Is Gjert Ingebritsen the GOAT coach?

Tim.12345 wrote:
Interested in hearing a bit about his training philosophies. Anyone know? I know he gave some talks, but my Norwegian is sub-par.

Some google translate articles below:

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Five examples of Gjert Ingebrigtsen being controversial ... or wise.

I can almost hear the critics shouting with clenched fists, while I sit and watch NRK's TV series about Team Ingebrigtsen. This family, and especially Gjert, breaks with so many conventions that this in itself is good entertainment. I have cited Gjert as an example in lectures for sports parents, and asked them what they think about him. Based on the response I get, I would not call it an exaggeration to say that this father of seven is controversial. The question then becomes: Is he on the plains - does he set an example that other parents for God's sake should not follow - or does he do something right as well?

Personally, I think that Gjert does a lot wisely. I will now go through five topics that I think are descriptive of Gjert's views as a coach. The reader will see that I am not undividedly positive about everything he does, but I give him a lot of support.

Controversy number one: A focus on becoming the best takes precedence over sports enjoyment

Gjert says it straight out in the series: “We do not do this because we are interested in sports - we give a damn about it, we do not care about it. We must be among the best. If not here's a new product just for you! ” I was present during a lecture by Gjert in Sarpsborg in 2018. Here he could even reveal that Filip does not like to train. But he loves to compete. It also appears from the series that the brothers, Jakob and Henrik, also do not seem to enjoy every moment of everyday training. What seems to be the biggest driving force is the opportunity to achieve results in championships. During the mentioned lecture in Sarpsborg, I also got the impression that Team Ingebrigtsen is extremely results-oriented. I got this impression because Gjert put it bluntly: "We are extremely results-oriented."

DO NOT LIKE TO TRAIN? Filip Ingebrigtsen has, among other things, won the European Championship and bronze medal in the World Cup - apparently without being happy to train. Photo: Jarle Vines.

Team Ingebrigtsen takes a detour from what many Norwegians are happy to talk about. We like to think that athletes should have a greater focus on the joy of sports than on results and the recognition that comes with success. Many of us are used to hearing warm words about inner motivation - it is the love of the sport itself that must be cultivated if one wants to go far. This should somehow be more important than the external motivating factors, such as competition, results and recognition. Halldor Skard, a retired researcher at the Norwegian Sports Academy, once made a short list of characteristics of a champion. One of the characteristics was as follows:

“A champion does not have to show up, and can move without thinking about the result. The inner reward is most important. ”

That the Ingebrigtsen runners do not quite fit into this description of a champion, is something I am willing to say. They are definitely willing to show up, and they move with a strong mind about results. Thus, Team Ingebrigtsen challenges elements that have been part of many people's thinking. Must one not be driven by a strong inner motivation to succeed in top sports? Must not one love to exercise? Can one succeed as a results-oriented and externally motivated top athlete?

I believe that there is a basis for answering yes to the question of whether external motivation can be prominent in a practitioner at the highest level. For example, a study of a sample of top Bulgarian athletes showed that those who performed best were more externally motivated (eg more concerned with winning medals) compared to those who performed worse. At the same time, there are both anecdotes and research that indicate that there are practitioners with a different orientation than Team Ingebrigtsen has. There are stories about Thomas Alsgård, who could come home satisfied from the championship despite not winning a medal, as he had finally succeeded with a technical detail. Similarly, Alsgård could be dissatisfied with cases where he won. Alexander Dale Oen, the former top swimmer,is known to have been most concerned with the competition with a single person, namely himself. He cared less about the courses next to him and what position he got in the championship, as long as he stood for a good execution.

To further nuance the picture, there is research that suggests that both internal and external motivational factors can be useful ingredients in top sports. Egil Søby, Olympic champion in paddling, claims that such a mixture can be beneficial: The athlete who is internally motivated, but who also wants to win, has an advantage.

I choose to conclude this controversial topic as follows: People are different, and we should have room for different types of athletes. We should have room for the athletes who love to train and who are driven by the uniqueness of the sport, but also those who are driven more by competition and results. Exactly where the members of Team Ingebrigtsen are on the scale of inner and outer motivation is not easy to determine with certainty based on a TV series. However, it may seem that practitioners with quite different types of focus and motivation can achieve success.

Controversy number two: Gjert can be strict and he gives some criticism

Gjert is not afraid to speak out if he thinks something is not good enough. He can be both strict and clear. A case in Aftenposten in 2016 also states that "Gjert Ingebrigtsen will be impressed before he praises children". He thinks it can be unfortunate to give children too much praise. The question is: Is not this demotivating, and should he not give more praise? On this question, I choose to take Gjert's side, for two reasons.

First, giving praise can have unfortunate consequences. In his book, Tim Elmore writes about the danger that parents can become overzealous supporters: “Our child draws some doodles and we call him a Picasso, he scores a goal and he is the next Beckham, he puts one and two together and he is ready for Mensa. But such praise for success can work against its purpose ”. Elmore believes that such praise can come from good intentions. Maybe parents want to help their child develop self-confidence? Nevertheless, praise - and especially praise that highlights results and abilities - can be unfortunate for the child. Researcher Carol Dweck, among others, is behind this conclusion. Dweck has conducted studies on the effects of various types of praise. Those who are accustomed to receiving praise and praise for their abilities can have a hard time - especially in adversity.A child who is used to hearing about how smart he or she is can begin to doubt himself or herself in difficult tasks and think "I'm probably not that smart after all". As Gjert points out: It is probably not so easy to be equipped for reality if you are used to receiving uncritical praise for being good.

Secondly, I believe that there is something motivating and positive in Gjert's critique. In episode eight, in the first season of the NRK series, a very interesting contrast is shown between the approach of Gjert and Eirik Førde, one of the coaches in Team Norway. 15-year-old Jakob finishes after a race in the U20 WC. He has kept up for a long time, but stiffened towards the end of the race and finished in ninth place. Eirik, who is present next to the track, praises Jakob for having completed a "great race". He is enthusiastic, smiles and strokes Jakob on the head. When Gjert talks to Jakob on the phone after the race, the young boy is greeted with a far more dissatisfied tone. The focus is on what Jakob could have done better. Gjert is dissatisfied with Jakob's disposition of forces in the race. Which approach is best for Jacob's development and motivation,Eirik or Gjert's? One may be tempted to answer that it must be Eirik's approach. But I ask: Can it be the opposite?

When Gjert focuses on what could have been better, he does not say between the lines that he really has faith in Jakob - that Jakob might have won a medal if he ran at his best, even though runners he competed against were several years older than him self? When Eirik praises and presents the race as very good, does he not imply that Jakob performed almost as well as he was capable of? It is worth noting that Jakob does not seem particularly happy with the race itself, before he talks to coach Eirik. In this way, it is possible that Gjert's perception may have been closer to the real picture, or the picture that Jakob actually had of his own race. Giving feedback that is credible, and giving praise on a solid basis, I think is important in working with athletes - especially skilled athletes who like to have a strong sense of how well they have performed themselves.Gjert gives praise, but he does not give it on any basis.

Jakob won two gold medals at the European Championships in Berlin, 2018. Maybe he got praise too? Photo: Erik van Leeuwen.

I think practitioners, and especially those who have already achieved a good development and a taste of success, are more inspired by Gjert's approach in a longer time perspective, compared to only receiving superlatives and positivity. By being strict and giving criticism, the coach indirectly says that the athlete can improve. Coach also says, through his criticism, that the athlete is worth the trouble. Why bother criticizing someone who is hopeless, who can not do better anyway? My conclusion is that Gjert's criticism and strict tone can have something positive in the runners' development. However, this should be done with trust, as well as a good relationship between athlete and coach, at the bottom. The latter I think is in place in Team Ingebrigtsen.

Controversy number three: Gjert "bothers" and worries

Gjert is not a laid-back trainer who only observes athletes learn from their mistakes. He wants to be at the forefront, and he clearly states things that become important in different situations. What becomes important for success in a race, and not least what can go wrong, is something Gjert willingly shares with his runners before the start. He turns out to be a worryer and "disaster thinker". Sometimes the sons have to calm him down, and rarely the other way around. The question is: Can there be a bit of hassle and worry? I have a two-part answer to this.

First, it is clear what Gjert wants to achieve with it. He wants a response, and preferably a clarification that the boys are in control. In the last episode of the NRK series, where the stage is set for the European Championships in Berlin in 2018, Gjert talks to Jakob before a race, about risk and danger of moving forward in the race field. In this episode, he also reveals what response he is looking for. "Relax dad, we have control over this" is what he wants to hear. By taking on the role of the concerned, his runners can take on the roles of the relaxed and restrained. The sons may feel that they do not have to think about all the horror scenarios and things that can go wrong - because their father takes that job. In that way, I actually think he can relieve some of the pressure on his sons. The fact that Gjert is open about how nervous he is before the race,I also think it's better than trying to mask his feelings and pretend to be calm. In general, I think it's nice to see Gjert's openness about emotions - he openly shows nervousness, anger, disappointment and joy. This makes him more "real" and I think it contributes to openness and acceptance of emotions, which can be useful in top sports.

On the other hand, there is one aspect of Gjert's hustle and bustle that I am somewhat skeptical of, and that is the way he does it shortly before a race. Just before the start, Gjert can share his instructions. There are many indications that athletes perform at their best when they do not have too many thoughts in their head at the same time. It is often best to focus on a simple or a few simple work tasks. Therefore, I am somewhat puzzled by how late before a race Gjert talks to his athletes about such things. He likes to not talk about just one thing, but like several, and both what should happen and what should notshould happen during the upcoming race. Athletes are different, and what I do not know much about are the preferences of the Ingebrigtsen runners. Maybe they think it's okay, or even desirable, to hear about multiple things that become important, shortly before they go out on the field and run competition. Maybe they have an ability to filter the information so that their brain can process it in a good way. And it may be that if Gjert suddenly stopped giving his instructions, it would feel a little "wrong" and that in that way it could have had a short-term negative effect.

Nevertheless, it is worth pointing out that many athletes have experienced success in cutting down on the number of work tasks and by trying to think less during competition. Some Norwegian examples of this come from ski jumping. In 2015, Aftenposten made a case about how some of Norway's best jumpers have experienced success by adjusting down the number of work tasks they should have in mind at the same time. Espen Bredesen described a similar success factor after he won the Olympics in Lillehammer:

Before, I was very detail-oriented and had my head full of "adjustments" and problems far down in the approach. But then it's too late to do anything - the only thing you achieve is to commit. ... Ski jumping is about disconnecting all the little things, and thinking about one thing - that you are going out, out, out! ”.

Therefore, I am somewhat skeptical when Gjert feed their athletes with tasks, as well as thoughts on what does not need to happen, shortly before the race. Yes, his sons have done well in championships with such coaching, but I do not think that is a good argument. Athletes can do well, not always because of all the coaching they receive, but also despite some aspects of coaching. In any case, I'm not sure if the example Gjert sets, just before the start of the competition, is something other coaches should necessarily copy with their athletes. As I said, it may be that things are going well with Gjert's running boys. But I become even more skeptical that the younger daughter Ingrid, who due to her age may have less thinking capacity (and probably also self-confidence), benefits from similar coaching.

Gjert is far from alone in coaching as he does right before the start. Only watch football matches at the highest level, when a player is to be substituted. Then more coaches will often shower the player with instructions in the form of messages and drawings. Personally, I think many coaches will be more effective if they cut down on the amount of information they convey just before the athlete is to perform. In my opinion, the timing of the instructions is important. If Gjert moved all his instructions to a slightly earlier time, preferably days before the championship, I think it will be more positive. Rather talk to athletes about what can go wrong during a championship in everyday training. Then they have more time to process the information and a greater opportunity to make adjustments through the training work.Scenarios - both about things that become important and things that can go wrong - can also form the basis for visualization, by going through how different challenges are to be mastered. However, I think it is easier and more efficient to carry out such visualization at an earlier stage than just before a competition starts. Gjert may well go through his instructions in the days before the competition as well, in addition to doing so shortly before the start. In that case, I think he can grasp in greater brevity as the starting shot approaches.Gjert may well go through his instructions in the days before the competition as well, in addition to doing so shortly before the start. In that case, I think he can grasp in greater brevity as the starting shot approaches.Gjert may well go through his instructions in the days before the competition as well, in addition to doing so shortly before the start. In that case, I think he can grasp in greater brevity as the starting shot approaches.

In short, I think that Gjert can contribute positively with his worried style, but that it can be toned down somewhat in the time before the start of the competition.

Controversy number four: Gjert lacks formal competence as a coach

This is probably what amazes me most about Team Ingebrigtsen. Imagine having athletes at that level, in one of the world's most widespread sports, with a coach who has no formal education as a coach! Gjert says it himself: They have built much of the scheme on "gut feeling", and it is difficult to say why their scheme is better than others. And this has fostered some of the world's foremost practitioners. I think it's completely crazy. The question is: Is it an advantage or a disadvantage that Gjert does not have formal competence? Again, I think the answer is twofold.

The advantage of this, in my opinion, is that it forces the runners to think for themselves and be independent. In episode three of the TV series' first season, this is illustrated in a good way by Henrik, when he discusses his coach: “He has read up and acquired the knowledge he can. And as long as Filip and I help to close the holes he has as a coach, he takes it with him and he has it in the back of his mind until next time, and he does not make the same mistake more than once. " Here Henrik indicates how he and his brother must be on TV. They can not just take what the coach says for good fish. They must also not be afraid to say if they think something is wrong. If a coach is both direct and has large amounts of knowledge, it is easy for the athlete to just do as the coach says. The athlete then comes to training to be trained, not to train. Gjert is direct,but his lack of knowledge makes such a role pattern difficult. I think practitioners have an advantage if they are critical and think for themselves. The Ingebrigtsen runners will probably have to, partly because they know that their father does not possess all the knowledge that is important to them.

MUST CLOSE HOLES: Henrik and Filip can not take everything the coach says for good fish. Photo: Chell Hill.

On the other hand, it seems undeniably risky to have a coach who has such obvious shortcomings in his competence. What is difficult to interpret from the NRK series about Team Ingebrigtsen is how much Gjert seeks out other people to exchange opinions and acquire competence. It is clear that they receive help in the event of injuries, from professionals such as physiotherapists and doctors. I consider this to be a minimum - an absolute necessity. They also join a PR consultant for assistance on how they appear in the media, which also makes sense. I can not see more external help than this, based on the TV series. A big question arises in my head: Has Gjert had a dialogue with more than this, who can provide input about their scheme? Gjert says that he sometimes withdraws to evaluate the team's plan and progress.Does he then spar with other coaches? In the TV series, it is clear that the road to overtraining can be short, and the runners can be "completely on the edge" of what they can endure. Has Gjert had a dialogue with experts in physical exercise to get guidance on how to manage the load in the best possible way? Injuries have haunted the Ingebrigtsen brothers, as they often do with athletes who train so hard. Do they get help to screen the body's muscles and physique, so that weaknesses can be strengthened and injuries prevented?as they often do with athletes who do such hard training. Do they get help to screen the body's muscles and physique, so that weaknesses can be strengthened and injuries prevented?as they often do with athletes who do such hard training. Do they get help to screen the body's muscles and physique, so that weaknesses can be strengthened and injuries prevented?

And lastly: Do they get help with the mental side of top sports life? This brings me to the latest controversy.

Controversy number five: Gjert believes that practitioners must learn "the hard way", through experience, rather than using mental training in a systematic way

Here I will make some concessions. First of all, I might be looking a little too much for something I might call controversial. Secondly: This probably does not appear to be particularly controversial unless you are a sports psychologist. I probably colored a bit of my background here. Mental training is part of my toolbox. We humans probably pay extra attention to shortcomings that we ourselves know something about, and we are happy to recommend more use of the tools we have ourselves. (As Mark Twain put it: "To a man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail." And to a sports psychologist, athletes may look like someone who may need more mental follow-up.)

Nevertheless, I find it interesting that Team Ingebrigtsen, as far as I can see, does not use their own mental training sessions during the TV series (perhaps with the exception of talking about goals, which can be considered mental training). Of course, this does not mean that they do not train mentally. In fact, I have heard Gjert say that it is done, at least by Filip. During Gjert's lecture in Sarpsborg in 2018, he said that Filip uses visualization as a tool to contribute to motivation. Increased motivation is a potential benefit you can get by using mental training, and visualization is an example of an activity that has well-documented, positive effects.

Visualization is also an excellent tool for young athletes who have to compete internationally or go through challenges they have little experience of dealing with. By mentally going through a competition, the athlete can feel more equipped when it is later to be completed in real life. This is, naturally enough, very beneficial for young athletes with less experience than older athletes. Visualization can thus be a "shortcut to experience". In other words: the Ingebrigtsen brothers, and especially Jakob, are in the target group for athletes who can benefit from visualization before the championship. It may seem as if Gjert is aware of the benefits visualization can have. In the last season of the TV series, he gives Jakob a form of visualization task, while the young boy conducts running training at home in Sandnes before he will participate in the senior WC in the 3000 meter hurdles for the first time.While Jakob is running, Gjert gives instructions that are reminiscent of a visualization task that can be used before championships: “Imagine that you are in the last 200 of the obstacle story. There are 26 Kenyans running next to you ". This is a great example of how visualization can contribute to mental preparation. But I think that kind of can be used more, and not just while Jacob is running. Such visualization can be used systematically, as a supplement to the physical training, by having your own visualization sessions. And although it is quite possible that Jakob uses this systematically, I find signs in Gjert that indicate that Team Ingebrigtsen has more faith in physical implementation and "learning the hard way". Here are three quotes from the TV series that suggest this:“Imagine you are in the last 200 of the obstacle course. There are 26 Kenyans running next to you ". This is a great example of how visualization can contribute to mental preparation. But I think that kind of can be used more, and not just while Jacob is running. Such visualization can be used systematically, as a supplement to the physical training, by having your own visualization sessions. And although it is quite possible that Jakob uses this systematically, I find signs in Gjert that indicate that Team Ingebrigtsen has more faith in physical implementation and "learning the hard way". Here are three quotes from the TV series that suggest this:“Imagine you are in the last 200 of the obstacle course. There are 26 Kenyans running next to you ". This is a great example of how visualization can contribute to mental preparation. But I think that kind of can be used more, and not just while Jacob is running. Such visualization can be used systematically, as a supplement to the physical training, by having your own visualization sessions. And although it is quite possible that Jakob uses this systematically, I find signs in Gjert that indicate that Team Ingebrigtsen has more faith in physical implementation and "learning the hard way". Here are three quotes from the TV series that suggest this:and not just while Jacob is running. Such visualization can be used systematically, as a supplement to the physical training, by having your own visualization sessions. And although it is quite possible that Jakob uses this systematically, I find signs in Gjert that indicate that Team Ingebrigtsen has more faith in physical implementation and "learning the hard way". Here are three quotes from the TV series that suggest this:and not just while Jacob is running. Such visualization can be used systematically, as a supplement to the physical training, by having your own visualization sessions. And although it is quite possible that Jakob uses this systematically, I find signs in Gjert that indicate that Team Ingebrigtsen has more faith in physical implementation and "learning the hard way". Here are three quotes from the TV series that suggest this:

1) "It seems like this is just something all of you guys have to go through sooner or later." (Quote in conversation with Jakob after the young boy has done what Gjert thinks is a tactical mistake that led to a fall and disappointing result).

2) "It is the experience and mental strength he builds through his experiences, and the self-confidence he brings with him - it is he who in a way is the good here." (Quote when talking about Jacob's participation in his first senior WC).

3) “There is little one can do to prepare such a young man for what is happening here now. Just take what comes and see how it goes. ” (Quote in conversation with NRK before Jakob's participation in his first senior WC).

Yes, it may well be that Gjert is right, in that there is not much you can do in preparation. As Egil Søby says, there is probably no mental training that can beat the value of competing. But something can be done, before the competition itself, such as visualizing. In addition to this, there are other forms of mental training with solid research support. These include various forms of mindfulness training (such as mindfulness and multiple object tracking), which can train practitioners to stay focused despite distractions. In a sport as demanding as running, where focus and the ability to react quickly in a chaos of runners is crucial, I think that the Ingebrigtsen runners can benefit from this.

Again, Team Ingebrigtsen may have regular mental training sessions. If so, it will not appear in the TV series. However, my experience indicates that many practitioners, even at a high level, often prioritize mental training to a very small degree. Similarly, many athletes have received a "boost" by training more mentally. Maybe this is something that can help Team Ingebrigtsen to take new steps? Should they have a desire for help to get started with something like this, I am more than willing to help.

In conclusion, I would like to say that I am glad we have people like Gjert Ingebrigtsen in Norwegian sports. In my opinion, he is a breath of fresh air in the debate on how practitioners should be guided. In this article, I have tried to shed light on some aspects of him as a coach. Despite the fact that he is controversial, I think there is reason to say that he makes a lot of sense. I do not necessarily agree with everything he says or does. But to be honest, I do not think he takes it that seriously.

For comments or questions about this article, feel free to contact! Feel free to share it with others.

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Pretty sure he's not coached by Gjert but Kalle Berglund kind of took their double threshold workout days. He said they were very tough at first and would make him very tired but once he adapted to it he ran big pbs in the 1500 and 5000 especially. I believe these sessions were first popularized by Bakken. Here was a week of hard training for him in the early 2000s.

Monday morning - 14 x 1000 meters at around 2:50-3:00, Afternoon 6 x 2000 meters at 6:00-6:05.

Tuesday - 2xeasy.

Wednesday - Long threshold session (sometimes sessions such as 10k-5k-3k-2k-1k making it 16-23 km total.

Thursday - morning short threshold, Afternoon for 10 x 200 variation of pace 30-26.

Friday - easy.

Saturday - Another threshold.

Sunday - Two easy runs

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