Competition Warm Up - what to include?

[katz in boots]

Prompted by the thread on competition nerves, I've been thinking about competition warm ups, specifically what not to include. Do you include things that might be a bit dodgy?
(Yes, I know, if it's dodgy it probably shouldn't be in the program, however, there always seems to be at least one jump or spin which is not working as well as it should be in the week of a comp. )

Is it better not to practise something in the warm up if you are worried about it, in case it doesn't work and you get 'thingy' about it in the program?

Or do you do it, and if you fail, try to persuade yourself the next one will be better?
If so, how successful are you in convincing yourself it's going to be okay in the program?

How much does it affect your confidence in the program if you botch an element in warm up?

[Kim to the Max]

Prompted by the thread on competition nerves, I've been thinking about competition warm ups, specifically what not to include. Do you include things that might be a bit dodgy?
(Yes, I know, if it's dodgy it probably shouldn't be in the program, however, there always seems to be at least one jump or spin which is not working as well as it should be in the week of a comp. )

Is it better not to practise something in the warm up if you are worried about it, in case it doesn't work and you get 'thingy' about it in the program?

Or do you do it, and if you fail, try to persuade yourself the next one will be better?
If so, how successful are you in convincing yourself it's going to be okay in the program?

How much does it affect your confidence in the program if you botch an element in warm up?

I don't generally compete, however, I test...for my test, I run through everything and if it's not going exactly right, coach has me redo it to make corrections or to give me things to think about. I generally have a lesson the night before my tests, so things should be pretty much good to go. With my last test, the only thing we didn't run through were the spiral pattern (novice) because I could do that one blindfolded.

[Clarice]

First, you have to have some idea of how long your warmup is going to be. 5-6 minutes is common. Once you have your warmup routine planned out, you can practice doing it in the allotted time. Then do your program.

For my warmup, I usually do a couple laps of stroking, crossovers, or power pulls just to get my knees working. Then I run through my jumps, then my spins. I'm a better jumper than spinner, so it works better for me if my spins come a bit later in the warmup. If there's time I might run footwork or something. I never do any element more than twice, even if it fails both times.

I try to tell myself that it doesn't really matter whether or not something goes well in the warmup, because the purpose of a warmup is simply to warm up, and that's exactly what I've done. Sometimes I even manage to convince myself!

[Rusty Blades]

Well the head coach (a very experienced competition coach) gave me some tips for warm-up but I am not at liberty to share her secrets 8-) Suffice it to say that the judges are watching ;)

However, after that, what I need is to get a feel for the ice - how smooth, how hard, etc. I am big on "big edges" and need to know how far I can push them without skidding. I also need to assess my physical state to see what is going to work well and what I am going to have to concentrate on. If I am one of the first skaters or it is a small group, I may not even use my full warm up time.

[sk8lady]

I do, and tell my students to do, the following as a competition warm-up:

a lap of stroking at least halfway around the rink
all jumps in the program
all spins in the program
any pieces parts of the program that I think need one more run-through to smooth things out
if there's time and it seems like a good idea a run-through of the program


If it's in the program it should be in the warm-up!

[CanadianAdult]

I've had different coaches over the years so different instructions on warm up. In regards to dodgy elements, it is best to practice it on warm up, in the place that it is on the program so that the unfamiliar rink does not affect you even further than thinking about the dodgy item already is. My most experienced coach would say to do three elements first that are comfortable, do the dodgy one, however it is, and then continue on to the rest of your elements. Finish all that, then either try dodgy item again, or spend time on something that normally is fine but has gone crazy. That is the big reason for having a coach at competition. They can tell you during the warm up to forget doing your spins and go back to the dodgy item, or let it go. Since time is very limited on warm up, a coach is essential to make sure that you cover what you need.

I am the most worried when I have a clean warm up. My idea of warming up is that: getting used to the ice, the size of the ice and the placement of the elements. Warm up things that are the most placement affected, eg, I have a salchow that can get squished in a small rink, so even though my salchow is fine, I will definitely practice that to know where it will fit. There are elements I will not practice at all because I know I can always do them.

[fsk8r]

Another question on the competition warmup, is how you warm up off the ice before the official warmup? I've never quite worked this out, but know I skate better when the limbs are moving and given that quite often our warmups are only 2.5mins (program + 1minute) there's not really much time for doing laps just getting the legs moving - there's barely enough time to run through jumps / spins and nasty footwork.
So do people get the old skipping rope out or go run laps of the rink before the boots go on? And how long before official practice are you leaving it to do the warmup, given that there are dresses / boots to put on?

[Mrs Redboots]

First, you have to have some idea of how long your warmup is going to be. 5-6 minutes is common.Ouch, you're lucky. We get programme length + 1 minute, so usually 2.5 minutes.

My coach says to go out there and skate round hard for a minute, then walk through your programme (and the last time I did that in front of him - it was an artistic - he told me off for not acting; I pointed out that I never did act in the warm-up!). And then if there's time do any element you're not quite sure about.

So do people get the old skipping rope out or go run laps of the rink before the boots go on? And how long before official practice are you leaving it to do the warmup, given that there are dresses / boots to put on? We're always supposed to be ready and dressed 30 minutes before the official start of the class, so work backwards. I usually can't relax beforehand anyway, but probably a good hour, hour and a quarter before I need to be ready, I go and warm up - usually something I picked up off of a fitness DVD years ago - and then stretch and generally get warm and loose. Then dress and make-up and make sure I'm still relaxed and warm. Then boots on. Once you've had your on-ice warm-up, try to keep moving as best you can until it's your turn.

[doubletoe]

My coach always suggests that if there is one element you are worried about (it has always been either the axel or double salchow for me), it can be a good idea to just do the warmup exercise for it instead of the element itself. For example, when I had a double salchow in my program, I just did a salchow-loop in the 6-minute warmup to give me confidence that my takeoff was right and I was straight in the air. If I went for the double in the warmup and fell on it, it might make me hold back in the program itself. Conversely, if I landed it in the warmup, that might have been my one clean one for the day and I might end up wishing I'd saved it for when it counted, LOL!

[katz in boots]

Thanks doubletoe, doing a preparation exercise for the dodgy jump makes excellent sense. That way you've focussed on what is required to do the jump well, and prepared to do it well, exactly as you might do in a practise session. Definitely worth remembering.

While on the subject of warm ups, do others feel really self-conscious?
Our comps aren't big, (Adult Silver usually has 2-3 competitors.) sometimes they combine warm up groups with another class, but sometimes it's just me and one other on the ice 8O.

We usually get 5 minutes warm up. I am so conscious that the judges & audience are watching cos there's nothing else to do. I hate feeling that I'm being judged before I even get to perform. For me, the warm up is as scary as the performance itself and I feel just as pressured to skate cleanly 8O.

Do others feel that way about the warm up? How do you deal with that?

[looplover]

We usually get 5 minutes warm up. I am so conscious that the judges & audience are watching cos there's nothing else to do. I hate feeling that I'm being judged before I even get to perform. For me, the warm up is as scary as the performance itself and I feel just as pressured to skate cleanly 8O.

Do others feel that way about the warm up? How do you deal with that?

I totally feel like that. It was the worst at one ISI competition when we all warmed up ISI FS 4 and I was the ONLY adult on the ice among maybe 15 kids. The whole time I was thinking that the parents were probably wondering what the giraffe was doing competing against children. Needless to say it did not help my pre-competition nerves (I skated against the book that day but nobody knew that in the stands).

I never like to warm up flips...I prefer to warm up with footwork, waltz jumps, sit spins and salchows, just because they really warm me up well and they're all reasonably solid. I hate it when I warm up something that isn't consistent and then I worry if I will get it when I need to get it.

[doubletoe]

On the 6-minute warmup, I try to give a good first impression by using good form, speed and flow when I'm just doing a lap around the rink, but after that, it's all about doing whatever I have to do to warm up my elements in the short period of time allotted (without colliding with anyone!).

In warmups in front of judges, I have flipped myself over and landed on my head, I have botched absolutely everything and looked like I've never skated before, and I have even missed most of the warmup and scrambled onto the ice with just one minute left. I have also followed up some of those horrendous warmups with surprisingly clean programs, and I have followed up some immaculate warmups with disastrous programs. So at this point, I figure a bad warmup can't hurt me and I might as well take perverse pleasure in shocking the judges with how well I can actually skate my program after lowering their expectations in the warmup! :lol:

[Thin-Ice]

I don't know about other judges... but I've noticed on panels I'm on the judges usually watch the skaters get on the ice, find something noticeable about each costume or skater (i.e. hot pink dress, unusual make-up or decoration, or really good extension while skating that first warm-up lap) to make it easier to jot down something to remember that particular skater by when that skater skates; then the judges chat among themselves, usually about classes they are taking, grandchildren, craft projects, a trip they are planning or just returned from... ANYTHING except skating.

While you are only on the ice a few minutes, the judges are often on the stand for an hour or two... and that warm-up is their chance to NOT have to look at the ice and remain completely focused on the skaters. Of course, sometimes they will see something on the warm-up that stops conversation.. a beautiful layback, a skater who has really difficult footwork, or someone who is competing at the Intermediate or Gold FS level.. and can barely do real crossovers. But where I'm from it usually takes something MAJOR to get the judges' attention.. and even if you do manage a spectacular fall... the judges I know just watch the element when you actually do it in competition and usually breath a sigh of relief for you.