Caroline wrote this blog entry on December 9th:
http://teamusa.att.net/team-usa/athlete/caroline-zhang?isScavengerHuntSweepstakeHintPage=1
I didn't know she was homeschooled, but I guess nowadays most skaters are. I thought upper body strength wasn't really necessary for skating though? (I have read that Joannie wants to get rid of hers)
I didn't know she was homeschooled, but I guess nowadays most skaters are. I thought upper body strength wasn't really necessary for skating though? (I have read that Joannie wants to get rid of hers)
Technically Caroline is not home-schooled. She does her high school coursework through an online academy. Her local high school is not accommodating toward her skating training schedule. I have a feeling that she takes her education rather seriously.
I'm happy to hear that she's working out in the gym everyday, and that she's working on her speed and edges. The disappointing results of SC have apparently motivated her to train harder, and hopefully smarter. I really hope that we will see some improvements in these speed and edges by National's. They should help with the jumps, too, if she has more speed going into them and flow out of them, and strength to jump high and rotate fast -- then she wouldn't need to rely on her wonky techniqye to muscle through them as much.
2. Upper body strength not necessary? Are you kidding me?! Skating requires more upper body strength than you might think, especially to get yourself in the air for jumps. I've heard more than one coach say that the key difference between being able to do the double axel vs. the triple axel is upper body strength---required to get you that extra vertical lift needed to get all the rotations in. One of the key reasons why you see few women do the triple axel compared to the men...women have naturally less upper body strength, and few are willing or able to develop what it takes. Same goes for doing quads.
Not sure what you mean about Joannie "wanting to get rid of hers." :scratch:
the key for figure skating (like in dance) is to be strong all over the body, but not bulk up. Stretching after weight training can help with this. Gymnasts and ballet dancers have great upper body strength, but they constantly stretch and watch their diet as not to "look ripped." Girls who I know that do gymnastics (not even that competitively, just to supplement skating) can do as many as 50 push ups without batting an eye.
Upper body strength as well as core strength is vital in elite level skating, especially for somebody like Caroline who does not skate with a lot of speed and can't rely on momentum to get her up into those jumps.
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In terms of Joannie, I have just read articles and blogs over the past few years where she has said she does not like her "ripped" upper physique and was trying to undo some of her bulk.
Skaters like Rachael, Alissa, Caroline, Sasha, Emily Hughes don't have broad shoulders or big arm muscles and they all seem to do the jumps just fine (or did at one time). Maybe these girls are just stronger than they appear.
If true, that's too bad. I thought Joannie looked in fabulous physical shape. She's hardly "bulky" like a body builder for crying out loud, she's just nicely and subtly muscled. I don't think her upper body is something that needs fixing.
With skating, you don't need the raw arm strength (evidenced by bulkiness) to support your weight like you do in gymnastics, or to propel you like a swimmer---but you do need proportionally more arm/upper body strength than say, an elite runner or cyclist would. And the point made by poster above about the core strength is also critical to seamlessly making the whole physics of skating work. Rachael, Alissa, and Emily in her prime certainly had/have enough upper body strength to do what needs to be done. Sasha--I always thought her skating reflected a weakness in above-the-waist strength, and same for Caroline.
All very good points, and I agree about Joannie. Her muscles are hot!
I've heard more than one coach say that the key difference between being able to do the double axel vs. the triple axel is upper body strength---required to get you that extra vertical lift needed to get all the rotations in. One of the key reasons why you see few women do the triple axel compared to the men...women have naturally less upper body strength, and few are willing or able to develop what it takes. Same goes for doing quads.
I so agree! She is one of the hottest skating girls out there...and I am sure she kills a bikini top of a evening gown.
Actually the biggest difference between men and women simply comes down to physics -- women have a higher body fat percentage (even women like Yu Na who are incredibly skinny) than men, and they tend to store their fat in places like boobs and hips. Both of these lower the speed they can rotate. Body fat percentage doesn't directly, but it's "wasted" weight, and higher weight=slower rotation. Men are heavier, but have a higher ratio of muscle to body weight that more than compensates. If it was simply a matter of arm muscle, Joannie Rochette would have a better chance doing a triple axel than Mao Asada.
Ah, then women/girls with no chest and hips have superior ability for jumping. Hence 14 year old jumping beans. Do coaches go around looking for girls with no chest and hips?
Actually the biggest difference between men and women simply comes down to physics -- women have a higher body fat percentage (even women like Yu Na who are incredibly skinny) than men, and they tend to store their fat in places like boobs and hips. Both of these lower the speed they can rotate. Body fat percentage doesn't directly, but it's "wasted" weight, and higher weight=slower rotation. Men are heavier, but have a higher ratio of muscle to body weight that more than compensates. If it was simply a matter of arm muscle, Joannie Rochette would have a better chance doing a triple axel than Mao Asada.
However, if you read the point originally being discussed, it was not really about men vs women
One of the key reasons why you see few women do the triple axel compared to the men...women have naturally less upper body strength, and few are willing or able to develop what it takes.