Zhang's speed and basic skating

[krenseby]

People say that Zhang crawls across the ice and has terrible basic skating?

If her speed is one of the reasons that she loses PCS, isn't her coach smart enough to have noticed this as well and let Caroline know that she needs to be faster?

It shouldn't be all too difficult to speed up at least for stretches of skating, if not for the whole program. Does Zhang have a stamina problem that has to do with too little athletic training?

Has she ever had a performance where she did skate really fast?

(P.S: I haven't mentioned anything about Nationals, to skirt from "spoiling" the competition, if it should still stay unspoiled.)

 

[rtureck]

People say that Zhang crawls across the ice and has terrible basic skating?

If her speed is one of the reasons that she loses PCS, isn't her coach smart enough to have noticed this as well and let Caroline know that she needs to be faster?

It shouldn't be all too difficult to speed up at least for stretches of skating, if not for the whole program. Does Zhang have a stamina problem that has to do with too little athletic training?

She is only 14, I think strength is a factor, not necessarily stamina. She is slow, and ice coverage is lacking. She has nice edges though, at least in her COE spiral, see how deep the inside edge is. She is capable of doing nice transitions, e.g. from an ina to a spiral etc.

 

[carolinefan177]

People say that Zhang crawls across the ice and has terrible basic skating?

If her speed is one of the reasons that she loses PCS, isn't her coach smart enough to have noticed this as well and let Caroline know that she needs to be faster?

It shouldn't be all too difficult to speed up at least for stretches of skating, if not for the whole program. Does Zhang have a stamina problem that has to do with too little athletic training?

Has she ever had a performance where she did skate really fast?

(P.S: I haven't mentioned anything about Nationals, to skirt from "spoiling" the competition, if it should still stay unspoiled.)

I think it is definately a stamina issue. I just don't know if her body can handle the speed that's needed throughout her programs, and it seems like when she gets nervous, her speed issues become worse and unfortunately all too obvious. When NBC aired the coverage with her and Kwan (that's not spoiling is it?), I think it was clear that she was working on speed when she slammed into the boards. Really, the best thing she could do is work on her upper body strength (to help her with the pump technique that she has with her jumps) and working the summer addressing the speed and edging issues for at least part of her training sessions. I don't know though because it seems like in her exhibitions she is a lot faster, so it may be a nerves thing.

 

[feraina]

Her coach Mingzhu Li said after GPF that their top priority is to increase her speed/flow. But speed/strength takes a long time to improve, it's not something you can just improve dramatically over the course of a few weeks (except just after a major debilitating injury or something).

Also, I think Caroline slows down a lot when she gets nervous. She was awfully nervous on Thursday night in the SP.

 

[jesslily]

Caroline just needs power and speed. She is a very small girl. She needs time to develop physically. Good nutrition and workinging on her strength will help. I hope her coach and parents do not control tightly about what she should or should not eat.

 

[Tinymavy15]

i do not think it is stamina... it could just be security issue. IN pratcice i have to say that she is fast.... much faster than she skates in competition. Mnay skaters have bad habits that they fall back on when they are nervous or under pressure. Caroline is a very tiny girl, i cannot imgine that her tiny stick-like limbs could carry her across the ice with as much speed and power as somone twice her weight. I think that also she is more comfortable going into her jumps slowly, esp the axel... she has a bad habit of slowing down almost to a standstill before entering it. Amazing that she lands them.

 

[BelleFilleYuna]

I don't think Caroline being small and tiny is the main reason for slow skating. I noticed current skaters, when they were at Caroline's height and tiny, still had great speed.
I think it's something you need to work on. I hope she could have proper training to work on her issues. I think it will come as time goes by.

BTW that little fluff with Michelle was really pleasing to watch. I forgot how charismatic MK was. She still shines simply gliding on the ice. Caroline is so lucky to have her as her mentor.

 

[carolinefan177]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2iPT-xqhfA
Here's the fluff piece if anyone is interested....looks like Caroline hit the boards pretty hard.

 

[feraina]

Oh, that fluff piece is so cute, thanks for posting it! I missed it on TV.

It's so funny where she turns around to look at Kimmie in awe and timidity. It's like she couldn't believe how much taller Kimmie was (seemed more than a head taller there). LOL

And she actually said, "Wow, I wish someday I could be Michelle." Not even be "like Michelle" but "be Michelle". So much for all these people who insist Caroline is her own self and not Michelle or anyone else.

Actually, there's no danger of Caroline being like Michelle, her style is quite different. But if she could gain Michelle's consistency and heart-felt expressions, that would be a total boon for her. I did think, though, that in the few scenes showing her skating on ice with Michelle, she looked a little more like Michelle, though maybe that perception is encouraged by the TV crew's deliberate arrangements.

 

[kyla2]

Caroline

She is tiny and I think that is part of the problem. Bigger skaters get much more ice coverage i.e. Carolina at 5 feet 6 inches. I think as she grows and matures she will get more speed. I am not owrried about her speed and it isn't all that bad now. She is a gorgeous skater,as is Mirai.

 

[oleada]

I disagree about it being her size. Mirai is equally small and gets plenty of speed and ice coverage, as did Mao and Yu-Na when they were Caroline's age. It's definitely something she needs to work on.

 

[rtureck]

I disagree about it being her size. Mirai is equally small and gets plenty of speed and ice coverage, as did Mao and Yu-Na when they were Caroline's age. It's definitely something she needs to work on.

Totally agree. How about Tara at 14, she had speed. If it is a stamina issue (I understand stamina as having enough cardio respiratory power, enough wind) to not give out at the end of the progam. Caroline is slow throughout the entire program, therefore I believe it is her strength and not stamina that is the issue.

 

[Tinymavy15]

i agree that she should start doing cardiovascular training to build her endurance and strength, but she should be careful not to bulk up or put on too much muslce too fast. This will affect her weight, body shape and thus throw off her jumps.

 

[luckyguy]

The biggest problem of Caroline Zhang are her jumps. As senior she will probably never beat girls like Rachael Flatt, Mirai Nagasu or Ashley Wagner.

 

[carolinefan177]

The biggest problem of Caroline Zhang are her jumps. As senior she will probably never beat girls like Rachael Flatt, Mirai Nagasu or Ashley Wagner.

Don't ever count Caroline out. She already has a higher senior personal best than Ashley. It's much to soon to make such rash conclusions

 

[krenseby]

The biggest problem of Caroline Zhang are her jumps. As senior she will probably never beat girls like Rachael Flatt, Mirai Nagasu or Ashley Wagner.

And yes it is her PCS scores which disadvantage her significantly in comparison to all the ladies listed above........

 

[oleada]

Just wanted to mention that Angela Maxwell is even smaller than Nagasu and Zhang and has tons of speed as well, and bigger jumps than both of them, imo. The height and ice coverage she gets on her 3toe-3toe is really impressive!

Sorry, I was watching the Junior ladies FS on ice network and her speed really impressed me.

 

[layman]

I think that Caroline can develop her speed and edge quality.

When Surya Bonaly was her age (there are some nice youtube videos of Surya at the 1988 Jr. World Championships) she was also slow and had a tendency to slow down in the approach to her jumps but as Surya grew older she became one of the fastest skaters in the business, who bombed into her jumps (skating slang for approaching jumps with explosive speed).

Ditto for Jenny Kirk. When she won the 2000 Jr. Worlds she was super slow but by the 2004 season she had tremendously improved her speed and edge quality.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Just wanted to mention that Angela Maxwell is even smaller than Nagasu and Zhang and has tons of speed as well, and bigger jumps than both of them, imo. The height and ice coverage she gets on her 3toe-3toe is really impressive!

Sorry, I was watching the Junior ladies FS on ice network and her speed really impressed me.

I agree Angela is a speed skater.Ashley Wagner is also speedy.and she skates with abandon. I once called her Wonder Woman on Ice because of her red,white and blue costume.

Ashley does not have the finesse of Caroline. but she is more geared to being competitive in events. Everyone loves the flexibility of Caroline and she goes over well in exhibitions, but the flexibility is not enough in competition.

My suggestion for Caroline is to skate practices from April - end August with a variety of music to get used to skating faster. She will then skate faster to an upbeat tempo. Mirai has already done that.

Joe

 

[Eddie Lee]

I disagree about it being her size. Mirai is equally small and gets plenty of speed and ice coverage, as did Mao and Yu-Na when they were Caroline's age. It's definitely something she needs to work on.

Indeed. Mirai is lightening on ice. Much more amazing in person than on the television screen. I believe she was the fastest at Nationals. And she was among the smallest. So size is not a sufficient explanation.