Chen on road to recovery after season-ending injury

[nicecardshark]

U.S. bronze medalist training in Colorado Springs, still not doing jumps.

Very good to hear potentially-encouraging news out of the Chen camp.

http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2016/05/18/178809206

 

[DreamSkates]

And let's hope he can return to competition just take it easy on the quads.

 

[nicecardshark]

And let's hope he can return to competition just take it easy on the quads.

Amen.

Do we really need to see four quads in a long program to get the point?

I love the athletic component of skating, but I would be tempted to limit the number of quads allowed in a long, especially since the evidence is pretty clear that too many multiple-revolution jumps is "harmful to one's health." That will probably never happen though.

Many of us remember the era when both the men and the pairs skated 5 minute longs, and pairs were allowed three throw jumps in the long (instead of just two).

 

[mag]

Amen.

Do we really need to see four quads in a long program to get the point?

I love the athletic component of skating, but I would be tempted to limit the number of quads allowed in a long, especially since the evidence is pretty clear that too many multiple-revolution jumps is "harmful to one's health." That will probably never happen though.

Many of us remember the era when both the men and the pairs skated 5 minute longs, and pairs were allowed three throw jumps in the long (instead of just two).

I would just like to point out that Chen's injury is not specific to quads. It is much more specific to is age, stage of growth, and strength of his muscles in comparison to his bones. I have known athletes of a similar age to have this same type of fracture and in one case was not doing anything above a 2A and in the other case ran track and field. Much of what athletes do is "harmful to one's health," Furthermore, a double salchow is a "multiple-revolution" jump so I am not sure that the "evidence is pretty clear."

If there is going to be a rule limiting what athletes can do it would be a good idea to actually study all that they do to make sure the limit is actually helpful. We currently have an age limit which was put in place, I believe, to limit young growing bodies from over doing the jumps. Well I just watched a local competition this weekend and when you have 13 year olds landing triple lutzes and triple/triple combinations, I am not sure the age limit is doing anything, at least anything which is protecting the health of young skaters.

 

[Doubletoe]

True. You can't stop skaters from PRACTICING the jumps. And since girls grow hips and do not have a corresponding testosterone surge during puberty, they are under a lot more pressure to get their triple jumps before age 14 or so.