rockstaryuzu

I just hope she's flexible enough to adjust for him when necessary. The language barrier alone is going to be troublesome.

Cripes.

That is going to be so freakin' amazing when it's ready!

Nobu skates like a man who never retired from competition, honestly.

So Cute!!!

I'm super excited to see what Shae comes up with for Shoma ...and if he can master it! The ex she did for him seemed super challenging.

I'm thinking it's got to be Pilates along with some good old-fashioned pumping iron...

It has English captions already, just turn them on. Click the three vertical dots, it should give you a menu that lets you turn on English or Russian captions. The commentators are saying Yuzu's combination of grace and flexibility with explosive power for jumping is unique.

He's an Olympic athlete - which means that WADA - the World Anti-Doping Association - tests him regularly. Almost all supplements would be too risky, and I would bet he doesn't touch them. Just hard work and Mama Hanyu's cooking, gave him those muscles, I think.

In all fairness, I made that comment based on my own experience with male athletes, some observations I've read about how figure skating technique can differ between men and women, and some assumptions relating to cultural attitudes I've witnessed Japanese men have towards competition with women. So I could be completely off base there. But I definitely don't think Shoma's going to benefit from learning that awful arm-rotating , no-height, skipping-stone style jump technique so characteristic of the Eteri girls.

It doesn't have to be a direct rival, just has to be someone who can ignite that 'wow, that guy's working hard. I'd better try harder, I don't want to be left behind' reaction. If Shoma's the senior guy ( as in, gets the top results) at his current rink, then where's his daily motivation to go the extra mile? It doesn't have to be someone who does a bunch of quads necessarily. It could be someone who always puts in that extra hour after everyone else goes home or the guy who can legpress 10 pounds more than him. Just someone who's always nipping at his heels to get better. I also didn't like the 'Yuzu needs a Javi replacement' talk, and that's not really what I'm getting at with Shoma. He's obviously motivated in the larger sense. But no one grows by always remaining in the same environment.

You don't get the power and strength he has to do those jumps by genetics. That's just the starting point

My only regret is that I never had one like it, myself. I would love to know what he does in the gym.

Yes, I realize. What I meant was, she's so tiny and yet he's tinier there.

Yeah, isn't it wonderful?I was just thinking that Yuzu has a better waistline than Miki.

Why? Because Shoma has stagnated the last year or two and he's not going to be pushed or challenged by skating with girls.

Glad I'm not the only one. I keep thinking he'd starve to death (sorry, I just can't shake those Eteri rumours about how strictly she governs her skater's diets). And maybe he wouldn't know how to handle all those fiery Russian girls. I honestly can't picture anything more opposite to typical Japanese-ness. But more importantly, Shoma is at a stage where he REALLY needs to be opposite another guy who can give him a run for his money in training every day. Someone he can compete with.

Yuzu gave him Yamagata cherries? No wonder he's excited, those are not cheap ...also how cute is Yuzu's notepaper? It looks like this:

I sure hope it's not. Try and picture Shoma doing a Daniil choreo to one of those hideous music cuts.

That app once saw a 3 year girl in the geometric patterns of a woven wall hanging I have, so yeah. Gotta watch for those hidden children in textiles I guess

Dear Lord, the app actually recognized him as a MAN! Hallelujah! and while he's wearing white lace, no less...

I have another take on the idea of Shoma at TCC, which is that it might lead the JSF into pressuring Zu to step aside in favor of Shoma ( as Zu has already had a lot of success). As much as I could see Shoma getting along with the TCC crew, I'd prefer to see him go elsewhere. But does Shoma really need a jump coach that badly? He's gotten this far without one. It's only this year, since his injury, that's he's really struggled. IMO he needs bigger challenges. His Great Spirit ex from SLB was perfect proof of that - he could barely keep up with the choreography but it was absolutely dynamite when he did, cultural appropriation aside. He needs someone that's gonna make him do more of that and really push him, without breaking him. IMO Eteri is the wrong choice. Mishin or Raf would be great though.

All interesting choices. Doug Leigh would maybe be a step backwards though. Yes he was Brian's coach but I think Shoma's jumps are beyond what Leigh teaches already.

OOOHHHH, interesting!!! I could envision Kevin and Shoma playing well off each other and learning lots. I like this idea.

This. I was thinking of this possibility as well. But who is there that he could go to, that has proven results already? For all intents and purposes, Coach Fluffy is the top men's coach in Japan right now. Anyone else is probably a step down.