Getting Through My program!!

[TwirlGirl10]

My coach just finished doing my program and I have been working on it for a week. I realized that by the end I am really out of breath. I was just wondering if this is normal and if maybe I will get used to it and it will go away? My music is really fast and never slows down. I hope it gets a little better becuase I am competing with it end of September. Any input?
~Carmen~ :)

[TimDavidSkate]

It's normal. Everybody goes through it.

Before your competition try to go to another rink/freestyle and try out your program. (at least 2 to 3 times)
It is good to test a program-competition in front of an audience. Good for your nerves :)

Happy Skating

What competition are you doing?

[TwirlGirl10]

Shores Autumn Classic :)

[samba]

It depends on the length of your programme, the elements in it and your age.
Have you been able to compare yourself with anyone else doing the same length or programme as yourself and the same age as yourself? If its your first ever programme it might be a simple matter of building up your stamina.

Only you know what feels right for you and if you have any doubt whatsoever I think it would be wise to get checked out medically.

Also it might help in the future to compose a programme with a slow bit the the middle. I always have a 30 second slower section in mine to enable me to gather my breath as do most people I know.

Hope this helps
Best of luck!!
Grace

[itsgr82sk8]

Try doing programs twice ,back to back, then doing it once will be a piece of cake

[Perry]

What level are you? And what age? If your program is 3 minutes+, starting out doing them back to back will be nearly impossible. Practice it with all the jumps, at least once every hours that you're on the ice (or twice a day, whichever is more) and stroke after it, gradually adding laps until you're up to one lap for every 30 seconds of the program. Once you can do that and not feel naseous afterwards (you should be out of breath), do the same thing, but do the jumps you missed after you finish your laps. Once you get that down, start doing two runthroughs -- the first with singles (or without jumps if you're only doing singles) but with spins and the second normally. As this becomes easier, start adding the laps again. Keep doing your program once an hour. A couple of days before a competition, go back to doing it normally, one runthrough, with only a few slow, easy laps afterwards, so that you don't exhaust yourself.

If you manage the pseudo-double runthrough, you can start adding sections at the end or do a full double-runthrough, though the half-double will probably be enough. If you manage it with the laps, you'll be in good shape for any competition, though you will need to work up to it (and if you start feeling really sck afterwards, go back to less of the runthroughs/laps and work again back up to it). For my junior long, the process took me a good month before I could accomplish the pseudo-double runthrough with seven laps afterwards without wishing to die.

[TwirlGirl10]

I am 14 and competing Pre-pre. I have up to a lutz and a camel sit in my program. I thinks is 1:39. We plan on changing the jumps around after a few competitions though because I am testing preliminary pretty soon and we want to put my axel in.

[pennybeagle]

Ugh. Endurance. I have problems with this, and this is what has helped me in the past:

Do a full run-through of your program every time you are on the ice (unless it's a public session or something and you can't). Do it at least 2-3 times a week.

After each run-through, take a lap or two--don't just stop skating.

Double run-throughs are a great idea, but if you can't do this yet (or if there are rules about how many times you can play your music on a session), run a section of your program after your run-through. For example, do a complete run-through, and then do the last 30-45 seconds of your program again without music. Or do the middle section, or the beginning section. Alternatively, follow with a choreography and spin only run-through. Work your way up to full double run-throughs.

And...if you're really serious...
Off-ice interval training may help you build your stamina. An easy way to start is to warm up for 5-10 minutes, and then alternate 1 minute high intensity with 1 minute low intensity exercise (running, EFX, cycling, etc). Do 5 cycles of 1 minute high, 1 minute low (10 minutes total). Then, cool down for 5-10 minutes. Gradually increase your high intensity parts by 10 seconds until you are going 2 minutes at high intensity with 1 minute to 1:40 low intensity in between (and then, do 3-4 cycles instead of 5). Your high intensity exercise should have your heart rate at about 85-95% of your maximum (if you are 14, that would be 175-195 bpm). You should be working very very hard. The low intensity is essentially a "rest" period to get your heart rate back down, but do not stop moving! While you are doing this training, pay attention to your breathing. Do 3-4 interval workouts a week. If you do a double run-through, count that as an interval workout.

With a program of less than 2 minutes, you are using primarily anaerobic energy, and so the intervals will help you build anaerobic stamina. HOWEVER, you may want to start off by building up a good aerobic base first so that you don't give your body too much of a shock. To do this, do some form or aerobic activity (nonstop exercise for 20-30 minutes with your heart rate at around 65-85%--for you, that would be 134-175 bpm) about 2-3 times a week for a few weeks.

A cool idea to make intervals "fun": burn a CD of your program music followed by a 60-90 second piece that's slower, and then put the CD on repeat as you're working out. Do your high intensity bits to your program music, visualizing what you would be doing on the ice (while you're working very very hard on the machine!). Then, during the slow music, try to get your heart rate back down and think of something calming.

...now if I could just get off my butt and put my advice into practice... :??

[Mrs Redboots]

You'll find your fitness will improve as you get used to doing it - don't worry about being out of breath at this stage! Your coach will probably make you do it twice each lesson, with less and less "recovery" time in between, until one day you find you've done it twice through on the trot!

Be warned, though - the first time you do it "in anger", for a test or competition, you will forget to breathe at all, and end up scarlet in the face and gasping - it happens to us all! You may want to choreograph places where you definitely breathe in it, to help avoid this. Like - back crossover and breathe and step to forward for my waltz-jump, hold the landing and breathe and smile and..... you know.....

[Raye]

Thank you for your valuable information about off-ice interval training. I am competing at Peach in a few weeks with a two and a half week gap in my on-ice training. The timeliness of your posting was providential. :bow:

And thanks everyone else on this thread for all the great suggestions :bow:

Good luck in Scotland, Annabel

[Raye]

You are at the beginning of an awesome lifelong obsession - you will be fine - enjoy!!

[pennybeagle]

Thank you for your valuable information about off-ice interval training. I am competing at Peach in a few weeks with a two and a half week gap in my on-ice training. The timeliness of your posting was providential. :bow:

And thanks everyone else on this thread for all the great suggestions :bow:

Good luck in Scotland, Annabel

I'll be at Peach, too--hope to see you there! I'm being a complete weenie about run-throughs right now, since our sessions are so crowded with all the kids still out of school...I keep bailing out of all of my jumps and spins, so I have no idea whether or not I can actually do a program yet or not. Ugh. Oh well--it's all for fun, right?
;)