Adam and that danged tripe axel

[foreverkwanfan]

Will he ever get it? It seems like he should have gotten it over the summer. Maybe he was nervous at skate Canada, I hope at least because without a 90% 3axel he won't get on podiums. It is frustrating and I am sure it is for him too.
I'm wondering how he can do quads and the lutz with his hands over his head but cannot get the axel. He seems to have good technique otherwise. What is it about the axel??

[Sylvia]

It's not like Rippon has never landed the 3A in competition -- he's shown he can land two cleanly in the same free skate before (2009 Junior Worlds, 2010 Four Continents). My hypothesis is that he has been tinkering with technique and different entries over the past several years with his various coaches and that his 3A consistency is likely to improve once he settles into ONE way of practicing the jump.

[mag]

Has Adam ever landed a quad in competition? It seems to me his problem is compounded by the current lack of a 3A and no quad ( a la Lambiel) to make up for it.

[reese]

Well, that live practice we got to watch via SkateBuzz at Skate Canada made me think he's no closer than he's ever been to having it anywhere near consistent. Maybe he's even less consistent with it than he was with Orser.

He won't get anywhere near the World team this year unless he can find a way to get it under control.

[DickButtonFan]

What I notice is that he is very frail and seems his body is not able to handle checking out of the jump. Maybe more weight train could help.

[burntBREAD]

What I notice is that he is very frail and seems his body is not able to handle checking out of the jump. Maybe more weight train could help.

Being frail doesn't stop Hanyu from landing huge quads and triple axels. I think it's a mental block; we saw how long he stalked the 3A at SC.

[Jammers]

Adams lack of big strong jumps will always hold him back.

[orbitz]

Adams lack of big strong jumps will always hold him back.

...and always skating to the same old type of ZZZZZZZZ music and a general lack of charisma.

[fan]

last year training under brian,he was extremely consistent in practise. this makes me think it is a mental issue - maybe a sports psychologist would help?

[museksk8r]

...and always skating to the same old type of ZZZZZZZZ music and a general lack of charisma.

. . . and he has a heavy, labored way of stroking across the ice. His skating skills still makes him appear juniorish with the constant back pumping and lack of speed. He's cute as an angel though.

[jlai]

He has got good TES in the GPs desite axel issues though. It always amazes me that despite 3A problems, he has and had managed more than 70 TES in more than one GP the last few seasons. Then of course when he nailed his 3As in one or two gps and his TES came about 80

That said, I agree about Adam skating 'small"

[ProgramerUSFS]

. . . and he has a heavy, labored way of stroking across the ice. His skating skills still makes him appear juniorish with the constant back pumping and lack of speed. He's cute as an angel though.

I sat in the fifth row right above where he was attempting his quad lutz. I watched him over and over again try. On one hand, it was amazing being that close and watching the power that is needed and the rip of the ice. But he was way short of even coming close to landing it. Every one of them would have been a mark down to a triple lutz. To me, he looked like he had gained weight, and he wasn't as fast and quick as he was before. It was pretty clear to everyone in the stands that I talked with, that his training is not the same as he had with Brian Orser. I suspect that if he doesn't go back to training the way he did under Brian, he is going to a hard time. And when I compair Brian's new skater to how he used to skate, the change is staggering. I really wish Adam would have stayed with Brian. I hope he goes back if the rest of the year is like skate Canada was. Such a shame.

[reese]

Yeah, I think Brian was the right coach for Adam. I think what caused Adam to leave was his need for a less emotional coach during competitions. Adam is a very sensitive kid and he needs a little bit more of an even-tempered, we'll-get-'em-next-time kind of coach after a bad skate. Still, I think he and Orser could have probably worked that out between each other and found a way to make the relationship less stressful for Adam after a bad skate.

[mjames]

Many of us had the pleasure of watching Adam train daily when he was at the Ice House. I saw his skating up close and must say that he has matured and improved a great deal over the past few seasons. I find nothing "small" about his skating or presentation. I disagree and think his crossovers have improved a great deal and his in-between elements (split jumps, spread eagles, etc) are to die for. I can attest to the fact that he is a hard worker and what I saw today on TV was a skater who wasn't even out of breath after a near 5 minute program. He neither looked fat or thin just fit. IMHO I attribute his hesitancy in the Free Program to nerves --first competition after 4CC and Orser split then maybe feeling so much pressure being in his old training town. He probably expected more of himself than any of us could have wanted from him. I hope he is more forgiving to himself than some of you are. To me his performance was a giant step forward. I agree he is cute as an angel but those of us who have met him, given him a ride or got one of his famous "toe loop" lessons (DT can back me up on that) - know that he has a good head on his shoulders and were happy to see a smile in the K & C and a coach proud to be seated next to him ---even with mistakes.
Keep rockin the Lutz Adam and remember to channel your inner NJ -tell the critic to axel this!

[foreverkwanfan]

In his SP at SC I thought he showed great speed especially during the footwork section which I found to be very lively, I don't get the ZZZ from Adams programs at all. Everyone was clapping along. He has very impressive danceability and artistry. The judges like him.
I just wish he could maser that 3 axel, he is too good not to be on podiums.

[care bear]

And when I compair Brian's new skater to how he used to skate, the change is staggering.

Do you mean Fernadez?
Fernandez landed his 3a, 4t, 4s for a long time before he moved to Toronto.

[bek]

And when I compair Brian's new skater to how he used to skate, the change is staggering.

Fernandez has improved, but I have to point out what the posters above said. Javier was already landing 3axels, Quad toes, and Quad salchows in competition. Long before he went to Brian.

Brian's not responsible for Javier having those skills. Now Brian is responsible for improving Javier further, but to be frank its a lot easier to polish a skater up, improve their basic skating skills etc, even help them get more consistent. Than it is teach a skater the big tricks.

Adam might not be in the right place coaching wise, but I'm not sure Orser was the right coach for him too. Its not like Adam was getting competition consistent on his 3axels and quads under Brian either. I think that what Adam more than likely needs is a coach who has DOCUMENTED experience teaching these type of jumps. To be quite frank probably Mishin would be the best coach for Adam believe it or not. Not that Mishin would take on Adam with Artur and the Sochi Olympics but someone like that is who Adam would really need. Someone who knows the jumps inside and out and has a documented experience teaching the jumps. Perhaps Hill who is great at teaching the 3axel.

Brian may in the end turn out to be a very good technical coach when teaching students the jumps. I like Gao's technique. But I think for his own sake, Adam needs a coach with documented experience teaching these jumps. (Teaching and doing are two different things). I can imagine him telling Mishin (this is how he should train the jumps etc) Adam wouldn't dare.

[doubleflutz]

He needs to stop changing coaches every single time he has a competitive setback. One time and it could have been them (especially since "them" was Morozov), twice means it's him. He can probably get the 3A down with just about anyone, if he develops the right mindset, but he's not there yet.

[bek]

He needs to stop changing coaches every single time he has a competitive setback. One time and it could have been them (especially since "them" was Morozov), twice means it's him. He can probably get the 3A down with just about anyone, if he develops the right mindset, but he's not there yet.

It seems to me like Adam likes to always go to the "hot coaches of the moment" I must say though, say whatever you will about Nikolai but it does seem like has good people working on the jumps with his students (And Orser's student do a good job with the 3/3s seeing Gao)

This being said the hot coach of the moment may not be the coach for him, and I think Adam perhaps should look at someone with a documented history of working with his weakness that is the jumps.

[floskate]

Well Adam had landed the triple axel before he went to Brian and it seems to me that he landed way more in competition under Brian than he did with his other coaches before and after.

IMO he needs to change the entry down the rink rather than across so that there's more space to jump into and it would lessen his tendency to stalk the jump around multiple corners!