Has Mirai Nagasu had a growth spurt?

[AwesomeIce]

Just found two recent clips of Mirai Nagasu .

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=uQI9RVWa-xA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTUPQIcDN50&NR=1

She seems to have had a big growth spurt and gained some weight.

HOLY CRAP. I cannot even comment much on either her skating or her appearance because I couldn't stand all those screamers in the audience! What was up with that? They were going berserk over a simple flying camel! I know that skaters have to be able to perform for an audience, but that had to be distracting! That hair-do was distracting for me, who on earth ever told Mirai that she should wear her hair like that?????

 

[silverfox]

Here's the transcript of Charlene Wong's comments about Mirai's growth:

She has what Icall her new body. Because, during last season she grew quite a bit. And she not only grew, but her shape, it changed a little bit, and I am so grateful. Now I feel she has a body that looks very strong. It shows her strength more than in the past ..she was very frail Now she looks strong... and very flexible.

So this year it's going to be very exciting for her. I'll have a chance to see what works and doesn't work in our training strategy.

 

[passion]

Her body reminds me a lot like Yuka Sato's body. More muscular rather than thin and lanky like Yu Na Kim, but still in proportion. She does seemed to have filled out (muscles have grown).

It's funny how people's bodies develop. Some stretch long and lean while others just become more compact. I geuss it has a lot to do with genetics, though I believe to much jumping during the growing phase can also shorten you.

 

[nubka]

Wow, I think she looks fantastic! I even liked her hair...

Thanks for the links.

 

[lmarie086]

Wow thanks for those links! All the screaming was a bit much, but I enjoyed watching Mirai skate nevertheless. She has a great fluidity to the way she moves across the ice. I find her very graceful. I'll admit that I hadn't been a Mirai fan before (the hype was a bit much...as it is indeed for other skaters), but these videos are definitely convincing.
The hair-do was a bit much though.

 

[flying camel]

She does look like she has grown up a lot since last year. She reminds me of that girl that use to train with Sasha that is skating pairs now. I can't remember her name.

 

[Mathman]

^ Naomi Nari Nam.

I think ChrisH is right about the "letterbox" screen in the videos. It's stretched out so everything looks wider than it really is.

That was great. Still a work in progress, but, yes, more maturity and flow than last year.

As for the screams of the audience, hey, that's the bread-and-butter of show business. Make 'em laugh, make 'em cry, make 'em shout and and always leave 'em wanting more.

 

[PaulE]

Make 'em laugh, )

I'm really glad there may be other Donald O'Conner fans out there:agree:.

 

[smaac]

I like her new look.

It is important that skaters begin to show that maturity, not only in the techincal aspects, but also in how they look. It was the one thing I felt they never did with Kimmie--'the grow her up' thing. It's the one thing I fell hurt hurt.

I know it's the skating thats important, it is a sport. But there is also the artistic side, which I feel is enhanced by the full package deal, including the technical and the look. Like the transtition MIchelle Kwan made.

 

[bethissoawesome]

She does appear to be significantly bigger than she was last year at Nats... she looks like a healthy 15 year old girl.... but it's still hard to tell just from these videos. I guess we'll have to see whether it affects her performance or not this year. I couldn't help but think that she kept looking slightly off balance at parts during the first video in the yellow dress (beautiful program) and that it looks like she lost a bit of leg strength since it seemed like she struggled a bit with her spiral moves and the I spings. Her Ina Bauer was GREAT though.

 

[Eddie Lee]

Having watched Marai at the last two nationals and witnessing the delightful lightness, speed and energy in her skating, I must say these performances under discussion are a bit jarring. It is not only the obvious "maturity"--to use a euphemism--but also her struggle in the limited jumping passes in the programs that is puzzling and unsettling. Hopefully what we're seeing here are video distortions and early- or off-season attempts. Hurry up GP season and settle our anxieties!

 

[oleada]

I'd be shocked if any skater around Mirai's age didn't go through some growth spurt.

I know Mirai had a (mild) ankle injury, which is why she withdrew from Golden West, so maybe that's why she's struggling with some jumping passes.

 

[mycelticblessing]

"And don't forget that some of these skaters actually read these boards. "

SO TRUE!!! I think sometimes people forget skaters are real true people, just like any normal person off the street, not robots. Please don't say rude things about their weight. It is one think to say so-and-so seems to be struggling with her jumps, but it is another to make rude comments about something they can't control. The bottom line is they are people with feelings just like anyone, and we want them to know the fans support them. Even the skaters you may personally not enjoy are dedicating their life to this sport and deserve respect as human beings.

I think everyone has been very respectful of the skaters on this board. Even when talking about weight, everyone has been sensitive about it, and it was simply an honest remark. I think talking about weight is fine, as long as it is not rude. We definitely 'respect (them) as human beings'.

 

[AwesomeIce]

I think everyone has been very respectful of the skaters on this board. Even when talking about weight, everyone has been sensitive about it, and it was simply an honest remark. I think talking about weight is fine, as long as it is not rude. We definitely 'respect (them) as human beings'.

ITA. Its not like anyone called anybody fat or chubby or plump or anything like that. Discussions of a skater's growth is totally appropriate as it relates to the athlete's ability to rotate quickly in the air, land their jumps, etc.

 

[Blades of Passion]

You try being a 14 or 15-year-old (with all the inherent insecurities that go with being that age, along with the vulnerability to eating disorders of both teenage girls and figure skaters to battle with) going through puberty in the public eye because you are competing in a sport, and having a bunch of judgmental people blogging about every photo and video taken of you and whether or not you look like you have gained a pound, then sniffing "well, no one is forcing her to compete, so we have a right to pick on her weight if we want to."

And don't forget that some of these skaters actually read these boards.

So, basically, you would rather skirt around any issue that is actually worth talking about.

I prefer to ascertain life as it actually is.

When you put yourself into the public eye, you are open to any and all criticism.

 

[libby]

So, basically, you would rather skirt around any issue that is actually worth talking about.

I prefer to ascertain life as it actually is.

That is a really, really ignorant and wildly absurd extrapolation of what I said. We weren't talking about "any issue that is actually worth talking about", we were talking about the weight of a 15-year-old girl going through puberty. HUGE difference - and if you honestly cannot see that, then there is no point in trying to have any reasonable discussion with you at all.

When you put yourself into the public eye, you are open to any and all criticism.

Are you serious? :sheesh: What about unfair and untrue criticism? What about hurtful criticism aimed at children whose only crime is entering a sport they enjoy and happening to be good at it?

Whether you like it or not, teenage girls in particular are going through a time when their self-esteem is at the lowest it will ever be (yes, there are many studies that have proven this) and body image and our society's obsession with extremely skinny females is a big part of that. To say "too bad, if they are in the public eye, they have opened themselves up to any kind of criticism" is just plain unkind. No teenage girl needs to hear people speculating on whether or not she has put on a few pounds - and frankly, no one needs to speculate on it. Just assume that all people will gain some weight when they go through puberty, because of course they will.

And that, "Blades of Passion", is life as it actually is. hwell: Ascertain that.

 

[Blades of Passion]

That is a really, really ignorant and wildly absurd extrapolation of what I said. We weren't talking about "any issue that is actually worth talking about", we were talking about the weight of a 15-year-old girl going through puberty. HUGE difference - and if you honestly cannot see that, then there is no point in trying to have any reasonable discussion with you at all.

Nobody has said anything bad about Mirai's weight; not sure what you're going on about. You've simply wanted to avoid the subject, when talking about how puberty may affect a skater is completely relevant?

Are you serious? :sheesh: What about unfair and untrue criticism? What about hurtful criticism aimed at children whose only crime is entering a sport they enjoy and happening to be good at it?

Haven't heard any of that in here.

Whether you like it or not, teenage girls in particular are going through a time when their self-esteem is at the lowest it will ever be (yes, there are many studies that have proven this) and body image and our society's obsession with extremely skinny females is a big part of that. To say "too bad, if they are in the public eye, they have opened themselves up to any kind of criticism" is just plain unkind. No teenage girl needs to hear people speculating on whether or not she has put on a few pounds - and frankly, no one needs to speculate on it. Just assume that all people will gain some weight when they go through puberty, because of course they will.

It's not unkind at all. Perhaps people need to hear these facts of life to help them understand what they are going through and accept what is happening.

Criticism is good. It fosters thought. People in this thread have talked about how Mirai's growth seems to maybe be hindering her jumping. I don't hear any off-base comments. If a competitor can't handle people talking about what they need to improve upon, how are they ever going to have the mental toughness to deliver consistently in competitions?

 

[libby]

If a competitor can't handle people talking about what they need to improve upon, how are they ever going to have the mental toughness to deliver consistently in competitions?

Gee, how thoughtful of you. Because it's not like these young skaters have coaches or anything to tell them what they need to do to improve their skating. Fortunately, they can always turn to strangers on message boards scrutinizing their changing bodies to make them better skaters!

 

[silver.blades]

Why does a simple comment like "she looks like she gained weight" cause so much controversy? It's a visual observation and has no positive or negative aspects to it. Gaining weight isn't always a bad thing. I gained 10 pounds this summer and I'm in better shape than I've ever been. Society is way to sensitive to the subject of weight. It's almost impossible to describe someone who's not thin or slender without insulting them and even the mention of weight gain is interpreted as an insult.

 

[Mafke]

Why does a simple comment like "she looks like she gained weight" cause so much controversy? It's a visual observation and has no positive or negative aspects to it.

Exactly! When I finally looked at the videos my first thought was that there was some weight gain from last season, my second was "Good! She needed it!"
The sooner she gets through the perfectly normal bodily changes ahead of her the sooner, with any luck, she'll adjust to them.