THE QUEST FOR TRIPLE LUTZ | FIGURE SKATER REACTS | Medalist Episode 19 | メダリスト

[00:28] channel and to another video. Today, we are reacting to Medalist episode 19, season 2, episode 6, I believe. I hope I'm counting that correctly. If this is hello, welcome. My name is Hannah and I'm a competitive figure skater. Last

[00:42] introducing myself as a former [music] kind of made me want to get back into it. There were a lot of different one of them. So, now I'm going to be

[00:55] competing at my second competition since returning next weekend, which is crazy. I've been skating for almost 23 years, so I like to say I know a thing or two about skating. Now, with the last episode, a lot happened that I feel like

[01:07] I didn't talk very much about. The Tsukasa and Jun situation was quite an Tsukasa and Jun situation was quite an interesting scene. It took me a while to kind of internalize what actually happened. It I didn't really talk much

[01:21] seemed to be, you know, the rivalry between the two of them is getting built up. I didn't mention the backflip, which I know a lot of people are interested in. So, I'm going to be completely honest with y'all. First things first, I

[01:34] have never done a backflip, nor have I ever skated with people who have done them. The backflip has been banned in competition for a very long time. It was the reason that it was banned in the first place was because it was deemed

[01:49] not safe due to the fact that they would be flipping with their head facing the skaters are putting them at the end of their programs when they're fatigued, it's just a little bit more dangerous. It wasn't until Adam Siao Him Fa knew

[02:03] that it was illegal, did it anyway, took the two-point deduction for for an illegal element that they decided to allow it back into competition, and now only Ilia Malinin from the United States and Adam Siao Him Fa from France [music]

[02:16] anyone else try it. For the record, there are quite a few other skaters that do them in shows. I know for a fact I've seen Nathan Chen do it. I've seen Oh, it, but I can't I can't think of their names off the top of my head. But, it is

[02:31] a pretty common show trick show [music] trick. But, because I have grown up in an area where you don't really see many international level skaters, I have never skated with someone who has attempted it, nor have I ever done it. I

[02:45] have heard that it's fairly easy to do. If you can land triples, it's it it's only one rotation. You just have to turn the other way, like you're turning perpendicular into the to the ice instead of parallel to the ice. So, from

[02:59] the most difficult element. It's just a bit dangerous for like trying on your first go-around by yourself. I've seen skaters like post videos of them practicing where they start with the help of like a spotter and like in a

[03:14] harness and off the ice and that sort of thing, and they build up to it. So, what Tsukasa did, being able to just do it for the first time and land on his feet and be okay, is very impressive. Especially because I don't think Tsukasa

[03:27] has triples. I believe the jump he was working on in the last episode, like very consistently throughout, you know, his time skating with the two of them, was it was a lot. So, it was either a double or a single. So, he he was an ice

[03:40] I'm sure of it. So, him being able to do that is very, very impressive. And June calling that out and telling him he should do shows instead of coaching, I think there's there's two reasons for this. Number one is he did genuinely

[03:53] think Sakamoto is very talented. He genuinely is saying like I can 100% say you are talented. However, I personally think June is also on the flip side

[04:07] maybe trying to separate Inoti and Sakamoto. He mentions that Hikaru, he wants her to just win everything she does. Well, that's not ever a guarantee. No matter how talented or how good your skater is, [music] competitions are

[04:22] competitions and mistakes are going to happen even from the best of the best like Kaori Sakamoto at the Olympics having that one mistake on that flip cost her the gold medal when she was heavily favored. Hikaru can be someone

[04:35] who's very dominant, but there are times where someone who wins everything they where someone who wins everything they do just slips up. And so I almost feel do just slips up. And so I almost feel like June thinks that Inoti could be

[04:47] that person that starts to put the pressure on Hikaru and is able to beat to separate them. That's just my own personal like fan girl opinion of the situation, but it was quite interesting. So I feel like I didn't break that down

[05:01] never guarantee your skater's going to win every competition whether you're sandbagging or not because you never know what will happen at competition. Ice is slippery, things can get very nerve-racking. Hikaru seems to be kind

[05:16] to be bothered by it, but she's also definitely start to gain some of those gets a little bit older. So we end up the episode Inoti is at this like

[05:29] training camp with I believe it's just everyone who has qualified for All Japan's including this new junior level skater. Uh her name was Iduka, I believe. She seems very interesting. I'm very excited to learn more about her as

[05:43] well as maybe some other competitors and coaches that are going to be I believe introduced in this episode. So, enough of my yapping, we're going to dive right channel, and leave a comment your thoughts. If you are interested in

[05:56] unedited, go ahead and join my Patreon. that, let's get into it. I don't know what's going on with my lighting here.

[06:10] All right. I love this song, but we're skipping it.

[06:29] her landing. She's still very incredible, even though you're technically at her level now.

[06:49] Yep, we're only through the smallest part.

[07:11] Triple Lutz, triple loop. Was she the one who did that in competition? Yeah. at the Olympics. Triple Lutz, triple

[07:25] program, and it has the highest base value. It is the most difficult. You have to be foot perfect for it to work. So, that's not >> [laughter] >> Not an easy jump at all. Like most

[07:41] >> Not an easy jump at all. Like most senior women opt to do a toe at the end but much more steady. So, it's interesting that Enoki is already like, me. I I think I've talked about this a little bit, but it's kind of interesting

[07:55] to see from the perspective of when you go to like a training camp or to an ice rink where a lot of high-level skaters are, which I did a couple times when I was younger. You either feel like incredibly inspired by the high level of

[08:11] people that are training at this rink or you're going to freak out because they in the middle. I would be inspired, but also be freaking out the entire time if I went to a rink where higher-level skaters were doing like triple jumps

[08:25] doing doubles. Like, we there weren't too many people doing triples. Like, working on them, but for the most part, we were all kind of in the same pool of just like, not really going to go to the Olympics, nothing crazy like that, not

[08:39] really aiming for international success, just kind of loving skating, right? But, yeah, I don't know. It's interesting. I feel like when skaters go to a rink or really high-level, like of course in this situation, these are all skaters

[08:53] the way, but they're all like landing triple axels and you're the only one who sure. Make you lose a lot of confidence.

[09:21] Yeah. It surprised everybody.

[09:35] So, I kind of understand where he's going with this. So, because in my own skating, and I've talked about this, I was going for like a lower base value program and going clean, which of course didn't necessarily work well for me.

[09:50] >> Cuz I fell on my second axel, which is dumb, and I've never done that before. Because I was so focused on just skating clean, like maximizing clean, like maximizing my GOEs and my PCS, so that, you know, I

[10:04] could just go out there and skate a clean program that the judges could enjoy. My base value is a lot lower, but, you know, it kind of relies on other skaters making mistakes. Well, in the case of Eun-soo Lim, her base value

[10:17] wasn't that much lower, but because she was doing these specific programs, and making sure the jumps for those programs are ready takes a lot of time. time during the competition season to work on higher-level jumps. The same can

[10:33] go for me. I want to add a double salchow to my program, and it's oh so close. Like, I was I was on the cusp of adding it for sectionals, but because I've been very sporadic with practicing it since I've been focused on running

[10:48] programs and making sure that my axel is good and making sure my spins are good and like making sure the program's a full cohesive piece that when I go to sectionals next week, I can skate it clean and make it look nice and

[11:00] my components, we've been working on being more expressive, and some of my spending much time on my double salchow. So, I understand where Eun-soo Lim's kind of in this pickle is they focus so heavily on just having a clean skate,

[11:15] which worked for her, that now she hasn't had the time to work on these other jumps. So, her success rate of these other three are really hasn't been working these other jumps at all. So, it's like it's give or take. Do

[11:28] all. So, it's like it's give or take. Do you want to do the clean strategy and work on all of that and make sure all those jumps are perfect and let the higher level jumps kind of sit by and wait because at you know what at this

[11:41] level two, like that's a pretty tough strategy because for me like at my level, a lot of people do make mistakes. Like we're all adults, we're just trying to do our best, right? So, I'm very reliant on other people making mistakes,

[11:53] which is likely going to happen. Inodi, she can't be like that because yes, a Championships, but I think they will but I think they will not do that at All Japan's. So,

[12:07] not do that at All Japan's. So, he's right.

[12:41] You need to stop working on it. Yeah, I mean it's >> I do I do feel like Tsukasa's lack of experience is showing with his strategy.

[12:58] I understand where he's coming from with putting like all of his chips on her winning that Block Championships because she is now like people recognize her, she is now like people recognize her, people understand her. However, it might

[13:11] have been better to just aim for qualifying. Just aim for the top five so qualifying. Just aim for the top five so that you can focus more heavily on getting these jumps for All Japan's because All Japan's is what matters,

[13:25] right? There's way more media. All Japan's is where there's going to be, yourself in the selection pool for like juniors the next year, that sort of this guy and I say, "Yeah, like

[13:38] showing here." But, I also feel like Tsukasa maybe has something else up his sleeve just because of the way the show is. But, it could just be that Tsukasa it's part of being a new coach and not really knowing all of the ropes of these

[13:53] to win is very normal, but you have to be very careful when it comes to like these qualifying types of competitions. Hikaru just looking at her and skating away was interesting, though.

[14:14] >> [laughter] >> I was about to write, "Bless you."

[14:52] >> [laughter] >> She was a little bit extreme.

[15:04] >> [laughter] >> family blood. It runs in the family.

[15:16] they're making her seem so old, but in my brain like they're making her like a full-on adult. She's in juniors, which means she's like 16 or younger. >> And they're like, this is an adult woman. But it's kind of funny because

[15:31] like I think it's just more from the perspective of, you know, all the Inna and all the skaters who are like 10, 11, 12, right? She seems very old because when you're that age, 16 seems like a full on adult. But for me, I'm like,

[15:44] man, they're acting like she's this 25-year-old woman with all this juniors, which means she has to be under the age of 18. the age of 18. >> [gasps]

[16:19] So Inna defend her and not herself.

[16:44] is like You can't be the skater that's like, uh, if only I'd landed that jump. I talked about this when I talked about the Olympics last week. So many people want to throw their hat into the ring and say, it's not about skating clean,

[16:58] it's about who's the best skater. No, it's a competition. So it is about skater and you skate clean, then you should win. you are the best skater, but you can't skate clean, someone who's maybe not

[17:10] quite as good or whatever, you know, not as fast, if they can go out and skate to beat you, which is why Alyssa Liu beat Kaori Sakamoto. You cannot be someone who's like, "Oh, I would have won if I hadn't have made mistakes or

[17:24] mistakes. She only won because others made mistakes." That's competition. That's the point of our sport. And it goes back to what I was saying with like Hikaru earlier is Hikaru is the best. However, is she going to be able to keep

[17:39] up with this mindset? Is she going to be able to keep skating perfectly clean? Because if she doesn't, someone will be there to take her spot because it's like, "Ah, if I only just hadn't fallen." Unless

[17:56] "Okay, I'm analyzing my scores. If I hadn't fallen on this jump, I would have gotten X amount of GOE and Cuz like I was doing that after my competition. Okay, if I hadn't have

[18:09] fallen, like where would have my score have been? To like analyze how I did. But it it's more of a like you can't be a skater who's just like, "If only I'd landed that jump, I would have won." Because it it's like it's a

[18:23] competition. If you can't land it in competition, then you're not going to make it. She's being very mean. Like for the record, she's not necessarily wrong. I feel like she's going to end up loving Yuzuru.

[18:38] >> [laughter] [gasps] >> [laughter] >> Okay, Yuzuru. I was not expecting her to >> Okay, Yuzuru. I was not expecting her to go that route. They all have abs.

[19:01] Oh, literally that was not the route I thought she was going to go. I would thought she was going to go. I would Yep.

[19:15] Our core strength is one of our most important things, so.

[19:27] movie, isn't it? I'm going to have to wait God knows how long.

[19:39] Many times at the end of the day, too, it's a competition of GOE. If a bunch of it's a competition of GOE. If a bunch of people skate clean, it comes down to people skate clean, it comes down to who's the best.

[19:54] back and see what she was writing down cuz it looked almost like 2 weeks? Nishikant, yeah. So, I'm assuming today is the 8th and All Japan's is here, so she's

[20:09] calculating that she has 2 weeks. Zen Nihon Novice Novice A. Yeah, so I think it means that she has 2 weeks until Nationals. 2 weeks until All Japan's, which is not a lot of time to nail jumps in between like Like I

[20:25] said, I wanted to add a a double sal for sectionals, but I only had 3 weeks in between. It wasn't enough time. between. It wasn't enough time. Okay.

[20:40] enough time. You You got to run with the program that you had cuz you can't But, this is an anime, so I feel like she's she can do it. she's she can do it. >> [laughter]

[20:58] >> Well, and Hikaru does a triple axel, doesn't she?

[21:10] That's why I was like I feel like it could be because of his I feel like it could be because of his inexperience, but he might have a plan. Because if there's one thing Tsukasa does have over like a lot of the other

[21:23] coaches is his analytical mind. You know, the coach, I forget his name in season 1, but he was telling him like, "You because you're an ice dancer, you pay attention to the details." Even

[21:35] though like he maybe has never done a triple axel before, so he doesn't know what it feels like. He is very analytical. He pays attention to the analytical. He pays attention to the minute details. So, when the other

[21:47] forgive me, I don't I struggle to remember some of the names sometimes, episode that was like, "This is going to be her downfall." is that he focused too getting her to win the block championships. While I do agree like his

[22:01] thought process is correct because it could be Tsukasa's lack of experience and he just went too hard. In the back of my mind I'm thinking Tsukasa probably has a plan for that. However, that still is like very much taking a gamble. And

[22:17] as a coach, you don't want to do that too many times because at the end of the day when you are a coach, you are in charge of someone else's career. So, if you continue to do things that you think are going to work, but they don't,

[22:30] you're going to mess with your skaters' mental strengths and love of skating. Like you're walking a very thin line between pushing them, but also making sure you keep them in a space where they will be successful and not be

[22:46] worn down, in my opinion. That's how a coach should be. get the gold medal at this. Beating Hikaru now, it's too early.

[23:05] And I think they're being a little bit unrealistic to be so

[23:17] in and look at her jumps. That's a good idea. That's a very good idea because he's not a jump specialist. He's an ice dancer. So, that's a good idea. Um what was I saying? I I stopped midway through my sentence cuz I keep trying to talk

[23:29] have to read, so it's like, "Ah." I think they're being a little bit too gold medal." Like, to win the gold medal in this competition means to beat Hikaru. She's only 12 years old. I feel like we're getting a little bit too

[23:42] like, this must happen immediately. And it might be because one, it's a it's a know, there's that aspect of it. But, two, because I've never competed at this level before, I don't know what it's like to be like wanting to win win win

[23:57] win win gold gold gold. Um but, I feel like like my thought process is heading me for bringing it up, but that's the best way I can do it, is do I want to best way I can do it, is do I want to qualify? Do Yes. If I finish top four, I

[24:11] qualify to go to nationals, which of course is what I want to do. Am I going into this with the expectation of winning it all? No. Am I going into this with the expectation of qualifying? Honestly, no.

[24:24] Like, [laughter] I understand that my program is a lot easier, and it's very reliant on me skating perfectly, which I hadn't done like I didn't do a couple weeks ago. So, my goal is to skate clean, feel good

[24:38] about my performance, and see what happens. Yes, like, there's a side of me disappointed if I don't finish in the top four and qualify, but at the same time, for me, like, my mind always goes to there's always next year, there's

[24:52] always the year after that. And even for me, there there isn't necessarily that. I'm turning 30 this year and like my husband and I maybe want to have kids soon. You know, like life changes. She's 12. So, I feel like there's always like

[25:08] you could do Well, I guess she's trying to aim for junior next year, but novice B is just a a year older, right? I I'm not exactly that sure. I think novice A is like ages 10 to 12 and B is a little bit older.

[25:22] Please correct me. I I did not grow Japan and I like for my reaction to this just Google it and tell you because that's also something you can do. I Yeah, I feel like they're just being too razor focused on winning the gold medal

[25:37] here when literally Hikaru can land a triple axel. I think we should be a little bit more realistic here, but it is also a TV show. So, you know.

[25:57] Here we go. A jump specialist to help.

[26:11] Holy moly, 101? That's 20 points. Like, come on. That's 20 points. Like, come on. That's a huge gap. Oh, okay.

[26:23] >> God. 2 weeks?

[26:44] natural axis, which makes it much more difficult. And why so many skaters have a flat spin because some skaters their bodies just never get to that point. Okay.

[27:15] okay, that looked like a double because of his air position cuz a single rotates much more open. Doubles are when you start to rotate with your ankles together and your arms in. Singles, I you never teach them to rotate with

[27:28] because then there's no room for when they learn doubles. So, that messes with they learn doubles. So, that messes with me.

[27:46] I would say Enoki is probably the exact opposite. spaced. I I don't think she learns well from that. >> [laughter]

[28:08] They know what they're doing when they zoom in on his muscles. so excited, she >> [laughter]

[28:58] good to win the competitions because now you get prioritized.

[29:52] let me just explain you all how much I I I like this voice actor. Same voice actor, same voice actor and then the 36 Tanjiro figures I have. For those of you

[30:05] who don't know, my reaction don't understand why I just freaked out is because that's Hanae-san and um I just I have literal Tanjiro things everywhere. Like, right here I have that.

[30:20] >> [laughter] >> This These are all just sitting here. I have five Tanjiro items within reach at all times. Um so, anyway, that is Hanae-san, that's the Hanae

[30:34] Tanjiro's voice actor. My favorite voice actor on the entire planet is in actor on the entire planet is in Metalist. Ah, okay. I need to go back. This has nothing to do with skating, but I'm just happy

[30:47] I'm just happy his character is here. god. What is happening? I literally have a voice clip of his in my program. a voice clip of his in my program. [laughter]

[31:20] >> [laughter] >> So, he's the jump technician. Oh, with the pole harness. Oh my god, this is crazy. I'm I'm this is crazy. I'm I'm This is too much.

[31:43] >> [laughter] >> They're only four years apart. um tool for jumping for high-level jumping.

[31:59] But, the this the coach has to be able to keep up with the skater if they want to keep up with the skater if they want to use this. >> Oh, and the Okay, the color is finally going back to

[32:15] normal. Okay. Oh, okay. So, now I'm understanding why we introduced him in that way with him fishing because he's a jump technician who uses a fish pole harness. Oh, you're smart. You're so smart. Yes,

[32:30] we call Well, we call that at least in America the fish pole harness. America the fish pole harness. Um I think they called it that.

[32:47] It is [snorts] kind of scary to have someone right there. And then you get a little height. Cuz he's helping you. Cuz he's helping you. That's the point of a harness.

[33:05] >> [laughter] >> Don't get too used to it.

[33:23] The harness that I mentioned connects to the ceiling is the one that the coach pulls on to lift you up. This one doesn't lift you up, it just adjust you ever so slightly. And they can kind of keep you from falling, but that's not

[33:36] really the point of it. It's more to just make sure that you're properly like your access is proper in the air. It's a very different experience than the other harness, which I don't know if they use that in Japan. They use it here, but

[34:01] It's going to take a while to get used to hearing him in the show. [laughter]

[34:18] >> [snorts] [crying]

[34:55] Is this guy going to be the savior of Hinata's 20-point gap? savior of Hinata's 20-point gap? [laughter]

[35:11] That's going to be the end. Okay. All righty. So, that was episode 19. So, that was the answer. I just needed to get a little bit of the window in frame and the lighting would adjust. Okay. My apologies, y'all, for the weird

[35:23] wasn't adjusting to the lighting properly, but here we are. Now it is. Now that I'm done with the episode. Okay. So, another episode that had a lot of build-up and a lot of just I would call it kind of one of those like

[35:38] of talked about everything. I'm just really excited about Hanae's on being in this show. You know what's so funny? Okay, I'll play the clip from my In case you haven't seen my competition, I did post my competition a few days ago. So,

[35:53] if you want to watch it, I'll put it like in the description or whatever. like in the description or whatever. But, I'll play a clip right now.

[36:12] announced that he was going to be in it and I was like, "Is this what happens and I was like, "Is this what happens when like I the stars align?" >> I was like, "I think the stars are aligning for me on the very day that I

[36:26] voice is in it. >> [laughter] >> Anyway, that's just me being silly. Um really happy he's in it. I don't even so much. >> [laughter]

[36:38] >> Like I'm not kidding. I have This has nothing to do with skating, but >> [laughter] >> I have Vanitas, he voices. He voices 9S >> I have Vanitas, he voices. He voices 9S in Nier: Automata, but I have 2B. Um he

[36:52] voices Kaneki. He obviously voices Tanjiro. He voices Okun. Okun is right here. You probably can't really see him. I've got approximately eight Tanjiros right here. >> [laughter]

[37:05] >> And then he also voices, who else do I have of his? Oh. Um you can't see it, but over here I have Shen from Undead Unluck, who he voices. I have Nagumo from Sakamoto

[37:18] Days, who he voices. I think that's it as far as what I have right over here. Again, you probably can't really see it. And then Tanjiro

[37:30] Tanjiro Tanjiro Tanjiro Tanjiro Tanjiro Tanjiro Anyway, not that anyone cares, but I'm really happy he's [laughter] in the show cuz I'm such a fan girl. Okay, embarrassing. Anyway, good episode. We only have three left, so I fear I fear

[37:48] the movie, or at least we're going to barely start it. And then All Japan's, I mean it makes sense if All Japan's is going to be like this big deal. I am kind of surprised that it's coming

[38:02] so soon. I will be interested to see how it goes. I feel like we're too early for her to beat Hikaru, especially if I was right in reading that. And and I know it said two weeks. I just couldn't read all of what she wrote above it, so there's a

[38:17] explanation, but I I think it literally means there's two weeks until All Japan's. That's not a lot of time to not only never landed before, but

[38:29] competition. Because usually you want to be landing something a solid 80% in practice before you're ready to put it in competition. So, I feel like we're getting to All Japan's very very early like facing

[38:42] Hikaru very very early when I felt like that was more like the big end. Although it could just be that we face Hikaru, maybe we randomly somehow beat her at All Japan's, or we get second, you know, and then that like starts the true

[38:57] rivalry and maybe the rivalry will end. Maybe the show will end with them knows? >> [laughter] >> Um but I do feel like there's a lot more story to go. I don't feel like this is

[39:09] going to be this short. So, I'm interested to see where it goes from have a jump technician. That should be interesting to to help out with the pole harness. Yes, that is a real tool that coaches use all the time. I already kind

[39:23] of explained it. And I think that's kind of it. It's pretty straightforward. Next week I compete again, so I will be posting this late. Also, okay, so I've been wanting to break down some of the competitive

[39:35] performances from earlier this season. I have decided because I've been so busy, I'm going to do that after the season is over. Like I'm focusing on just getting these episodes out. Starting after the season ends in a few weeks, I'm going to

[39:48] start to break down their competitive performances. And I also wanted to see if y'all wanted me to take the video of my own skating and break it down. I thought that might be pretty fun if we look at like my protocol and that sort

[40:00] kind of wait until I had a video of hopefully a better performance. So, yeah, y'all let me know if you want to see that. Along with I'll be reading There won't be as big of a break. I'll do it like as soon as the season is

[40:16] over. We'll keep the medalist content going. That's going to be it for today. video, subscribe to the channel, leave a comment your thoughts, and I will see comment your thoughts, and I will see you all in the next one. Moth the name.