When technique is being re-worked...

[skateboy]

...should elite skaters be competing during the process?

It makes me sad to see skaters such as Mao, Denis Ten and others skating far below their capabilities, when they're in the middle of changing technique. Of course they're going to bomb--technical changes take time.

Is there a point to having these skaters compete when they're reworking everything? Is it better to wait until they've established more of a comfort zone?

[C_T_T_]

Doing things in practice is differnet to doing it in competition. They may be able to do the jumps in practice but under the pressure of competition, it's not quite there. The only way to get something consistant in competition is to compete.

[sk8er1964]

^^ This.

[briancoogaert]

...should elite skaters be competing during the process?

It makes me sad to see skaters such as Mao, Denis Ten and others skating far below their capabilities, when they're in the middle of changing technique. Of course they're going to bomb--technical changes take time.

They are not skating below their capabilities if they change their technique for a better technique.
I mean, I don't care about bad 3 Flutz. Give me a beautiful 2 Lutz ala Dorothy Hamil any day !
IMO, it's very courageous to rework their technique. It shows a great sportmanship and work ethic. I have much respect for those skaters !

[Aussie Willy]

It is very courageous for skaters to rework technique. First they have had to recognise a problem but then want to do something about it. Putting programs out there with jumps they are basically relearning is part of the learning process.

However it does amaze me sometimes that skaters have been allowed to develop poor technique in their development phase.

[southernskater]

\However it does amaze me sometimes that skaters have been allowed to develop poor technique in their development phase.

I really don't understand this either. I am not a "competitive" skater at all, but my single Lutz technique was iffy and I really didn't care. I was just a pre-pre skater at the time and it wasn't that big of a deal to me. Well my coach made me change my techique and I'm glad she did. It was really frustrating to spend hours working on something I felt that I already knew how to do, but apparently I did not . I don't understand why this never happened to a tiny Caroline Zhang or other skaters with questionalbe techniques. My Lutz is really nice most of the time now, if you were wondering lol and I'm glad I was forced to change it even though I will never work on a double or a triple.

[jlai]

However it does amaze me sometimes that skaters have been allowed to develop poor technique in their development phase.

I guess the same reason some manage to get through school without mastering certain basic skills...

[AxelAnnie]

It is very courageous for skaters to rework technique. First they have had to recognise a problem but then want to do something about it. Putting programs out there with jumps they are basically relearning is part of the learning process.

However it does amaze me sometimes that skaters have been allowed to develop poor technique in their development phase.

Agree a thousand percent. I am amazed when skaters make it to senior level with such horrid technique.

As to skating while re-working....that has to take a huge amount of courage. I think you have to ..... to keep your name out there...but it has got to be brutal. Huge results, though. Ask Joannie.

[Aussie Willy]

Well I had the same with a coach who made sure I could do a backspin correctly. And we spent so much time getting it right.

Although it seems as if skaters who end up doing a backspin on a forward inside edge think they are doing a proper backspin because they have seen the top skaters do a change of edge to get a feature. They don't seem to get you need to know how to do a correct backspin before you can attempt the forward inside.

I find it heartbreaking to watch talented young kids develop bad technique because the coaches they have are not correcting it.

[southernskater]

I find it heartbreaking to watch talented young kids develop bad technique because the coaches they have are not correcting it.

Yes it really is. There are a few girls like this at my rink and I hold my breath every time one of them attempts a jump. Its really very dangerous and scary.

[briancoogaert]

Yes it really is. There are a few girls like this at my rink and I hold my breath every time one of them attempts a jump. Its really very dangerous and scary.

That's so true. I had the same feeling during a summer camp. Scary jumps !