Competition Archives - Page 4 of 8 - ICE Mental Game Coaching

How to Build a Pre-Competition Routine: The Secret to Success in Competition

Do you want to skate your best in competition? Then preparation is essential.

Preparation that starts early, not just two weeks before your event. The beginning of a new season is the perfect time to start.

A common challenge skaters face is to skate their competition programs at least as well as they do in practice.

You might have heard this before: “Practice the way you compete, compete the way you practice.”

So how do you do this?

Find the Right Focus For You

Scene 1 – Wandering attention

Skatergirl is on the ice practicing her combo spin. She wants to improve her technique so that it will be centered and fast.

She skates around the rink to find a spot and does a quick sweep of the ice.

Okay, now to step into the right inside 3 turn, then forward… Hmmm, she wonders where she and her friends are going for lunch? Subway or pizza?

This Skatergirl is distracted.

The Frustration Routine

It’s the morning of her short program and Skatergirl is on her 20-minute practice ice.

Her warm-up has been great so far. She feels the exhilaration of the competition, feeding off the high energy of the other skaters on the ice with her. Every one of them is doing their own thing with focus and determination.

It’s time to warm up her triple Sal…shoot, she fell on her first attempt. Continue reading “The Frustration Routine”

The Best Mindset for Competition: A Tale of Two Moods

Scene 1

Skatergirl glides into the rink. It’s competition day and she is excited. She looks at all the people waiting in the stands as she breathes in the energy around her. Music is playing in the arena. A skater dressed in a deep purple dress lined with Swarovski crystals skates her program while the judges look on. Skatergirl feels eager to get out there and do her thing too. She continues happily into the locker room, greeting her friends along the way. Continue reading “The Best Mindset for Competition: A Tale of Two Moods”

After You Crash on the First Jump in Your Program

The skater stands, ready to go once the ice monitor opens the gate. Movement in the stands catches her eye, and she looks up. So many faces. So many more than usual, but this is to be expected. It’s the qualifying round of a big competition.

The announcer calls her name. She skates to center ice. Continue reading “After You Crash on the First Jump in Your Program”

How to Recover From a Bad Competition Warm Up

You just arrived at a competition. You know you practiced hard and you feel proud of the work you’ve put in.

As you enter the rink to warm up what are you feeling? Is it anxiety or is it confidence? Continue reading “How to Recover From a Bad Competition Warm Up”