THIS IS INSANE... | FIGURE SKATER REACTS | Medalist Episode 21 | メダリスト

[00:20] channel and to another video. Today we are reacting to medalist episode 21 or medalist season 2 episode 8. We only have one left after this. This season went by so fast which was kind of to be expected since there are only nine

[00:34] episodes, but we can't have it all, right? If this is your first time with is Hannah and I'm a competitive adult figure skater and I've been very late and kind of all over the place this entire series because I actually

[00:48] returned to competition this time around. So, unlike last year where I started where I was like, "I'm a former figure skater." Now I'm like, "I am a figure skater." To the point of I'm a figure skater and it's making me really,

[01:01] really late multiple times. So, I apologize. But we're getting this one out earlier than normal to try and fix the issues that I've had the past couple of weeks and also have an apology ready for next weekend because next

[01:14] because I'm competing, but I am going to Vegas because I'm traveling and it just so happens that this time around it was really tough. My schedule was much But if this is your first time with the channel, let me explain something really

[01:28] quick. This is not going to be a normal reaction. I pause a lot. I break things down a lot. So, this is more of just a skater's perspective of a skating anime. So, if you're interested in seeing more of this, I have all of the medalist

[01:43] episodes reacted to plus some breakdowns of competitions which I will be doing more of after the season ends from this season. And I've also reacted to Yuri on that along with some Demon Slayer

[01:56] subscribe to the channel, and leave a comment your thoughts. We are headed to comment your thoughts. We are headed to Niigata to see our favorite coach, Uwabuchi, and he, of course, is voiced by my favorite voice actor in the entire

[02:10] whole wide world. So, I'm really excited that he's already coming back. Um I do misunderstood something in the last episode. I have to go back and watch, and I do just want to say like I often

[02:22] times kind of missed the point in certain aspects, not because I'm not paying attention, but because it is very hard to get like the entire idea when the camera is on. So, sometimes I might go down a rabbit hole that doesn't make

[02:36] a lot of sense, so I apologize. But, apparently, Innoti was actually singles. Like, she wasn't landing her doubles or her triples that day, and I do believe it was because it was really messing with her that not only did

[02:49] Tsukasa get hurt when helping her, but he got hurt quite bad. And that's a pretty common thing. Skating is very mental, so if your coach were to like really hurt themselves trying to help you, it is very natural for the skater

[03:05] to feel like it is their fault. I never experienced that. Coaches don't fall very often, but it is definitely scary when they do. But, in that case, he fell when they do. But, in that case, he fell and majorly hurt himself. So, hopefully,

[03:19] going back to Uwabuchi will help a little bit with whatever's going on in her head. I have half a mind to think it might not since it's more of a mental block than anything else. It might be kind of a struggle for her to be what

[03:32] kind of a struggle for her to be what she was before Tsukasa hurt himself when Uwabuchi was there beforehand. So, I'm hoping that he can fix it a little bit, but I'm wondering if we're going to explore like the mental block that

[03:44] Innoti is experiencing a little bit more in this episode, but we're going to find out. So, we're going to dive right in. I already did my Don't forget to like the video, so we're just going to go right into it. All right. Feel like I just did

[03:56] this, that's because I recorded my last one yesterday, 2 days ago. this time it's like, yeah, get right into it. All right, enough of me into it. All right, enough of me yapping. Well, let's go.

[04:13] Oh my god, if we're getting more Tsukasa backstory, I'm going to freak out.

[04:35] They're really giving us Tsukasa backstory in like little tiny pieces.

[04:52] Maximum emotional pull. All right, we are in Niigata. I'd be exhausted. I'd be like, I'm not jumping. My body will not leave the ice.

[05:08] He's just cramped because he's in his late 20s. He's a titan in her mind.

[05:24] All right, is this actually Okay. going to find out. If it's a mental block, I don't know if it's something that he can do, but

[05:38] we're going to see. Hot passion. reminds me at my sectional championships last weekend, which was in Spokane,

[05:54] Washington, the rink that it was in was a lot like older than most rinks where I train, and I was telling my husband I was like it's got like a classic rink like a retro rink feel, but on the outside, not this sign for the rink, but

[06:10] they have like a little sign that says like come and skate with us, but there was letters missing throughout, so it was like um s- te

[06:23] and we were just kind of laughing at that because it was like maybe you should fix that for a competition that's bringing in so many people, but it's interesting because I feel like in America we have a

[06:38] good mix. There are a lot of like really nice brand new rinks that are super clean, really big, have tons of space, have multiple sheets of ice, have multiple sheets of ice, but then there are also tons of really

[06:53] but then there are also tons of really old rinks where it's like one tiny sheet of ice, and there's pretty much no other room, there's not even a lobby, you walk in, it's instantly cold. It's a very interesting dynamic, I guess, because

[07:07] you have these like brand new rinks, but I feel like a lot of the really on like the super old ice rinks. Like the rink that I started on was one of those really old rinks where it was just

[07:19] one sheet of ice, there was no lobby with heating, so all the parents would have to sit in the bleachers and freeze the entire time, and that was the rink the entire time, and that was the rink that Sasha Cohen trained at, who was our

[07:32] last Olympic medalist in the US prior to Alysa Liu doing that literally a month there's also other skaters where it's like they train on like the most new

[07:44] awesome huge rink with five different sheets of ice. that have five sheets of ice. That might be a slight over exaggeration. But, you like a Oh, what kind of rink are we going to get? Are we going to be in like

[07:57] a really old rink that's like falling apart at the seams, but the ice is great? Or we going to be at a rink that's like brand spanking new?

[08:12] He looks very sleepy. He has not even opened his eyes yet. He was fighting demons all night. That's why he won't open his eyes. I'm so I

[08:27] have to stop. I have to stop. I'm so sorry. Private uh private ice is the sorry. Private uh private ice is the best.

[08:49] want them to explore the mental block that she's feeling more. even though he doesn't seem to be someone who is like a

[09:04] regular coach. He's just a specialist that goes around all over the place.

[09:17] it's like a mental block probably. So, he's wanting to kind of Yeah, he wants to get her feeling normal.

[10:21] knows that he hurt himself like Tsukasa did it because it is quite obvious the moment he said Tsukasa you do it. Like Inori was instantly like she's freaking out. So he is like trying to help Tsukasa because he wants to

[10:36] coach Inori but also he's like okay if you're going to do it like I want to help you which not a lot of these types of coaches would do because a lot of times since this is his specialty he obviously travels all over the country

[10:51] and this is what he does is that he puts these skaters in these pole harnesses times coaches who do that would not be willing to help like their primary coach which is what Tsukasa is for Inori learn how to do it because then he would be

[11:05] out of a job if all of the primary coaches knew how to do it. So he's a very kind person but I am wondering if it's because he knows trying to get Inori through this mental block when he's wording it as a way to

[11:20] block when he's wording it as a way to help Tsukasa. Let's see.

[11:59] This is the best way to go about it, I think. guy. As expected.

[12:37] quickly. And this isn't even tied into the fact that I think the only reason freaking hole in the ice. Like he tripped while she was jumping and he had tripped while she was jumping and he had no option. It wasn't really because of

[12:51] her and what she was doing. Like yeah, partially because she was getting so it was a little bit more tough for him, the ice. Like that's really the only main reason.

[13:05] Yeah, that'd be really bad. But Nobuchi is doing the right thing But Nobuchi is doing the right thing here.

[13:34] >> They're both pretty nice. He's just like, "Yay!"

[14:17] Mhm. That's all things that can happen. show knows what they're doing when it comes to like train.

[14:44] with that and try and help her. The thing is like is the reason we use things like harnesses the reason we use things like harnesses in the sport is because you can tell the

[14:58] skater what they're doing and what they need to change all day long. You can show them what they're doing and what to change all day long, but it can be very difficult for the skater to actually make that change because jumping takes

[15:12] less than half a second. So, it can be really difficult to be super aware of your body. So, that's why we use things like harnesses because the coach can like harnesses because the coach can adjust like with the skater and make

[15:25] those slight adjustments that they might not realize is happening, but is because it's the harness that's kind of helping get their axis back on. With Enouity, if she is just not tightening properly, she's too loose, then yeah, it's going

[15:38] to cause her to not be able to land it because you have to be in a as aerodynamic position as possible. That's why some coaches will teach their skaters to actually try and rotate with their arms lower to the body because

[15:52] that will actually be the most tight to your body. When you rotate with your arms up here, it can raise up your shoulders. I constantly telling me to stop rotating like this cuz I don't realize it, but

[16:06] it's because in my head, I'm like forcing it around. I'm forcing my rotation by trying to like pull in as tightly as possible. Enouity is kind of in the opposite position here where she

[16:18] is trying to keep it relaxed as possible and both are not correct. You have to be somewhere in the middle. So, I think I'm going way off topic here, but the reason that we use those harnesses is so that you can start to get a feel for those

[16:31] little movements because you can say all day long do this, do that, do this, but at the end of the day, it's really difficult to be able to make those changes just by being told. You have to be like forced into those positions. You

[16:44] have to feel it in order to understand what your coach is saying. So, when he says like you might not be able to land it outside the harness right away because I'm having to make a lot of adjustments. That's very normal.

[16:59] This is going a much different way than I was expecting, but it's still good. Let me start his sentence over.

[17:16] Yeah, she just has to be more aware of what it feels like.

[17:47] Oh, really? See him jump? I want to see him jump.

[17:59] to kind of rotate your body around. Because so, I'm only working on my single Lutz because my single Lutz has outside edge. So, my coach and I have

[18:12] it on an outside edge, which is really hard when you are a chronic flutzer. exclamation marks. So, I get the same base value, they just have to give me negative grade of execution. So, she was just telling me the other day,

[18:27] it works a lot like a counter, which is a turn where you have to counter your body. Most jumps What makes the Lutz so hard is that it's different from all the other jumps. Most jumps you just kind of have to keep going with the flow while

[18:39] you jump. It's like whatever way you're turning, you're just going to keep going that way. That's why a flip is considered easier because the skater usually does a three-turn right before they jump. So, they turn from

[18:52] they can just keep going the same direction. But with a Lutz, you're going this way, and you have to actually kind of counter your rotation because you have to switch to an outside edge. That's what makes the Lutz so much more

[19:06] pain in so many people's sides, including mine, because in order to do it properly, you have to go against your normal way of rotating. And that's why it's a struggle for so many people. So, what he's telling her is correct and

[19:21] like, okay, you have to actually adjust it slightly different because it's a So, they're doing a great job. They're they're doing a great job. They're consulting coaches.

[19:35] He love He always looks so happy. I love it.

[19:52] Can she usually see when she rotates? That's abnormal.

[21:05] wrong, okay? So, a lot of skaters will jump ahead, you know, in this case you know, she has I don't think she's even attempted a triple axel before and the normal way is to go through it jump by jump. You have to wait till you

[21:20] to adding a rotation to any of them. Like in the case of going from double to triple, usually skaters will wait until they can master all of their double they can master all of their double jumps before they start working on a

[21:34] on a double axel, they'll also work on like a triple salchow or triple toe at the same time. People will jump ahead. It's not entirely uncommon. So, I think that's pretty averagely normal, but to be

[21:49] saying let's try and go for a quad which she's never done in her life 9 days before a competition or 8 days if that's what we're at now is pretty intense. Most coaches would not want that, but you know, in the case of a

[22:03] skater that maybe struggles with a triple lutz uh, you know, it might be a good idea. He also was saying all of that stuff before she did a salchow instead of a lutz now I'm noticing. So, yeah, you want to make those

[22:17] adjustments. You want to try and get like a little bit more closure, but I do think like when it comes to teaching most jumps over a lutz, it's going to be a little bit more like you just got to kind of let the flow go. The lutz is the

[22:32] didn't realize he was having her do a salchow. I don't think they specified that. So, it still stands. some very extreme stuff that I have never gotten to. So,

[22:47] if my commentary gets a little bit more like okay, um, it's because I never did jumps like this and it is not normal for and a half to be learning a quad salchow.

[23:04] Especially like quads are not super common with women, so. her, like there is an argument to be had that a quad sal could be easier for her that a quad sal could be easier for her than a triple lutz.

[23:22] would put her up against Hikaru. Because at the end of the day, even if she were to nail this triple lutz, she probably still wouldn't be able to beat Hikaru. Like if their goal really is to go up against Hikaru here, then her

[23:35] doing a quad sal would absolutely be like a huge deal and would get people talking about her over Hikaru. So, you know, go for it.

[24:20] This is not where I was expecting this to go, but to go, but it's you know, good at and the jumps they're not good at and many times like

[24:34] it makes sense to skip over a couple to do a much harder one. Mhm, you have to have the timing properly.

[25:16] able to rotate faster once you start adding rotations.

[26:42] Okay. We're staying on our feet now.

[26:57] time. This is a very short period of time to This is a very short period of time to try and

[27:14] I can't believe we're working on quad style. That's

[27:42] Doing this in one day, you can't expect that.

[28:02] You're just going to keep making the same mistake over and over again.

[28:36] Do it for the feeling of flying. Yeah.

[30:08] gather them cuz I keep speaking before I'm able to actually gather my thoughts.

[30:23] Mhm. Okay, I wanted to let the scene finish because I feel like I keep just talking too soon and that's why like sometimes what I say is not in line with like too quick to to give my thoughts and I'm trying to work on that. So,

[30:38] first things first, so I kind of to go back what Urobuchi was saying earlier what he was actually talking about the sal is he was simply trying to get her sal is he was simply trying to get her to have like a little bit more wind up

[30:53] quad essentially without telling her to do a quad. He was seeing what would happen if he told her to like make slight adjustments with her salchow to see if how easy it would be for her to add a rotation without even realizing

[31:05] which some coaches will do. That happened to me when I landed my first single axel is my coach was having me do what we called bell jumps where we would do like just one single rotational length forward and she would just be

[31:19] slightly tweaking what I was doing and starting to get me into that in air side and then all of a sudden I was landing my axel because I was just able to naturally add a half rotation and

[31:32] land backwards because I was rotating properly. That's kind of what I'm gathering Uobuchi was doing here which is a very very like you have to know technique. You know what I mean landing a quad sal on the first day she's trying

[31:47] it. I don't know how to feel about it. I'm not going to lie. I I've seen a lot of people commenting like just a warning like things are going to move really quickly and again I have to reiterate that I understand this

[32:00] is a manga, this is an anime, you know what I mean he is a main character so things are just going to not happen at a normal pace. My issue is I am sitting here watching this as a skater and I feel like I just

[32:14] have to call out. Now just a quick disclaimer, she is well past the level that I have ever gotten. So So I have never landed a triple.

[32:26] I've never landed a quad because if I had I would not be doing this right now. Like let's be for real I would be competing against Alyssa Liu, right? Um so I I try and do things where I'm

[32:39] speaking from my own experience. I can't speak to this from my own experience. speak to this from my own experience. So, take this as you will. I have never once heard of someone being able to land a quad their first day trying. Are there

[32:52] Probably. There are prodigies. There are people out there who have probably done it. But, yes, there is something to be said about the idea that this triple sal has been super easy for her. She's been able

[33:05] to land it 100% of the time. Like, it's never caused her issues. So, there is something to be said about the fact that, okay, in theory, then a quad sal might be easier for her than a triple flip, a triple lutz, a triple

[33:18] axel. That is, in all intents and purposes, normal. Like, for me, I did not have my double flip and my double lutz consistent when my coach had me

[33:30] work on double axels and triple sals. Was I able to land them? No, I was not anywhere close to landing them. And I think that's where, like, my disconnect here is. I don't want to be like super harsh on this because, again, like, I am

[33:44] aware this is a show. I I I pride myself in giving it to y'all real. This went a route I was not expecting at all. I don't know how to feel about it. Like, I I I genuinely don't. It's a little bit like this is This is a lot. This is

[33:59] We're We're going for it. Because, here's the thing, too. Like, a quad sal is also something that no one's landing quad sals on the senior level. Um, we have Mao Shimada, who is going to be senior next year, who can do a quad toe.

[34:14] often. Um, it's usually only working for her at Worlds. And this world, she didn't attempt it, but she was sick. Um, we have Rion Sumiyoshi, who does a quad toe as well,

[34:28] but she also, like, is nine times out of 10 not successful on it. So, it it's just like it it's fact that in the women's event, quads are just not that normal right now. And I'm going to get to get into the conversation of like

[34:44] Alexandra Trusova, Anna Shcherbakova, who were of course the gold and silver medalist of the Olympics in 2022. I stand firmly in the I don't want people to be destroying their bodies at a very young age to learn the most difficult

[34:59] jumps. So, that's where I'm also like a little bit with it. I I just I have my issues with teaching super young kids these these jumps. And I understand that they again, it's a story and that it happens and that that's just my opinion.

[35:14] So, I don't want to dive too deep into it, but I do like I I love story. I love the way they do things. It still is very correct. Like everything that Eula Buteh was saying was like very true, very

[35:27] detail-oriented. Like the research is going into the show. They are doing that so correctly. I just I'm having like just a just a small issue with the fact that we're we're doing quad Salchows. I It's It is It is what it is. Um I can't

[35:42] happen. Like it It's not like it's entirely impossible. Anomalies can happen in this sport. So, it's just very like surprising to me to not only be doing it a year and a half into skating, but also be landing it the first day you

[35:56] absolutely a prodigy. We already know that. So, you know, it happens. And also this guy is just like a magician as well. So, this it or not wanted, but predicted because I was like, "Oh, this is going to like

[36:12] explore her like the mental block of of what's going on." So, going from being because she suddenly can't even land her double jumps to "Okay, let's land a quad Salchow." It's crazy. I could have never seen that coming.

[36:26] Um but yeah, I don't Again, I don't want to sound like I'm just complaining. I think people are aware that like it's moving along a bit faster than normal, partially because it's a show, so it has to, partially because like Inoti is a

[36:40] prodigy. So, like for all I know there could be skaters out there like that. I've just never experienced it because my experience with skating is of course personal to me. So, there's going to be differences and there's going to be

[36:52] doesn't mean that it's wrong, it just means that I've never experienced that and I'm always trying to offer you all my own perspective and my own feelings and experiences with the sport as someone who did it for so long and still

[37:06] does it. So, I hope you all understand I'm not trying to like put down the story in any way by saying this. Um, that's obviously not what I'm trying to like perspective and that means that like I'm

[37:19] going to call out when I think something might be a little bit unrealistic. I did couple of times with Metal List and I will continue to do so, but we have one episode left, so I believe I mean obviously I've been saying it for a

[37:32] while All Japans is going to be this movie and that makes sense. Like it makes sense to make this big thing that we've been working up to since the beginning of the show. That's obviously going to be Katsu versus Inoti

[37:44] is going to be this big movie event. I can see why that's going to happen. Just so you all know, I have decided I'm going to go see it in movie theaters. I am not a channel where my entire thing is reactions, so I think that I need to

[38:02] is reactions, so I think that I need to go. I need to support the, you know, the the studio and the production company and go see the movie. I want to see it It's going to be tough because it's going to take me a while. I'm sure

[38:17] there's going to be a long delay, which is going to be really frustrating. It is what it is though. Luckily this will be different than Demon Slayer because it's be as many people just openly posting leaks like it's nothing on the internet

[38:30] like they do with Demon Slayer, so there's that. But, I'm still trying to make since I'm not going to be able to react to it. I'll probably just watch it a few times, try and take notes, kind of talk it through once it happens. But,

[38:44] man, this was This was a lot. Holy moly, took kind of took my breath away. I feel like I want I I I feel like I want to but I don't think there's really a point in saying much more than what I've

[38:58] touched on everything that I wanted to. And uh that's going to be it for today's to like the video, subscribe to the channel, and leave a comment your thoughts. Um let me know in the comments what you would prefer to see with like

[39:13] want me to make content? I'll probably like try and make a vlog. I'll probably post like my initial thoughts. I'll try and do a couple videos on it. Are you wanting me to do it very similarly to how I did Demon Slayer Infinity Castle?

[39:27] different? Let me know in the comments below. Also, with next weekend being the season finale, I have plans to read the manga that covered this season and then are quite a few changes that have been made, so I'm excited to read that. I

[39:43] like the way I did it didn't really work that well. Like people didn't seem to be interested in it. So, y'all tell me how you want me to do it. Um also, I'm down a lot of the competition programs from earlier this season. I've just been

[39:58] once the season is over, and I've been so freaking busy. I have not had the to pretty much record anything outside of these videos. So, uh that's on the docket for immediately after the season ends. So, manga, uh breakdowns of those

[40:13] competition programs. I'm thinking about breaking down my own programs if you want me to, if you're interested in that, let me know. Otherwise, let me know just kind of what your answer is to all of those, I guess. I'll also I I

[40:27] it. Okay. Cool. That's going to be it for today's like the video, subscribe to the channel, leave a comment your thoughts, and I will see you all next week for the season finale. Month and A.