Evgenia Medvedeva: “During my competitive days, there wasn’t time to fully process stress. You’d get, maybe, thirty minutes to feel sad, take a nap — and then you’d go right back to training.”
Evgenia Medvedeva reflects on coping with stress in figure skating and her post-competitive life.
original source: MatchTV
In a candid discussion during a fan meeting at Moscow Sports Day, Evgenia Medvedeva shared how she managed stress throughout her figure skating career, her unique coping mechanisms, and her perspective on life after competition. Here’s a translation of her comments.
On Handling Stress in Figure Skating
When asked how she coped with the pressures of the sport, Medvedeva admitted: “Right now, I don’t deal with stress in any particular way. During my competitive days, there wasn’t time to fully process it. You’d get, maybe, thirty minutes to feel sad, take a nap — and then you’d go right back to training. Even positive emotions are stress for the body. You’re constantly being pushed and pulled in different directions. That’s just how figure skating is.”
On Personal Rituals for Relaxation
Medvedeva revealed her unconventional habit of rearranging furniture at home: “I really enjoy moving things around in my apartment. Sometimes I can’t fall asleep, so I’ll start shifting furniture in my room. It feels like I’m sleeping in a different place, and for some reason, that helps. I don’t know why.”
She also shared her fondness for grounding activities, such as petting cats and possibly getting massages, which bring moments of calm.
Comparing Competition Stress to Performing in Shows
Medvedeva explained that the type of stress experienced during competitions is deeply instinctual: “At competitions, the stress is internalized. It’s tied to ancient instincts, similar to the feeling you get before performing or taking an exam — it’s a survival mechanism, like running from danger.”
Reflecting on her post-competitive life, she noted: “I don’t feel that kind of stress anymore. Now I understand that I have options and there’s room to fix things if they go wrong. But when you’re called to the ice at the World Championships, you have no choice — you just have to skate.”
On Missing the Competitive Adrenaline
When asked whether she misses the adrenaline rush of competing, Medvedeva’s response was definitive: “No,” she said, underscoring her contentment with where she is now.
Related topics: Evgenia Medvedeva
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