In the NRK podcast "In the long run" led by commentator Jann Post, Gjert Ingebrigtsen gave an insight into his training philosophy in November 2021. So far, it has brought four men onto the podium in the Olympics, WC and EC.
He has trained his sons Henrik, Filip and Jakob to the world top in the 1,500 and 5,000, before the sons chose to ditch their father as coach and they parted ways.
On Wednesday, another Gjert Ingebrigtsen student won a WC medal. Narve Gilje Nordås took bronze in the 1,500 meters after a wild performance on the run, just three hundredths behind Jakob Ingebrigtsen in silver.
- If Gjert hadn't trained me, I wouldn't have won a medal, Gilje Nordås told VG and other media in the press zone after the bronze race on Wednesday.
Both Jakob and Narve progressed to the final of 5000 meters after the attempt on Thursday evening. Henrik Ingebrigtsen quit.
This is Gjert Ingebrigtsen's method presented "In the long run":
A clear and distinct goal is essential.
Performance targets before results.
Intensity control. Gjert Ingebrigtsen tells about a speed limit that his athletes must not exceed. He points out that risks such as running too fast in training can be negative in terms of, for example, injury: - Many people struggle with discerning that good enough is good enough. The more kilometers run at a speed that is good enough at low risk, the greater the chance of reaching the finish line, says Gjert Ingebrigtsen.
How is more important than what: - There are many people who have measured lactate and profile on heart rate, but we rarely see that using such methods creates results like using one's own knowledge, says Gjert Ingebrigtsen in the podcast.
Practical approach: - We often see that those who have a practical approach often create better results than those who have theoretical knowledge. Structure and method trump much of the theoretical, the trainer claims.
Interval training and competition-like training growing up, both in cross-country skiing and running.
Season plan: A 40-week training plan where the structure is set. It will come in the autumn after the Diamond League is over. Eventually, the plan that applies week by week will come. The detailed plan for each week, he gave his sons on Sunday evening or Monday morning before they woke up.
Prost:
- Gjert's method has been tested on many runners now and has created great success. I feel there is an extreme accuracy and systematicity in the way he works. It is very accurate in terms of intensity on the hard sessions. He limits how fast the runners run, says Jann Post to VG and continues:
- This is a method that requires large amounts of training in combination with many sessions at a relatively high speed. This results in a high load. This means that if you run a little too fast on the hard sessions over time, you end up injured or overtrained. There he has been extremely good at holding back the runners. We also see that in Narve now.
The NRK commentator has run a marathon (42,135 metres) in 2.33.32. It held a whopping 98th place out of 40,000 starters in Berlin in 2014.
- I think this is suitable for people who are very dedicated and put in the effort to become the best in the world. But that requires great precision, and that's where Gjert is so good, says Post.
Gjert Ingebrigtsen talks about taking responsibility as a coach in the podcast.
- If you as a coach do not have the necessary authority to carry out what you want, if the athlete is given too much freedom, you as a coach cannot be responsible for the result either. The coach is not just a facilitator, but has to make the decisions, otherwise you just become a facilitator and bottle holder, anyone in the world can be that, says Gjert Ingebrigtsen in the podcast.
