Ashley Wagner in ESPN Magazine Body Issue

[Shayuki]

Is it weird that what I found most shocking there was... She's suffered 5 concussions?? That's not good, not good at all. At that point it's very possible or even likely that she's going to suffer symptoms due to them far into the future, especially if she suffers another one. That's really really scary.

 

[GrandmaCC]

I always wonder what the people being airbrushed think about their pictures. When I was touring, we had one poster come out where I had been so airbrushed that I didn't look black anymore. To me, it was offensive but, I never made a big deal out of it. Some of Ashley's pictures almost look like paintings and that's kind of cool as well but, I don't know, if you're going to call it a body issue, why airbrush some of the best bodies in the world. You can do so much with lighting, sets, and camera angles these days that airbrushing seems unnecessary.

I think that type of heavy editing has had it's day (or just remains alive in niche industries like pornography or photos of Kim K's rear end ). Nowadays airbrushing in campaigns is very minimal. It can be nearly impossible to tell your "proof only" shots from the final product. The editing is mainly used for things like changing background lighting or removing a stray hair from across your face. Modelling agencies have only allowed this type of airbrushing on comp cards/ portfolio pictures for quite awhile now, and now some photographers are even able to charge more for unedited portfolio packages.

 

[GrandmaCC]

Is it weird that what I found most shocking there was... She's suffered 5 concussions?? That's not good, not good at all. At that point it's very possible or even likely that she's going to suffer symptoms due to them far into the future, especially if she suffers another one. That's really really scary.

No, that freaked me out too!! That was so awful to read about her cognition problems.
What was equally scary was how commentators took her interview and used it to write the same old "skating-is-anti-feminist" rubbish that they've done for decades, and completely ignored the whole thing about "my brain is damaged for life and this is a problem a lot of athletes have to deal with".
I hope Ashley speaking out will help shed light on the issue further.

 

[skylark]

Even more interesting than that shooting is Ashley's interview, although she is not the only skater with that body type and a more womanly look.

I completely agree. I'm impressed that she spoke of how difficult it was for her as a teen coming up, her struggle with accepting her body type ... "sturdy Norwegian genes", LOL ... and finally deciding to make her physical maturity a positive. Even as she acknowledges that it's a tricky balance, to be strong and at the same time be light enough to propel yourself into the air in the way it's currently required.

Kudos to her for doing this! She is pretty much the only skater who would have the guts to do something like this,

I couldn't help thinking this also. Especially a skater who's competing and competitive for the Olympic season.

 

[musicfan80]

Is it weird that what I found most shocking there was... She's suffered 5 concussions?? That's not good, not good at all. At that point it's very possible or even likely that she's going to suffer symptoms due to them far into the future, especially if she suffers another one. That's really really scary.

Well, Joshua Farris has had at least four, and he even retired and only came back after he completely healed. So they are that common, unfortunately.

And figure skating is probably on the lower side - isn't it a given that most NFL players, especially quarterbacks, have had around a dozen concussions?

 

[brightphoton]

Is it weird that what I found most shocking there was... She's suffered 5 concussions?? That's not good, not good at all. At that point it's very possible or even likely that she's going to suffer symptoms due to them far into the future, especially if she suffers another one. That's really really scary.

She's spoken about her concussions before. She already suffers severe health effects from them. However, like Dick Button, she does not advocate for helmets in figure skating. I'm paraphrasing both of their reasons, but helmets don't look "pretty" or "fashionable". That's completely reasonable. No one would want to figure skate if they had to wear safety equipment. Wow, so ridiculous, this thing that can protect my brain totally doesn't match my leotard or the ribbons on in my hair.

As for the health effects of Ashley's multiple concussions:
- she used to be really good at math and science and they were her favorite school subjects. Then she couldn't even remember the periodic table
- she used to be a straight A student in AP classes. After concussions, she struggled to make good grades even in normal classes
- when having conversations with people, she has to concentrate really really really hard, or she forgets what people said a minute before
- if she spins too fast or too long, her head becomes painful. This is why she often gets level 2 and 3s on soon spins

By the way, Dick Button got a concussion and lost all hearing in his left ear. Yes, he's also an anti-helmet advocate

I feel bad for Ashley. With that effect on her brain, her academic career is over.... Sometimes I wish she wasn't a figure skater. She could've been a scientist, an engineer, a teacher, heck, at least a person with normal memory function

 

[karne]

She's spoken about her concussions before. She already suffers severe health effects from them. However, like Dick Button, she does not advocate for helmets in figure skating. I'm paraphrasing both of their reasons, but helmets don't look "pretty" or "fashionable". That's completely reasonable. No one would want to figure skate if they had to wear safety equipment. Wow, so ridiculous, this thing that can protect my brain totally doesn't match my leotard or the ribbons on in my hair.

You do realise that not every concussion can be prevented by a helmet? That whiplash concussions and concussions from spinning are very real?

 

[abbyblack]

I saw the pictures on her instagram and I came here to comment how brave she is to do something like this, how empowering it must be, etc.

But the talk about concussions and helmets, I believe if it's an issue within the figure skating world it SHOULD be talk about, safety comes first even if doesn't look pretty, I can't believe concussions have had this much impact in her life and still she's against the use of helmets.

 

[brightphoton]

You do realise that not every concussion can be prevented by a helmet? That whiplash concussions and concussions from spinning are very real?

Oh okay, I didn't realize. I guess we shouldn't have helmets in figure skating then, because they don't prevent every single concussion.

If I recall, Ashley's and Dicks concussions resulted from the classic falling to the ice and bumping head, so a helmet would have helped.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Oh okay, I didn't realize. I guess we shouldn't have helmets in figure skating then, because they don't prevent every single concussion.

If I recall, Ashley's and Dicks concussions resulted from the classic falling to the ice and bumping head, so a helmet would have helped.

Actually Ashley's worst one was from her neck whiplashing when she fell back onto the ice.

I've have had three of these myself and deal with the impacts daily for years now and do not advocate for helmets either at least past little kids on learn to skate.

 

[LiamForeman]

I couldn't help thinking this also. Especially a skater who's competing and competitive for the Olympic season.

Haha. Can you imagine if Kwan did this?? My favorite picture is Ashley doing a falling leaf, and I'm surprised they didn't pick that one. I also thought they'd do a picture when she's doing a Biellmann, that would be an obvious shot if I were the photographer.

 

[brightphoton]

I've have had three of these myself and deal with the impacts daily for years now

and do not advocate for helmets

all-righty then

 

[JSM]

all-righty then

Again, the most severe concussions in skating can come from the jarring impacts and extreme forces, and not necessarily direct impact.

A local skater took such a hard fall on a double axel (directly on her tailbone) that her concussion was caused when her brain forcefully hit the top of her skull inside her head. This was 2 years ago and she still has memory problems and vertigo. As her head never went near the ice, a helmet would have made no difference.

A lot of skaters are against helmets because they add weight to the upper body and can restrict movement, making a lot of skating moves (including jumping) more difficult.

I now wear a tailbone pad when I jump though.

 

[brightphoton]

Again, the most severe concussions in skating can come from the jarring impacts and extreme forces, and not necessarily direct impact.

A local skater took such a hard fall on a double axel (directly on her tailbone) that her concussion was caused when her brain forcefully hit the top of her skull inside her head. This was 2 years ago and she still has memory problems and vertigo. As her head never went near the ice, a helmet would have made no difference.

A lot of skaters are against helmets because they add weight to the upper body and can restrict movement, making a lot of skating moves (including jumping) more difficult.

I now wear a tailbone pad when I jump though.

I'm going to call bee-ehs on that.

Speed skaters, roller derbyists, baseball players, hockey players, football players, pipe skateboarders, equestrians, etc have figured it out. You don't need *a lot* of head injuries for brain damage. Just one.

Maybe one day the figure skaters will too.


(add to the no helmet list street skateboarders and cheerleaderers, but I don't care about them, really. Not my sport of interest. Head injuries away!)

 

[gkelly]

A lot of skaters are against helmets because they add weight to the upper body and can restrict movement, making a lot of skating moves (including jumping) more difficult.

I'd be concerned about helmets limiting peripheral vision and also agility, which are important not only for aesthetics but also for avoiding collisions and falls in the first place.

I've taken a few falls over the years where I hit my head, but as far as I know have not had an actual concussion. Last autumn was one hard enough to give a large bump that lasted for months. My coach was concerned enough to go to Urgent Care with me that day. But thankfully no serious damage.

After one fall where I broke a large plastic barrette I was wearing and it made a bruise on my head, I no longer wear those when I skate. Usually scrunchies for some padding, positioned over the lump on my head when I went back to skating after that last fall.

There are also padded/reinforced headbands that can prevent or lessen some impacts. E.g., http://icehalo.com/

 

[NoNameFace]

I think myself that these photos are done very tastefully, artful-like and definitely there's a'provocative' factor about them, but in my opinion, they provoke to think about figure skaters as really hard-working athletes who have this kind of body maintained and nutured. From me, there's nothing more than appreciation for Ashley, her 'rawness', guts and courage to go out there with such photoshoot and moreover - an interview baing this concussion experience. So it's on body and about body of an athlete. It's one's right to have different opinion, but myself I cannot help but feeling confused and sad if someone calls photos or Ashley, her decision to pose as tacky, shameless, inappropriate. After all, it is the body, a naked one we're all born in, without clothes. And for me, more than any clothes we could buy to cover our nakedness, it's important to have the confidence and openess about it, shaped by honesty, dedication and care learned from such examples like Ashley's shoot, because for me it is also about understanding and acceptance of athlete's body, how it looks and works underneath those sparkly costumes and other stereotypes.

And from totally vain point of view - if I had such gorgeously honed, ripped body, I would probably also want to spread the positive message by it by posing in such shoot.

 

[macy]

Haha. Can you imagine if Kwan did this?? My favorite picture is Ashley doing a falling leaf, and I'm surprised they didn't pick that one. I also thought they'd do a picture when she's doing a Biellmann, that would be an obvious shot if I were the photographer.

did they post the article anywhere or is it only in the magazine?

 

[Eeyora]

Ashley looks fantastic! What I respect most isn't just the fact that the photos aren't disgusting, sexual iced or vulgar but the fact she has a fit womanly body. As someone who has struggled with eating disorders for more than 20 years. This makes me more than happy. We all remember the days when skaters were criticized for weighing over 100lbs or praised for weighing less than 90lbs.

 

[brightphoton]

For the anti-helmet advocates, who think direct hits the head are not common enough for warrant protection

Naomi Nori Nam hitting her head during the 1999 Nationals
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNBYz8CTB3Y&t=2m01s

Ashley Wagner's 'silent terror' with concussions

Ashley Wagner: I used to be such a math and science person. Numbers just made sense to me. I was able to calculate things easily. Then, I slowly lost those abilities. When talking is hard enough for you, you can't even begin to solve pre-calculus.

Ashley: I was practicing triple flips. I was not being supervised by a coach. I didn't have the jump down solid yet. .... A very severe hit to the ice. Coming from an army family, it was one of those things you walk off. You don't think much of it. I never went to the doctor. I never specifically got diagnosed.

Ashley: I recognized that something was not right. I started to panic. I had terrible headaches, so painful headaches. It got to the point where people would talk to me and I wouldn't recognize it as English. It sounded like garbled words coming out of their mouth. When I would try to find the words to respond to them, and try to tell them I didn't understand what was going on, I couldn't even find the words. I was stuck in this silent terror.

Ashley: I'm always actively trying to keep my brain working. I now make sure I read a lot, because that was one thing that became really hard for me to do. Just focusing on these tiny letters. I couldn't do it. It gave me a headache. Now I force myself to read books so I can keep that focus and ability. To keep a train of thought and push through.

Ashley: I feel so much more confident in my physical abilities than my cognitive abilities. This is the environment I should be in. This is where I'm going to thrive. I can figure out the next chapter of my life when I get there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMooqEZ4B2M&t=0m14s

Evan Lysacek -- I've Had 15 to 20 Concussions ... Figure Skating Is Brutal | TMZ

Interviewer: Do you think at some point, pads will be a requisite of figure skating?

Evan Lysacek: I don't know about pads. But a lot of sports are implementing helmet rules and trying to take precautions against concussions. I think that's something we should follow. I see people nail their heads all the time. I've done it so many times.

Interviewer: How many concussions have you had?

Evan: Oh, so many.

Interviewer: Just give me a guess, because this is big. I want to know. How many?

Evan: At least 15. Maybe 20.

Interviewer: Holy smokes.

Evan: Sometimes you fall at 20 miles an hour. Your neck just snaps back. You fall thousands of times learning the stuff. It's just trial and error, trying to figure out how to master these tricks but they're so dangerous. That's how I hurt myself. Working on the quad. Tore a labrum in my hip and had a lot of other stuff tear at the same time. Just one fall and *makes click sound*. It's a tough sport and really dangerous as well. I think people forget that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHZEUW5ujZQ&t=0m1s

Ashley looks fantastic! What I respect most isn't just the fact that the photos aren't disgusting, sexual iced or vulgar but the fact she has a fit womanly body. As someone who has struggled with eating disorders for more than 20 years. This makes me more than happy. We all remember the days when skaters were criticized for weighing over 100lbs or praised for weighing less than 90lbs.

Ah, the good ol' days of figure skating. When Terry would tell everyone Karen Kwan was 5'7" and only 107 lbs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ0xJoshfkw&t=0m29s

 

[GrandmaCC]

Ashley looks fantastic! What I respect most isn't just the fact that the photos aren't disgusting, sexual iced or vulgar but the fact she has a fit womanly body. As someone who has struggled with eating disorders for more than 20 years. This makes me more than happy. We all remember the days when skaters were criticized for weighing over 100lbs or praised for weighing less than 90lbs.

That she certainly does!!
You know, I think that we need more mentioning of the weight of athletes like Ashley, done respectfully of course, as would help girls to realise that "hey, that girl is fit, strong, beautiful, successful AND weighs an attainable amount. If I want to be a successful athlete, or a successful anything, I can't starve myself!".
In this interview Ashley did a great job of articulating why she does need to keep her body fat low, yet also remain strong. Combine discussion like this with the articles outlining her healthful diet that have been published in the past, and what a brilliant example of a fit woman we have.

Given that skaters nowadays have very athletic figures, it would be nice to know their weight and body fat %. I wouldn't want this displayed in competition broadcasts, but it would be nice if it weren't so hidden.
I know I find it inspiring when I see the weight and diets of Olympic gymnasts who are the same height as me, it's kind of a bit of a reminder that strength = success and that it's important to eat enough each day to fuel your body through training, even if you don't have an appetite due to being busy, ill etc.


Of course, this depends on mainstream media giving more credit to female athletes than celebrities...although even a huge burst of publicity every four years at OG time could serve as a breakthrough moment for some girls.