Adam Rippon to be coached by Rafael Arutyunyan in Lake Arrowhead, Calif.

[BreakfastClub]

If power is the issue, then how come Hanyu has such a consistent 3A? Or the young junior skaters like Boyang Jin?

It's about technique and the axel is more dependent on great technique than any other jump. For whatever reason, he doesn't have great technique, he doesn't step up into the axel quite like the men who have consistent axels, and then tends go off axis as he shifts his hips & weight over his right side getting into the backspin position.

[triple_toe]

^Exactly. Adam doesn't have good technique on the axel, that's why it's inconsistent. New coach=new technique, possibly more consistency.

[aftershocks]

Adam is the total skater, IMO. I want nothing more than to see him succeed and make the Worlds team this season.

KEEP THE CURLS, ADAM!!!

Maybe he'll bring the curls back in a modified way at some point if he feels it will work with a future program. Right now, Adam is likely trying to focus on crafting a look that will fit the programs he has prepared for this season. Sure, it is a shame to flatten down such gorgeous natural bouncy abundance. But I'm for anything that helps Adam get his mojo working for him. AdaRipp, Rip ON!

[Rafter]

Seems like he's grasping at straws.

[2sk8]

Arutunian & Carroll hardly seem like grasping at straws - GO ADAM!

[aftershocks]

Seems like he's grasping at straws.

Seems to me like Adam is not giving up or giving in. I wouldn't refer to what any hardworking athlete does as "grasping at straws." Easy for us non-athletes on the outside looking in to be dismissive.

[tkaug]

To consider that he's changing coaches so quickly,
I just don't see he's going to succeed with Arutyunyan IN A SHORT TIME.
That looks like what he's looking for and
Morozov would have been the best for him in terms of that.

[orbitz]

Seems like he's grasping at straws.

Adam's young. If something doesn't seem like it's working then why not try something else? Last season under Jason and Yuka, Adam's approach to his 3A seemed more cautious and labored than in previous years. I think it's good to have a technical coach like Rafael work with him on this. Maybe the 3A will be the one jump that will never be Adam's friend, similar to Lambiel's, but he has to try something different.

[pinky166]

Adam is turning 23 in about a month, is that really considered young for skating? Most would consider him a long shot to make Pyeongchang in 2018 because of the age he will be then. Sochi is his goal, and I'm not sure all these coaching changes so close to then will help him get fast results. Moving around takes time, adjustment, and idk, it seems like he's working for a quick fix to get a consistent 3a and quad, and to be honest, he'd probably be more likely to achieve that if he stuck with one coach and just sought out additional help.

[tkaug]

Personally I don't care if he changes his coaches again and again as long as he still has something good that he learned from former coaches, but I don't see it in him at all. I wonder if it's really an issue with the coaches.

[Vagabond]

Adam is turning 23 in about a month, is that really considered young for skating? Most would consider him a long shot to make Pyeongchang in 2018 because of the age he will be then. Sochi is his goal, and I'm not sure all these coaching changes so close to then will help him get fast results.

Sochi is his main goal, but there is more to the sport than the Olympics. I am sure that if he were to win a medal at Worlds in 2015 or 2016, he would be a very happy man.

[pingu]

If power is the issue, then how come Hanyu has such a consistent 3A? Or the young junior skaters like Boyang Jin?

Because he jumps like a girl (he has a faster rotation). Men usually jump with power, they jump higher, using more their legs to gain enough strength for their jump. Ladies usually have a lower elevation, but rotate faster. There are a few exceptions, of course. Hanyu is one of them in the men, and Kostner in the ladies.

[Primorskaya]

Because he jumps like a girl (he has a faster rotation). Men usually jump with power, they jump higher, using more their legs to gain enough strength for their jump. Ladies usually have a lower elevation, but rotate faster. There are a few exceptions, of course. Hanyu is one of them in the men, and Kostner in the ladies.

Which seems to confirm that having a 3A is nothing to do with muscle power. I'll add Mao Asada to the list, she looks like you could snap her between your fingers, and she can do it. Skaters of widely different builds do that jump. I think re Adam, it's a mental block thing.
As an aside, I've seen him in person a couple of times and he doesn't look scrawny or frail to me!

[Ziggy]

I think his problem is physical not mental. He just isn't powerful enough to get around more than 3 times.

If your technique is good, you don't need a lot of power and strength.

Jumps are all about good use of edges and correct timing.

Rippon's axel technique looks .

Arutunian & Carroll hardly seem like grasping at straws - GO ADAM!

Changing your coach again and again in hope that they will provide you with a magic fix looks like grasping at straws.

Especially given that by his own admission, Sato and Dungjen seemed to have a very good attitude (and if they could make Czisny land fully rotated jumps... ).

Maybe he really was unlucky with his coaching relationships. But this could also point towards a failure to take responsibility for himself (what berthesghost said).

[orbitz]

Adam is turning 23 in about a month, is that really considered young for skating?

23? Wow, he looks 16

[LilJen]

^Exactly. Adam doesn't have good technique on the axel, that's why it's inconsistent. New coach=new technique, possibly more consistency.

Dear Nikolai:

Thanks for NOT teaching me the 3axel and leaving me to figure it out on my own. See where it's gotten me?

Not coming back,

Adam

[seabm7]

I wish he had gone to Arutunian when he left Morozov. Arutunian didn't have a prominent senior since Jeff retired.

By the way, Jeff was 22 and several months when he went to Arutunian. There is a hope for Adam!

[arakwafan2006]

To consider that he's changing coaches so quickly,
I just don't see he's going to succeed with Arutyunyan IN A SHORT TIME.
That looks like what he's looking for and
Morozov would have been the best for him in terms of that.

I disagree considering he has Takahashi, Amodio, Leanova... I am beginning to reconsider even my own negative thoughts about this. It's Adam who gets up every day and trains until exhaustion not us or his coaches. As long as this was not a flippant decision then I wish him the best.

I do think that the key for Adam is ownership. Ownership of both the technique as well as the progress.

[arakwafan2006]

Adam's young. If something doesn't seem like it's working then why not try something else? Last season under Jason and Yuka, Adam's approach to his 3A seemed more cautious and labored than in previous years. I think it's good to have a technical coach like Rafael work with him on this. Maybe the 3A will be the one jump that will never be Adam's friend, similar to Lambiel's, but he has to try something different.

Lambiel is exactly the person who came to mind. With that, Adam will either own the axel or own the difficult quads. Without them, he just does not leave the same impression on an audience or judges to influence them to mark him higher.

In my observation, Jason and Yuka give their skaters space to work things out themselves. It sounds like Adam wants more of a hands on, i'm going to flat out tell you what to do every minute of every hour approach. Its almost like he wants what Patrick Chan is turning away from as coaching styles go.

Either way it goes, I wish him the best.

[Bev Johnston]

It's about technique and the axel is more dependent on great technique than any other jump. For whatever reason, he doesn't have great technique, he doesn't step up into the axel quite like the men who have consistent axels, and then tends go off axis as he shifts his hips & weight over his right side getting into the backspin position.

This all sounds more like a psychological problem than anything. He's probably a little scared of the jump, so he doesn't fully commit. Stepping up and shifting the weight over the right side is scary when you aren't sure about the jump in the first place.