Asian American skaters

[harmonica]

is it me or are there a ''lot'' of great Asian American skaters?
I see Chen for the men this year
we've had Michele Kwan and Kristi Yamaguchi that were Olympic medalist and world champions who did very, very well
....this is NOT a racist thread--so forget that.....I admire the Asian race greatly and it seems like they do well in figure skating
.....

 

[Compost]

Shorter women tend to be better at many of the moves skaters have to make on the ice. Asians are on average shorter? Yamaguchi was strong, big emphasis on jumps, Kwan was more elegant. Maybe the Asian part of American isn't what makes a successful figure skater. Maybe it's the work ethic, the coaching, the fortitude. Who knows.

 

[harmonica]

Shorter women tend to be better at many of the moves skaters have to make on the ice. Asians are on average shorter? Yamaguchi was strong, big emphasis on jumps, Kwan was more elegant. Maybe the Asian part of American isn't what makes a successful figure skater. Maybe it's the work ethic, the coaching, the fortitude. Who knows.

great point on height

 

[harmonica]

Shorter women tend to be better at many of the moves skaters have to make on the ice. Asians are on average shorter? Yamaguchi was strong, big emphasis on jumps, Kwan was more elegant. Maybe the Asian part of American isn't what makes a successful figure skater. Maybe it's the work ethic, the coaching, the fortitude. Who knows.

I always thought the Asians had better work ethics/discipline/etc than Americans
...they do better in graduation rates also--I would think their culture/discipline had something to do with that

 

[harmonica]

Shorter women tend to be better at many of the moves skaters have to make on the ice. Asians are on average shorter? Yamaguchi was strong, big emphasis on jumps, Kwan was more elegant. Maybe the Asian part of American isn't what makes a successful figure skater. Maybe it's the work ethic, the coaching, the fortitude. Who knows.

but wouldn't there be just as many, if not more, ''European'' Americans with the same height trying out for skating?
more starting skating when they are younger?

 

[Compost]

Shorter women tend to be better at many of the moves skaters have to make on the ice. Asians are on average shorter? Yamaguchi was strong, big emphasis on jumps, Kwan was more elegant. Maybe the Asian part of American isn't what makes a successful figure skater. Maybe it's the work ethic, the coaching, the fortitude. Who knows.

but wouldn't there be just as many, if not more, ''European'' Americans with the same height trying out for skating?
more starting skating when they are younger?

Don't know. Probably lots of kids try skating when they are young. Skating is expensive, coaches, ice time, travel etc. I suspect that chases away many from pursuing it seriously. Maybe the Asian Americans' work ethic adds to the likelihood that they can afford it.

 

[harmonica]

Shorter women tend to be better at many of the moves skaters have to make on the ice. Asians are on average shorter? Yamaguchi was strong, big emphasis on jumps, Kwan was more elegant. Maybe the Asian part of American isn't what makes a successful figure skater. Maybe it's the work ethic, the coaching, the fortitude. Who knows.

but wouldn't there be just as many, if not more, ''European'' Americans with the same height trying out for skating?
more starting skating when they are younger?

Don't know. Probably lots of kids try skating when they are young. Skating is expensive, coaches, ice time, travel etc. I suspect that chases away many from pursuing it seriously. Maybe the Asian Americans' work ethic adds to the likelihood that they can afford it.

yes --good call.....the hockey teams near me practice at ungodly hours

 

[harmonica]

here's another! wow
Mirai Nagasu makes history with triple axel in Olympics | Daily Mail Online

 

[Compost]

here's another! wow
Mirai Nagasu makes history with triple axel in Olympics | Daily Mail Online

Wow, indeed!

 

[harmonica]

here's another! wow
Mirai Nagasu makes history with triple axel in Olympics | Daily Mail Online

Wow, indeed!

Yura Min was born in the US..I take it she grew up here...?

 

[Mindful]

Asians are good at ballet too.

 

[harmonica]

Asians are good at ballet too.

I guess like Compost said, they are naturally more ''compact''......seems like that's a big plus

 

[Mindful]

Asians are good at ballet too.

I guess like Compost said, they are naturally more ''compact''......seems like that's a big plus

I think so. Don't have gangling limbs getting in the way.

Their interpretation of a European art form is pretty good too.

 

[Marion Morrison]

Christian Hosoi?

Seriously though, that's what makes America different: We have people from all nations here.

 

[Marion Morrison]

Now, when there's an Asian NASCAR champ, then that'll be SERIOUS.

 

[harmonica]

don't you need powerful legs and less upper body mass to get height/etc?

 

[Mindful]

don't you need powerful legs and less upper body mass to get height/etc?

A lot depends on the feet. For "lift off".

 

[Vastator]

is it me or are there a ''lot'' of great Asian American skaters?
I see Chen for the men this year
we've had Michele Kwan and Kristi Yamaguchi that were Olympic medalist and world champions who did very, very well
....this is NOT a racist thread--so forget that.....I admire the Asian race greatly and it seems like they do well in figure skating
.....

Their small frames, and delicate builds make them ideally suited to the event.

 

[harmonica]

is it me or are there a ''lot'' of great Asian American skaters?
I see Chen for the men this year
we've had Michele Kwan and Kristi Yamaguchi that were Olympic medalist and world champions who did very, very well
....this is NOT a racist thread--so forget that.....I admire the Asian race greatly and it seems like they do well in figure skating
.....

Their small frames, and delicate builds make them ideally suited to the event.

do you think the Americans would have more upper body weight as Americans are taller/bigger/heavier?
..or- is upper body muscle more important??
just looking for opinions--thanks all replies
or am I thinking too much?

 

[Vastator]

is it me or are there a ''lot'' of great Asian American skaters?
I see Chen for the men this year
we've had Michele Kwan and Kristi Yamaguchi that were Olympic medalist and world champions who did very, very well
....this is NOT a racist thread--so forget that.....I admire the Asian race greatly and it seems like they do well in figure skating
.....

Their small frames, and delicate builds make them ideally suited to the event.

do you think the Americans would have more upper body weight as Americans are taller/bigger/heavier?
..or- is upper body muscle more important??
just looking for opinions--thanks all replies
or am I thinking too much?

I remember an interview Tonya Harding gave, where she discussed that competing in her sport became more difficult as she grew taller heavier and her breasts grew. It made doing many of the motions that required gyroscopic spinning less controllable, and more difficult to stop, and transition out of as a larger proportion of her body weight got above her center line.