Conquering on ice nerves?

[Janie]

Wait, we're supposed to breathe??  Maybe that's what I'm doing wrong.

Ha ha ha so funny yet so true! My coach has told me several times to breathe!

[sampaguita]

For me, what makes me nervous is disappointing my family and friends who traveled far just to watch me. And oh, discovering that the schedule is running 10 minutes early. :p

[SynchKat]

I used that. Hold my breath for some reason in the European Waltz which you had to skate for 1 minute from the man's first three turn.  No idea why I did this.

I think for on ice nerves it is more about managing them.  I have been at this and competing for the better part of my life, I still get butterflies.  For my I think I know I can do it but I think it is he being judged that makes me nervous because you can go out an do your best and often the judges just don't agree hat what you did was as good as how it felt.  My nerves hit as I wait to go on and while I wait for marks.  While on the ice I love the feeling of everyone watching me and performing for them. 

[Clarice]

I think for on ice nerves it is more about managing them.  I have been at this and competing for the better part of my life, I still get butterflies.

Absolutely.  I've been a performing musician for pretty much my entire life, and I still get butterflies when I go on stage.  That's a normal and expected response to the adrenalin rush of performing.  In fact, I wouldn't want it any other way - it keeps the performance from being flat and mechanical.  The trick is to learn how to manage it.  If it gets out of control to the point my breathing is compromised (I play a wind instrument) or my hands shake, then my performance will be negatively impacted.  Like I said before, what works best for me is to focus on my breathing right before I play, almost like doing yoga breathing.  It calms and centers me, and allows me to put the extra energy into the performance.  That works on the ice to an extent, too, although it's more difficult for me to control the nerves out there.  It's a weird feeling - I don't FEEL scared or nervous, but my legs can get shaky.  Coaches recommended that I run and do deep knee bends right before competing to burn off some of the excess energy, and I've found that helpful.  (It also helps if I watch my caffeine intake on competition day!)

[jjane45]

Aunt Joyce mostly blogs about elite skating, but this blog entry on conquering nerves for his first ice show appearance is an interesting read: Foray Into Adult Skating: The First Performance

[sarahonice]

Aunt Joyce mostly blogs about elite skating, but this blog entry on conquering nerves for his first ice show appearance is an interesting read: Foray Into Adult Skating: The First Performance

Thanks for linking that! That's totally going to be me this weekend, and while it doesn't exactly make me any CALMER about my first-performance-ever terror, it's kind of nice to know that it's a shared feeling.

[Janie]

Aunt Joyce mostly blogs about elite skating, but this blog entry on conquering nerves for his first ice show appearance is an interesting read: Foray Into Adult Skating: The First Performance

This is hilarious!

Thanks for linking that! That's totally going to be me this weekend, and while it doesn't exactly make me any CALMER about my first-performance-ever terror, it's kind of nice to know that it's a shared feeling.

Go Sarah!! You'll be great!