If the music starts on beat 1, the preparatory beat will always be the last beat of the previous bar. The last beat of the previous bar is called the upbeat. The gesture looks like a hook. So, in every standard beat pattern, the ictus for both your upbeat and your downbeat will be the same. The upbeat starts with your hand positioned slightly above and to the right of the ictus and will ‘hook’ inwards and upwards. It’s like an upside-down candy cane.