Is Figure Skating a head game? | Golden Skate

Is Figure Skating a head game?

thisthingcalledlove

Final Flight
Joined
Sep 24, 2003
With Sasha leaving her coach, and discussions on Katarina Witt's competitiveness, I decided to post this question. Is figure skating a head game? We all saw this in action, at both the 1994 and 1998 Olympics, when Tamara Moskvina's pairs were missing elements in practice and warm ups, and she literally reached into Natalia and Oksana's heads and gave them this will to complete the element they were having trouble with. Katarina Witt would win practices by performing her program while other skaters were performing their program, thus showing them that she's not afraid of anyone. I think she would also purposely miss jumps in practice to make people relax and think she wasn't going to be too tough to beat at that particular competition, only to come back and perform flawlessly (at the warmups for the 1988 Worlds, she was practicing the triple loop, which wasn't even in her program). Mind games also occur in ice dance- during the warmups at the 1998 Europeans, Krylova and Ovsiannikov would purposely skate close to Pasha Grischuk, once Anzhelika almost hit Pasha with her skates during a lift! I also think that the bump heard round the world (B/S and Jamie Sale) was part of a head game...

what do you guys think? Strong mind over strong skater?
 

KwanFan1212

Joey Votto Fangirl
Final Flight
Joined
Jun 24, 2003
Anton and Jamie both looked too stunned afterwards for that to have been some type of head game from either of them but that's just my opinion on that subject. :eek:

Anyway, I do think that you have to have a strong mind in order to have any kind of success in skating. You do also have to be a strong skater though too. I think some of the best skaters in the world are the ones that can combine their athleticism and artistry with a strong mindset to compete. Those are the ones that tend to have the most success. I think of a skater like Michelle Kwan or Evegeny Plushenko both of whom have both of those pretty much down to a science and compare that to someone like Angela Nikodinov who, while being a beautiful skater who can certainly do the jumps, suffers with her confidence and mindset about competition. You can have a strong mindset and overcome that inconsistancy like we seem to be seeing with Jeff Buttle this year though too. Interesting to think about.

Hmmm. Interesting question you posted here and I look foward to reading more answers!! :D
 

show 42

Arm Chair Skate Fan
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Definitely, as are many sports susceptible to "head games". Worse than having your opponents play games with your "mind" or confidence is what the athlete does to herself (or himself). No one can shake your confidence more than self-doubt in your own abilities. Some wise person once said that ability is 90 percent above the neck. I'm sure that goes for one's own confidence as well......42
 
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Doggygirl

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
Interesting topic TTCL....

I believe that being mentally tough not only applies to figure skating competitions but ALL of life, sports or anything else. All the talent and preparation in the world don't mean much if you tend to "choke" at the big event.

Everything I've heard says that the judges watch the practice sessions carefully, so I'm sure there are strategies for dealing with that. I always hate to see situations in warmups, etc. where it appears skaters are intentionally trying to "mess" with each other.

As an example, I've seen posts (not necessarily here) suggesting that Sasha skated really close to Michelle in an effort to shake her mentally. I have no idea if that's true. But if there is any truth to it, I think that's stupid on Sasha's part. Sasha has had enough challenges keeping it together herself and skating consistently every time to be worrying about someone else's brain. That's just an example to generally express my opinion about those kinds of practice / warm up type "head games."

I'm glad I had the opportunity to compete in a sport while I was growing up. I had to learn that same sort of mental toughness - doing the hard work at home, but learning to keep my wits about me during competitions. That has translated into some skills I'm very glad to have as I've moved through adult life. Examples: I never choked on exams in college. I don't choke when making presentations for work in front of important executives or large audiences. It was really cool to have developed many of those skills in my early years.

For all you skating parents out there who spend tons of time and money with your kids in this sport, there are huge benefits your kids are getting that it might take them many years to really understand.

My 2 cents,

DG
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Re: Interesting topic TTCL....

For all you skating parents out there who spend tons of time and money with your kids in this sport, there are huge benefits your kids are getting that it might take them many years to really understand. -- DG
That's a great point, DG.

About controling your nerves, my hat is off to all of these performers. Just watching a skating contest live on TV, I get so nervous that I have to hide in the next room, and just force myself to peek around the corner -- oh, she's still on her feet, yay!

About using practices to your advantage, I have seen Michelle practice a number of times before major events. She doesn't practice so much as hold court. Every eye is on her (in fact, a lot of the audience leaves when Michelle is finished). She appears to be very aware that at this level, the practice sessions are performances, too. To me, it seems like the judges have to be impressed with the way that she comports herself, quite apart from whether she is landing her jumps or not.

About the persistent claims that Sasha deliberately tries to interfer with other skaters' preparation (by skating into their jumping lanes ahead of them, for instance), I am sure that this is far from Sasha's intention. But I understand why people say this, just the same. I have watched Sasha practice and warm up several times, and she does have a way of using the ice that is a little bit ideosyncratic. To me, it looks like she is often going the other way when everyone else is going along together. I always supposed that this was because she was concentrating so much on her own preparation that she was not paying a lot of attention to the other skaters.

When ice dancers bump into each other, I have noticed that there seems to be a certain protocol. (I noticed this at ballroom dancing contests, too.) Each couple is expected to act like they are the aggrieved party, and the other guys are clumsy oafs. But I will grudgingly forgive you, since I am such a splendid fellow -- but only grudgingly, on the part of the man, because his primary role is to be the protector of his partner against such unruly Philistines as you-all obviously are. -- I love it.

Mathman

PS. On the replays, it sure looked like Jamie just came straight down the lane and bowled Anton and Elena over. I'm sure it was an accident, however, LOL.
 

Ladskater

~ Figure Skating Is My Passion ~
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
For the most part, figure skaters are very respectful towards one another; Of course, in comepetition a lot of dynamics unfold. If you are referring to the warm up session before a competition takes place there are a number of things going on out on the ice. Skaters are naturally nervous and focusing on their skate ahead. They are bound to run into one another from time to time. This also happens in local skating rinks - too many skaters on the ice - all it takes is one second of lost concentration for an incident like this to occur.

Katarina Witt definitely liked to "psych" out her opponents. That was part of her approach to competing. However in Jamie's case, I don't think Jamie got in the path of Anton on purpose. It was he who hit her afterall. I thought perhaps he did it on purpose, but maybe not.

Every skater is different. It's up to the skaters to keep their distance from one another. One hopes each skater is respecting the other's space.
 

bleuchick

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
well, I am not too sure...

Men - ever seen men bump into each other ? uhmmm... Never.

i.e. - think of Alexei and Plushenko. And they were rivals.
 

VIETgrlTerifa

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I don't think Jamie got in the path of Anton on purpose. It was he who hit her afterall. I thought perhaps he did it on purpose, but maybe not.

Wait, your saying Jamie got into Anton's path (whether or not if it was on purpose or not) but then you perhaps place the blame Anton for the incident? I'm sorry, but that doesnt make sense to me.

I really don't think that incident was anyone's fault really. Anton and Elena were preparing a Triple Throw, and Jamie looked like she was skating backwards so it seemed both of them didn't have a clear view of their paths so once they had a clear view, it was too late to do anything.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Isn't the protocol that a pair skating together has the right of way over a single skater?

I know that when Michelle crashed into Fumie in practice a while back, Michelle was in the wrong because Fumie's music was playing. Michelle apologized profusely and Fumie was equallly gracious.

Mathman
 

rtureck

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Mathman said:
Isn't the protocol that a pair skating together has the right of way over a single skater?


???? Since when do pair skaters and single skater practice on the same ice????
 
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rtureck

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Mathman
To me, it looks like she is often going the other way when everyone else is going along together. I always supposed that this was because she was concentrating so much on her own preparation that she was not paying a lot of attention to the other skaters.

I think Sarah is a skater with concentration. Sarah navigates herself on the ice nicely. Concentrating on one's own jumping pass and paying attention to others is not mutually exclusive. Not only is Sarah aware of where she is relative to the others on the ice, Sarah does not get into others line of vision, and Sarah has to set up her jumps mirror image to all other skaters, most probably because she is left handed.
 
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VIETgrlTerifa

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
???? Since when do pair skaters and single skater practice on the same ice????

I think what Mathman means is that in pair warm-ups, a pair together has the right of way over a pair skater by him or herself while the partner is somewhere else on the ice.
 

skatepixie

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 2, 2003
I think its part head game. That said, if you dont have the jumps, spins, artistry, grace moves, exc, it wont matter how "mentally tough" you were. If you skate ugly, it doesnt matter how many games you play.
 

Jaana

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Country
Finland
Ladskater
> However in Jamie's case, I don't think Jamie got in the path of Anton on purpose. It was he who hit her afterall. I thought perhaps he did it on purpose, but maybe not. >

To me it looked that Jamie just did not see Elena and Anton and she crashed straight into him. Elena and Anton were skating forward (not making any sudden moves or changing direction) and Jamie suddenly came out of nowhere, LOL. Anton did not notice her in time to be able to do anything. I never got the impression Jamie did that on purpose, besides who would risk to crash on purpose into a big man like Anton? One could get really hurt. At the time I thought that maybe the cause was Jamie´s eyes.

Marjaana
 
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paintbrushhh

Rinkside
Joined
Aug 17, 2003
About the Jamie/Anton crash - I was so impressed that after that crash, his first concern was not himself, but Jamie.

His obvious concern for her showed that he is a truly decent person. To dash to your partner's aid is one thing, but to dash to your biggest competitor's aid during warm-up speaks volumes about Anton's character and sportspersonship.

Paintbrushhh (who thinks the crash was an accident.)
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Oh yes, definately... Jamie busting Anton's gut and knocking the wind out of herself was so a head game... after all she might as well take BOTH teams out of their chances for winning! :rolleye:
 

skatepixie

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 2, 2003
Besides, it would have been stupid for her to run into someone so much bigger. She would have been the one to get hurt.
 

gezando

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 30, 2003
Skaters usually don't play head games or cut off others jumping passes during the "warm up", i.e. the 6 minutes prior to the real competition.

If they cut off jumping passes, usually they do it during the 30 minute practices. It takes time for them to study the other skater's set up of the jumps. They don't cut off all the jumps either, just the target's weakest jump, e.g. Victoria's triple lip (flip).

It is a head game, but the true champions are usually not the ones who play games on others, they are the ones who can manage their own heads. :)
 
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Kasey

Medalist
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Yep, it is a head game, as well as a physical one. You can't win it with the head games only, but I think you can lose it if you're on the wrong end of em!

Kasey
 
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