Behind the Curtain: How Skaters Prepare Before Stepping Onto the Ice
The buzz of the Palavela in early December feels a long way from a Sydney arvo in midsummer, yet for Australian fans, the Torino 2019 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final arrives at an unusual hour. With Turin ten hours behind Australia, broadcasts from the men's, ladies', pairs and ice dance events light up lounge rooms across Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth well before dawn. The country is sending a small but determined team to the Final, and even before the music starts at the kiss and cry, the work behind the curtain has already been going on for hours.
What fans usually see is the last ninety seconds of preparation: the skater gliding out of the shadows, arms folded, eyes fixed on a point in the middle distance. What happens before that moment is a layered routine built from physical conditioning, mental rehearsal and a thousand tiny logistical choices. From the moment a competitor arrives at the arena to the final bow, every minute is shaped by habits carried over from training rinks like Macquarie Ice Rink and the Olympic Ice Skating Centre in Melbourne.
The Final Hour Behind Closed Doors
Once a skater passes through the athlete entrance, the warm-up sequence begins well before the music. Coaches typically schedule the morning around a long morning block of on-ice training, a brief rest at the hotel, a carefully timed meal and a return to the venue about ninety minutes before the competition starts. By the time the dressing room door closes, the team has already mapped out who carries the skate bag, who holds the spare laces and who runs interference with the official chaperones.
In the room itself, the mood is deliberately quiet. Senior competitors often prefer silence over chatter, with a few stretching on mats while others sit against the lockers, headphones on, eyes half-closed. Junior skaters tend to be a touch more animated, joking quietly with their chaperones, but even then the volume stays low. A coach might gently tap a shoulder to signal a stretch change, a physio might press a thumb into a tight calf, and the choreographer might play a few bars of the program on a portable speaker to refresh the muscle memory. None of it looks dramatic from the outside, but it is the foundation that the entire performance will lean on.
Off-Ice Movement: Stretching and Mobility
Skaters cannot simply run onto a cold rink and expect their bodies to respond. Off-ice movement is the bridge between the dressing room and the ice, and most competitors spend a solid twenty to thirty minutes on it. A standard sequence might include dynamic leg swings against a wall, controlled lunges to wake up the glutes, ankle rotations to coax the joints through their full range, and short bursts of skipping or high knees to raise the heart rate without flooding the legs.
Elastic bands are a common sight, looped around the feet to add resistance to simple movements like donkey kicks or side-lying clamshells. These drills are especially valued by the ice dance teams, who depend on hip control and articulation. Pairs skaters tend to spend additional time on partner-specific mobility, replicating the lift positions on the carpet so that the muscle groups fire in the right order. By the time the skater is handed the boots, the body has usually been switched on quietly, almost invisibly, with no sweat on the brow and no heavy breathing audible to anyone nearby.
A Look at the Phases Side by Side
| Warm-up phase | Typical duration | Main purpose | Where it happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-ice morning training | 45–90 minutes | Build volume, test jumps | Practice rink, often a separate venue |
| Off-ice mobility | 20–30 minutes | Wake up joints, raise heart rate | Dressing room or corridor |
| Mental rehearsal and breath | 10–15 minutes | Set rhythm, calm nerves | Dressing room, often with headphones |
| Boots and blades check | 5–10 minutes | Ensure correct feel and safety | Boot area or dressing room |
| Costume and final look | 5–10 minutes | Settle fit, prepare for camera | Dressing room or hair and makeup station |
A glance at the table makes clear that the bulk of a skater's day is spent on conditioning rather than on the warm-up itself. The dressing room phases are short and surgical, while the morning training is long and forgiving. Most athletes plan the day backwards from their start time, so that the off-ice mobility, the mental work, the gear check and the costume all line up in a precise sequence.
The Mental Picture: Visualisation and Breath
Mental preparation runs in parallel with the physical warm-up, and for many skaters it is just as demanding. Coaches often speak of the importance of "running the program in your head", and you will see athletes sitting cross-legged on the carpet, eyes moving beneath closed lids, replaying every element from the opening choreographic step to the final spin. The point is to set the rhythm of the breathing, anticipate the music's accents and rehearse the recovery from any small wobble that might appear.
Breath work is the other quiet pillar. Slow exhales through pursed lips, square box-breathing patterns, and short meditative pauses help to calm the autonomic response that a packed arena tends to trigger. Australian skaters travelling from warmer climates often comment on the dry, cold air of northern Italy and how it changes the sensation of a deep breath. A skater who manages that shift well arrives at the boards feeling centred, while a skater who has ignored it often looks tight in the shoulders during the stroking phase. The difference between a fluid performance and a hesitant one is frequently settled in these invisible minutes.
Boots, Blades and Costumes: The Physical Details
Once the body is prepared, attention turns to the gear. Skate boots are usually laced in a particular order, often tighter at the ankle than the instep, and a skater will frequently re-tie them three or four times during the warm-up. Coaches watch the lacing closely because a millimetre of slack can change the feel of a landing. Blades are checked for nicks, screws are tightened with a small multi-tool, and a soft cloth is used to wipe away the condensation that forms when boots are brought out of an unheated bag.
Costumes are usually slipped on after the boots are fully laced, so that the fabric settles correctly and the skirt or tail does not catch on the hooks. Hair is pinned in place, often with a final spritz of hairspray that is more ritual than styling. Makeup artists, where they are present, work with a light hand, focusing on high-definition areas like the cheekbones and lashes that show up under the broadcast cameras. A skater will often stand for a moment in front of the mirror, arms at the sides, adjusting a single seam or a single earring, before stepping back to let the team take a final look.
The Tunnel Walk: Final Steps to the Rink
The walk from the dressing room to the rink is short, but it carries weight. Skaters usually move through a long concrete corridor lined with officials and volunteers, sometimes passing the warm-up groups of the discipline that is finishing on the ice. Coaches tend to fall in step behind, allowing the competitor to lead, while chaperones guide the entourage past the photographers and broadcast teams. The skater is expected to acknowledge the applause of the home crowd, smile politely for the cameras, and keep moving without breaking stride.
At the rink entrance, the off-ice warm-up mat is often the last checkpoint. Skaters run through a quick set of stroking patterns, a controlled three-jump or a single spin to test the fresh edges. Pairs and ice dance teams use this moment to verify the timing of their lifts and the spacing of their twizzles. Junior skaters may practise their opening spiral in slow tempo, while senior competitors usually keep it sharp and economical. By the time the boards open and the blades touch the rink, the muscle memory is in place and the mind is set on the music that is about to begin.
Listening for the Cue: Music, Lines and Coaches
The last layer of backstage preparation is auditory. Skaters listen for the announcer to call their name, for the music coordinator to confirm the starting track, and for the choreographer's final whispered instruction. Coaches are careful not to overload the moment. A common pattern is a single reminder of the opening element, a quiet "breathe", and a nod. Anything more can pull a skater out of the headspace they have spent hours building.
In the kiss and cry, the team collapses into a small circle of chairs, soft drinks in hand, ready to watch the replay and to plan the next training block. Australian fans following from home often set their alarms for the small hours of the morning, brew a strong flat white or a quick cup of tea, and gather in front of the screen in family groups that span multiple generations. For them, the two-minute program that has just unfolded is the visible peak of a process that began long before the music started and will continue long after the skater has walked back down the tunnel.
Practices Skaters Lean on Before a Big Performance
- Build a fixed pre-competition routine that starts at the same time the day before
- Use elastic bands for hip and glute activation before any on-ice session
- Practise visualisation in full costume, including the music, lighting and crowd
- Keep blade maintenance tools in a single small pouch so nothing is misplaced
- Schedule a genuine rest period between morning training and the evening event
- Stay hydrated, but taper fluid intake in the final hour to avoid discomfort
- Communicate with coaches using short, calm phrases rather than long checklists
Reserve tickets for the exhibition gala at Torino 2019 to see your favourite senior and junior medal winners return to the Palavela ice in a single, relaxed show. Volunteer positions are still open for those who want a closer look at the warm-up routines, while the official broadcast schedule will give fans in Australia a front-row seat from their own lounge rooms. Grab your seat, set your alarm for the late-night sessions, and experience the artistry that begins long before the first jump is launched.