried to deep breathe and keep my muscles warm and loose whilst I was waiting to skate.

My second test was actually 3 tests, for which I was extremely nervous and felt I skated poorly. I did Prelim (UK) field moves and Elements which were waltz, salchow, toeloop, sit spin, steps, spiral, upright spin. Finally I did a 1.5 min prog to music with those elements except toeloop.
I did pass all 3. The programme was by far the best, strangely enough!

My advice is to think positive and feel confident in practise before you sit a test. :wink:

[Azlynn]

[quote:5f847a91a4="garyc254"]
Hmmmm. What proof is that? :lol: Made in Scotland by chance? :lol:
[/quote:5f847a91a4]

As I recall, it's around 27% alcohol, lol. If anyone is interested, it's very commonly available in both Canada and the US (and UK, of course). I actually use another one by Bachs, was around $10 for the bottle which is going to last me years.

[jazzpants]

[quote:00a28e8321="iskater13"]oh yeah, if you cannot sleep the night before we used to take a shot of Nyquil, however I don't know if that stuff would pass the drug test....LOL[/quote:00a28e8321]

You know...when I took my very VERY first test, I could get any sleep that night and I took Nyquil to get myself to sleep! The test was very early (for me anyway!) in the morning and I only had 5 minutes to warmup before doing waltz jumps, toe loops, and one foot spins (Pre-Bronze FS test.) Anyway...it was SOOOO early for me that when I asked a fellow skater where my primary coach was, I didn't noticed that he was standing RIGHT NEXT TO HER!!! ("HELLO!?!?! Are you AWAKE!?!?!") :lol: Oh, and during my warmup, I skated crappy!!! I fell once on my toe loop (which I normall DON'T do...!!!) Of course, I did end up passing the pre-Bronze FS test...and my primary coach was THRILLED!!! (I was his VERY FIRST student that he put out to test! Unfortunately, I had to find out THAT very morning!!!) 8O

Well, the moral of the story is that I would never take a test unless I could do the program half asleep with Nyquil in my system, because that's likely going to be my test scenario in the future!!! :P (They didn't test me in that area, guess I got away with taking illegal substance...) :lol:

Cheers,
jazzpants