Carl Lewis explain what it takes to be a long jumper

Summary

The transcript details the importance of a proper mindset and approach in long jump. The speaker emphasizes that fouling is unacceptable and shares their personal experience, including not lifting weights until the last year of their career. They describe a rigorous training regimen that focuses on sprinting, running, and specific exercises like starts and approaches. The emphasis is on high-quality, fast running and the idea that the approach is 95% of the long jump. The transcript also discusses the importance of not being distracted by the board during the approach, suggesting a methodical training approach to avoid fouls.

Takeaways

• 🎯 The speaker emphasizes the importance of a strong mindset in long jumping, considering fouling as unacceptable.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Early in their career, the speaker did not lift weights but incorporated it into their routine in the last year, highlighting the individuality of training approaches.
• 🔍 The approach is identified as a crucial element, accounting for 95% of the long jump performance.
• 📅 A structured weekly training schedule is described, with specific days dedicated to long running, starts, approaches, and recovery.
• 🏃‍♂️ High-quality long running sessions involve running at fast paces, close to 90% of maximum speed.
• 💨 Wednesdays are highlighted as the toughest running day with intensive 200m sprints with short rest periods.
• 🔄 Thursdays are dedicated to refining starts and approaches, with an emphasis on practicing on the track rather than a runway.
• 🚫 The speaker avoids using lines on the track, focusing on a start mark, a check mark, and a small piece of tape indicating the board's location.
• 🤸‍♂️ The importance of not fouling is reiterated, suggesting that the issue may stem from inadequate work on the run and approach.
• 📉 The speaker mentions reducing the intensity of training towards the end of the season, using 'burnout' sessions to maintain readiness.
• 🔄 A pattern of alternating between approach work and jumping practice every other week is described to balance technique and performance.

Q & A

How many jumps did the speaker have in their career?

The speaker had 28 jumps in their career.

What was the speaker's approach to fouling in long jump competitions?

The speaker had a mindset that fouling is unacceptable and they did not accept it during competitions.

Did the speaker lift weights during their entire career?

No, the speaker did not lift weights throughout their entire career but started doing so in the last year.

What percentage of the long jump does the speaker attribute to the approach?

The speaker attributes 95% of the long jump to the approach.

How often did the speaker work on their approach during training sessions?

The speaker worked on their approach twice a week.

What was the speaker's training routine for long running days?

The speaker's long running routine involved running 400, 300, and 200 meters at high quality, meaning running at 90% of their maximum speed.

What was the toughest running day for the speaker in terms of the training regimen?

The toughest running day was Wednesdays, which involved six times 200 meters with 60 to 90 seconds of rest.

How did the speaker practice starts and approaches during their training?

The speaker practiced starts and approaches twice a week, and they did not practice them on a runway but on the track.

Why did the speaker choose to practice approaches on the track instead of a runway?

The speaker practiced on the track to make the board feel oblivious to them during the jump, focusing on the approach rather than the board.

What was the speaker's view on the importance of the approach in avoiding fouls in long jump?

The speaker believes that working on the run is crucial to avoid fouls, as it is a significant part of the jump.

How did the speaker's training routine change as the season progressed?

As the season progressed, the speaker would do one 50-meter sprint on windows instead of the usual training, and every other week, they would do additional approaches after their Thursday training.