Is there an ideal "figure" in figure skating?

tulosai · Aug 7, 2013

sky_fly20 said:
Julia hasnt done growing yet but she could fall to either three type: average, lean/petite or leggy/tall
but I doubt she'll shoot her height drastically but she wont have a broad body either like Tuk
she is more like a Lipinski body type, very proportioned ratio but still lean, the more she grew the more she got thinner but she might fill out
a bit after shes done growing, I see her body fat not exceeding Mao's level. Julia's mom and dad are fit on vk

for vk users only;

Julia body type is the closest to Yuna/Mao but she wont be that tall I think but she will be lean even after puberty

http://cs405821.vk.me/v405821512/7e1e/Te2HYOrTK08.jpg
http://cs405821.vk.me/v405821512/766f/H7UEqxXN-JM.jpg
http://cs9271.vk.me/v9271512/1c1e/kzgxI48BcPw.jpg
http://cs9271.vk.me/v9271512/28b2/S1Cm13eqzeE.jpg

Her body type actually reminds me of Cohen's and I think that, like Cohen, she'll keep it (the petite ballerina pixie look), but only time can tell- I agree with you she could go many ways still.

sky_fly20 · Aug 7, 2013

tulosai said:
Her body type actually reminds me of Cohen's and I think that, like Cohen, she'll keep it (the petite ballerina pixie look), but only time can tell- I agree with you she could go many ways still.

Cohen had a long torso and smaller lower body proportions ( shorter legs )

Olympia · Aug 8, 2013

sky_fly20 said:
Cohen had a long torso and smaller lower body proportions ( shorter legs )

Because she pointed her toes, her legs looked longer to me.

As for Michelle, I don't think of her as overly large or muscular compared to someone like Irina, Viktoria Volchkova, or Akiko. But all of those ladies are probably a lot smaller than they appear on the ice. Nancy Kerrigan, who looked tall and elegantly solid, with square shoulders, is only about 5 foot 4.

clairecloutier · Aug 8, 2013

Olympia said:
Because she pointed her toes, her legs looked longer to me.

As for Michelle, I don't think of her as overly large or muscular compared to someone like Irina, Viktoria Volchkova, or Akiko. But all of those ladies are probably a lot smaller than they appear on the ice. Nancy Kerrigan, who looked tall and elegantly solid, with square shoulders, is only about 5 foot 4.

A few years ago, I saw Nancy shopping at the Gap here in the Boston area. You wouldn't believe how slight & slender she was, and not tall at all. Totally different from how you'd imagine she looked, based on TV.

Olympia · Aug 8, 2013

Can you imagine what someone like Tara Lipinski would have looked like in real life at her Olympics-winning age, or gymnast Gabby Douglas? I would probably feel like Kobe Bryant next to them.

bebevia · Aug 8, 2013

Camera adds 5 pounds, lights add another 5 - that's how things are known in fashion, which is why screen entertainers and models are skinnier than general skinny people. What I notice is that ICE often adds a bit more. My friends are used to the lights+camera theory as we go through this often, but most of them thought Michelle was nowhere near skinny and Yuna, Mao were "average Asian actress/popstar skinny" - if that makes sense to anyone. However, when I told them that Michelle is actually quite skinny and Yuna, Mao were "skinnier model" skinny, they didn't believe it - until I showed them the off-ice pictures. I guess the costumes too are a factor (most of them don't compliment the body shapes whether they're pretty or not), but that they already knew.

One thing I don't understand is, just curious, why is Liza considered "wide"? I always thought she was a petite (short!) with proportionally very long legs, and her overall shape looked no more than average for a skater at most. (=skinnier than Michelle, Gracie, Ashley, who are actually slender off ice) I think she's curvy (=larger bust and hip ratio to waist) but looks even curvier because she has short torso and long legs. She also has more flesh bumps but not wider frames.

Here are pics from '12-'13:
http://photography.ice-dance.com/2011-12/cache/2011TEB/Bonus/LA/11TEB-LA-1099-LC_450.jpg (two slender-sided skaters on the sides)
http://content.clickbooq.com/86/photos/99ca20be43.jpg
http://content.clickbooq.com/86/photos/ca6118e03c.jpg
https://twitter.com/MishinCamps/status/350719618580627456/photo/1

Ashley, while she's actually skinny, I get why she's wide, because her overall frame (shoulders and torso) is quite broad - which makes her look weighty on 2D. I just didn't get that from Liza, unless we're only discussing skinnier skaters like Yuna, (past) Mao, Carolina (although that's from her height). I wonder if I'm too generous on bodies, or if I have mental-visual distortions. Possible too.

thinspread · Aug 8, 2013

I thought Sarah Meier had a nice figure for skating. Not too tall or short, well proportioned and looked athletic.

Olympia · Aug 8, 2013

You're right, thinspread! (And welcome to GoldenSkate.)

Remember that year Sarah Meier wore a catsuit as her costume? She looked just right in it, sleek but not too provocative, petite but not spindly, mature enough to carry it off with confidence and sophistication.

Mathman · Aug 8, 2013

^ :agree:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Sarah_Meier_-_2006_Skate_America.jpg

Welcome to Golden Skate, Thinspread. Post often, post long!

BlackPack · Aug 8, 2013

It seems that skaters can transcend their physical limitations through sheer determination, strength, and work ethic - all body types have won and been successful. Natalia Mishkutenok is probably the largest female elite skater there was, yet she is one of the greatest pairs skaters of all time. Lysacek and Bukin are both over 6'0 which could potentially make them gangly and awkward on the ice, but they overcame it. Domnina and Shabalin were one of the tallest ice dancing couples ever, but they were fast and powerful; they prove that "small is better for gracefulness" isn't necessarily true.

Being blessed with great genes is wonderful, but mental game and toughness is far more interesting to me than a body type.

ForeverFish · Aug 8, 2013

bebevia said:
Here are pics from '12-'13:
http://photography.ice-dance.com/2011-12/cache/2011TEB/Bonus/LA/11TEB-LA-1099-LC_450.jpg (two slender-sided skaters on the sides)
http://content.clickbooq.com/86/photos/99ca20be43.jpg
http://content.clickbooq.com/86/photos/ca6118e03c.jpg
https://twitter.com/MishinCamps/status/350719618580627456/photo/1

Ashley, while she's actually skinny, I get why she's wide, because her overall frame (shoulders and torso) is quite broad - which makes her look weighty on 2D. I just didn't get that from Liza, unless we're only discussing skinnier skaters like Yuna, (past) Mao, Carolina (although that's from her height). I wonder if I'm too generous on bodies, or if I have mental-visual distortions. Possible too.

That first picture is from the 2011-2012 season, not the 2012-2013 season -- before Liza began really struggling with puberty.

She does have a broad frame, especially when compared to skaters like Mao, Yuna, and Carolina. Liza is actually quite flat-chested for a girl her age. However, she has extremely muscular legs and shoulders, and she's only 5'1. Her legs are not incredibly long for her height (being small myself, I speak from personal experience when I say it's rare to see a short woman with "long" legs); against taller girls like Carolina (5'7) and Gracie (5'6), the difference is very pronounced. For an even more convincing juxtaposition, place Julia L and Liza side by side. You'll see almost immediately that Julia has a naturally narrower body.

In my mind, Yuna and Mao have the "ideal" forms for figure skating. They're not tall, but they appear willowy due to their long, lean legs and small, strong torsos. That's not to say that skaters with other body structures are doomed to fail, just that Yuna's coach was right years in advance when he told her that she had a frame perfectly suited for figure skating.

plushyfan · Aug 9, 2013

BlackPack said:
It seems that skaters can transcend their physical limitations through sheer determination, strength, and work ethic - all body types have won and been successful. Natalia Mishkutenok is probably the largest female elite skater there was, yet she is one of the greatest pairs skaters of all time. Lysacek and Bukin are both over 6'0 which could potentially make them gangly and awkward on the ice, but they overcame it. Domnina and Shabalin were one of the tallest ice dancing couples ever, but they were fast and powerful; they prove that "small is better for gracefulness" isn't necessarily true.

Being blessed with great genes is wonderful, but mental game and toughness is far more interesting to me than a body type.

Evan is awkward for me,too tall.

Celine · Aug 9, 2013

Short helps. Skinny also helpful. Enough muscles. Girls - small hips and boobs.
Next question.

lavender · Aug 14, 2013

That first picture is from the 2011-2012 season, not the 2012-2013 season -- before Liza began really struggling with puberty.

I was just about to mention that. Since then her body has really changed and she has struggled.

silverlake22 · Aug 17, 2013

Liza is not actually 5'1" I don't think. She is way shorter than most of her competitors and is about the same height as Radionova last season, I would say she is maybe 4'11". The Russians' skaters listed heights are mostly questionable, Adelina is listed as 5'5" but looks about 5'2" or 5'3" in pictures next to other skaters whose listed heights are more believable. Where Liza is so short she probably looks broad or heavy on TV for that reason alone but likely weighs under 90 pounds. I have a sister who is a great dancer and is about 4'10", and her legs are muscular and look thick in pictures because they are much shorter than other girls' legs and the calves proportionally wider. But her weight is only 85 and her BMI is borderline underweight, so really she is tiny, very tiny, but simply does not have that same "skinny" look many taller girls have even though she has little body fat simply because she is very short and has a lot of muscle, yet the doctor tells her she should not lose any weight because of the health problems that accompany being underweight. Liza is likely the same way.

Ice Diva · Sep 2, 2013

plushyfan said:
yessss! :agree:

Absolutely! :clap:

The Russians – past and current - have amazing physiques. I’d add Artur Dmitriev to that the past list along with Kurt Browning, and to the current list: Jeremy Abbott, Tomas Verner, Andrew Poje, Eric Radford– to name just a few – and Tessa Virtue to the women. She’s so athletic with beautiful, graceful arms and shoulders. IMO the taller skaters look better on the ice but really, whatever a skater’s body shape, the way they move, their skating skills, musicality, etc. are what count.

Note to Mrs. P – why do you go on and on about skaters (specifically women) being “fat”. Is there a fat phobia lurking somewhere?

These are elite athletes and would have body fat WAY below the average person of the same age/height so how can you even use the term “fat”? While it’s true that, depending on the body structure (& of course training regime), some athletes’ muscles bulk up in certain places more than others giving them a larger look, but also, as discussed on this forum, the camera and the way it’s angled will stretch skaters’ body parts and put on visual pounds. When you see some of these skaters in person, it’s amazing what lean machines they are.

karne · Sep 2, 2013

Ice Diva said:
Absolutely! The Russians – past and current - have amazing physiques.

I don't know about that. Plushy especially terrifies me with how skinny he is up top. But when he was peak - particularly in the Adagio/Nijinsky costume - he was spectacular, well-proportioned up top, and with a rear end that would not look out of place in a rugby scrum.

Ice Diva said:
Note to Mrs. P – why do you go on and on about skaters (specifically women) being “fat”.

Um why on earth are you targeting Mrs P? The only thing she did was move the discussion. She didn't go "on and on" about skaters being fat. I think you're confusing Mrs P with sky_fly20 who would happily see every skater she does not like develop an eating disorder and become little more than skin and bone.

Mrs. P · Sep 3, 2013

Ice Diva said:
Note to Mrs. P – why do you go on and on about skaters (specifically women) being “fat”. Is there a fat phobia lurking somewhere? These are elite athletes and would have body fat WAY below the average person of the same age/height so how can you even use the term “fat”? While it’s true that, depending on the body structure (& of course training regime), some athletes’ muscles bulk up in certain places more than others giving them a larger look, but also, as discussed on this forum, the camera and the way it’s angled will stretch skaters’ body parts and put on visual pounds. When you see some of these skaters in person, it’s amazing what lean machines they are.

Thanks karne for defending me.

For the record, here's how I started the original thread:

Okay, I feel all the weight discussion does not belong in program thread, so I'm moving it here. However, I'd prefer to discuss it more academic terms rather than if skater A is "fat" or "not fat."

So if that's going on and on about skaters....well...

plushyfan · Sep 3, 2013

karne said:
I don't know about that. Plushy especially terrifies me with how skinny he is up top. But when he was peak - particularly in the Adagio/Nijinsky costume - he was spectacular, well-proportioned up top, and with a rear end that would not look out of place in a rugby scrum.

Perfect (and sexy)body for a figure skater https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...et=o.344822137215&type=1&theater&notif_t=like
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/6/ifsc004dm8.jpg/ :yes: :love:

Icey · Sep 8, 2013

Figures aren't done anymore. lol

Is there an ideal "figure" in figure skating?

tulosai

sky_fly20

Match Penalty

Olympia

clairecloutier

Olympia

bebevia

thinspread

Olympia

Mathman

BlackPack

ForeverFish

plushyfan

Celine

lavender

silverlake22

Ice Diva

karne

in Emergency Backup Mode

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!

plushyfan

Icey

Similar threads

Connect with us