i'm a student doing an essay on sport psychology. it would be nice to get the opinions of other people involved in skating, and maybe those that arent? you could list anything you want about it, benefits, disadvantages, do you think it's worth the money... it's a wide topic. i'd appreciate the help

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Life's a dance you learn as you go

Let us know what type of questions you would like to answer...also my former coach got her Doctorate in Sports Psychology so let me know if you need any help in that direction.

Maybe some ideas for you could be: Succesful skaters who have learned to focus and what their techniques are, or skaters who have overcome tremendous odds: Scott Hamilton is one (he had a lot of health issues as a child), Jenny Kirk (i think she's the one whose mom died from Breast Cancer); and the '05 Russian Gold women's skater - i know her name but can't remember it-- she got really sick and had major major things that she had to stop for a while. Maybe title your paper "Attitude determines Altitude." Just a suggestion!

Yes, I think the term "Sports Psychology" generally has to do with HOW athletes use psychology to improve their athletic performance. For example, athletes often improve their performance by learning how to focus, using positive visualization, using mental relaxation techniques and using strategy in competitions.

Maybe you could ask what techniques have helped people to perform better on tests and in competitions.

I visualize everyDAY!!! I have learned it even before skating, my chorus teacher She told the choir group on how things will go in detail from the moment the curtain will open and how we will battle our nerves.

I use the same idea. Everyday I visualize the day of competition - the moment I wake up and on how I will get myself relaxed; how much I would eat for breakfast; I plan what music to listen to - for motivation (usually Olympic hymns, a couple of R & B, and Pop music and at the last track I would have my program music).

I think about the moment I go through the arena doors: I check ASAP on what my starting order will be; check in with the Front Desk, check in with the ice monitor and see the progress of the event/time, check the ice surface {is it comparable to Sky Rink?-(soft ice) New Rochelle?-(bouncy ice) Nyack?-(hard ice) things like that} ; the arena size (comparing it to other ice rinks again-how hard would I have to push and how much speed do I have to tone down) ; then visualizing my program & listening on my walkman...

Then now I pick a spot at the rink where I am away from everybody & cannot be distracted. I have my friends check with the ice monitor constantly (every 5 to 8 minutes). I slowly warmup, slowly. I've learned from the past that I have been warming up too much, that I would tire myself to death. I think on how will I do my warmup, the order of jumps and spins. I try to do things efficiently on the ice.

I put on my costume and my sneakers and still listening to my music.
I would go to the arena to re-check the temperature of the arena with costume on. Then I go back to my nook and put on my skates.

Before warmup I start breathing exercises and slowly warmup all my muscles.
I start re-spotting the areas where I will be jumping and spinning and adjust them accordingly to the judges view. Then this is where Red Bull comes to place I learned that my focus level increases with that energy drink. In addition to that I would chew gum. I find that it relaxes me inside during warmup. Deep inside I just want to go back to my nook and sleep. (Not b/c I am sleepy but I get too scared) I would check off my planned jumps and if I make a mistake for some reason I know I would forget it automatically and think I have landed it.

Tim David
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