Mirai Nagasu

[Olympia]

The interesting thing with Mirai's program in general is that they often give you a completely different feeling if they are done cleanly (at least for my naked eye!) and not like for example Lepisto's that looks good overall despite several technical errors.
I love this wow feeling I get when Mirai is "on" like her Nationals 10 SP/LP, Olympic SP/LP, Worlds 10 SP and 4CC LP...That is when she is number 1 for me

That's a very interesting point and a wonderful description. You're right that some skaters pull you in and give the wow feeling even if they mess up an element or so--Stephane Lambiel is one such for me, and Sasha, of course.

So we have to hope that Mirai is just clean as a whistle throughout this season!


But I'm thrilled for her about Nebelhorn, u/r calls or not. Blimey, what a way to start the season.

 

[mskater93]

I haven't seen her LP, but I thought the "<" call on the Lutz in the SP was ticky tack as it was less than a quarter short. I think she's much further along than she usually is at this time of the season and she seems much better trained and sure of what she's doing.

 

[oksanafan]

Coverage of various skaters from the Long Program, including Mirai

Long Program - Various Skaters

 

[kalle]

Coverage of various skaters from the Long Program, including Mirai

Long Program - Various Skaters

Her whole LP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52mq1HV1L_4&feature=youtu.be

 

[christinaskater]

Beautiful program! She has improved so much! She is ready to make her move!

 

[Pikachuusb]

I am hoping for a great season for her this year I wish her the best of luck

 

[blue dog]

This year, I am looking for Mirai to bomb every competition and finish no higher than 7th each time out, starting with the summer comps...

UGH too late to try reverse psychology with the skate gods

I hope Mirai's career begins an upward trajectory this year that none of us have seen from an American woman since the latter half of the 90's.

 

[lavender]

I like this year's program better but was is going on with the music cuts. They just don't flow to me. Last year's program felt the same way imo.

 

[jeff goldblum]

And here is her exhibition number from Nebelhorn:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSdjFhmZbyQ

This skate really highlights everything that's so good about her skating: the landings are smooth and controlled, the spins are fast and well-positioned and her presentation quality has a beautiful lightness. She needs to start skating like this in competition. I understand there are a lot more elements to tackle in a long program and that she does seem to have some issue with nerves and stamina affecting her jumps. I have just never understood the idea that skaters should be any less well conditioned at the beginning of the season than the end. They should be maintaining the endurance necessary to skate a long program through the entire year. Anyway, good luck to her this season.

 

[demarinis5]

^Thanks. That was lovely.

 

[fscric]

Can she ditch that catch foot I-spin for good? That is one of the ugliest moves by any skater.

 

[Vash01]

Can she ditch that catch foot I-spin for good? That is one of the ugliest moves by any skater.

I hate the I-spin and I blame Sasha Cohen for introducing it. Now every lady skater feels like she must show her flexibility by doing that spin. Even Sasha did not look pretty doing that spin.

 

[fscric]

Sasha might be the one introducing it, her's is ugly. In fact, I think Mirai's already the most pleasing as her back is usually straight when doing it, but this spin is just plain ugly.

 

[christinaskater]

I love Mirai, her short and long program are both beautiful.

Winning her first event is a very good way to start the season and hopefully she is going to get stronger and stronger as each competition comes and hopefully she skates magnificently in the nationals and grab at top 1 or 2 spot and finish 2-3rd in the Worlds SP and have a lights out performance in the free skate.

 

[kalle]

And here is her exhibition number from Nebelhorn:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSdjFhmZbyQ

This skate really highlights everything that's so good about her skating: the landings are smooth and controlled, the spins are fast and well-positioned and her presentation quality has a beautiful lightness. She needs to start skating like this in competition. I understand there are a lot more elements to tackle in a long program and that she does seem to have some issue with nerves and stamina affecting her jumps. I have just never understood the idea that skaters should be any less well conditioned at the beginning of the season than the end. They should be maintaining the endurance necessary to skate a long program through the entire year. Anyway, good luck to her this season.

Very nice!
I noticed, she spins faster again and she gets good height on her jumps.She looks like she is ready for the GP's this year and I am sure another month on the practice ice will do her good.It is not like it is a "new" Mirai but it seems like the motivation is there and the way she spoke in a recent interview left me with the impression that she has really grown up mentally speaking and want to to do well now, not just for the coaches and the public but also for herself.

 

[mskater93]

I have just never understood the idea that skaters should be any less well conditioned at the beginning of the season than the end. They should be maintaining the endurance necessary to skate a long program through the entire year. Anyway, good luck to her this season.

Because when you get a new program, the pacing is totally different than the one before (unless you just change music and drop the old program on top of it). That means you have to learn where your breathing spots are versus where they were and how/where to set up the element versus where it was before. Also, skaters don't skate program, program, program during the "off time" in the periodization schedule. There is a peridoization chart for training that good coaches use (or use a modification of) to maintain the physical well being of their skaters. In the "off time" the skater is working on new elements and likely new choreography, not program, program, program. New choreography doesn't come just *like that* either - basically you work on a section at a time and then put the whole thing together and then actually start doing the elements. And when you are working on the sections, there may be a sticky point or two that you have to work through or even work with the choreographer to change to make it fit the concept and be something that looks good on you. There may be a section that's trickier than others when you first learn the program that you really focus on in practice (and maybe you run that section multiple times).

 

[christinaskater]

I love Mirai!
Amazing start.

Areas of improvement:

Work on facial expressions- feel the music down to her soul.

Let the music flow through her body- more ballet lessons and dance lessons could help her

Watch herself on the mirror with her moves when practicing and video tape herself so that she could see areas of weakness.

Jumps have improved- a little more height is good. Spins, spirals are the best in the business!

Hire a sports psychologist to make her mentally tougher.

She needs to believe in herself that she can do it and she is the best!

 

[vlaurend]

Because when you get a new program, the pacing is totally different than the one before (unless you just change music and drop the old program on top of it). That means you have to learn where your breathing spots are versus where they were and how/where to set up the element versus where it was before. Also, skaters don't skate program, program, program during the "off time" in the periodization schedule. There is a periodization chart for training that good coaches use (or use a modification of) to maintain the physical well being of their skaters. In the "off time" the skater is working on new elements and likely new choreography, not program, program, program. New choreography doesn't come just *like that* either - basically you work on a section at a time and then put the whole thing together and then actually start doing the elements. And when you are working on the sections, there may be a sticky point or two that you have to work through or even work with the choreographer to change to make it fit the concept and be something that looks good on you. There may be a section that's trickier than others when you first learn the program that you really focus on in practice (and maybe you run that section multiple times).

Exactly. Could not have said it better! And in Mirai's case, sometimes the underrotations are caused by nerves, not just being physically tired. For example, you'll typically see more underrotations in her long program--even at the beginning of the program--because she is less confident going into the long program.

 

[Jammers]

Yes exactly. She gets so nervous that she forgets to just skate and thinks too much. Her nerves are what has been holding her back. I don't know if she will ever conquer them.

 

[christinaskater]

She has been able to conquer them in the past!