I want to place first in my figure skating competition how should i accomplish this?! :D?

Question

Well last year i placed first but i didnt really do that much and everyone knew i was going to place first because i was at a much higher level than the other skaters, i havent done my test but now that im done at with skaters at the same level as me i still want to place first, so any pointers?

Answer 1

Figure skating is an artistic sport. Try to make a creative program that grabs the judges attention. Think outside the box.

Other than that, skate clean!! It can make a difference.

Tips:

1. Don't flutz the lutz!!! Do lutz prep before you compete, simply holding the edge then pick.

2. Run through the program in your head.

3. Take your time. It's ok if you are a little behind in the program, but trying to rush to finish with the music may mess you up more.

4. Find your center and balance before you compete. Off the ice and on, practice your landing position and such.

You've done this before, you have experience. It's all about going the extra mile. If you were on a higher level last time, think about what made you better. Focus, skate your best, and be happy whatever you place.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Practice your program over and over, of course, but once you're comfortable with your program and all of its elements, add a little acting to your performance.  If your music is upbeat and happy, smile and "feel" the music.  If your music is slow and projects a certain feeling, indicate that in your facial expressions and movements.  Make a connection with the judges and audience.  If you can, make eye contact with them.  Do a little research into your music.  Is it from a movie, play, musical and try to find out what the characters are like.  If it's a movie, see the movie.

For example, many years ago, I skated to "Phantom of the Opera" (just like every other skater on the planet), so I tried to convey the feeling of the opera.  It's more of a meloncholy and mysterious feeling than a happy, "smiley" feeling.

Listen to your music over and over, which I'm sure you already have, but how does the music make you feel?  Through your skating, show the audience and judges how it makes you feel.  The skaters who appear to enjoy their music seem to perform better than skaters who look like they have no connection to the music...."My coach picked this and I hate it," kind of feeling.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Just do your best, and be happy with what ever place you get in. Aim for first and just do your best, and work hard in practice. Good luck!

Answer 4

umm. practice as much as your body can take. Practice as much as you can.  

  Have confedence in yourslef. don't let other skaters intemidate you. just focus on you and that frist place. that is what i do. it might sound Stuck Up but it really isn't. Just breath and try your best. no matter what win or lose you are a winner to family. I know that from past times.

  So good luck

  {Skittles}

Answer 5

Always practice like the way you would skate in competition, never give anything less.

Answer 6

Well, what's your age and the level you will compete at? What figures do you do already? What are the required figures of your level?

The question is too vague. You could be a beginner without a sit spin or a Junior skater with a Double Axel from the way the question is made.

Answer 7

At your competition, aim for a CLEAN skate.  This may sound really bad, but once I skated in a comp where everyone just kept falling . . . so it literally came down to WHO stood up in their skating to skate the cleanest (or in otherwords messed up the least :o!!!).  This is especially true if you are doing a technical program with required elements.    

Finish every one of your moves.  Think of your program as a paragraph.  Especially make your spin and jump exits strong (nice glide out with arched back and extended free leg) . . . like putting a defininte punctuation mark at the end of each sentence.  A sloppy program can be like a long run on sentence - eek!  

Try to be as expressive as possible - and this is a must if it's an artistic program.  Don't skate like a robot . . . skate from the inside out . . . skate with your heart!  My friend always said to overexaggerate to the point where you think it's silly . . . simply because we all tend to tone down everything when we compete.  Think that you are a little skater and people can't see you . . . so you want to look big big big out there!!    

All this being said, you need to give it your all in each of your run throughs in practice.  Aim for consistency - then you should expect to skate well.  Do programs back to back (meaning twice in a row!) for your stamina.  Practice with spots to "breathe" in your program that way you WILL remember to breathe while competing.  Many lose their energy towards the end of the program because they hold their breath or didn't work enough on stamina . . . so make sure you have a lot of steam left so you can end your program with a bang.    

If I may say, don't focus so much on your placement.  Ultimately your placement is in the hands of the judges - sometimes the placement doesn't make sense.  Sometimes you don't get first no matter how much you or your coach still thinks you deserve first.  Aim for a great skate that you can be proud of - and that you know you did your best.  The competition I mentioned above was literally a splatfest - for everyone - and I screwed up majorly that it probably was my worst skating ever.  Still, I got first place - but so what - the skating was not anything I want to remember - I wanted to put a bag over my head!!  

Best of luck to you . . . I'll keep my skating toes crossed that you get "first"!