Nathan Chen
- Thread starter matmuh
- Start date
I think he just got past his ankle issues that he had at nationals and switched to new (pre-Broken in) boots a few days ago.
I think it’s a combonation if nerves, he fact that his jumps weren’t solid in practice, and maybe even the constantly changing layouts. He really wanted to do well, but he had that same white out moment.
I was so upset I had to have wine to calm down. I can’t believe this. And then I think about Gracie and honestly it makes sense.
Devastated.
I think it’s a combonation if nerves, he fact that his jumps weren’t solid in practice, and maybe even the constantly changing layouts. He really wanted to do well, but he had that same white out moment.
I was so upset I had to have wine to calm down. I can’t believe this. And then I think about Gracie and honestly it makes sense.
Devastated.
- Joined
- May 8, 2017
I hope he redeems himself in the free. The US media put too much pressure on his 18-year old shoulders. He looked nervous even during this morning's practice. Some of the pressure is off now.. Skate your heart out tomorrow, Nathan! Skate for yourself, don't mind anyone else anymore. No one else should matter but you.
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2018
So sad 
Nathan is so capable of this and we all know what he can do. But people seem to forget that he's only 18 years old! People are expecting him to bring home the gold for the US and saying how he's America's only chance of winning a gold, how he's going to medal and beat all the top skaters. There's so much pressure being put onto him! Like give the kid a break and just let him skate with passion for skating. Why does everyone expect so much for him, hes literally eighteen years old. I mean yes he's so capable of this and could definitely still medal, but this just shows what happens when people put so much pressure on you I hope he'll be in the right mindset and skate and have a fun time tomorrow during free skate
Nathan is so capable of this and we all know what he can do. But people seem to forget that he's only 18 years old! People are expecting him to bring home the gold for the US and saying how he's America's only chance of winning a gold, how he's going to medal and beat all the top skaters. There's so much pressure being put onto him! Like give the kid a break and just let him skate with passion for skating. Why does everyone expect so much for him, hes literally eighteen years old. I mean yes he's so capable of this and could definitely still medal, but this just shows what happens when people put so much pressure on you I hope he'll be in the right mindset and skate and have a fun time tomorrow during free skateI was sooo nervous, I literally wanna throw up even a couple of skaters before Nathan starts his SP.
I do not have that feeling when I watch my fav skater of all time Yuna Kim skated during her last OG.
I watched Yuzuru's practice in this OG, although he just did very few jumps, I knew he will easily pull-off a clean SP. I posted here that, it will be difficult for Nathan to catch even clean.. But I hoped for him to keep the distance as close as possible.
I wished Nathan could compete as an challenger again.
All my other concerns about Nathan, I have posted/hinted in this fan thread.
Nathan was still so nervous and tentative, he did not really figure out the real reason why he missed the TE short.
Nathan now just skate freely in your free.
I do not have that feeling when I watch my fav skater of all time Yuna Kim skated during her last OG.
I watched Yuzuru's practice in this OG, although he just did very few jumps, I knew he will easily pull-off a clean SP. I posted here that, it will be difficult for Nathan to catch even clean.. But I hoped for him to keep the distance as close as possible.
I wished Nathan could compete as an challenger again.
All my other concerns about Nathan, I have posted/hinted in this fan thread.
Nathan was still so nervous and tentative, he did not really figure out the real reason why he missed the TE short.
Nathan now just skate freely in your free.
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2003
So true. I'm so heartbroken and gutted for him. I've been thinking that he really wants it too much too soon and it's getting to him and you can see all that in his approach this year. And the media hype is not helping at all. I just pray he can work out whatever is eating him up inside and show us what he's made of tomorrow. And at Worlds.So heartbroken for him, I can hardly believe it. The world deserves to see Nathan at his best. He is capable of so much more, and hopefully we will all get a chance to see it. Nothing but love for him. Put the past in the past, and become stronger
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2015
reminding me of MAO in sochi
skating after Hanyu is hard and Nathan seemed a little distracted but i could be wrong since in team event i thought he looked nervous but he wasn't at least according to himself
this time his quad seemed all wrong technically, his body didn't even go into tight rotation after take-off
also wondering how much his injuries is affecting
not too upset since i kinda saw it coming in skate america
skating after Hanyu is hard and Nathan seemed a little distracted but i could be wrong since in team event i thought he looked nervous but he wasn't at least according to himself
this time his quad seemed all wrong technically, his body didn't even go into tight rotation after take-off
also wondering how much his injuries is affecting
not too upset since i kinda saw it coming in skate america
lack of confidence of himself after opening quad lutz fall, changed to easier quad. still not working.
he thought going tentative, slower into his jump would help him land the jump, but that is not the way.
He needs to figure out for himself.
That seems to be his way. He needs to have things blow up in his face before he learns.
Nathan's practice during this OG is positive, literally landed twice the number of quads as any other skaters, and his successful rate is also okay.
otherwise, Jackie Wong won't think him would win the Gold, Jackie watched every practice, and he is very knowledgable of figure skating himself.
otherwise, Jackie Wong won't think him would win the Gold, Jackie watched every practice, and he is very knowledgable of figure skating himself.
Just over-all too much variations in terms of Nathan's approach this season
1, 5 different kind of quads are very difficult to maintain high consistency(for all of them) than just 2,3 different kinds of quad
2, random changing lay-out, my opinion that is not the best way to increase consistency (especially when you are doing 4,5 different kinds of quads), how do you get familiar with your jump entry patterns, not by going slow and tentative, but through repeat the same entry/pattern using more or less fixed lay-out
3, no complete full-program run-thru, in OG, pressure will only be higher, how could you expect you can every time to lucky enough to pull it off. How would you expect that you will magically interpret every details and nuances of your program choreo under pressure in competition without doing it fully, completely in practice.
...
...
...
...
Nathan is still a once in a generation skater, otherwise, he won't be able to do 5 different kinds of quads, he won't be able to improvise with success at times.
but he needs to figure out the correct way to become the greatest figure skater.
Hope Nathan can just skate freely tomorrow, and afterwards, there will be a long reflection about everything.
Hope he can figure it out.
1, 5 different kind of quads are very difficult to maintain high consistency(for all of them) than just 2,3 different kinds of quad
2, random changing lay-out, my opinion that is not the best way to increase consistency (especially when you are doing 4,5 different kinds of quads), how do you get familiar with your jump entry patterns, not by going slow and tentative, but through repeat the same entry/pattern using more or less fixed lay-out
3, no complete full-program run-thru, in OG, pressure will only be higher, how could you expect you can every time to lucky enough to pull it off. How would you expect that you will magically interpret every details and nuances of your program choreo under pressure in competition without doing it fully, completely in practice.
...
...
...
...
Nathan is still a once in a generation skater, otherwise, he won't be able to do 5 different kinds of quads, he won't be able to improvise with success at times.
but he needs to figure out the correct way to become the greatest figure skater.
Hope Nathan can just skate freely tomorrow, and afterwards, there will be a long reflection about everything.
Hope he can figure it out.
I know were all disappointed. Heaven knows, Nathan is.
It’s so easy to get caught out in this belief that someone is invincible. Ana that what the world did. Nathan was a kid that hasn’t even placed af worlds. How was he supposed to deal with the expectations of the entire nation?
I think his team got spoiled. At CoR he switched his layout on a dime. Because he know his 4Lo wasn’t working. At nationals, he turned his bad practices around by Skating two near clean skate. Of course we’d get overconfident! But he’s just a kid! All these endorsements and commercials? USFS and USOC were so desperate for a star they forgot that. than need space to become that star.
I don’t know what happens tomorrow, or the next quad, but I know that Nathan is an amazing talent. I’m his fan from now until forever. He’ll bounce back from this. Just wait and see.
It’s so easy to get caught out in this belief that someone is invincible. Ana that what the world did. Nathan was a kid that hasn’t even placed af worlds. How was he supposed to deal with the expectations of the entire nation?
I think his team got spoiled. At CoR he switched his layout on a dime. Because he know his 4Lo wasn’t working. At nationals, he turned his bad practices around by Skating two near clean skate. Of course we’d get overconfident! But he’s just a kid! All these endorsements and commercials? USFS and USOC were so desperate for a star they forgot that. than need space to become that star.
I don’t know what happens tomorrow, or the next quad, but I know that Nathan is an amazing talent. I’m his fan from now until forever. He’ll bounce back from this. Just wait and see.
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2018
First, I’d like to thank all who have contributed/shared info to this thread the last 2 1/2 years since I’ve found it. I have always enjoyed figure skating since I was a kid but ventured to snowboarding as it became same old music/routines with inconsistent scoring, until I saw Nathan winning his bronze at the US Men’s championship and became a fan.
This is my first post and it landed on a sad day, since I’m no technician and has limited knowledge of the sport, just want to say Nathan you’ve done well except at this Olympics. Be it your age vs experience or mounting pressure from all sides, I’m your fan for life because of how you revolutionized the sport and love your quirky personality. I trust you will reflect and let go of what’s weighing you, I know you will come back to fulfill your dream (do it for yourself). Enjoy your excellent FS tomorrow! See you in May~
Thanks again for the wonderful sharing I’ve anonymously enjoyed the last two so years.
This is my first post and it landed on a sad day, since I’m no technician and has limited knowledge of the sport, just want to say Nathan you’ve done well except at this Olympics. Be it your age vs experience or mounting pressure from all sides, I’m your fan for life because of how you revolutionized the sport and love your quirky personality. I trust you will reflect and let go of what’s weighing you, I know you will come back to fulfill your dream (do it for yourself). Enjoy your excellent FS tomorrow! See you in May~
Thanks again for the wonderful sharing I’ve anonymously enjoyed the last two so years.
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2016
Honestly I think its the layouts. When a skater is under pressure they need to be able to go on auto pilot. I have no idea what they were thinking but I also had a sinking feeling all season this would happen. He's young, he's had a lot of hype surrounding him and hasn't put out 2 clean programs all season. It was bound to happen. He needs to learn how to respond to this and no one else can do that for him. He could put it all out lights out in the free or he could be tentative again. I think that everything that has happened is nerves he looked off before the program began.
Yes, it is the layout causing all the problems.
I don't think Nathan has done his LP with the same jump layout twice all season long. Then lately, he even altered the jump layout of his SP. This tells me that he doesn't train the same programs on a daily basis. Other top skaters pretty much set their programs at the beginning of the season. Even if they make adjustments, they are minor. Nathan's constant tweaking his jump layout is obviously approved by his coach. As a matter of fact, I remember at Worlds last year, his coach even revealed to the news media that they had not decided on the jump layout of the LP. My question at the time was: how did Nathan train on a daily basis?
When competing against the best skaters in the world at Worlds or the Olympics, he gets nervous, and he does not have the muscle memory built on training the same programs every day to fall back on.
He needs to have a coach to stop this.
Yes, he has more quads in his arsenal.
But he needs to train the same programs every day like other champions do.
Look, we pretty much know what Yuzuru, Javier, Shoma, Boyang will do in their LP. But do you have any idea what Nathan plans to do in his LP? I don't, because I cannot find two identical jump layout from him all season long. This is a serious issue, and I cannot believe his coach would allow this.
I am really sad for him.
I don't think Nathan has done his LP with the same jump layout twice all season long. Then lately, he even altered the jump layout of his SP. This tells me that he doesn't train the same programs on a daily basis. Other top skaters pretty much set their programs at the beginning of the season. Even if they make adjustments, they are minor. Nathan's constant tweaking his jump layout is obviously approved by his coach. As a matter of fact, I remember at Worlds last year, his coach even revealed to the news media that they had not decided on the jump layout of the LP. My question at the time was: how did Nathan train on a daily basis?
When competing against the best skaters in the world at Worlds or the Olympics, he gets nervous, and he does not have the muscle memory built on training the same programs every day to fall back on.
He needs to have a coach to stop this.
Yes, he has more quads in his arsenal.
But he needs to train the same programs every day like other champions do.
Look, we pretty much know what Yuzuru, Javier, Shoma, Boyang will do in their LP. But do you have any idea what Nathan plans to do in his LP? I don't, because I cannot find two identical jump layout from him all season long. This is a serious issue, and I cannot believe his coach would allow this.
I am really sad for him.
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2016
Yes exactly. This is what was going on all season and it started last season. It's a disaster for him, how was he supposed to go in with that pressure and those nerves with no consistency in training? I think Rafael needs to re-evaluate seriously. He needs to train a consistent program like he did the first part of the season last year. You can make minor tweaks as the season goes on but consistency is what allows other skaters to make it through the nervous knees and the pressure. He had issues and worlds and I knew he would have issues her, they really need to change to a normal routine.
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2016
Agreed. I understand changing a layout because of injury, and there is a hint of that with the disappearing and reappearing 4Lz perhaps, but the constantly changing layouts were absurd. You want to be rehearsed and rely on muscle memory and familiarity as much as possible - especially when nervous. I think it's ridiculous what Raf did and I don't understand it. NBC's hype machine I think partially consumed Nathan, just like the hype machine consumed Yulia last time around, but if he had a consistent plan I think he had a much better chance of handling it all. For god's sake, I don't even think they decided his SP layout last week after changing it for Nationals.
I've been pounding it for months that what Raf was doing was malpractice and I think this was borne out here. Just because the kid can throw around all sorts of quads doesn't mean he can do it with ease in competition.
Anyway, I'm gutted for him and I can't even begin to imagine what's he's dealing with. It's one thing not to win or podium, but to have a disaster like this, just terrible for him.
Similar threads
