[2017.02.01] Team Brian: 300 Points Legend

[yuzurujenn]

Excerpts from Book 2

 

 

Info: https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/ブライアン・オーサー/dp/4062201186/

https://ebookjapan.yahoo.co.jp/books/270878/

 

 

The Reason Behind That Smile, The Truth Behind That Roar, The Behind-the-Scenes of That Fierce Battle. Moving Toward the future of another dimension! ! A Renowned Coach Tells the Story of Yuzuru Hanyu and Javier Fernández.

 

Table of content:

Spoiler

Introduction

 

Chapter 1: Starting the road to PyeongChang
-2014-2015 season

-Kim Yuna was no fluke
-Evolving without losing focus from the pressure
-Yuzuru to grow as an Olympic champion
-The value of rotations in the second half of the short program
-Javier has been reborn!
-A program perfect for performing in his native Spain
-Yuzuru's worst night at the Cup of China

-International Skating Union's Response
-Deliberately imposing hard training after the accident
-Extreme tension in front of Spanish fans
-Reducing pressure by not seeing teammates on the same rink
-Hero's triumphant return to the Japanese Nationals, followed by surgery
-Dead heat from 1st and 2nd in short program

-Commentary

 

Chapter 2: The Secret of Our Strength
-Unusual fatigue felt after a great victory season
-Happiness in Team Brian
-Each skater plays a leading role
-Building a great community
-A better goal than winning the World Championships

 

Chapter 3: Two World Champions, Two Comrades in Arms (2015-2016 Season)
-Awareness of being a top skater
-Yuzuru’s attention to detail
-Taking pride in the culture of each country
-Thinking of countermeasures rather than criticizing the judging system
-Is the victory about the quad Lutz or quality?
-Incorporating two quads in the short program
-Yuzuru's conditioning

-Attracting a historic moment with one's own power
-Yuzuru battles against himself
-The rink's flamenco dance in the city bar
-To compete with Yuzuru

-If there is a mistake, you can practice hard
-Javier also surpasses 300 points
-A rink like jewels
-The trials continue for Yuzuru
-"It’s Sinatra, Sinatra!"
-"You have plenty of time to beat me"

-Commentary

 

Chapter 4: The "Milestone" of 300 Points
-The secret to scoring over 300 points (1) GOE 
-The secret to scoring over 300 points (2) PCS 
-Both Yuzuru and Javier can still improve
-A 4-year plan as expected
-Gradually raising the bar for each other
-The best moment is more important than the score

 

Chapter 5: Pre-Olympics (2016-2017 Season)
-Does being the World Champion bring pressure or confidence?
-Choosing music with the Olympics in mind
-Yuzuru and Javier's 2-year program

-Yuzuru’s Quadruple Loop as Rehabilitation After Injury

-Why is he so focused on succeeding with the quadruple loop?

-An unimaginable low score last season

-Discussion and understanding

-Third time surpassing 300 points

-Yuzuru reaches his peak soon

-Don’t be misled by the new era of quadruple jumps

-Can we properly help promising athletes evolve?

-Commentary

 

Chapter 6: The Olympics and Team Brian

-There are tough days

-10 people in the Olympics?

-All four skaters in the free program will do quadruple jumps

-Choosing music for the Olympics in South Korea

-To perform well in the actual competition

-Life continues even after retiring from competition

-We are ahead of the times

 

Final Chapter: A Dialogue Between Brian Orser & Javier Fernández

-"I knew that if I let him practice according to the plan, he would succeed"

-Plushenko’s words

-How to turn the cheers of the crowd into energy

-The meaning of surpassing 300 points

-The Value of an Olympic medal
-An Olympic Champion Encouraging Other Skaters on the Ice

 

Afterword by the author

 

Commentary by: Mie Noguchi

 

 

This book is based on interviews with coach Brian Orser held at the Toronto Cricket Skating & Curling Club in May and October 2016, a conversation between coach Orser and skater Javier Fernandez held at the same venue in October, and other interviews held from time to time up until the 2016 NHK Trophy. The interviewer was Mie Noguchi.

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

Source: https://ebookjapan.yahoo.co.jp/books/270878/

 

Introduction

 

Spoiler

The airplane carrying "Team Brian" is now ascending toward the vast sky. In the cockpit are two excellent pilots who will guide us to an unknown world no one has ever reached. They can fly this plane to any destination.

 

As you might guess, in the cockpit is 2014 Sochi Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu. The other pilot is Javier Fernández, who became the first Spanish world champion in 2015. In the 2015-2016 season, the two of them marked the first-ever 300-point performance, stepping into a new realm for men's figure skating singles.

 

Yuzuru, after becoming an Olympic champion, did not stop but continued to evolve, advancing both himself and the sport of figure skating. Javier, after a disappointing 4th place at the Sochi Olympics, underwent a transformation, becoming a great rival to Yuzuru and a pioneer in new territories for skating. By the end of the 2016 Grand Prix series, Yuzuru had surpassed 300 points three times, and Javier had done so twice.

 

No matter what era, no matter where you look in the world, no one other than these two has seen the view from these heights.

 

Brian Orser, that is, I, have entrusted the control stick to the two of them, letting them express their desires and receive their consultations, while I watch the course of the plane. The feeling is very comfortable, as outside the plane’s window stretches a spectacular view no one has ever seen before.

 

Our plane does not need to think about trying to imitate what another athlete is doing or surpassing a score set by another. The two of them aim for the goals they want to reach, and their trajectory will set a new standard in figure skating.

 

Without a doubt, the 2015-2016 season marked a historic turning point for men’s figure skating. Prior to that, the world’s highest score was 295.27 points, set by Patrick Chan (Canada) in 2013, and there had been no scores even close to 300, making it seem like the 300-point mark was an insurmountable wall. This stagnant situation was decisively broken by Yuzuru’s 322.40 points at the 2015 NHK Trophy and 330.43 points at the Grand Prix Final. Following that, Javier also surpassed 300 points at the 2016 European Championships and World Championships.

 

The incredible 300+ point scores set by these two will be engraved as a "milestone" in men’s figure skating in the first half of the 21st century. It is certain that in the years leading up to the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, and beyond, the 300-point mark will become the benchmark for being called an "elite" or "historic" skater.

 

At the same time, I understand deeply the aspirations and uncertainties that Yuzuru and Javier are feeling right now. Thirty years ago, I was one of those who carried the “milestone” of that era, embracing both the glory and stress with my whole body.

 

Let me tell you a bit of a story from the past. In the 1980s, the best technical move for men was the triple axel. Brian Boitano (USA) and I were in a fierce competition for the world’s number 1 and 2 spots, with the triple axel being our weapon. Especially since I was good at the axel, I was called “Mr. Triple Axel.” The media and fans would always ask me:

 

"Are you going to include the triple axel in this competition?" "How many triple axels will you do?" "How did you become able to land the triple axel?"

 

Though my performance wasn’t just about the triple axel, everyone focused only on that. It was my signature move, and the joy and exhilaration when it succeeded was incomparable to anything. But I also felt a sense of loneliness, as though I was only being evaluated for my triple axel. It was as if the move I loved but also hated had taken over me.

 

Skaters who bear milestones like that have to walk their skating careers while processing a feeling that no one knows and cannot explain. It's different from just being a world champion.

 

In the coming seasons, Yuzuru and Javier will face the same situation. Everyone will ask them:

 

"How can you surpass the world record of 330 points?" "When will you surpass 300 points again?" "You didn’t exceed 300 points this time, what was the reason?" "How do you feel when other skaters get 300 points?"

 

Achieving 300 points is not the goal of figure skating. However, the milestone of 300 points is so significant that it can sometimes overshadow everything else.

 

That’s why I want to guide Yuzuru and Javier toward the right goal. Because I am someone who has carried a milestone and experienced the struggles that come with it, I will not overlook the various changes that will happen to them. If I feel their control is a little off, I can go to the cockpit and help steer the plane. Ultimately, I want them to spread their wings freely and take them to the place they truly want to go.

 

In the previous work Team Brian, I talked about how I became a coach and how I helped athletes like Kim Yuna (South Korea), Yuzuru Hanyu, and Javier Fernández grow. I shared that the secret to their strength was being fortunate enough to have wonderful students, coaches, and staff, and how we built the best team together.

 

Two years have passed since then. Thanks to how much the two of them have grown, I now realize that the approach to teamwork I shared in Team Brian was indeed the right one.

 

Now, the two of them are standing in a new realm, and we, as coaches, are also moving toward new goals. As a coach, many people ask me, "How did you manage to get them to score 300 points?" or "How did you help your students win the World Championships and the Olympics?"

 

But, having worked with Javier for five years and Yuzuru for four, we didn’t always focus on winning or achieving the highest scores. We shared something more important—their lives as top athletes. The contours of that beauty showed themselves when we created a beautiful collaboration, and the milestone of 300 points was the result of that.

 

In other words, what I want to say is, just like in the previous work, 'Team Brian is a community.' Yes, we are a community, a small village, so to speak. It’s a small village within the town of Toronto, called the 'Toronto Cricket Skating & Curling Club.' There, life, work, and everything are all connected. This is the secret behind the '300 points.'

 

This book is not a guide on how to win in figure skating competitions. I want fans and people involved in skating to understand how deeply profound the world of skating is. And I want them to share the feelings and situations that Yuzuru and Javier are currently in.

 

Now, let me invite you all to the amazing community we’ve built, 'Team Brian.'

 

 

JP transcript

Spoiler

チーム・ブライアン
300 点伝説

はじめに

私たち「チーム・ブライアン」を乗せた飛行機はいま、遥かなる大空へと向かって上昇しています。 操縦席には、誰も到達したことのない未知の世界へ案内してくれる、優秀なパイロットが2人。彼彼らはどこへで む場所へ飛行機を飛ばすことができます.

操縦席にいるのは皆さんお察しの通り、2014年ソチオリンピック王者の羽生結弦 (ユヅル) .もうひとりは2015年にスペイン史上初の世界王者となったハビエル•フェルナンデスです。 2人は2015-2016年シーズンに、史上初 300点超えをマークし、フィギュアスケート男子シングルの新たな領域へと踏み出しました。

ユヅルはオリンピック王者となった後も, 留まることなく自らを進化させ、フィギュアスケートの競技 のものも進化させてきました。ハビエル も, ソチオリンピックで4位と悔しい思いをしたあと人が変わり, ユヅル の 良きライバル として、スケートの新たな領域の開拓者へと成長 ました. 総合点での 300点超えは, 2016年グランプリシリーズ終了時点で、ユヅルが3回、ハビエルが2 回。

いかなる時代を通しても、 世界のどこを見渡しても、2人以外にはこの雲上の景色を見た者はいません。

ブライアン・オー サー、 つまり私は、2人に操縦桿をまかせ、意 欲を出してもらったり、相談を受けたり ながら、飛行機の行方を見守っています。 気分はとても快適です。 飛行機の窓からは、まだ誰も見たことのない絶景が続くのですから。

私たちの飛行機は、あの選手がこんなことをやっているから真似ようとか、あの選手がこなこ点数だから超えようとか、そんなことは考えなくていいのです。 2人は自分が行きたいゴールを目指し、 その軌道が、フィギュアスケートの新たな基準と 基準となるの のです。

疑う余地もなく、2015ー2016年シーズンに男子のフィギュアスケートは歴史的な転換点を迎えました。 それまでは2013年にパトリック・チャン(カナダ)が出した295. 27点が世界最高点で、その後は300点に近いスコアさえ生まれず、３００点は永遠の壁のように思われてきました。その停滞状況を一気に打破したのが、 2015年NHK杯でのユヅルの322•40点と、ググランプリファイナルでの330.43点。続いてハビエルも2016年欧州選手権と世界選手権で３００点を超えました。

この2人が出した驚異的な ３00点超えという得点は、21世紀前半の男子フィギュアスケートに”マイルストーン"として刻まれることになりました。これこれから2018年平昌オリンピックへ向けての2年、いや、もっと長い期間、「一流」「歴史的」と言われるスケーターになるための指標が、この300点になることは間違いないでしょう。

一方でいま、ユヅルとハビエルが、どんな意欲とどんな不安を抱いているのか、私には 痛いほどわかります。 いまから30年前、私自身が、あの時代の ”マイルストーン"を背負ったひとりであり、その栄光とストレスを全身で受け止めていたからです。

すこしだけ昔話をさせてください。 1980年代、男子にとって最高の技はトリプルアクセルでした。ブライアン ン・ボ タノ(米国)と私はトリプルアクセルを武器に、世界の１位と2位を争うデッドヒートを繰り広げていました。特にアクセルが得意な私は「ミスタートリプルアクセル」と呼ばれていました。メディアもファンも、皆が私に聞きます。

「今度の試合はトリプルアクセルを入れるのすか?」
「何本トリプルアクセルを入れるのです すか ?」 「どうやってトリプルアクセルを跳べるようになったのですか?」

私の演技はトリプルアクセルだけではないのに、皆がそれだけに
注目します。 自分の代名詞の技ですから、成功したときの喜びや爽快感は何物にも替えがたいものです。でも私は、自分がトリプルアクセルしか評価されていないような寂しさも感じていました。トリプアクセルという大好きだけど大嫌いなのが自分に取り憑いているような、そんな気分でした。

マイルストンを担った選手はそうやってて、誰も知らない、誰にも埋 解できない感覚を消化しながらスケー 人生を歩んでいかねばならないのです。単に世界選手権で優勝した選手というのとは、ちょっと違います。

これからのシーズン、ユヅルとハビエルにも同じ状況が訪れるでしょう。誰もが聞きます。

「330点の世界記 をどうやったら超えられますか?」「次に300点を超えるのはいつですか?」 「今回は300点を超えませんでしたが、その理由は?」 「他の選手が300点を取ったら、どん気分ですか?」と。

300点を取ることがフることがフィギュアスケートの目的ではありません。でもそれを見失わせてしまうくらい、誰もが300点というマイルストーンに 執するでしょう。

だからこそ私は、ユヅルとハビエルを正しいゴールに向かわせてやりたいと思います。  マイルストーンを背負い、その葛藤を経験した私だからこそ、これから2人に起きるさまざまな変化を見逃さずにいられる。 ちょっと操縦が怪しいなと思ったら、 コックピットに行って、操縦桿を動かすサポートがいできるでしょう。そして、彼らが本当に行きたい場所へ、自由に羽ばたかせてやりたいのです。

前作の『チーム・ブライアン』では、どのようにして私がコーチになり り、キム・ヨナ(韓国)やユ やユヅル、 ハビエルを育ててき たかを語りました。 その強さの秘密は、生徒にもコーチにもスタッフにも恵まれ、 最高のチームを作ってきたことだとお伝えしました。

れおから2年経ちます。 2人が最高に成長してくれたおかげで、『チーム.ブライアン」で語ったチームのあ ームのあり方は正し 方は正しかったのだと改めて実感しています。

いま2人は新たな領域に立ち、私たちコーチもまた新たなゴールに向かっています。 コーチである ある私は多くの人から「なぜ300点を取らせることができたの ?」「なぜ世界選手権やオリンピックで生徒を優勝させら させられるの?」と訊 かれます。しかしハビエルと5年、ユヅルと4 年、私たちは優勝や最高点ばかりを考えて過ごしてきたわけではありません。 私たちは、もっと大切な”トップアスリートの人生"を共有してきました。そのすべてが美しいコラボレーションをしたときに見せた輪郭が、300点というマイルストーンでした。

つまり、私が言いたいのは前作と同様、 「チーム・ブライアンはコミュニティだ」ということです。そう、私たちはコミュニティ、 いわば村 のです。トロントという町のなかにある「トロント。 クリケット.スケーティング＆カーリングクラブ」という名の 小さな村です。そこでは、生活も仕 仕事も人生も、すべてがつながっています。これが「３０0点」 の秘密なのです。

この本はは、フイギュア スケートの試合の勝ち方を教える本ではありません。 ファンの皆さん、スケート関係者の皆さんに、スケートの世界はこんなにも奥深いものなのだと知ってほしい。そしてユヅルやハビエルがいま かいま、どん立場に置かれ、どんな気持ちでいるのかを、皆さんにも共有してほしいのです。

それでは、私たちが築き上げた最高に素敵なコミュニティ「チーム.ブライアン」に、皆さんをご招待しましょう。

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

Source: https://ebookjapan.yahoo.co.jp/books/270878/

 

Chapter 1
Starting the Journey Towards PyeongChang (2014-2015 Season)

 

Kim Yuna's victory was not a fluke

 

The biggest change I experienced right after Yuzuru Hanyu won the gold medal at the Sochi Olympics was that my credibility suddenly skyrocketed. While I was already recognized as one of the top coaches after leading Kim Yuna to the gold medal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, it wasn't yet absolute trust.

 

Spoiler

Yuzuru's victory meant that "Kim Yuna's win was not just a fluke." Four years after Yuna, a Team Brian athlete won another gold medal. The victories of Team Brian athletes were not just a matter of luck. Yuna's victory was not merely because of luck, and neither was Yuzuru's. Our strategy was in place, and the elements leading to success were properly organized, proving that this was the reason for their victories. At the same time, my coaching methods and the credibility of our team's work grew, and great value was created.

 

After Yuna’s victory in Vancouver, there was a period when requests for my coaching increased rapidly, but they were nothing compared to the flood of requests that came after the Sochi Olympics. People began looking at me with awe, as if I were a magician. They seemed to believe, “If I join Team Brian, I will win.”

But the reality was different. While our strategy and coaching style brought results, it took time. I believe that "four years" is the necessary time for a skater’s growth. In fact, it took four years for Yuna.

I felt that both Yuzuru and Javier were not yet at their true peak by the time of the Sochi Olympics. They were still in the "buildup" phase, where they would evolve significantly in the next two to three years. My role was to ensure that the strategy and coaching style for both athletes would bear fruit, and that was more important than producing results at the Sochi Olympics. Transforming a skater in just a year or two is difficult.

 

Therefore, requests asking me to make Yuzuru win in just two seasons or to achieve growth in 1–2 years never resonated with me. The more I was asked to work "magic," the more my resolve strengthened. I wanted to fulfill the long-term plans for both Javier and Yuzuru and show the world that their success was not by chance or magic, but by a strategic, 4–5 year educational process. Team Brian is a school. To me, coaching skaters is about that. When the Sochi Olympics ended, and the four-year journey towards PyeongChang began, that was my honest feeling.

 

Evolving Without Looking Away from the Pressure

 

Yuzuru Hanyu changed his life after winning the gold medal at the Sochi Olympics. He became a hero in Japan, and many fans and media started following him. On the other hand, Javier Fernández finished fourth. It was an amazing result, but it was still frustrating to fall just short of a medal. However, Javier went on to win back-to-back European Championships and became Spain's first top skater, garnering attention and admiration. The 2013–2014 season was a wonderful one for both, but it was also a season of burnout. Yet as soon as the 2014 World Championships ended, I said to Yuzuru and Javier, "Now, let’s start preparing for the next Olympics. We have four years."

Since they had just finished their season, they both looked at me with expressions that said, "There are still four years left. It’s so far away." However, in reality, two years after the Olympics is the "pre-Olympic season," and the preparation needs to start then. The Grand Prix series for the Olympic season starts in October 2017, and the Olympics are in February the following year—just four months apart. It passes in the blink of an eye. So, I said, “If you’re not careful, before you know it, it will be the Olympics!”

As an athlete, I know how quickly the next Olympics can come. After winning a silver medal at the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics, I immediately started preparing for the 1988 Calgary Olympics. For four years, I competed with my rival Brian Boitano for the world’s number one and two positions. I know from experience how quickly the next Olympics can arrive. As a coach, I also have eight years of experience targeting both the Vancouver and Sochi Olympics, so I always plan what needs to be done at each stage. I warned both of them, but I added, "Time may fly, but you have plenty of time to evolve."

If you make a proper plan, there’s a lot you can try. Even if you suffer injuries or setbacks, there is time to turn those experiences into valuable lessons for the Olympics. Any detour can become a valuable experience.

I already knew what my next steps would be for these two athletes.

 

 

JP text.

Spoiler

第1音
平昌への始動 
2014-2015年シーズン

キム。ヨナはまぐれではなかった 

ユッルがソチオリンピックで金メダルを獲った直後、コーチの私が体験した最大の変化は、私の信頼性が突如として上がったことでした。キム・ヨナを2010年バンクーバーオリンピックの金メダルに導いたことで、トップコーチのひとりとしては注目されていましたが、まだまだ絶対的な信頼ではありませんでした。
ユヅルの勝利が意味するのは、「キム・ヨナは単なるまぐれではなかった」ことです。ヨナの4年後に、チーム・ブライアンの選手がまたもや金メダルを獲ったわけですから。チーム・ブライアンの選手の勝利は、単なる運ではない。ヨナが優勝したのはただ単にラッキーだっただけなのではなく、ユヅルもまた単にラッキーだっただけではない。私たちなりの戦略があり、結果につながる要素がきちんと整えられていたからこそ、優勝につながったことが証明されました。それと同時に私の指導方法やチームの仕事への信頼性が高まり、大きな価値が生まれました。

ヨナのバンクーバー優勝後も急に指導依頼が増えた時期はありましたが、それとは比較にならないくらいの依頼が、ソチオリンピックの後に舞い込みました。依頼してくる人たちは皆、私をまるで魔法使いのように、畏怖のまなざしで見つめていました。望みをかなえる魔法の枝で、どうか私を勝たせてくださいー誰ともなしに「チーム・ブライアンに移籍すれば勝てる」と思うようになったか のようでした。 
しかし実際には違います。私たちの戦略と指導スタイルが成果をもたらしたのは事実ですが、それにはかなりの時間がかかります。私は「4年」がひとりの選手の成長に必要な時間だと考えています。実際、ヨナには4年かかりました。 
ユツルとハビエルは、ソチオリンピックの時点ではまだ真の開花を迎えていないと感じていました。2人とも、あと2～3年で大きな進化をする“溜め“の時期の選手でした。この2人に対する戦略と指導スタイルを結実させることが、ソチオリンピックで結果を出すことよりも、私の重要な役割だと思っていました。1年やそこらでは、スケーターを根本的に変身させるのは難しいのです。 
     
ですから、ユヅルをたった2シーズンで優勝させたように自分も1～2年で成長したいという依頼は、私の心には届きません。魔法   をかけてほしいと言われれば言われるほど、私の気持ちは引き締まりました。ハビエルやユルの本当の長期計画を実現させて、世間に示したいと思いました。これは魔法でも偶然でもなく、選手が効率よく勝てばいいものでもなく、しっかりした戦略にもとづく4～5年の教育なのです。チーム・ブライアンという学校なのです。私にとってスケーターを指導するとは、そういうことです。ソチが終わり、平昌へ向けての4年がスタートしたとき、それが私の正直な気持ちでした。

重圧から目を逸らさず進化する

ュッルはソチオリンピックで金メダルを獲得し、人生が変わりました。一躍、日本のヒーローになり、たくさんのファンとメディアが彼を追いかけるようになりました。一方のハビエルは惜しくも4位。素晴らしい成績ですが、やはりメダルにあと一歩とは悔しいものです。しかし欧州選手権で2連覇を果たし、スペイン人で初のトップスケーターとして注目と羨望の的となる選手に育ちました。2013-2014年シーズンは、こうして素晴らしいシーズンであり、同時に燃え尽きたシーズンでもありました。でも2014年3月の世界選手権が終わるやいなや、私はユッルとハビエルに言いました。
さあ、次のオリンピックに向かって準備するぞ、あと4年だぞ」
2人はまだシーズンを終えたばかりですから、「あと4年もある」「まだまだ先だ」といった表情を浮かべました。しかし実際には、オリンピックの2年後は“プレオリンピックシーズン“で、もう準備を始める年です。しかもオリンピックシーズンのグランプリシリーズは2017年10月に始まり、オリンピックは翌年2月ですから、その間たった4ヵ月しかありません。あっという間です。ですから私は言いました。
「ぼんやりしていたら、気づいたら今日はオリンピックだ！みたライ いになるぞ」と。
私は選手として、1984年のサラエボオリンピックで銀メダルを獲った後、すぐに1988年のカルガリーオリンピックを目指しました。ライバルのブライアン・ボイタノと切磋琢磨しながら世界選手権の1位と2位を奪い合った4年間でした。この経験がありますから、次のオリンピックがどれだけあっという間に来るかを知っています。コーチとしても、バンクーバーとソチの2大会を目指した8年の経験がありますから、何をどの段階でやっておけば大丈夫かも、つねに計画しています。私は2人に警告する一方で、こんなふうに付け加えました。
「時間が経つのは早いけれど、進化する時間はたっぷりあるぞ」と。
きちんと計画を立てれば、試せることはたくさんあります。ケガや病気をしても、スランプに陥っても、それを経験だととらえてオリンピックに生かす時間があるのです。どんな回り道も、経験につなげればよいのです。
私がこの2人に対して次に打つ手は、すでに考えてありました。      

 

 

[yuzurujenn]

Source & credits to:

https://www.tumblr.com/wherespacepooh/161558627729/brian-orser-on-yuzurus-4lo-and-the-discussion

 

 

Chapter 5:

 

Yuzuru’s Quadruple Loop as Rehabilitation After Injury

 

Spoiler

Yuzuru had been absent from practice for 2 months due to the Lisfranc injury in his left foot after the 2016 World Championship. He didn’t participate in ice shows, and as it was better not to walk, he really took a rest. Instead of returning to Japan, he did muscle training to the extent possible in Toronto. By early spring, he was looking healthy and we looked forward to resuming practice in June. However, although he started at the end of June, his left foot wasn’t yet fit to bear weight. In restarting his training for quads, we decided to take things step by step. 

 

The 4Lo was the best in terms of not burdening the left foot. The loop takes off on the right foot and lands with the right foot. Although Yuzuru had successfully landed them in practice, no one had landed one in competition. Tackling a difficult jump while injured might have seemed like an illogical approach, but I deemed it the safest option for the current situation. 

 

Since the quad salchow uses the left foot, although Yuzuru had landed that many times last season, it took a while for the success rate to go up again. Since the 4T, which Yuzuru was very good at, was the jump that caused injuries, he wasn’t able to practice the 4T until just before the Autumn Classic in September. Doing the 4T hurts because he has to hit the ice with his left toe pick on takeoff.

 

Let's talk about the loop. Scores wise, a 4Lo is one above the 4S and the 4T. 4F and 4Lz have higher base values, but since you take off with both feet, it is easier to get a good height/distance and they were landed in competition before the Loop. Because the Loop takeoff is done with a single foot, getting the timing right is a delicate matter. Depending on the athlete, some may really like it (be good at it), so might hate it (be terrible). 

 

Actually I was bad at loop jumps. Since I was Mr Triple Axel, I really focused on practicing the axel, and only started practicing the loop late in my competitive career. My first triple was the Salchow, then the toe loop and the lutz, after which I successfully landed the triple axel. I learned the flip and the loop later, but now that I think about it, it was one of the bigger failures in my skating career. Since I started training too late, I only really landed them when I was 25, during the last season of my competitive career. 

 

There is this saying, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks.” Jumps are things your body can get a feel for when you are still young. Since I became an old dog, although I understood the theory, in practice I wasn’t able to do a loop jump naturally. 

 

Both Yuzuru and Javier are able to do the loop jump easily. Especially Yuzuru, who has a natural-born quality. Given how beautiful his triple loop is, you know he has the ability to do the quad. And it's no longer what I should teach. The skater must commit his own unique timing to muscle memory and us coaches are there to correct the skater’s form based on theory. 

 

Once he actually started practicing, Yuzuru became obsessed with the 4Lo. That was natural since he would be the first to land that jump in competition if he succeeded. Because he was too focused on the quad loop, he got into a state where he wasn’t able to concentrate during practice sessions of his programs and in skating class. I began to think, “Hey, that’s not what we said before?” I just thought the quad loop was good for the rehabilitation process. I didn’t suggest to train only the quad loop. As for whether or not there really was a need to put it into competition, we were going to decide after we checked the level of completeness. 

 

Essentially, during off season, it is important to practice techniques for skating, spins, steps and so forth, and the scores won’t increase without training the program in its entirety. As it is, successfully landing the quad loop alone––the scores won’t go up. I thought this had become a situation like a youngster who didn’t understand how scoring worked, crushingly defeated even though he’d landed quads. As a coach, I felt like I had a lot I wanted to say. On the other hand, when I saw Yuzuru do a really beautiful quad loop, I was unable to negate [his efforts] either. Such speed, and a beautiful curve––a natural jump. It is a truly fantastic thing to behold when he [lands it] cleanly. The success rate has also gone up to around 70%, which was more stable than both the salchow and the toe loop. 

 

 

 

 

Why is he so focused on succeeding with the quadruple loop?

 

Spoiler

Yuzuru, having acquired the 4Lo during the summer, naturally suggested to bring the 4Lo into competition beginning with the first competition in September. Based on the success rate and high level of quality, my opinion as a coach was “GO.” But I also felt the possibility that [we might be] losing sight of the direction built up from last season if we were to simply say “Yes, let’s do a 4Lo.” So I pointed out the conditions to Yuzuru. It is great to put in the 4Lo, but also do the other jumps properly and pay attention to both the performance and the skating. If [you were to] perfect the program as a total package, then there is meaning in bringing the 4Lo. 

 

Thereupon, Yuzuru then proposed such a jump layout. For the short program, 4Lo and 4S. For the free skate, 4Lo, two 4S, one 4T––four in total. Compared to the last season, not only adding a new type with the 4Lo, but also increasing the number of quads in the free skate. 

 

If it were according to my strategy, to accomplish “2 in short, 4 in free,” I would begin with mastering the program [choreography] in its entirety. Skating, transitions, steps…I would perfect the elements outside of jumps first. That way, instead of banking on jumping quad after quad, [we] focus on executing quads that are high in quality and increase the number of quads––2, 3, and 4––throughout the season. This way is actually quicker. 

 

To explain this training method in greater detail, it’s like this: Jumps vary in timing and the way force is applied, depending on the type. Therefore, when we add a new jump to the program, we are inserting an element that differs from the present rhythm. If we prioritize and only consider the rhythm of the 4Lo, the rhythm of all the rest of the jumps would collapse. In other words, in addition to the technique of the [new] jump itself, the technique of making all these jumps with different rhythms coexist within a single piece of music is necessary in order to achieve the perfect performance. 

 

Therefore, in order to challenge a new jump within the program, we must work in the newcomer while maintaining the rhythm that was in place. This is a difficult world that is hard to understand without experiencing it. Youngsters who’d abruptly added many quads in 2016 have yet to experience the “difficulty of adjusting the rhythm” when putting in three or four types simultaneously. Successfully landing each one in practice and weaving everything together with the music are completely different techniques. 

 

Both Yuzuru and Javier had experience from last season in that respect. The body remembers the rhythm combining “three quads.” I wanted Yuzuru to leverage this. To fit in the 4Lo within the balance of the program rather than letting the rhythm of the 4Lo affect everything else. 

However, Yuzuru is the type who always wants to bring the maximum of what he is capable of. A young one who wants to challenge the impossible––that is also Yuzuru. As much as possible, he prioritized acquiring the 4Lo and tried to do that while practicing his program in his spare time. Then, during run-through, when he failed to land the 4Lo, he ended up losing motivation for the rest of the program. On the contrary, when he nailed the 4Lo, he was satisfied and the rest became sloppy. That was the same way as a junior kid. Even when Javier danced through the best program or landed a second half quad in front of him, he didn’t look stimulated at all. 

 

At times, I had even doubted Yuzuru’s motivation as to why he was so fixated on succeeding with the 4Lo. [I wondered if], instead of “challenging his own limits,” it was because “other skaters are jumping 4F and 4Lz.” If so, he had lost sight of the sense of purpose. But Yuzuru has a very stubborn personality. Until he succeeded with the 4Lo for the first time [in competition], I thought he would probably just turn a deaf ear to whatever I said. The title of “world’s first” was right before his eyes and he also had the physical ability––as an athlete, that was a natural thing [to want]. Although this was a completely different course of action from my strategy, [which was rooted in] my hope for Yuzuru to smile happily at Pyeongchang Olympics, I decided anyway to let Yuzuru do as he wished until [he landed 4Lo for the first time in competition]. 

 

 

 

Discussion and understanding

 

Spoiler

This happened sometime after Skate Canada ended. Yuzuru and I had a meeting. Tracy was with us as well. 

 

“It’s time you listen to the advice of your coach. There is no need to jump the quad loop every day, and you should also practice your programs. Succeeding on the quad loop at Autumn Classic was wonderful, but the performance was sloppy. You didn’t have the stamina to skate the program in its entirety, did you?  Doing it this way, you won’t complete the program with all the quads in it, however long you take." 

 

It was not just about scoring. I was worried about Yuzuru's injury as well. 

 

“What dangers do you think arise when you skate your program without enough stamina? Recklessly attempting jumps like the quad salchow and the toe loop in the second half of the performance when you are tired? And when you do that, you land [poorly] and create burden for your foot with a possibility of severely injuring yourself. Rather than focusing solely on the quad loop at the start, this is the time when you should be practicing to bring the whole performance together as a total package, and training for stamina to skate with full energy until the very end." 

 

Then, Yuzuru who has thus far silently trained the quad loop without speaking a word of his own opinion at all, looking like he’d made up his mind, opened his mouth. 

 

“Up until Skate Canada, it is true that I’ve been practicing the quad loop a lot. But that was because, to me, the quad loop is an [integral] part of the performance. To me, a program without the jumps landed is not a total package." 

 

That was unprecedented. This was the first time that Yuzuru had put his opinions clearly into words to such an extent. He wasn’t merely stubbornly focused on the quad loop––indeed, Yuzuru had Yuzuru’s own theory. Upon expressing our opinions to each other, [we realized] the goal we were aiming for was the same. 

 

“Succeed on all the quads and, on top of that, produce a sublime performance.” 

 

It was just that Yuzuru gave more weight to the importance of jumps. Because that didn’t align with my opinion, he had kept quiet about his own. But this time, Yuzuru insisted with resolve and an understanding that it might turn into an argument, “Jumps are not a part of technique, but a part of performance.” He told me that, with this train of thought in mind, he’d started from practicing jumps in order to hone his performance. 

 

By getting down to our real intentions, we made our purpose clear, and I also felt mentally refreshed. It has been the fifth year since we formed a team with Yuzuru. I knew he trusted me and I also saw Yuzuru as the best partner from the bottom of my heart. There are many things in a relationship between the coach and the athlete––misunderstanding each other, disagreeing in opinions, and then going hand in hand once more. In this kind of relationship, we learn from each other. 

 

As our meeting came to a close, I said this. 

“All right. Aren’t we joining in this quad race too? I am not going to play safe. Instead, we go the strategic route. We will add the quad loop, and three types of quads––to a total number of four––in the free skate. We will be attentive to the performance and skating. Only never lose awareness of the total package."