Timing for learning a new program

[Meli]

How long before a competition do you start working on a new program?  Realistically, I'm not competing again until March, and whatever programs (free skate and dramatic) I do are going to be my programs for the rest of 2015 (unless I chicken out and decide to stay in the basic skills group for March and April, and then pop up to pre-bronze for July.)  So much planning and preparation to do! 

[PhysicsOnIce]

Typically, for me it depends on how difficult the program is (is going to be), but I am also stupid when it comes to learning step sequences so... alot of time is spent working/making me understand the footwork and connecting steps in my programs. For my competition program we start laying it out during the early to mid summer and the first competition of the season is always early October ( So I guess that makes between 3 to 4 months) but we tweak things until a few weeks before competitions (sometimes even the week before).

[Doubletoe]

Typically, I start working on my new program about 2 week after Adult Nationals is over.  In other words, almost a year before it needs to be at its peak.  Then again, I only skate 3 hours a week.

[TreSk8sAZ]

It really depends. My dramatic we had a shell in place and competed in less than three weeks - but the competition was just a local competition at my club, so it wasn't a super hard program and it was just to get something out there.

Generally, though, we set my new programs over the summer and work on them through Adult Nationals in April. They are constantly being changed/updated as skills get better or I'm not comfortable with something. While I *could* compete them in the summer/fall and get through them, our goal is really for the programs to be ready and peak for the winter/spring season and that's how all of our training is scheduled.

I think a lot of factors determine how fast you can get a program together. How much ice time do you have? How much coach time do you have? How are you at picking up new things? How easy/hard are the elements in the program for you? How easy/hard are the transitions and such? I know people who can put a complete program together and compete it (well) in a couple of weeks, others it takes months.

[sarahspins]

I think generally the earlier you can learn a new program, the more time you have to get comfortable with it and to put the final "polish" on everything.

That's not to say that it's impossible with a limited amount of time - but why subject yourself to that kind of pressure if you don't have to?  You'll perform much better if you are 100% confident in your programs when you hit the ice

[Neverdull44]

Similar question, how often do you practice your program?   I try to do sections of it, and a whole run through twice, and then with the music.   I hate to take over the music player like a hog, because the younger/teen skaters are usually doing their program too.

[Meli]

Personally, I do a lot of work in sections (as some sections are scarier than others) and I will do several run throughs with music-but I'm working on public and use an ipod shuffle for the music, so to the ice tourists, I probably look a little crazy.  I tend to spend a lot of time figuring out the timing, so that I know the telltale signs of when I'm running fast, or when I'm running behind, that way I can adjust as needed.

[fsk8r]

Similar question, how often do you practice your program?   I try to do sections of it, and a whole run through twice, and then with the music.   I hate to take over the music player like a hog, because the younger/teen skaters are usually doing their program too.

You can practice your program with music?! The only time I get to run mine with music is in lesson and then I have to get really lucky to get it run more than once because the music queue is always too long. and skaters aren't allowed to touch the music box, it's coaches only.