- Joined
- Jul 28, 2003
September 24, 2008
Oksana Domnina -- Maxim Shabalin: First month at Linichuk’s, we reworked the technique
2008 European champions and Grand Prix Final ice dancing champions, Russians Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin have recently arrived in Moscow. This season, Alexei Gorshkov’ students started training under the tutelage of their new coaches Natalya Linichuk and Gennady Karponosov; to that end, they moved to America’s Delaware this summer. At the ice palace of the Oditsevo sports palace Okssana and Maxim chatted with the “News Time” correspondent Olga ERMOLINA. The skaters talked about their plans for the upcoming season, and the details of their move to America.
“Maxim, my first question is for you. Last season, Oksana and you skipped the World championships because of your upcoming leg surgery. How do you feel now?”
Maxim Shabalin: The leg still bothers me. Every day, I go to the Delaware University rehabilitation clinic to undergo therapy. What do the doctors do? They put me on a bed, put a weight on my leg, and then I have to hold it like that for 15 min. Then they work my leg, twisting me in every direction. This lasts for a couple of hours each day. At first, I managed to do it between practices. Now, my schedule has changed, and I do the “healing” in the evening. However, that doesn’t prevent me from training on the ice. So, all the talks of Oksana and me still not skating have nothing to do with reality.
So, you’ve already prepared your new programs for the upcoming season?
Oksana Domnina: Yes, we did, but we won’t yet talk about them.
M.Sh: I’d characterize our programs with one word – surprise. We found great music. At least, we like it.
Where are you competing this season?
M.Sh: We want to go to the Grand Prix and to perform in China. Everything should be clear after the skate-throughs that should start right after our return to the US.
O.D.: Besides the Grand Prix, we plan on all official ISU championships. That includes the Europeans in Helsinki and the Worlds in the spring in Los Angeles.
Have you adjusted to the conditions in America?
O.D.: Honestly, it was very difficult, since the move forced us to change everything about our lives. America became our “little prison”.
In what sense?
M.Sh: You see, life across the pond is neither better nor worse. It’s just very different. People are different, and so is the language. Take this little thing – the streets don’t have sidewalks. It’s neither city nor village in our Russian understanding. The houses are all in a row, and you can’t get anywhere without a car. So it was all training and no temptations.
O.D.: On the one hand, it’s even better for our skating. You concentrate fully on the work ahead. On the other hand, it was bizarre to live like that after the active life in Oditsevo and Moscow. In Russia, we were surrounded by family and friends. We didn’t have to worry about the apartment or the car. In Delaware, though, we had nothing. Without a car in America, you’re a nobody. We can’t buy a car because we have tourist visas. For the same reason, we can’t get driver licenses.
How did you manage?
O.D.: We found a way. All was resolved. We got two apartments. It’s fine. It’s easier now. The rink is 20 minutes by car. As we said, people don’t walk here.
How about a run to the rink?
M.Sh: We’d first have to drive to a good starting place. Otherwise, you’d have to run across others’ property, and can get into a whole host of problems.
You first impression of practices?
O.D.: It was very hard to adjust to the new training conditions. In Oditsevo, we spent two hours on the ice in the morning and the same thing at night, with all attention on us; here, it’s set up as individual lessons. One lesson lasts about 40 minutes, and that time you’re just spending with the coach. Obviously, it’s a different intensity, and all happens at a faster rate. Yet the fact remains that you skate for an hour and 20 minutes, and then you’re on your own. You can spend the rest of the day on the ice working on your own, if you wish.
You ended up in the same group as your competitors, Americans Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto, who have also switched to Linichuk this season. How’s your relationship with the American skaters?
M.Sh: They’re cool. We go to their parties. We’re friendly. We train together. When Linichuk is busy with them, we work with Karponosov, and vice versa.
What can you say about your work with the new coach?
M.Sh: It’s good. The work is set up very differently.
O.D.: Everything is different. Linichuk and Karponosov have a different understanding of life, of everything, of figure skating, and their technique is very different...
Is it closer to yours?
M.Sh: It’s different. For the first month, we just worked on the technique. We learned to skate. We started from the easiest crossovers and position holding.
In a word, you felt like first graders?
O.D.: That’s right. When a child first comes to the rink, the coaches tell him, “OK, let’s do some basic stroking.” That’s how it was for us. It’s even harder psychologically than it is physically. After all, we have already garnered a reputation in the world of figure skating. But we just had to submit, and start toiling away.
Given that you’re now with new coaches, redoing your techniques and healing from injuries, what are your plans for the next season?
M.Sh: Like always, we have maximum plans
O.D.: The only think that’s a pain for us is that we have tourist visas that have to be extended every three months, and that has to be done in Russia. We’ll have to fit that into the practice and competition schedule.
But a week at home while your visas are redone won’t hurt you, right?
M.Sh: Oh no! Being home is like a breath of fresh air for us.
Oksana Domnina -- Maxim Shabalin: First month at Linichuk’s, we reworked the technique
2008 European champions and Grand Prix Final ice dancing champions, Russians Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin have recently arrived in Moscow. This season, Alexei Gorshkov’ students started training under the tutelage of their new coaches Natalya Linichuk and Gennady Karponosov; to that end, they moved to America’s Delaware this summer. At the ice palace of the Oditsevo sports palace Okssana and Maxim chatted with the “News Time” correspondent Olga ERMOLINA. The skaters talked about their plans for the upcoming season, and the details of their move to America.
“Maxim, my first question is for you. Last season, Oksana and you skipped the World championships because of your upcoming leg surgery. How do you feel now?”
Maxim Shabalin: The leg still bothers me. Every day, I go to the Delaware University rehabilitation clinic to undergo therapy. What do the doctors do? They put me on a bed, put a weight on my leg, and then I have to hold it like that for 15 min. Then they work my leg, twisting me in every direction. This lasts for a couple of hours each day. At first, I managed to do it between practices. Now, my schedule has changed, and I do the “healing” in the evening. However, that doesn’t prevent me from training on the ice. So, all the talks of Oksana and me still not skating have nothing to do with reality.
So, you’ve already prepared your new programs for the upcoming season?
Oksana Domnina: Yes, we did, but we won’t yet talk about them.
M.Sh: I’d characterize our programs with one word – surprise. We found great music. At least, we like it.
Where are you competing this season?
M.Sh: We want to go to the Grand Prix and to perform in China. Everything should be clear after the skate-throughs that should start right after our return to the US.
O.D.: Besides the Grand Prix, we plan on all official ISU championships. That includes the Europeans in Helsinki and the Worlds in the spring in Los Angeles.
Have you adjusted to the conditions in America?
O.D.: Honestly, it was very difficult, since the move forced us to change everything about our lives. America became our “little prison”.
In what sense?
M.Sh: You see, life across the pond is neither better nor worse. It’s just very different. People are different, and so is the language. Take this little thing – the streets don’t have sidewalks. It’s neither city nor village in our Russian understanding. The houses are all in a row, and you can’t get anywhere without a car. So it was all training and no temptations.
O.D.: On the one hand, it’s even better for our skating. You concentrate fully on the work ahead. On the other hand, it was bizarre to live like that after the active life in Oditsevo and Moscow. In Russia, we were surrounded by family and friends. We didn’t have to worry about the apartment or the car. In Delaware, though, we had nothing. Without a car in America, you’re a nobody. We can’t buy a car because we have tourist visas. For the same reason, we can’t get driver licenses.
How did you manage?
O.D.: We found a way. All was resolved. We got two apartments. It’s fine. It’s easier now. The rink is 20 minutes by car. As we said, people don’t walk here.
How about a run to the rink?
M.Sh: We’d first have to drive to a good starting place. Otherwise, you’d have to run across others’ property, and can get into a whole host of problems.
You first impression of practices?
O.D.: It was very hard to adjust to the new training conditions. In Oditsevo, we spent two hours on the ice in the morning and the same thing at night, with all attention on us; here, it’s set up as individual lessons. One lesson lasts about 40 minutes, and that time you’re just spending with the coach. Obviously, it’s a different intensity, and all happens at a faster rate. Yet the fact remains that you skate for an hour and 20 minutes, and then you’re on your own. You can spend the rest of the day on the ice working on your own, if you wish.
You ended up in the same group as your competitors, Americans Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto, who have also switched to Linichuk this season. How’s your relationship with the American skaters?
M.Sh: They’re cool. We go to their parties. We’re friendly. We train together. When Linichuk is busy with them, we work with Karponosov, and vice versa.
What can you say about your work with the new coach?
M.Sh: It’s good. The work is set up very differently.
O.D.: Everything is different. Linichuk and Karponosov have a different understanding of life, of everything, of figure skating, and their technique is very different...
Is it closer to yours?
M.Sh: It’s different. For the first month, we just worked on the technique. We learned to skate. We started from the easiest crossovers and position holding.
In a word, you felt like first graders?
O.D.: That’s right. When a child first comes to the rink, the coaches tell him, “OK, let’s do some basic stroking.” That’s how it was for us. It’s even harder psychologically than it is physically. After all, we have already garnered a reputation in the world of figure skating. But we just had to submit, and start toiling away.
Given that you’re now with new coaches, redoing your techniques and healing from injuries, what are your plans for the next season?
M.Sh: Like always, we have maximum plans
O.D.: The only think that’s a pain for us is that we have tourist visas that have to be extended every three months, and that has to be done in Russia. We’ll have to fit that into the practice and competition schedule.
But a week at home while your visas are redone won’t hurt you, right?
M.Sh: Oh no! Being home is like a breath of fresh air for us.
