Continuing Kikuchi-sensei’s book ‘Strongly, beautifully,….’

Continuing Kikuchi-sensei’s book ‘Strongly, beautifully,….’Chapter 33.4  Looking at deviations of the torso 3.5  Icing as a recovery method (not translating these 2 sections;  I may come back to do them after I have done the parts that interest me most.)3.6  Experiencing the world’s stage as trainerThe season after Sochi Olympics, that is, 2014-15 season.  It was hard for Yuzuru to get into good condition.  The 1st competition, Finlandia Trophy, he withdrew because of back pain.  Yuzuru was in Canada and I did not know of his injury.  I only knew about it from the news.But, one week before GP series Cup of China, held in November 2014 in Shanghai, I received a message on my smartphone.“Sensei, can you come to the competition in Shanghai please?” “Didn’t you say that the Canadian trainer will accompany you?” I replied.   After a while, “Sensei, come to Shanghai and do treatment for me please….?”Because in the previous season, he had told me, “For competitions in Japan, please may I have your care, but for overseas competitions, the trainer in Canada will go with me, is that alright?”  Perhaps he felt a sense of guilt.  He was probably fiddling with Pooh-san’s ear and hesitating for some time before sending the message.“Alright, I understand. I will be there,” I replied.  I cancelled all my plans for the week ahead and went to Shanghai.After a long absence, when I touched his legs, I felt the confirmation of his evolution, and also, in my heart, I felt some sense of relief that I could do treatment for Yuzuru again.2014 December, GP series NHK Trophy in Osaka.  Yuzuru, far from ideal condition, headed for competition.  His short programme was only 78.01,  and with scores lower than any he had in recent time, he finished in 4th place.  He managed to qualify for the GP Final in Barcelona which was for only the top skaters of the GP series.Right after NHK Trophy was over, Yuzuru came to my hotel room.“Sensei, can you also come with me for the Final?” he said.“Oh?  For Europe, the other sensei (Canada) will go with you, didn’t you say that?”  I was also being mean.“But, sensei,……..” his eyes made the plea.“Ah, seems like it’s unavoidable, shall I go to Spain and see Sagrada Familia as well?”In this way, I was called back to be Yuzuru’s personal trainer.From then on, for competitions in Japan and overseas, support for Yuzuru was done by me.  Well, to him, I think it’s because he has known me since he was little, and calling me “sensei, sensei” is easy and comfortable.  But to me, it became a major event that happened in my life.3.7 PyeongChang Olympic season, starts2017-18 season, also an Olympic season.  First competition, Autumn Classic, Yuzuru had a world record score of 112.72 for his short programme, breaking the previous record which was held by himself.  The media, in anticipation of a 2nd Olympic gold, saw it as a good start towards PyeongChang Olympics, but……After Autumn Classic, I met Yuzuru;  his body that had been loaded with training, headed for competition at GP series Rostelecom Cup, could not be said to be in very good condition.That not-ideal condition indicated the pressure of a 2nd Olympic win.  In summer, he was pushing himself hard and the body was very overworked.  The thoughts of 'must win’ put a great burden on his legs.  Putting multiple quadruple jumps into his programme layout was extremely demanding on the ankles.I thought it was not so hard to win at PyeongChang Olympics if he maintained the level of record-breaking 2015-16 NHK Trophy and GPF.   It seems his coaches also told him “you don’t have to overdo it to that extent”.But, Yuzuru thoroughly pushes himself hard.  "Not doing it, is not me" he says and continues to practise so that he can raise the level.  Even if someone said “stop!” he would still continue to skate.The Olympics becoming a heavy burden, there was not a single word of this from Yuzuru’s mouth.  He did not show it even in his behaviour.  But when I touched his legs, I knew.  To what extent was the harsh training  he had put in.For Yuzuru who has an overabundance of fighting spirit, I felt a sense of uneasiness.  Unfortunately, my premonition came true.  2017 November, GP series NHK Trophy in Osaka, during official practice, he fell on a quad lutz.  The ligaments  of his right foot were damaged.After he was injured, we were talking and joking and laughing.  If we did not keep the mood cheerful, Yuzuru would be too pitiful.  When he fell, I knew it was a serious injury.  If it was the usual sprain, my treatment could help in some way.  But not this time.  Yuzuru had to withdraw from NHK Trophy.  The trainer from Canada and a doctor took care of him and I returned to Sendai.A long recovery period was needed for his foot.  He was absent for Japan nationals.  He remained in Toronto, undergoing treatment, and prepared for the Olympics.  I could not be at peace.  The condition of his injury, I only knew about it from the news, as usual.  It was about a month and a half before PyeongChang Olympics.  Yuzuru’s father, holding a form for registering the size of sportswear and blazer for the Japanese delegation, came to my clinic.  Same as 4 years ago for Sochi Olympics.  “How is Yuzuru?”  I asked, but Yuzuru’s father only smiled and nodded, as he always does.But it was definite that Yuzuru would compete at the Olympics.  What I could do was, no matter what the situation, to send him into the rink in the best condition.  And I was ready.3.8  Do carefully one by oneThe free skate at PyeongChang was at an earlier timing than the usual competitions, and the practice started from 8.25am.  Without getting all worked up like at Sochi, I could face it calmly this time.  That morning, the taping for him was completed at first try.Yuzuru did not say anything.  Of course, his foot could not be said to be in very good condition.  My role was to help him get the ideal feeling that he wanted in his legs and I believe it went very well.  Warming-up also had no problems.Supporting Yuzuru’s beautiful performances are his well-trained body and senses.  Elegant jumps and spins are created by his steady torso and ability to sense tiny differences.  These are important for flowing movements.  That is why Yuzuru is always concerned about the training of the torso and any deviations.And so, about one year before PyeongChang Olympics, torso awareness training was introduced into the warm-up schedule.  There was a video showing Yuzuru sitting on a bucket with wheels and moving around;  that was one of it.  People who saw it may have thought,  "What is he playing?“That is a custom-made product, a bucket-shaped chair fitted with wheels used for wheelchair basketball.  To move around freely on it, one has to be very conscious of the transverse abdominal muscles that surround the abdomen, the erector spinae muscles that support the spine, and other such parts of the torso;  it is a training device.  It is well-known that the balance ball is effective for conditioning the torso. However, it is not enough for a torso that supports the flowing movements of figure skating.  Quadruple jumps do not go directly above the head.  They go forward 3 to 4 metres while rotating.  And so, (thinking) can’t we condition the torso while moving forward, backward, left and right, this bucket-chair was developed.Usually I would say "next, bucket”, and Yuzuru would sit on it and move around, like writing the character “ハ”   (t/n. this is number 8 in kanji).  At the warm-up of the short programme, he jokingly said, “Sensei, I’ve become good at this."  For the free skate warm-up, even though I did not give the instruction, he himself went to sit on it and started moving around quietly.  What he did was exactly the same as how I had pictured it in my mind.As he often says, "When I am focused, I know very clearly what I need to do.”The last part of warm-up was always, still in gym shoes, jumping straight up with rotations on the spot.  Doing this, one will know if there is any shift in the body’s axis.  At this time, I once again felt “this guy is incredible…” and got goosebumps all over.In the tension, there must have been countless times of feeling almost crushed by the considerable pressure.  Nevertheless, he spent his days pushing himself hard, and studying and researching all that he could.  And raise himself higher, refine his skills, brutally overwork his body……  4 years of it, for the sake of this moment.Perfectly conditioned.  To Yuzuru who was heading to the middle of the rink for his free skate, the only thing I could do was to say, “(You’re) alright, so just do carefully one by one.”   But I don’t know if he heard me.[end of chapter 3] [some sentences are left out or summarised]Translated by me from this Japanese book by Akira Kikuchi: https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E5%BC%B7%E%… (please consider buying it, if you can)(photos: searched from internet) -- source link

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