r/IliaQuadg0dMalinin

I posted the full text of this interview on r/figureskating, for anyone who's interested in reading more than just the Ilia parts: https://www.reddit.com/r/FigureSkating/comments/1wxi8bb

And here's the source text in Japanese: https://worldfigureskating-web.jp/news/28522/

---

―― Regarding your jumping technique, is your current form the result of putting into practice what you learned from Ilia Malinin this summer?

Miura: That’s right. He told me that the way Japanese skaters tend to jump the quadruple toe loop on a straight line isn't ideal. He explained that because the power is so strong, you end up getting thrown around; leaning slightly into a curve creates a more natural rotation and allows you to jump without relying solely on raw power. When I trained with him, I certainly understood exactly what he meant. Mastering it will take time, but I grasp the concept. However, if I take it too far—leaning too heavily into that curve—I end up with the kind of result I had today. That’s what happened at the Kinoshita event, too; I let it get away from me a bit during the actual performance. I managed to land some pretty good ones during the six-minute warm-up today, but in the actual program, I ended up bailing out of the jump a little. That’s something I definitely want to fix before the Grand Prix series.

―― Do you feel like the lessons you learned are becoming second nature as you continue to train?

Miura: I feel like my jumps have become more refined overall. I haven't abandoned the idea of ​​going all-out, but I’m now consciously and firmly grounding myself in the fundamentals—the things that absolutely must be maintained. Before, I used to just jump with full force, letting my own style shine without overthinking the details; it was a mix of instinct and my own analysis. But now, I’ve added the specific technical requirements I learned from him—things like "this part has to be done exactly this way"—and I’ve kept practicing them consistently. Right now, I’m training every day to ensure I can execute everything from single jumps to quads with that same consistent technique.

―― Did you focus mainly on the toe loop while training with Malinin?

Miura: I’d say we worked on my jumps across the board. There’s the idea that—aside from the Axel—every jump, from the Salchow to the Lutz, should be executed using the same technique. My technique used to be inconsistent, so I had to grasp that fundamental "same technique" concept while also understanding the specific nuances required for each jump. I think the biggest lesson was realizing that the base technique is the same for all of them. I focused heavily on everything from single to quadruple jumps; I felt that the reason he [Malinin] can achieve such stability despite the high difficulty of his jumps lies in that very approach. Not many skaters do this kind of unglamorous work. Everyone tends to go from singles to triples and then straight to quads, but this is about practicing every step in detail, starting from the very beginning.

―― I imagine Malinin also practices jumps ranging from singles to quads during official practice sessions; do you do the same?

Miura: Yes. During competitions—like this morning, when we only had 20 minutes of practice—I naturally had to start with triples, but when I have time... My training routine consists of two sessions in the morning and one in the evening. In the first morning session, I focus mainly on skating skills and do spins toward the end. In the second session, I work on jumps—ranging from singles to triples—and do full run-throughs of the program once with singles and once with no jumps, just to build stamina. Then, in the evening, I do serious practice on quads and perform full run-throughs that include quads. That’s the style I adopted; it’s how Ilia trains, so it’s one of the things I learned from him.

―― So, you changed your approach after the training camp with Malinin?

Miura: Exactly. I used to start the morning by banging out quads right away, but I stopped doing that. My body isn't fully warmed up in the morning. He doesn't do as much off-ice warm-up as I do before hitting the ice; instead, he gradually gets his body ready on the rink. He starts by mastering the basics and getting the feel for things with triples, then saves the heavy work for the evening. Though, he would do things like 4A+4A—stuff that makes no sense... (laughs)

―― Did you learn the Axel from him?

Miura: I learned the technique for the jump, but not the 4A specifically. Honestly, I think a skid is necessary for the 4A, and since my jumping style doesn't involve skidding, I decided it wasn't for me—or rather, it would be dangerous for me to try, so I’m skipping it. But I did ask him about it. When I asked which was better—skidding or not skidding—he told me there’s no need to skid. He said it’s not at all necessary for jumping a clean triple; what matters more than the skid itself is how you enter the back-outside edge before the jump. So, that’s what I learned from him.

―― Did you initiate the plan to go train with Malinin yourself?

Miura: Yes, I did. After the season wrapped up, around the time of the April shows, I—and my manager—casually asked Ilia’s parents about it. Ilia said, "You can totally come over." He actually pitched the idea to me, explaining, "This is the kind of training we do here" (laughs), so I replied, "In that case, I’d love to go." It was basically decided right then and there.

――　Does Malinin’s team use a Russian-style method?

Miura:　I’m not really familiar with the Russian method itself, so it’s hard to say for sure, but from what I’ve seen—I’ve observed Raf’s [Rafael Arutyunyan’s] team before—it feels like an adaptation of that style. Skaters at Rafa’s rink do drills where they execute a lot of footwork, circling around for a full minute before attempting a jump; what they do [with Malinin] seems like an evolved version of that. This is just my opinion, but I feel like doing only that makes executing multi-rotation jumps a bit difficult. You need to incorporate your own ideas into the mix. I had always thought you needed that flexibility to adapt, and it turns out Ilia has his own internal method, plus his parents—who are also his coaches—have a wealth of knowledge. Listening to them, I got the impression that the three of them have found a method that really clicks for them.

――　So, it was a great learning experience.

Miura:　Yes. To put it simply: "I learned a lot!" That’s the summary. (Laughs)

While challenger season is still in full swing, here's a throwback to Ilia's first ever challenger!

When and where: November 13, 2021 in Graz, Austria

Jumps: 4Lz, 4T< (F), 3Aq, 4S, 4T<+1Eu+3Sq, 3Lz+3T, 3Lz+3Loq

What's notable: How about Ilia's first cleanly-landed 4Lz in international competition? It was an absolute cracker, as Chris Howarth would say. This was not his first 4Lz attempt in international competition - that first attempt happened the day prior, when he fell on it in the short program.

That fall was one of multiple mistakes in the short program left him in 13th place - tied for his worst ever placement after a short program. While this free skate was not perfect, Ilia placed second in the free and ended up pulling an Adam Siao Him Fa and winning the bronze medal. Moving up from 13th to 3rd (ten places) is his biggest placement jump ever. He ended up finishing only five points shy of gold medalist Nika Egadze (Nika finished 12th in the short program).

Unfortunately for Ilia, his mistakes in the short program meant that he did not earn his Worlds minimums here. He was later sent to another international competition in February to get his minimums.