The other day, I met again with the Olympic figure skating medalist and two-time world champion. He said, "I'm lazy, so I want to skate as easily as possible," and "I want to skate without using much strength, without wasting practice, without getting injured, and without getting tired, while enjoying it." At first, I thought he was saying things just to suit himself, but his explanation was as follows:
When it comes to jumps, everyone tries to use upper body rotation and arm strength to jump, but the champion says you can jump without using much upper body. By not using the upper body, you eliminate unnecessary tension and increase the success rate of the jump. From this perspective, you naturally see the importance of using soft arm movements and upper body control. He mentioned that with the old skating style that relied heavily on strength, it's impossible to execute the current advanced jumps.
Furthermore, after a jump, you must land, and to aim for high scores, you need to perform combination jumps. Therefore, if you land with all your energy, you won't be able to transition smoothly to the next move. In other words, if you can't achieve a good landing position, there's no point in practicing jumps.
In this way, rather than complicating jumps, reevaluating each movement, separating necessary and unnecessary actions, and reducing mental strain by relaxing seem to define the "lazy skater's style," according to the champion.
It's surprising that there's such a detailed plan just to execute one jump. Success is unlikely unless all conditions are met, and practicing in a condition that's not optimal only damages the body unnecessarily, hence the term "lazy style."
It's not like the past, where rigorous training could somehow compensate; attempting advanced techniques incorrectly inevitably leads to greater physical strain. Perhaps the "lazy style practice method" is suitable for the current era, as the champion, who secured two consecutive world titles during this turbulent period, wants to convey. He doesn't want athletes to live a miserable life, retiring due to injury or continuing practices that won't lead to improvement.
This is the ultimate message. It aligns closely with my belief that "there's no point in practicing if conditioning isn't in place." Specifically, rather than relentlessly practicing to master difficult techniques and aiming for the goal, it's crucial to start from childhood, building a foundation by developing a body that can endure the practice required to master challenging skills.
Is there any particular part you'd like me to clarify or expand on?