[20241207] Nikkan Sports - Celebrating his 30th birthday. Yuzuru Hanyu Interview

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation. Inaccuracies exist*

 

 

 2024.12.07

 

Source: https://www.nikkansports.com/premium/sports/figure/news/202412030000592.html

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20241225125852/https://www.nikkansports.com/premium/sports/figure/news/202412030000592.html?nsgid=U2FsdGVkX1%2BOO2dAZlgPuhMr3Nk%2BVqXUww4yDfb57TR1afZdz9CFKkjcRY6YeZndG%2BjPcrQPm8xbmDZsD4R3Mfo73Cfv6mmAahAvyMO1FZoLokGD%2FT4I0Q9xsu40IR2K

 

 

Part 1: [Celebrating his 30th birthday] Yuzuru Hanyu interview: "I can definitely get better in my 30s" 

 

Figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu, who achieved back-to-back gold medals in the Winter Olympics, celebrates his 30th birthday today, the 7th, and is kicking off his nationwide ice show tour "Echoes of Life."

 

This is the third installment of the "Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY" series, where he performs solo and serves as the executive producer. The tour begins at Saitama Super Arena and will continue through seven performances in three cities until February next year, weaving a unique story. In a recent exclusive interview, he discussed the progress and changes he has experienced as an athlete in his third year as a professional. (Honorifics omitted hereafter.)

 

Spoiler

At age 19, he won an Olympic gold medal in figure skating. At age 23, he became the first Asian to win two consecutive Olympic titles. At age 27, he turned professional. Hanyu, the extraordinary skater who became the youngest individual recipient of the People's Honor Award, has just celebrated his 30th birthday.

 

"It hasn't changed. Human DNA inevitably gets damaged with age, but I believe the body changes in both good and bad directions. I want to find the good direction. There are things now that I can feel, which I couldn’t in my teens or 20s. I’m sure I can continue to improve in my 30s. Of course, compared to my teenage years, my recovery cycle, the way I handle tension and pressure, and the development of my muscles have all changed, but by considering how to care for my body and listening to it, I hope to spend each day thinking, 'I’ve definitely gotten better than I was before, and I’ll always get better than yesterday.'"

 

He has proven his progress through action. During his competitive years, if we put it in extreme terms, the short program (SP) was only 2 minutes and 40 seconds, and the free program was 4 minutes, and those performances happened only once a day. Now, he performs shows lasting 90 to 150 minutes alone.

 

"For example, in the 'RE_PRAY TOUR' (the second tour from a year ago), after about 40 minutes into the first half of the 50-minute segment, I perform a quadruple jump. By then, I’m already exhausted... but practicing to be able to perform under those conditions is essential."

 

Before achieving his second consecutive victory at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, he focused on strengthening 'oxidative energy metabolism.' He practiced high-difficulty jumps and ran through his programs, and after giving everything, he would even skate an additional 30 minutes, covering 80 laps (about 11 kilometers) on the rink.

 

"Back then, I was doing training to build endurance and increase my metabolism, so I practiced skating continuously for 30 minutes. But now, just doing the entire program (for a show) takes an hour and a half (laughs). I focus on 'run-through practices,' and just doing that is enough to feel like my stamina has improved and evolved."

 

In the previous show, he skated through 12 programs. Additionally, if you include checking the basics of jumps and refining the details, it would take twice as long.

"It inevitably takes more than three hours, so on practice days when I can only secure three hours, it's a tight squeeze to finish everything. On top of that, there’s the timing for building a solid foundation, improving endurance for long skating sessions, and developing explosive power. Ultimately, off-ice and land-based training have also increased. I'm also responsible for the choreography and structure, so I need to make sure there’s enough rest time to improve the quality within that... It's really tough (laughs)."

Third year as a professional. Achieving everything on his own. That’s why he has also progressed as an athlete.

"Until now, I had been taught by coaches, but gradually I became more independent, and after COVID-19, I returned from my base in Canada and started training alone. I realized that if I didn't incorporate knowledge on my own, I wouldn't be able to win, and I would get weaker. I did a lot of research, studying myself. When I was younger, I was taught only the knowledge related to figure skating, but now, through self-study, I look into what the top athletes in other sports are doing, and research the advancements in fields like kinesiology. Recently, I’ve been referencing sports like basketball, thinking about acceleration, stopping, and jumping while repeating movements."

An ice show typically involves 10 to 20 skaters taking turns, but he performs alone. There is no precedent for this anywhere in the world. He has no choice but to carve his own solitary path.

"To begin with, there isn't much scientific knowledge about figure skating. It's a minor sport (considering the number of competitors), and it's difficult to measure movements on a large 30m x 60m rink. That's why I compare it with my own intuition and experience (as a two-time Olympic champion), form hypotheses about whether practicing in this way will yield results, and then go through a process of trial and error. I have a clear goal from the start, and I believe that if I follow these steps, I'll definitely reach it."

 At the 2022 Beijing Olympics, where he attempted the unprecedented quadruple Axel (4A), he pinned his hopes of success on the 'tendon reflex,' utilizing the elastic energy of the tendons that connect muscles and bones, acting like a 'spring.'

"Actually, I now use two types of tendon reflexes. One type produces power in a very short period of time, while the other generates power over a slightly longer period. I use them differently depending on the situation. As sports science research progresses, I am incorporating this approach into my ice shows as well."

In the previous tour, he performed five consecutive jumps starting with a quadruple toe loop, a feat not recognized in competitions. Yuzuru Hanyu, now 30 years old, continues to perform courageously in a world without limits. The curtain rises on the stage as he promises, 'I will skate with all my heart and soul to give you the best experience possible.'"

 

 

Info: 

Spoiler

◆Yuzuru Hanyu

Born on December 7, 1994 in Izumi Ward, Sendai City. Started skating at age 4. In 2010, he turned senior. Won the All Japan Championships six times. In 2016, he was the first skater to successfully perform a quadruple loop. He also set the highest world record for the short program, free skate, and total score (updated 19 times). In 2020, he was the only male skater to achieve the "Super Slam" by winning two junior titles, the Olympics, the World Championships, the GP Final, and the Four Continents Championships. After returning to Japan from Toronto, Canada due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he honed his skills in his hometown of Sendai. Graduated from Tohoku High School in Miyagi Prefecture and attended the Faculty of Human Sciences at Waseda University (correspondence course). He announced his professional turn on July 19, 2022. The following February, he became the first skater in history to perform a solo concert at the Tokyo Dome. He is 172 cm tall and has B blood type.

 

◆Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd－Echoes of Life－TOUR

The third in the series following "GIFT at Tokyo Dome" and "RE_PRAY TOUR". The story is themed on life's journey and growth, and asks what "life" is, and what it means to "live". As with the previous two works, MIKIKO will be in charge of direction. Seven shows in three cities: Saitama Super Arena on December 7th, 9th, and 11th, Hiroshima Green Arena on January 3rd and 5th next year, and Lala Arena Tokyo Bay in Chiba on February 7th and 9th. Live viewing will be held in movie theaters all over the country on the 7th and 9th in Saitama. It will also be broadcast live exclusively on CS TV Asahi Channel 1.

 

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation. Inaccuracies exist*

 

 

 2024.12.14

 

Source: https://www.nikkansports.com/premium/sports/figure/news/202412050000738.html

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20241225130157/https://www.nikkansports.com/premium/sports/figure/news/202412050000738.html?nsgid=U2FsdGVkX18LQnh9SIT76rUUGMFs2rnGaKvgHckfpzFJ6jzaGF%2FOI7IuIUDmrDaU0r2pVPwMgFBWsJQbqgXjBY1sR14TXuX8NIuEaQxmIFF03vlB80u0DxqqrUW1LIbA

 

 

Part 2: [Celebrating his 30th birthday] Yuzuru Hanyu interview: "Studying with my own body" - The evolution of his athletic side

 

In the second part of the solo interview, he looks back on his progress in his third year as a professional and shares his impressions of watching the Paris Olympics this summer.

 

Spoiler

--Two years have passed since your declaration of intent on July 19, 2022, and you’ve entered your third year as a professional. Looking back, from an athlete’s perspective, are there any areas where you feel you've grown or improved, in terms of measurable progress?

"I've definitely become physically stronger. Plus, what's known as 'thinking while performing.' For example, if I keep thinking about how I need to move, whether it's a jump or an expression, and continue performing, I'll inevitably lose oxygen as I think more and more. Thinking is a tiring task, isn't it? So, I've been skating so much that I can reduce the amount of thinking required. As a result, I feel like the quality of my performance has improved simultaneously. "

 

 --Over the past two years, you’ve essentially been doing all the thinking by yourself.
"That's right. I've really been thinking and thinking on my own. It's tough, but because I'm thinking, I have a sense of conviction about my own body. For example, if every day was just about being given instructions (like training methods), I wouldn't have the time to think, 'Is this really the right approach...?!' It would just be a daily routine of doing without questioning. In that case, it feels like the only thing I can remember is what I'm taught."

 

 --Compared to when you were competing, have there been any significant changes in the way you look after yourself, your diet, or your lifestyle schedule?

"I really feel like I've improved since I turned professional. The way I use my body is completely different now, and the way I build it has also changed a lot. Even the timing of my meals has changed. For example, when I was in Toronto, Canada, I had to adjust for the time difference. Eating is also a moment where energy is consumed. So, I constantly think about when to eat and how to replenish my energy. But digesting what I've eaten actually takes a lot of physical energy. It's surprising, but it's true. After eating something heavy, it feels like I get tired, in a way. So, I have to be mindful of when to allocate time for using that energy or when my blood is flowing for digestion. I try to be conscious of that, and also, I want to make sure that nutrients get into my body without using too much energy. So, I'm always thinking about what kind of food I should eat and what I should intake. I've started to think about these things much more carefully compared to when I was competing. I do feel like I've evolved in this regard."

 

--Literally, there's nothing but evolution.

"I think it's the same as the progress of science (laughs). Scientists work in a lab, managing budgets and conducting experiments to produce results, right? In my case, it's like I'm conducting research using my own body. So, I believe I'm always evolving. For example, there are studies out there that may not directly relate to our real lives. Even if research results are produced, one might wonder, 'But what does that mean for me?' For instance, if research in quantum mechanics advances, we might still ask, 'How does that directly connect to our lives?' There are things like that. You can't know right now, at this moment. I, too, experience moments in my skating practice where I try something, but it doesn’t yield the results I expected. But when that happens, I just think, "Okay, that didn’t work—so maybe I’ll try this next time," constantly moving forward while thinking about what to do next. In the end, I think it all leads to evolution as a result."

 

--You practice, think, and prepare not only the technical aspects but also the structure of the performance and the direction of the show itself... I imagine you don’t get enough sleep, so have there been more nights when you can’t sleep? When you were an athlete, I assume you focused on ensuring you got enough sleep.

"Basically, the amount of time I need to spend on skating has increased. So, not only do I need to eat, but I also need to sleep, and I have to calculate when and how much time I should allocate for each. I can only live by calculating everything. There have been days when I couldn't sleep at all, but on the other hand, I'm always thinking, ‘Yesterday I could only sleep this much, but today, I might be able to sleep during this gap. How much time can I make up?' It’s a tough balance."

 

--This summer, the Summer Olympics took place in Paris. It's been two and a half years since the Beijing Olympics.  I imagine this was the first Olympics you watched from a professional standpoint. How did you feel about it?

"Yes, indeed. From an outside perspective, I think that the Olympics are viewed as 'entertainment' for the people. The topic of judo, the excitement around skateboarding, and the newly introduced breaking were all part of that. In that context, the opportunity for the general public to watch these sports, even if they don’t know much about them, is something that can only happen at the Olympics. I also felt once again that, for us, being able to perform and achieve results in that moment is everything. However, I also realized that we should not become complacent just because we’ve achieved a result, and that people will find us cool in the future if we continue to push forward."

 

[yuzurujenn]

JP text part 1

Spoiler

【祝30歳】羽生結弦さん単独インタビュー「30代も絶対うまくなれるはず」誕生日／前編
冬季オリンピック（五輪）男子2連覇のプロフィギュアスケーター羽生結弦さんが、今日7日に30歳の誕生日を迎え、アイスショーの全国ツアー「Echoes of Life」（エコーズ・オブ・ライフ）をスタートします。

単身出演、制作総指揮を執る「Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY」シリーズ第3弾。さいたまスーパーアリーナで開幕し、来年2月まで3都市7公演で独創的な物語をつづります。このほど単独インタビューに応じ、プロ転向3年目で実感するアスリート面の進歩や変化を語りました。（以後、敬称略）

 

19歳で五輪フィギュア金メダル。23歳でアジア初2連覇。27歳でプロ転向。個人最年少の国民栄誉賞に輝いた希代のスケーター羽生が30歳の誕生日を迎えた。

「変わらないですね。人間のDNAは、どうしても年齢の変化によって損傷されていくものですけど、良い方向にも悪い方向にも体は変わっていくと思っていて。自分は、いい方向を見つけてあげたい。きっと10代の頃では感じられなかったものが、今は感じられるようになっていて。30代も絶対うまくなれるはず。もちろん10代と比べれば回復のサイクル、緊張、重圧のかかり方、筋肉の発達量など変わってきますけど、どうケアしてあげるのか考えながら、身体に耳を傾けながら、あの頃より絶対うまくなれた、昨日より必ず上手になれる、という毎日を過ごしていけたらいいな」

 

身をもって前進を証明してきた。競技者時代は、極論すればショートプログラム（SP）2分40秒、フリー4分の本番が1日1回だけ。現在は1人で90分から150分間にも及ぶショーを演じる。

「例えば『RE_PRAY TOUR』（1年前の第2弾）で言えば、前半50分間のうち40分ぐらい経過したところで4回転ジャンプを跳ぶんです。既に消耗した状態…それでも演技できるようにするための練習が不可欠で」

 

2連覇を遂げた18年平昌五輪の前は「酸化系エネルギー代謝」強化に励んだ。高難度ジャンプの練習やプログラムの曲かけを重ね、出し尽くした後、さらに30分間、リンクを80周（約11キロ）も滑っていたという。

「あの頃は体力づくりだったり、代謝を上げたりするために30分間、ずっと滑り続ける練習をしていたんですけど、今は（ショーの）プログラムを全てやるだけで1時間半かかるので（笑い）。『通し練』を割と重点的にしていて、それだけで十分、体力がついた、進化したなとは感じます」

前回公演では12ものプログラムを舞った。加えてジャンプの基礎から、神が宿るという細部の確認まで含めれば、その倍は要する。

「どうしても3時間以上かかってしまうので、仮に3時間しか確保できない練習日は、それだけでギリギリ終わるかどうか。プラスアルファ、土台づくりのタイミングや長く滑るための強度、瞬発力づくりもあって。結局はオフアイス、陸上でのトレーニングも増えますよね。演出も構成も自分で考えていますし、その中で質を上げるために必要な休息時間も設けないと…本当に大変です（笑い）」

 

プロ転身3年目。全てを1人で遂げる。だからアスリートとしても進歩した。

「今まではコーチに教わってきて、次第に離れて、コロナ後は（拠点のカナダから帰国し）ずっと1人で練習するようになって。自分が知識を採り入れないと勝てなくなっていく、弱くなっていく。かなり研究しました、自分で自分を。若い頃はフィギュアだけの知識を教わっていたけど、今は独学で、他のスポーツの世界トップ勢が何をしているのか、研究が進んでいる分野は運動学的にどうか調べたり。最近は（加速、停止、跳躍を思考しながら繰り返す）バスケットボールなどを参考にしています」

一般的に10～20人のスケーターが出番をつなぐアイスショーを、独りだけで。世界でも前例がない。孤高の道を切り開くしかない。

「そもそも、フィギュアスケートって科学的な知見が少ないんです。（競技人口など勘案すれば）マイナー競技ですし、やはり30メートル×60メートルという大きなリンクの中で動きを計測することが難しくて。だからこそ僕が持つ（五輪2連覇の）感覚や経験と照らし合わせてみて、こういう練習をすれば、こういう結果が出るのかもしれない、と仮説を立てながら試行錯誤しています。目的がちゃんと最初にあって過程を生み出して、この手順を踏めば絶対たどり着けるはず、との説得力を自分の中で持ちながら」

 

前人未到の4回転半ジャンプ（4A）に挑んだ22年北京五輪は「腱（けん）反射」に成功の夢を託した。筋肉と骨をつないで「ばね」のように振る舞う、腱の弾性エネルギーを利用して。

「実は今、その『腱反射』も2種類あるんです。すごく短い時間で出すパワーと、もう少しだけ時間をかけて出すパワー。使い分けています。スポーツ科学的な研究も進む中、そんなアプローチもしながらアイスショーに生かしています」

前回ツアーでは4回転トーループからの5連続ジャンプを披露。競技会では認められていない離れ業だ。限界がない世界で、勇躍が止まらない羽生結弦の30歳、初日。「最上級の体験をしていただけるよう、心を込めて魂を込めて全身全霊で滑り、届けていきます」と約束した舞台の幕が開く。

 

 

JP text part 2

Spoiler

【祝30歳】羽生結弦さん単独インタビュー「自分の体で研究」アスリート面の進化／後編
冬季オリンピック（五輪）男子2連覇王者のプロフィギュアスケーター羽生結弦さんが7日に30歳の誕生日を迎え、アイスショーの全国ツアー「Echoes of Life」（エコーズ・オブ・ライフ）をスタートしました。

単身出演、制作総指揮を執る「Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY」シリーズ第3弾。さいたまスーパーアリーナの3日間を成功させ、来年2月まで、さらに2都市4公演の旅路です。単独インタビュー後編もプロ3年目の進化について振り返り、今夏パリ五輪を見た印象も語りました。（以後、敬称略）

 

―22年7月19日の決意表明から2年が経過し、プロ転向3年目に入りました。あらためて、アスリート的な視点から伸びているな、数値的に上がったな、という部分はありますか

やっぱり体力はすごくつきましたね。プラス、いわゆる「思考をしながら」。例えばジャンプにしても表現にしても、どういうふうに動かなきゃいけないのか考えながら、ずっと演技をやり続けると、どうしても酸素が、どんどん思考することによって失われていってしまうので。考えることって疲れる作業じゃないですか。その考える作業を減らせるくらい滑り込んで。結果、パフォーマンスの質も同時に伸びたな、という感じはしていますね。

―基本的に、ご自身で全て考えてきた2年超

そうですね。もう本当に自分で考えて考えて。大変なんですけど、でも考えているからこそ自分の体に対しての説得力があるという感覚です。例えば（練習法など）全て与えられるだけの日々だったら、自分の中で「本当にこれ正しいのかな…！？」とか考える間もなく、ただやるだけの毎日というか。それだと、教えられていることだけしか自分のものにならない感じがしますよね。

 

―競技会に出ていた時代と比べて、自身との向き合い方、より食事面で気をつけるようになったこと、生活スケジュールの大きな変化はありますか

本当に、プロに転向してから伸びている感じがします。体の使い方も全然、今までとは違いますし、作り方も全然、違ってきましたし。食事を摂るタイミングについても、例えば（カナダ・トロント時代は）時差を調整したり、ということもありましたし。食事を摂る、イコール、エネルギーを消費する、場面でもあるんです。だから、いつ食事を摂ってエネルギーを入れて、とは考え続けているんですけど、食べたものを消化する作業に結構、体力を使うので。意外とそうなんです。コッテリしたものを食べた後、疲れちゃうみたいな感じです、言ってみれば。では、そのエネルギーを使う作業だったり、血液が食事のために動いている時間だったり、をどこで設けるべきなのか。そこは意識するようにしています、あとは、なるべくエネルギーを使わなくても、ある程度、体に入ってくれるようにしたいので、どういうものを食べるべきか、何を摂取すべきか、みたいなことを常に。これは競技会に出ていた時代よりも、綿密に考えるようになりました。その点においても進化しているな、とは思いますね。

 

―文字通り、進化しかない

もう、科学の進歩とかと一緒だと思っているんです（笑い）。科学者は、研究室で予算とか組みながら、こういう実験をしていきましょう、って研究をして、成果を出すんだと思うんですけど、僕の場合は、自分の体を使って研究しているようなものなので。だから常に進化し続けられていると思っていますし。例えばですけど、人間の実生活には直接の関係があるかどうか分からない研究というものも、世の中にはあるじゃないですか。研究結果が出たとして、でもそれが自分にとって何になるんだろうって。量子力学の研究が進んでいったとして、でも僕たちの今の生活にはどう直結するの？　ってありますよね。今すぐは、この瞬間では分からないよね、みたいなことと一緒だと思うんです。僕自身も、スケートの練習をしていて、こういうふうにやってみたけど結果が出なかった、みたいなことは、もちろんたくさんあります。でもそれはそれで、結果が出なかったら、じゃあ次はこういうふうにしていくのかな、ああいう風になっていくのかな、って常に考えながら前に進んでいるので、結果として、進化につながっているつもりではありますね。

 

―練習して、考えて、もちろん技術面だけでなく表現面の構成、ショー自体の演出に至るまで準備していて…。とても睡眠時間を確保できていると思えないんですが、やはり寝られない日も増えましたか。競技者の頃は、とにかく睡眠時間の確保に努めていたと推察しますが

そもそも、滑っていなければいけない時間が増えました。なので、食事だけでなく睡眠も、どのタイミングで、どのくらいの時間を取ればいいのか。もう計算しながら、という生活しかできないですよね。全く寝られなかった日もありましたし、でも逆に言えば、昨日はこれぐらいしか寝られなかったけど、今日は、この隙間時間で寝られるかもしれない、どれだけ時間を稼げるかな、みたいなことは常に考えています。難しいところですが。

―今夏、パリで夏季五輪が行われました。北京五輪から2年半。プロの立場になってからは、初めて見る五輪になったと思います。見ていて、何か感じたことはありましたか

確かに、そうですね。外から見たというか、オリンピックって、国民の皆さんからしたら「エンタメ」なんだなって思いました。柔道の話題もそうでしたし、スケートボードの盛り上がりもありましたし、あとは今回、初めて採用されたブレイキンもそうでしたし。その中で一般の方々が、その競技を知らなくても見る機会に恵まれるのは、やっぱりオリンピックでしかなくて。あの瞬間に結果を出せるかどうかが、やっぱり僕らにとっては全てだな、ということも改めて感じました。でも、結果が出たからと言って慢心することもなく、突き詰めて進んでいっている方が、やっぱり格好いいって将来的には思ってもらえるかな、というところも、改めて実感したところではありましたね。