"Sometimes, instead of battling against puberty, embrace it. It can help eliminate a lot of inner conflicts."
This week, we have the pleasure of interviewing An Xiangyi (nickname: Nini), a talented national figure skater representing China, who was born on December 24 (Christmas Eve). Nini has achieved remarkable success in her sport, securing the championship titles at the 2023 and 2024 Asian Figure Skating Championships. She also excelled at the 2024 National Winter Games, where she claimed the team event title and earned the runner-up position in the individual event. Additionally, Nini is a two-time winner of the women's singles at the National Figure Skating Championships, having triumphed in 2020 and 2022. In this interview, she talks about her story of figure skating, battling inner conflicts, and learning about growing up.
An Xiangyi carries the hopes of many people and finally makes her appearance at the World Youth Championships in figure skating https://www.sohu.com/a/649374924_255783
How Nini started skating
The story begins with her parents. After her mother retired, she developed a passion for figure skating. Through a fortunate coincidence, she met Nini's father, which sparked her journey into the world of skating. Nini was just 2 years and 9 months old when her parents first took her ice skating. Reflecting on that time, Nini said, “Honestly, I don’t have many memories from those early days. The few that stand out are of my parents holding me as they swung me on a swing on the ice.”
Adolescence
Nini’s adolescence was quite an extended period, divided into two stages. The first stage was from 13 to 16 years old, during which the main changes were in her height and weight. During those years, she grew from 152cm to 162cm, and gained over 10 pounds in weight. Nini realized she had entered puberty around 13.5 years old. As she started growing taller.
“I lost control of my body and the technique in my jumps - the axis, height, and overall form of my jumps became distorted. I was also constantly on the verge of mental breakdowns during this time. Fortunately, this period coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, so I had fewer competitions, which gave me a buffer period.”
The second stage of adolescence came after Nini started her period at 17 years old. She found that during her menstrual cycle, her emotions became very difficult to control, and her jumps also felt heavier. But the good news is that she discovered the "solo dance" event, which provided an alternative for her when her jumps were not working out.
“Solo dance allowed me to calm down and reset during my developmental changes. For me, going through puberty felt like a constant process of starting over again and again.”
On March 4, Beijing time, the 2023 World Youth Figure Skating Championships kicked off the women's singles free skating competition in Calgary, Canada. The new generation of Chinese figure skating player An Xiangyi performed her entire set of moves perfectly, creating a season personal best score of 120.03 points and a total score of 183.94 points, ranking sixth in the women's singles. https://www.sohu.com/a/649374924_255783
Change
In terms of the mental/emotional aspects, Nini is still exploring ways to better control her own emotions, as this is one of her biggest challenges. The pressures of competitive sports, coupled with the changes brought on by adolescence, can sometimes feel overwhelming. So one method she found helpful is to quickly switch her focus by exercising, dancing, and scrolling through short videos. This distraction helps her break free from negative thought patterns and prevents her from getting stuck ruminating.
As Nini entered adolescence, her training methods underwent significant changes. Before, her training was almost entirely on-ice. But now that Nini "aged" a bit and her body has started to change, she has found that excessive causes her to be more prone to injury. So during this pubertal stage, her training has shifted more towards off-ice drills, mimicking movements, and increased conditioning work to build up her physical capabilities.
“The shift from predominantly on-ice to more off-ice training has been an important adaptation for me to manage the changes brought on by puberty. Finding the right balance and training methods has been crucial during this developmental period.”
Tips!
Nini highly encourages reaching out to friends and spending time with them when you're feeling down or unmotivated during puberty. The emotional support she received from her friends has played a crucial role in her skating career, helping her persevere though challenging times. Additionally, Nini says that it’s perfectly fine to adjust your training routine.
“Sometimes, reducing the amount of time spend training can actually lead to greater efficiency and improved performance.”
This would allow you to focus on quality over quantity, ensuring that you’re getting the most out of your efforts. Nevertheless, Nini advocates for exploring hobbies that interests you, as she says that other hobbies and interests can also be incredibly beneficial, providing a much-needed break from the pressures of training.
Overall, puberty is a significant and transformative part of Nini’s development. It brings about many changes, both physical and emotional, and navigating these shifts is an essential aspect of her growing up.
“Rather than viewing this period as a battle, it can be more empowering to embrace the changes that come with it. Accepting and understanding these transformations can help reduce inner conflict and promote a healthier mindset, ultimately leading to a more positive experience during this crucial stage of life.”
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