Competition wam up question

[SkatingOnClouds]

I have an artistic competition coming up in 3 8O weeks ( - I've only been in one before, I think it was probably in 1986 ). I was reading AussieSkater's thread and someone mentioned about taking to the ice confidently grabbing the audience's attention.

I am wondering how one does that in warm up for a competition. As an adult skater with creaky knees, I take a good 10 minutes to warm up normally, and that includes lots of edges and turns, and then I get into spins in order of difficulty, then the same with jumps, then some spirals, and then lunges. which mean the lunges come after about an hours of skating.:lol:

I am not sure how long the warm up will be for this competition, and I am wondering how best to warm up my creaky old joints and muscles as quickly as possible, and also appear confident and grab the judge's attention.

Also about how to best prepare before the warm up. I will be standing rinkside for the whole comp - there simply isn't anywhere else, and I would want to be there to support my daughter and all the other skaters. It will be cold, it will be crowded, and I am wondering how I can help myself before the warm up in those conditions. Ideas anyone?

[vesperholly]

The warm-up will be approximately 5 minutes, so you're going to have to condense your usual routine. You should do some off-ice warm ups - stretching mostly.

I like to start my on-ice warm-ups with a lap of stroking, then a few spins, then a few jumps. I usually don't do all the jumps/combinations, but I will do some jump exercises. If I have time, sometimes I'll do a little bit of footwork.

Don't worry about getting the judges' attention. They are probably more worried about keeping warm than watching the warm-ups. I mean, don't skate around sulking and scowling, but you don't need to "impress" them.

[Mrs Redboots]

Karen, it's well worth asking your coach about warm-ups - American adults may get 5-6 minutes, but here in the UK it's one minute longer than the length of your programme, so very often only 2 1/2 minutes.

The thing to do is to do as much off-ice warm-up as you can (be careful, if you decide to warm up your jumps off-ice; one skater at the British Adult Championships slipped and wrenched her ankle quite badly doing that - she was able to skate, and actually won, but it was touch and go for about half an hour!), both before and after you dress. Don't put your skates on until the last possible minute, and when you have, keep moving and keep yourself warm.

Your coach may well tell you what to do in your warm-up; failing that, mine says to go round there and skate hard for one minute, then do a very rough run-through of your programme, putting the jumps etc, in the right place. If you're not skating first, stay on the ice if there' s a moment afterwards and do the jumps/spins you aren't sure of; if you are, you may want to get off at the one-minute warning to take your jacket and gloves off and have a drink of water (make sure you have more water than you think you'll need - you may well have a very dry mouth).

The judges probably won't be watching you in the warm-up, so the exact way you skate couldn't matter less. It's when they call your name: "Next to skate....." and everybody cheers and claps, you want to go out really exaggerating things, huge cheesy smile, huge cheesy arm movements.

And whatever happens, even if you fall on every single jump (happened to one of our coaches at our rink at his very first competition, as he never ceases to tell us all - at his second, he wiped the floor with everybody else and never looked back, but that's another story), look as though that's what you meant to do. Don't allow yourself to slump and even think "That was pants!" until you are off the ice. When you are, you're free to burst into tears (I always do!), but not while you are on the ice.

[Alisontheice]

I gave up freeskating ages ago for dance and dancers are all taught to "sell it" on the warm-up. Also I have judged some competitions and the judges do watch the warm-up and do for a couple of reasons. The first is because there's nothing else to do! Another reason is because you want a general idea of ability so you don't give out all your higher marks first and use them up. If you know a good skater is yet to come then you will save some "good" marks. However, often once skaters take to the ice to compete they rise to the occassion and look much better than they did in warm up or they sometimes crash and burn which is always unfortunate to see.

So that being said, I agree with Mrs. Redboots that you have to warm up off the ice. I would say a good time to begin is 30-45 minutes before your event is scheduled to start. I would budget to put my dress and skates on with about 10 minutes to spare to allow yourself time for some stretches in your dress and skates and to get used to the cold before you step on the ice.

For warming up off the ice do some stretches to start for your legs, ankles, shoulders, arms, back, then move into jumping on the spot and running on the spot. When you feel your legs are "loose" then move into doing your jumps off the ice. Maybe walk through your program. Basically keep moving either shaking out your legs, jumping/rumming on the spot.

Even when you have your skates on keep moving your legs...you don't want them to tighten up. Then once you are on the ice you are ready and you can do some stroking around the ice and go right into your elements you want to warm up. For the warm-up I would suggest strong stroking around the ice and then your best element be it a spin or jump, right in front of the judges. Then you can take a break, go see your coach and warm up the rest. Sometimes if you have time it's nice to end the warm-up with a little stroking just to make sure your feet are "under you".

That was long but hope it helps. :)

[Triple.Toe]

when i go to competitions i usually warm up for about 30 mins off ice.. i do stretching and a jog. but when you are stretching dont strectch still. if you just pop your leg up and stretch like that it will make your musscles relaxed and your muscles might get injered while skating. so keep moving, do leg swings and spirals. even walk though your program.

on ice i do alot of stroking. first i do all my edges then i stroke forwards the backwards. basicly you just have to find what works for you!

hope this helped

[SkatingOnClouds]

Thanks, some useful ideas here. Some of the ideas may not work at our rink, as it is tiny. There is no change room, no warm up area. There is a narrow passageway from the front area down to the rink entrance, and that is it. We have to arrive at the rink fully dressed for the comp, even with skates on, though I will put mine on there. The place is always packed for competitions, so there is nowhere to practise jumps or anything much off ice.

Chances are I am going to have my skates on and be standing around for at least an hour before my on-ice warmup, and looking after my daughter for most of that time until after she has skated, when I will pass her over to my husband.

I plan to have a light skate in the morning, to get my ice legs for the day, before the evening comp. Once there, I guess I can jog on the spot, and stretch.

Once on ice, is it best to just warm up by stroking and practise a few of the elements in isolation, or is it better to try everything?

[Triple.Toe]

Everyone is different. if i am the first skater i usually walk through everything and just get into my skating legs.. but if im not the first skater i normally do everything. i think it really just depends on the skater.

[Raye]

Have a fleece throw along with you to wrap around yourself to KEEP warm while you are standing around, watching out for your daughter and waiting for your turn. Don't leave home without it!!

On warmup-ice, I just stroke to get my legs warmed up and under me, go through the basic edges and practice an element or two. I save all the good stuff for when it's my turn.

[skating_babe11]

When I go to competitions I usually spend a half and hour stretching, jumping around, and landing positions. I always go through my program in my head acting it out on the spot. It seems to help me to visualize myself doing it well. Try practising your warm up at your own rink. Once you get onto the ice time yourself for 4 minutes and go through everything that you want to do on your actually competition warm up. My coach makes me do this everyday one week before the competition. Don't worry about "selling yourself" on your warm up. Focus on getting into your knees and feeling comfortable on the ice and then when you are actually performing sell it!
Best Wishes and Good Luck!!

[doubletoe]

I always try to skate for about half an hour or so on competition/exhibition day and to do it as close as possible to my actual competition/exhibition time. That way, I am still a little warmed up.

I plan my 5-minute warmup (or 2 minutes, for our Christmas recital!) after my practice skate that day, taking into account what I'm having the most trouble with that day. I usually do one lap and some 2-footed changes of edge to feel all 4 edges in the ice, then I do something that requires energy but not a lot of finesse, just to get the excess adrenaline out of my system (a big spiral, for example). Then I'll practice my problem elements, spins first, then jumps. There's never time to warm up everything, so I just practice my problem elements in the warmup.

[daisies]

I always try to skate for about half an hour or so on competition/exhibition day and to do it as close as possible to my actual competition/exhibition time. That way, I am still a little warmed up.
I try to do this as well. It really helps.

I'm a judge as well, and I don't usually watch the warmup. I might see a couple of elements done here and there, but I never really make note of who the skater is. All that matters to me is what you do in your actual program! This especially applies under IJS. There is no need to "save" marks with the new system, but I've never been one to save marks in the first place.

Good luck!