NSA INTERVIEW

Glen Mills © by IAAF

24:1; 29-34, 2009

sain Bolt’s three gold

U medals and three world

records at the Olympic
Games was far and away 2008’s
biggest sports story. Athletics fans
around the world know the details
well: Bolt’s great talent and junior
success, a world championships
silver medal in 2007, the friendly
rivalry with countryman Asafa
Powell, a “surprise” world record
in the 100m early in 2008. And
then, those glorious, jaw-dropping
performances in Beijing: 100m
in 9.69, 200m in 19.30, a leg on
the relay team that ran 4x100m
in 37.10.

Glen Mills

Thanks to those races, a surname right out hooked up with Bolt. His coaching education
of a Hollywood scriptwriter’s textbook and the included courses staged by the IAAF Regional
liberal application of good-natured showman- Development Centre in Puerto Rico and the
ship before, after and even during his races, International Olympic Committee. He has led
Bolt is also known to just about every kid who Jamaican teams to international competitions,
has access to a playground, television or coached a number of top sprinters from the
YouTube. Has the sport ever had a bigger Caribbean, including 1987 world champi-
star? Has it ever had a better opportunity to onships 100m silver medallist Ray Stewart
draw in youngsters? (JAM) and 2003 world 100m champion Kim
Collins (SKN), and he is currently the main
Gradually, the world is also learning about the coach at the IAAF HPTC in Kingston.
“not as easy as it looks” back-story to the Bolt
phenomenon: the hotbed of sprinting talent that But with the success of Beijing, Mills’ own
is the Caribbean, his personal determination story is becoming more widely known and
and dedication, his link with the IAAF High Per- recognition has followed. Among his most
formance Training Centre (HPTC) at Kingston’s recent awards was the “Coach of the Year”
University of Technology in Jamaica, and the presented by his colleagues in the North
patient expertise of veteran coach Glen Mills, American, Central American and Caribbean
who has guided his career since 2004. Track and Field Coaches Association
(NACACTFCA) in October 2008.
The credentials and reputation of Mills, who,
incredibly, has been coaching since the age of Insight into Mills’ thorough approach and
14, were already well established before he his relationship with Bolt is provided by his

New Studies in Athletics • no. 1/2009 29

Interview

story of how in 2007 he wanted Bolt to train really went into great depth about the event
for the 400m in order to better prepare for his specifics and the supporting sciences.
pet-event, the 200m. According to Mills, Bolt,
wanted to change his focus to the 100m. I have not been on an IAAF CECS course
recently. However I have spoken to coaches,
"I told him that if he broke the Jamaican including my assistant, who have been and
record in the 200, I would allow him to run one they all seem to have come away with a
100," says Mills. "He did the training as asked, wealth of information. Based on my own
broke the record (running 19.75) and then he experiences, my only recommendation would
said: 'You've got to keep your promise'." be for these courses to be held over an
extended period, so that the coaches can go
Bolt ran his first professional 100m that into more depth in the event specifics and the
year, clocking 10.03 seconds. "After that related sciences.
there was no stopping him," Mills said.
NSA How have you developed your
To learn more about his methods and think- coaching eye for sprinting?
ing, NSA sent the Director of the RDC San
Juan, Lenford Levy, to speak with Mills in his MILLS: I have always been fascinated with
Kingston office. speed, running mechanics and so on. I think
that what I learned in Mexico about the phys-
ical characteristics of the human being, agility
NSA When did you discover that coach- and coordination has helped. There was one
ing was ¨your¨ profession? unit on Sports Medicine, where we looked at
talent identification and some of the charac-
MILLS: Some 40 years ago. I found a pas- teristics necessary to perform well in the
sion for coaching and have worked on devel- sprints in comparison with other events. That
oping myself, becoming more educated and knowledge, which included biomechanical
qualified, from that time until now. My sub- analysis of the movement of top-class run-
stantive post or profession is that of Sports ners, has guided me over the years. I person-
Administrator. I have worked here at the Insti- ally believe that a coaching eye is part of a gift
tute of Sports for over 20 years. Coaching is that is unique to a person. Over the years I
the other half of my life where I enjoy coach- have been able to use that, along with knowl-
ing track and field after work and sometime edge gained from courses, books, etcetera,
during work time. to identify athletes I think will go far in sprint-
ing. It’s probably difficult to relate outside of
NSA As you have obtained formal coach- the scientific principles, but one has to
ing qualifications, how do you judge approach it with an open mind because you
the usefulness of such programmes could lose a good sprinter or athlete because
for your work now? What recom- he does not fall within the norm – you some-
mendations would you make for times have to think outside the box.
improving them?
NSA In Usain Bolt you are training the most
MILLS: I did several courses with the IAAF at successful sprinter for years. How
the RDC in Puerto Rico and with the IOC. have you evaluated his technique?
These were very informative. One that really
stands out is a course I did in Mexico. It was MILLS: Usain is an extremely gifted athlete.
held over an extended period of two months, When I started working with him, one of the
after which I received a Diploma. It was con- things that stood out like a sore thumb was
ducted by a number of professors, mainly his poor mechanics. He was running behind
from the former Eastern Bloc countries, who the centre of balance. This resulted in a neg-

30 New Studies in Athletics • no. 1/2009

 Interview

Glen Mills (l.) with Usain Bolt

ative force against his forward drive and it was working on, but the transformation took two
affecting other areas. For example, his body years. Athletes tend to reverse to their old
position put pressure on his lower back and habits when put under pressure or when run-
there was a continual shift of his hip girdle and ning at maximum velocity. Like helping an
a pull on his hamstring. He was continually actor learning a part, coaches have to contin-
having hamstring problems and my assess- uously react and replay and redo the drills,
ment was that one of the things that con- getting the athlete to run over and over in
tributed to it was his poor mechanics. Our first order to break habits, both psychologically
task was to get him to run with his upper and physically, and get into the right running
body core in line with his centre of mass or a technique.
forward lean of somewhere around 5-10°.
We set about doing drills then we took videos NSA Can you briefly describe the most
of his workouts and broke them down on the important elements of a good
screen in slow motion to show him exactly sprinting technique? We know that
what he was doing. I would draw diagrams body position, ground contact
and show him the position that we are work- phases, recovery mechanics and
ing to achieve. Part of his poor mechanics arm action all have to work togeth-
was because he was not able hold the sprint er, so do you have a specific model
position during maximum velocity running, so in your mind?
we had to do an intense programme to devel-
op his core strength. In Beijing he showed a MILLS: All the points I just mentioned are the
mastery of the technique that we had been foundation of developing sprint technique, but

New Studies in Athletics • no. 1/2009 31

Interview

the key is how you get that athlete to execute the athlete has to stay in the crouch position
all of them accurately. He or she could be while developing maximum power. If the ath-
doing all, or most, or just some, but without lete does not have the strength to carry the
perfect co-ordination or timing in the execu- drive phase long enough then it has to be
tion. One key is to establish a good body aborted so he can go into the transition earli-
position in sprinting so that the athlete is able er. If he is strong, like an Asafa Powell, and
to maintain the stride length and keep ground has an effective technique, he can carry this
contact or ground time short after having phase very long. I adjust the phases to suit
achieved maximum velocity. Here we believe the athlete’s strong and weak points, whether
that the development of the hip flexor to coin- he is an explosive runner from the blocks or
cide with the strong upper body, or core, one with better top-end speed. If, for exam-
plays a great part. Once the athlete’s stride ple, you were to say that the drive phase is
length reduces, everything is going to be neg- 25m and stick to it then you would have
ative or impact negatively in the ground con- problems with an athlete who may have a
tact and recovery mechanics. A collapse in variation. Certainly an athlete with good top-
technique and poor execution will then lead to end speed can use a shorter drive phase,
a rapid deceleration process and a disap- because the chances are he develops top
pointing overall performance. speed later and will be able to maintain maxi-
mum velocity longer in the last third of the
NSA To what extent must an athlete´s race than the explosive starter. Of course, if
technique adapt to the different the athlete has deficiencies in various areas
phases of the race? then you have to correct them while you
adjust the race phases, but you cannot adapt
MILLS: The techniques for starting, for the him to a phase that he is not able to execute.
drive phase, for the transition from the drive
phase to acceleration, for maintaining top NSA How do anthropometrics influence
speed and then for reducing the effects of the technique?
deceleration are different. The athlete must be
able to adjust the technique to the different MILLS: Every athlete has a natural pace, so
phases without loss of time. If, for example, you start with his natural pace and look at the
when the athlete switches coming out of the deficiencies that exist. For example, stride
drive phase into the acceleration phase and length. If an athlete has the necessary reach
the technique is not correct he can lose sig- in terms of physical structure, say someone
nificant momentum. Even if he was in a strik- who is six feet (1.83m) tall but is taking strides
ing position during the drive phase, you will that are shorter that he should, I try to analyse
see the field leave him and then he will have what are the areas that are contributing to the
to spend time to develop the momentum to situation. It is usually the strength of the vari-
get back to top speed and into the race. In ous muscles that carry out the movements
the 100m, athletes usually run out of time and therefore we must work, especially in the
when something like this happens. off-season, to change the athlete: 1) to devel-
op the strength needed and 2) to improve the
NSA How do you distinguish between the stride pattern with specific exercises. For
different race phases? What is their example, we determine the athlete’s natural
approximate ratio? stride and then we use markers to set out
stride length. In each exercise we lengthen
MILLS: I approach it according to the individ- the marker in a very moderate way, maybe by
ual. The athlete himself and his strengths and half inch to one inch. The athlete executes the
weaknesses determine the length of the dif- run trying to extend the stride length to meet
ferent phases. For instance, the length of the the markers. However, he must ensure that
drive phase is affected by how much strength he is not over-striding to meet the marker,

32 New Studies in Athletics • no. 1/2009

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hence he has to get his knee to the required point at which he would want the athlete to
height, the heel recovery must be correct, etc. achieve maximum velocity. He then works to
Once athletes start doing that correctly, they see how long that athlete can maintain that
tend to open up more and execute a longer velocity. That would significantly help the ath-
stride length. They will be able to maintain lete in terms of adjustment and adaptation to
maximum velocity, without over striding. We running the 100m or 200m, because if the
have found that if we can extend the stride curve is too steep then it is going to keep
length and maintain the correct velocity it will coming down on the deceleration phase.
improve the time significantly. We also try to
develop the athlete both mentally and physi- NSA What type of strength training do you
cally to be aware of maintaining their stride see as important for the 100m and
length even when fatigued, especially in the 200m?
200m. You can only carry top speed for
maybe 50-60m, but how you maintain the MILLS: Strength is one of the hallmarks in
stride length will determine your overall time. sprinting and therefore it must be developed.
However, I believe that there are two types of
NSA Do you think that tall sprinters have strength: the static and the dynamic strength.
an advantage? What would you rec- I think athletes tend to depend too much on
ommend in order to adapt technique the static strength and that dynamic strength
and race distribution to the given is one of the greatest areas of deficiency in
anthropometrics? most runners. They are all bulked up and big
and powerful from the weight room, but they
MILLS: They only have an advantage if they neglect the dynamic strength, that is the
can master the technique and the different strength developed in resistance training, ply-
stages. With sprinters who are explosive, their ometrics and so on. We find with our sprint-
advantage comes in the first half of the race; ers that we get far better result when we
the taller sprinters tend to be at a disadvan- almost have a fifty - fifty split between static
tage in the first half of the race. If a shorter and dynamic strength training.
sprinter is able to maximise his\her stride
length in the second half it is difficult for them NSA How do you manage to keep the
to be beaten. However, most of them tend to balance between speed endurance
tighten up in the maximum velocity phase or and pure speed work, so that the
once they feel the presence of a taller sprint- athlete is fresh and explosive?
er. This is why athletes who have good top-
end speed win most 100m races. There is a MILLS: Speed endurance and pure speed
balance between the tall and the short, but a have to work hand in hand. People tend to
lot of it is lost, especially for the short sprint- separate them and do speed endurance as a
ers, in the psychological preparation that single component and then do explosive
tends to affect them in the competition itself. speed training as a single component. A lot of
The distribution is also important because if time we hear sprinters say that they have not
the athlete achieves maximum velocity too started speed work yet, which means that
early it increases the period of deceleration. they have been doing speed endurance work.
The aim for the explosive sprinter is to distrib- My philosophy is that the two should run con-
ute their early acceleration so that they reach currently and that coaches should try to devel-
maximum velocity later in the race, without op a balance. To keep the athlete fresh and
sacrificing the advantage of being explosive at explosive, the load has to be slightly reduced
the start. Working with the athlete on a one on as you go to high velocity and high quality per-
one basis, the coach with his experience and formance in training, the work that is done in
constant study of the athlete and his or her the last part of the competitive period leading
race pattern would determine the optimum up to the major completion. A greater degree

New Studies in Athletics • no. 1/2009 33

Interview

of rest is required for recovery and explosive the brain to the muscle are crucial for explo-
training must be greatly reduced to maybe sive sprinting. Once the brain becomes
once or twice per week and a recovery should distracted by doubt and nervousness the
not be less than 36 hours, 48 hours would be impulses are not going be as positive and
even better. A lot of coaches feel that if you strong as they should be and this lends itself
reduce the workload too much in terms of to sub-par performances.
training time the athlete will lose something,
but that is not my experience. NSA Can you give our readers some
advice on ¨Talent Recruitment¨ and
NSA Successful sprinting is very much what indicators to look for in an up
dependent on the right motivation. and coming sprinter?
How do you motivate your athletes?
To what extent do you involve them MILLS: First, look at the physical attributes of
in specific coaching decisions? the athlete: physical structure, agility and coor-
dination. Coaches should look for athletes
MILLS: We treat motivation as one of the ele- who they as coaches can contribute more to
ments of training, so we train the mind con- their development rather than athletes who
currently with the body. I do a lot of talking in already have the physical development. Then
training on motivation individually and collec- look at the cadence. Sometimes the athletes
tively, especially in between workloads, during in the middle positions of a race have superior
recovery time. Short, quick words of inspira- cadence and are held back a little because the
tion, directive thought process, getting the coordination is poor and they are not able to
athletes’ minds to focus on what the goal is, execute the stride pattern. In recruiting talent
pulling on their inner strength and so on. you cannot start at the top, you have to look
There is time allotted for motivation at the beyond. I have spotted a lot of talent who
training site and within the training pro- finished down the track but are not yet devel-
gramme that lays the foundation for other oped. Some guy that finished last might have
motivational talks outside of the training. been the leader for the first 30m of the race.
These are not only spoken to but are put into Nobody looks at him because he finished last.
situations where the athlete’s mettle and men- But his physical structure and the fact that he
tal strength is tested, for example, we tend to had the speed to be leading are factors that
look for the stiffest competition to face the you cannot overlook. Question the athlete
strongest opponent – our motto is that you about his preparation: How long have you
have to ¨learn to lose in order to learn to win.¨ been training? How much training have you
When you lose you understand why you lose, done? A youngster might say, ‘sir I am only
you take it with grace and it does not defeat training a month, or a week’ while the winner
you, because you know that it is part of the of the race has been training for a whole sea-
process of winning. We believe if you are son. You could take such an athlete and train
afraid to lose then you cannot win, because him and see significant improvement. He may
the subconscious is always going to be ques- become a champion. Another thing to look for
tioning your competence to win. You must be is the bounce. Look at the heel contact with
consciously able to confront it and use your the ground, people who tend to walk with less
positive approach to overcome it. Otherwise it heel contact tend to possess a lot of speed
will become the dominant factor in your sub- and have a better mechanism for lifting their
conscious and become a part of your con- knees and recovery. This does not mean that
sciousness. When fear becomes a part of a man that runs on his heels will not run fast,
your consciousness, you will find that you get but it is something you can look for. Finally,
extremely nervous and your neuromuscular look at the youngster to see if he is aggressive
system loses a high degree of energy, almost in his movements. These are some of the
paralysing the limbs. The quick impulses from general things that can indicate talent.

34 New Studies in Athletics • no. 1/2009