409 - What To Expect at Band and Solo Competitions (Dojo Conversations Episode 79)

How should you prepare for your first solo competition? What should you do the night before? On the day? And what can you expect when you arrive, during, and after you compete in both band and solo contests? This week, Andrew and Jim do a blow-by-blow walk through of a typical day at a highland games, including how and when to start preparing, and what to expect when you get there. They cover the detailed preparation routines for both solo competitors and band members, including travel plans, warm-up strategies, final tuning, competition etiquette, checking in with stewards, tactics for managing nerves, and the logistics of navigating through multiple events in a day. This is the ultimate comprehensive guide for anyone curious about what goes on during an average day at a highland games. Got a question for a future episode? Leave a comment or email us: support@pipersdojo.com. Here's what we cover this week: 00:00 Training Montage: Preparing for Competition Day 02:21 A Day at the Highland Games: Solos and Bands 03:00 Morning Routine: Getting Ready for the Games 03:33 Arriving at the Games: Timing and Check-In 06:57 Warm-Up Strategies: Preparing Your Pipes 11:23 Competition Etiquette: Checking In and Tuning 15:40 On Deck: Final Preparations Before Performance 30:07 Judging and Competitor Etiquette 30:30 Tuning and Warm-Up Techniques 31:36 Choosing the Right Warm-Up Tunes 35:51 Post-Performance Etiquette 37:45 Managing Multiple Events 42:15 Band Competitions and Mass Bands 50:20 Final Tuning and Entering the Circle 57:45 Exiting the Circle and Post-Competition 01:00:09 End of the Day: Mass Bands and Results