The gravity-defying physics of figure skater Nathan Chen
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This video has been updated in a later version to reflect the controversy surrounding the quads in Nathan Chen’s 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic routine.
17-year-old Nathan Chen is on the verge of becoming the world figure skating champion. We break down the gravity-defying physics behind his record-breaking moves.
Nathan Chen is on the verge of becoming the best figure skater alive. But the stresses on the 17-year-old American aren't just psychological. Chen is known for doing more quadruple jumps in a single program than any other figure skater in the world. But the moves are incredibly taxing on the human body. These are the physics behind figure skating's most difficult jump.
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it probably won't be long before another skater accomplishes a more impressive jump. It's probably gonna be Nathan Chen again. Dude is only 17.
@shineluvslambiel
6 жыл бұрын
and he just successfully landed the 4loop twice in competition now. Complete 4-rotation arsenal now.
@nntflow7058
6 жыл бұрын
No, When these athletes reaches 20, their body is dead.
@ninazheng5074
6 жыл бұрын
KiIlerman here a poem to you Roses are red violets are blue There will always be Another Asian out there Who is younger and Better than you .
@mochi6929
6 жыл бұрын
Nina Zheng accurate
@jujuowl8988
6 жыл бұрын
NNT Flow how why?
Imagine if the people who were once Olympians managed to time travel into the future and they see this kid and all the other Olympic competitors... Just imagine their faces. LOL
@stalemate123matt6
7 жыл бұрын
I think about that all the time lol, like If I could travel back in time and be like EYYY SCOTT HAMILTON CHECK THIS OUT
@deeperedges3100
6 жыл бұрын
omg I think about that all the time too!!!!! Like take any guy from top 15 today and they would beat all the legends from 20 years ago! And today we don't even know some of their names... that Is crazy! I'm really interested in how this sport will develop in another 20 years. just HOW FAR will it go?...
@brettshair3151
6 жыл бұрын
rei 君 someone needs to make a fanfic about that. I'll read it right away!!
@lilab27
6 жыл бұрын
rei 君 like if salchow saw a quadruple salchow. i doubt he couldve even imagined a triple
@ishiable
6 жыл бұрын
Who knows if these athletes came from future,and have these skills which is common in future but not now. just opposite of what you think
Nathan studies at university FULL-TIME, trains by HIMSELF, consulting with his coach two or three times a week, and yet he won every competition he participated for the last two years It's incredible
THis guy is only 17 years old what the heckkkk
@OppaUwU
6 жыл бұрын
I'm 17 and I'm here complaining about everything as I eat potato chips on my bed.
@SeabassFishbrains
6 жыл бұрын
He's 18 now, he's now a 2 time national champion and grand prix final champion. He has won gold at every single competition he's been to this season but he might not win gold at the olympics as his most major competitors (Shoma Uno, Yuzuru Hanyu and Boyang Jin for the most part) have been injured, withdrawn or inconsistent at all the competitions he's faced them at this season, all of those competitors have similar technical content with better presentation skills (eons better in the cases of Yuzuru and Shoma, just a smidge better in Boyang's case) which do make up approximately half the total score in skating. Shoma and Boyang are on a perfect path to peak at the olys now and Yuzuru Hanyu, though seriously injured, has pulled world records out of nowhere before, in fact, Yuzuru is determined to land a quad axel before his career is over. We are currently witnessing a renaissance of quads in mens skating and even 13 year old girls are starting to attempt quad salchows and toeloops. It's a great time to become a skate fan!!
@myplateisempty.4292
6 жыл бұрын
Im 21 and I am currently procrastinating by watching this video when I have an exam tomorrow.....
@joshualim3123
6 жыл бұрын
Most figure skaters are young
@Astronamia
6 жыл бұрын
The olympics sure do make you question yourself hahaha
And I have trouble just trying not to fall...
@salonigajbhiye7965
6 жыл бұрын
Magnus How do you know this?
@sandzjapan
6 жыл бұрын
i have trouble walking.
@deepapatel5059
6 жыл бұрын
Magnus lol
@pruthvihegde5432
4 жыл бұрын
I have trouble finding the ice ring
He makes it look so effortless. But at the back of your mind, you're thinking about the number of hours of practice, the number of times he failed but didn't give up... Truly breathtaking.
@MoneyMan28
4 жыл бұрын
He's 17
I still can't believe he is doing this, he must be so exhausted ... amazing. Respect.
@kizarumelon2477
6 жыл бұрын
he's asian lmao he can do anything, must have crazy ambition im on the couch eating chips atm how sad ....
"was a last minute adaption" (in the changing room) "hey can i just add one of the hardest moves to perform to my dance real quick? kay thanks"
Nathan's Salchow is so impressive to me because he uses the one-footed take-off. It's amazing. Majority of skaters do it using the toe-loop(two-footed) take-off. His 4Lz and 4F are also really impressive, and his jumps have only gotten better and better as he's become more experienced with age.
17....... FREAKIN 17 SAME AGE AS ME AND ALL IVE EVER DONE THATS IM PROUD OF IS PROBABLY STUDYING FOR 6 HOUR STRAIGHT AND MY RESULT STILL NOT GOOD WTH IS UP WITH THIS BOY ACHIEVED SO MUCH WHO DOES HE THINK HE IS.
@BrainRotBehaviour
6 жыл бұрын
Jk
@saumyaranjan9256
6 жыл бұрын
You described me
@sangnu688
6 жыл бұрын
Omg same. And same to our profile pictures being bitmoji(s) ? Edit: I completely forgot that I’m not 17 yet. Woops.
@Celinej01
6 жыл бұрын
Pointless Apple Omg same
@natashafournier1046
6 жыл бұрын
Pointless Apple I
I would never have tuned into figure skating. This young man just got a new fan
When they land do their feet want to die
@alex_jpeg
6 жыл бұрын
yes, you dont even have to do quads for you feet to want to die, doing doubles makes mine commit suicide
@t-.-t.
6 жыл бұрын
What happens? Does it hurt?
@ony_p5680
6 жыл бұрын
On the long run we all probably need hip replacements by 30 But it does take a toll. The impact is quite harsh, remember we land on outside or inside edge meaning we are leaning just a bit to our left or right without actually falling. And also, most jumps are made in the first half of a program? Which leaves the second half and you are feeling out of breath and ready to drop dead. Some skaters will do the jumps on the second half and get even more points. I only attempted that once at a competition and sure I got more marks but oh boy did my lungs feel tight. And let’s take into account that our skates arE SUPER important. Look at Chen’s blades even, they are different from the more traditional ones. And they are built with that support to aid his jumps. Sometimes if the skate is poorly fitted, the blood circulation gets funky and you get that feeling of needles pricking your skin. If you are bad with the cold and how wet the skates might get that also makes for it to be uncomfortable
@ony_p5680
6 жыл бұрын
Lol maybe it is too long of an answer but yes Our feet suffer, stink, want to get off our bodies and skate the hell away.
@t-.-t.
6 жыл бұрын
Pony BOM damn!! That sounds rough😥. They make it seam so easy and effortless. Hats-off to you guys
Now that's the real ankle breaker.
@alexandranicholle7458
6 жыл бұрын
sounds to me like basketball jargon mate :)
@donnal.padilla4336
6 жыл бұрын
everestfalls ...in truth you are correct along with heel & hip joint issues
Human beyblade
@cassandramartinez8605
6 жыл бұрын
Mo Choudhury ....let it rip
For some reason, watching him makes me really, really happy! Bless him and I hope he continues to achieve! Do your best, Nathan!
So figure skaters are in fact meta-human. I didn't know how physically enduring these routines were, I knew they required muscle-control, balanced, and accuracy but this adds another level.
He was born to make history!!!
@villagerc7130
6 жыл бұрын
Can you feel *my heart beeaaat*
@aubreylea3303
6 жыл бұрын
V Llly I've been waiting for someone to say this❤
@elris452
6 жыл бұрын
V Llly ;)
@Dear_Lumine33
6 жыл бұрын
Ayyyyy I see what you did there :D
@Mila-lz1ki
6 жыл бұрын
V Llly yaas😂😂✌️
I love that the video ends on the badass that is Suraya Bonaly
@chenico0908
6 жыл бұрын
OnceUponAVideo yeup me too, she badass
DUDE HE WAS ON MY CORN FLAKES CEREAL BOX Edit: he is really talented tho lol
@foof3114
6 жыл бұрын
do you realize you just got 100+ likes from that?
@potatodragon6453
6 жыл бұрын
Weird7thgrader ಠ_ಠ lol noo
@fishythefish7984
3 жыл бұрын
LMAO THIS COMMENT IS SO RANDOM LOL
He's beauty, he's grace, he's Mr. United States
@angel127_
6 жыл бұрын
SBJCPXITIDITSITSITIDOOCOH
@angel127_
6 жыл бұрын
SKSKSKSKDJDJSJ
@christophe3776
6 жыл бұрын
Mr. Congeniality!
@lilithslittlemoon
6 жыл бұрын
Omg I love you
@Merculos
6 жыл бұрын
Freeedom nuke
Meanwhile there's me slipping on patches of ice walking home...
Great illustration. Perfect for us non-physicists
I met him once about two years ago in my city's ice rink. And the funny thing is I didn't even know him. I just knew that he was cute and a great skater and I wanted to take a picture with him. And I did !
I can’t even walk on actual ground properly and I end up tripping. Kudos to these talented boys, especially Chen!
@domimanssur7308
6 жыл бұрын
KIM JONGBAE IS BEST BAE ❤️
@kit153
6 жыл бұрын
CHENNY CHENNNN
@MCJAIJAI
6 жыл бұрын
OMG I love your username! I was just scrolling past reading the comments and saw your username. Love it! Fellow EXO-L!
@bobogoop
6 жыл бұрын
MCJAIJAI
@bobogoop
6 жыл бұрын
infinitae :3
He’s like a spinning top. So much force and precision. Amazing.
I'm so happy they somewhat acknowledged Surya at the end. She was before her time and faced harsh criticism for it.
Amazingly well-illustrated video! Such high-quality content. Subscribed!!
Bro he went to my same high school for a year and now he's in the olympics like wuuuut
@anan-my9tk
3 жыл бұрын
Damnnn that’s cool
The different jumps are ranked in the following level of dificulty: 1. Toe loop 2. Salchow 3. Loop 4. Flip 5. Lutz 6. Axel
@roshafebri6329
6 жыл бұрын
RaymondHng why i can't do loop but i can do axel?! I'm stressed about it
@femaleskater1185
6 жыл бұрын
Salchow should be before toe loop
@RaymondHng
6 жыл бұрын
Per ISU Communication #2089, a triple toe loop jump base value is 4.3. A triple salchow is 4.4. A quad toe loop is 10.3. A quad salchow is 10.5.
@femaleskater1185
6 жыл бұрын
RaymondHng if you skate you're taught how to do salchows before you learn toe loop, the technique for a toe loop is harder than a salchow, but I'm surprised as to why a triple salchow has a higher base value than a triple toe loop🤔
@imogennv665
6 жыл бұрын
I can do a salchow and tie loop
He did 6 quad jumps in the 2018 Olympics. That is crazy considering how physically demanding to do even one. Noy sure if there will be another skater like him ever again. His spinning is also damn powerful like no others.
As a skater these were very good explanations for the jumps.
I wonder if he can keep this up given the burden it does to his feet. 🤔 He still has years ahead of him.
@eonicMT
6 жыл бұрын
Darlene I mean, many ice skaters start ice skating around five or three years old so I’m sure he’s had lots of practice 🤔😰
@KnockoutInvesting
6 жыл бұрын
Ice skaters peak early
@helennoviyanto2071
6 жыл бұрын
Well wether a skater experience pain more or not rly depends on their technique. And I can say with certainty that nathan's technique is flawed, so yea
Thank you for throwing Surya Bonaly in there.
@erinjones8579
6 жыл бұрын
I've been watch a bunch of Bonaly videos this week, she is amazing! The 94 Olympic exhibition show is worth looking up. She does 2 flips
Nathan Chen disliked this video himself because he couldn't land the 4Lo yet (which is the only quadruple jump involving 1440° he couldn't master atm)
@moonlau206
6 жыл бұрын
Now he can.
This is a wonderful video. It happens so fast I can't fully comprehend the hard work. The explaination and the illustrations really made me appreciate his remarkable routine even more.
Man, he's just 17 and already exceeding in his specialty. Videos like this motivate me to achieve and work for my dreams as well!
NATHAN IS THE GOAT
How can all those figure skating fans memorize all those jumps? I can only remember 6 or 3 or something.
@koda1082
7 жыл бұрын
No_Quads_ And_Axels Look how the figure skater takes off. If the skater does a 360° turn before taking off with the edges of the blades, then it's a salchow jump. If the skater bends their legs before taking off with the edges of their blades, then it's a loop jump. There is the toe jump, which takes off at the toe pick. As for the flip jump and Lutz jump, look at the edge of the blade. If the skater takes off from a slight inside esge, then it's a flip jump. If the skater takes off from an outside edge, then it's a Lutz jump. The figure skater goes backwards into the air and lands on the other side with these sides. However, the axel jump takes off forward with one foot and rotate an extra 1/2 revolutions and lands on the other foot.
@SweetMillefeuille
6 жыл бұрын
The only tell for the lutz is the slight lean and reversed direction just before takeoff so I find it quite hard to differentiate from a flip. Especially for skaters who don't do a clear lutz so it ends up looking like a flip, hence the term "flutz"-ing.
@mateoferretto2175
6 жыл бұрын
SweetMillefeuille actually, since the flip uses the inside edge they generally do a three-turn before jumping. For the lutz they always move backwards and jump.
@RaymondHng
6 жыл бұрын
These are the six jumps in order of difficulty for a skater who spins counter clockwise and lands on their right foot. The difference is which edge and direction they are taking off when jumping. 1. Toe loop-Right Back Outside edge, Left toe pick-assisted 2. Salchow-Left Back Inside edge 3. Loop-Right Back Outside edge 4. Flip-Left Back Inside edge, Right toe pick-assisted 5. Lutz-Left Back Outside edge, Right toe pick-assisted 6. Axel-Left Forward Outside edge
@abbydejong6803
6 жыл бұрын
i feel like people forget that not every skater jump and spin the same way
to many YOI fans
@xtat955
6 жыл бұрын
Nanas Man Too much
@spamd5407
6 жыл бұрын
*too many
@AAA-vk4wh
6 жыл бұрын
xTɦաaʀtɛɖ too many
@user-ms2ri4jb3c
6 жыл бұрын
Yeah..they’re annoying
@ih1521
6 жыл бұрын
Yep
landing with 7 times more force than his own weight? that's really sick
@calisongbird
6 жыл бұрын
cream yeah, that’s a guaranteed future of multiple orthopedic surgeries
Nathan Chen is my favorite olympics skater.
wow he made it look like so effortless
This deserves more likes , it is so good 😁
What's with all of the Yuri on Ice comments? We're talking about a real person here - Nathan Chen - not a cartoon!!
@lillyanlubean4502
7 жыл бұрын
eurocamp 25 AGREED
@barbaraweitschat
6 жыл бұрын
yuri on ice just introduced and drew many people into this sport form and now more people can appreciate it for what it is, for example of course i knew what ice skating is but that anime showed me the beauty of figure skating. btw there are some figure skaters who liked yuri on ice as well
@ecupcakes2735
6 жыл бұрын
because yuri on ice is based off figure skating.
@ecupcakes2735
6 жыл бұрын
a lot of new figure skating fans were introduced to figure skating through yuri on ice.
@jiminwillneverfindhisjamz9778
6 жыл бұрын
eurocamp 25 anime*
Jumps are hard. The Toe pick always mess me up and I end up falling and getting a thousand bruises. With practice I'm sure it becomes easier but that guy is crazy good
@biolumess4463
5 жыл бұрын
What jump are you on?
For the 94 people who down thumbed this, what the hell has Nathan got to do to win your respect!!!!, just fantastic, I wonder how close to the absolute most a skater can do, great skating
@nieliangel
6 жыл бұрын
"I wonder how close to the absolute most a skater can do" current yuzu does this *just saying* and i respect nathan
nathan and yuzuru are always gonna be my favorites
Nice animation. It really helped
He's gotta win the olympics, he was born to
@jas_log133
2 жыл бұрын
he did
that is a beautifully made video. i really was entranced by everything about it.
He's gorgeous! He looks like a prince * - *
I’m the from the same city as him. Salt Lake City, Utah. Amazed that there’s actually something worth being proud of as a Utahn.
nathan’s only 18 imagine what he’ll be able to do in the future. he’s amazing.
thanks for the great content.
Excellent!!!💖💖💖🙌🏼
I like how he let's his leg dispurse as he lands. Carries the force in a direction orthogonal to his ankle.
He must feel so free skating that beautifully.
Surya Bonaly is the only woman to do a backflip and the only person to land on one foot when doing it. And this man is the only person to do 5 quadruple jumps in a routine. Minorities doing it right!
How come no one did a video like this on yuzuru hanyu? I mean natham chen was the first to do 5 quads but yuzuru hanyu was the first person to land a quad in competition...
@eggtoast
6 жыл бұрын
Yuzuru Hanyu's still my fav
@thelastbutnottheleast3066
6 жыл бұрын
You should really clarify that he was the first to land a specific quad jump (a loop) in competition, because the first person to land a ratified quad jump in general was Kurt Browning back in '88. Sorry, nitpicky, I know.
@Coldheart61595
6 жыл бұрын
Kurt browning was the very first to land a quad and because of this more quads are born.
@tanahisiansssc48
6 жыл бұрын
at least Yuzuru Hanyu made history a couple times now... Just saying~
@carols9892
6 жыл бұрын
People have been landing quads since the late 80s....
This video gave me chills.
And now he's landed 6 of them in a routine
He was born to make history
BORN TO MAKE HISTORY!
@quartz... Can you tell the names of background music in your videos? They are really great.
@hirokg9
7 жыл бұрын
I upvote this comment.Even mooma.sh can't find it !!
@erickfernando18
6 жыл бұрын
We fucking need it !!
I can feel my ankles breaking just by watching this
I love how Nathan is the same age as me and I can’t breathe after running for 2 minutes
*BORN TO MAKE HISTORYYYYYY*
Great video!
Amazing! TY.😍
I frreaakking luv Nathan Chan like this boy be on fleek with his landings
When you are the same age and you realize you haven't accomplished jack shit
@magiguy102
6 жыл бұрын
When you are five years older and you still haven't accomplished jack shit. Only started skating eight months ago, quads seem like an impossible dream for starting so late.
@creannabreey6999
6 жыл бұрын
Oh shit. Now that i realized, i am turning 17 this year fml
@skramamme685
6 жыл бұрын
When you're a gen x-er and still haven't achieved jack shit... now that is fucking depressing
@becontentandsilencethemind1562
6 жыл бұрын
it's ok...there's ppl old and dead and still didn't accomplish jackshit...
as expected, all chens of this world are so talented,,, i'll be naming my firstborn chen
And now he landed 6 quads...
Wow this is amazing.
What is the song at 1:28??
Incredible!
Simply incredible!!!
Please make more physics of sports videos :)
Does someone know what music is playing starting at 0:45?
Really digging the explanation music haha
@raonii8619
6 жыл бұрын
Kuangheng Hwang fuck same
Awesome video 😬
Wow, maaaan... I've got chills
Wow. When compared to my life, he's a gargantuan statue of achievement.
Does anyone know the song at the end?
Now imagine him in the future like five years from now. He's going to be hella op
@calisongbird
6 жыл бұрын
Daphne R what’s op?
Can't wait to watch him win gold next month.
The jumping and spinning is satisfying af
What’s the bg music used from 0:45
And he cute too what a guy
Mind blown. Wow. I enjoy watching figure skating, but, I don't think I fully appreciated the incredible skill, and strength until I watched this video. Well-made. 👍🏽
I thought the catch about the quintuple jump was that it wont be officially counted as a jump. As in they wont score it, similar to the backflip shown at the end. Or am I wrong?
Yuzuru and him their rivalry is something amazing! 🥰😭❤️
@noran7809
4 жыл бұрын
Why there are no more people like you in the world ?
@lanyijin
4 жыл бұрын
@@noran7809 idk, these people are surely hidden somewhere on earth, maybe forests? xD
Just watching this made me breathe heavily
He landed six at the World champs this year tho
He's 17? Deym I need to think about my life more.
You guys should do physics on martial arts tricking an underground sport movement
The song.. what's the name of the second song?
Tbh I'm not even surprised. There's people who have amazing talents in this world all over, get in line man. 😂 I won't be surprised if someone can fly all of a sudden.
@user-vm5md1qj3j
6 жыл бұрын
Stiles Kuchiki actually, your comment made me think...that's actually pretty interesting^^ I now wanna know why humans have talents...why did nature give these to them? 😞
@Apollys
6 жыл бұрын
lmaoo
amazing!
its sad how i only know all the names of the jumps because of yuri on ice ;)
@joemamasmama611
7 жыл бұрын
Napstabot typo ;)
@stalemate123matt6
7 жыл бұрын
Yuri on Ice didn't teach the jumps at all, tf are you talking about?
@Dear_Lumine33
6 жыл бұрын
Same
@herfish6584
6 жыл бұрын
i fell in love with how people can express themselves by dancing in complete harmony on a surface that can make you move beautifully. i got it from yuri on ice
@wasabisazzdafirst
6 жыл бұрын
It's sad how I only know volleyball through haikyuu. Anime can teach us so many things😂