Hating myself right now

[Mercedeslove]

So I have a show in one week from today. I have two waltz jumps in it. Easy right? Suddenly not for me. No matter what I do I can't seem to do the jump. I either fall, or fail competely. I'm really getting upset with myself and was almost in tears today. I really do not want this problem next week.

I'm going to get in as much ice time as I can, but I also do not want to over do it.

Am I a failure at life and skating? Or am I just beating myself over nothing.

[doubletoe]

Welcome to the world of figure skating! What's happening to you right now is TYPICAL of what happens to a lot of us a week or two before we have to perform in front of judges or an audience. It's not desirable, but it's absolutely normal. Sometimes you'll do great and other times you'll bomb, but everyone who's ever skated understands that, so just trust the process.
The first thing you need to do is to stop putting so much importance on this performance. Develop a little perspective and sense of humor about it to take the pressure off yourself. And second, have your coach take a close look at how you're doing your waltz jump. Your anxiety is probably making you skip a vital little technique detail and it's throwing you off, but it's fixable. You'll be fine! :D

[samba]

Welcome to the world of figure skating! What's happening to you right now is TYPICAL of what happens to a lot of us a week or two before we have to perform in front of judges or an audience. It's not desirable, but it's absolutely normal. Sometimes you'll do great and other times you'll bomb, but everyone who's ever skated understands that, so just trust the process.
The first thing you need to do is to stop putting so much importance on this performance. Develop a little perspective and sense of humor about it to take the pressure off yourself. And second, have your coach take a close look at how you're doing your waltz jump. Your anxiety is probably making you skip a vital little technique detail and it's throwing you off, but it's fixable. You'll be fine! :D

All good advice.
Mrs Redboots did a thread a while baack called something like "The Laws of Skating" if this wasnt included in it, it certainly should have been, because when you really need something to go right, its as though it got up and run away, but as doubletoe says it sounds to me also as though you are doing the famous panicking trick, just calm down and concentrate on the whole entry and exit, not just the jump, you really will be fine and the experience will be great for you.

Good luck
Grace

[Mercedeslove]

I'm not sure if I will be able to get together with my after Sunday. I guess she gets a few days oiff before the show. I mean she works everyday, she needs them...right?

I have a friend who teaches lessons to the younger corwd at another rink who said she would be willing to help me. She knows this is my first show and she knows I'm nervous as hell.

I'm hoping it will pass before Thursday so that I will skate clean.

Thank you guys for all the advice, I'm glad I am not the only one who has felt this way before.

I have always had issues with beating myselkf up over stuff like this. Both with Softball and Gymnastics.

[SkatingOnClouds]

Personally I would advise against getting someone else to coach you at this point. Sure sometimes it can help because they will see something or say something your regular coach didn't, however coaches have a way of wanting things done differently, and that sort of confusion may not be helpful at this stage.

What is probably happening here is that you are trying too hard. Relax, let your muscle memory take over and let your body do the jump. That's my advice, because I have found I do almost every skating element in my limited repertoire better when I relax.

If you have ongoing issues about beating yourself up over things, it sounds like you set high standards for yourself and tend to be a perfectionist. Is this show that important? Will everyone laugh at you, hate you, never talk to you again if you muff a jump? You have to get some perspective on this, your life will not end if you skate a flawed program.

[dooobedooo]

Perhaps the trick is to remember that you're in the business of entertaining the audience. You need to be happy, smiley and present well, which will draw the audience into your performance. Look like you're enjoying yourself!! So if the jumps are not working one day, put your practice time into (a) working on your entry onto the ice, your program start and your finish, and bow/curtsey, and (b) running through the program with focus on head up/smile/present and good speed. Good luck!

[doubletoe]

And remember, even the best skaters in the world mess up their jumps, so you are in good company! Everyone in the audience will be there because they have skaters in their lives, so they know exactly what it's like to be out there and be nervous, and to be afraid of messing up. They are all on your side and they will all admire you for just putting yourself out there. They know how hard it is! :bow:

[Isk8NYC]

When was the last time you had your skates sharpened? Maybe the blades are dull?

[SkatingOnClouds]

Years ago I had a skating friend who was preparing for a competition. In her program she had a double salchow. Now she couldn't do a double salchow reliably, she fell most of the time, but she kept it in her program. What she did do was practise how she was going to prevent it from being a disaster if she did fall on the night. Her logic was that the fall wouldn't then count against her artistically because she did it with aplomb.

On the night she fell, but as she lay there on the ice she raised her arm and stretched out her leg in an artistic way, while getting back up as gracefully as she could, and getting on with the rest of her program without hesitation.
It worked, she won!

All I mean to say here is that it isn't going to be the end of the world if you do muff the jump. As others have said, entertain, enjoy, and relax.

[CanAmSk8ter]

I'd give it a few days and continue to work on the program the way it is, but if things aren't getting better, maybe you should just take the waltz jumps out? Sometimes just being able to tell yourself that it's okay if you keep messing up because you have that "out" of removing the troublesome element can help. Is there something else you could put in if necessary- a bunny hop, a half-flip?

Edited to add, this isn't a great habit to get into, especially since it's not always an option in competitions with required elements, but since it is just a show it should be fun for you! If you think you'll enjoy the show more without the jumps, just take them out. Even Olympic champions don't usually have their hardest jumps in their show programs.

[Skate@Delaware]

You need to have FUN skating in front of people! I think that's what is bugging you-you have performance anxiety! You are putting yourself under so much pressure to be perfect, you aren't able to do the jumps at all!

You need to skate your program with your music and not care how you do! Skate for yourself! It will work then. Try it! That's what I do for my shows and competitions (I actually treated my competitions as "solo" show skating bits)!

Good luck!!!