The “movement”, or “movement culture”. It is this training method that Gianni Locarini, former competitor of the Alliance Sens judo, teaches athletes of all profiles. And in particular to Clarisse Agbegnenou, 28, five-time world champion in judo. This is what earned him talk about him, especially since his student gleaned two new gold medals at the Olympic Games in Tokyo a few days ago.
“I’ve known her since we were teenagers. We already rubbed shoulders on the tatami mats,” explains the 30-year-old teacher. But after leaving the Alliance Sens Judo (2017), of which his dad was president, he fell ill. “I had blood cancer. She sent me a message when I was in the hospital to support me”, remembers Gianni Locarini, very marked by this video to which Marie-Ève Gahié joined. . “It was the night she had just become world champion in Tokyo (2019). And Marie-Eve is world champion the next day. It touched me that they took the time to send me this message at such an important time for them. “
Clarisse, I think she hit it off right away. She made me understand that she wanted to include movement more diligently and systematically in her training.
To thank them for this, he suggested that they give them a course in movement once they had recovered. “Marie-Eve already had her staff. But Clarisse, I think she got it right away. She made me understand that she wanted to include movement in a more assiduous and systematic way in her training. I, between quotation marks, integrated its personal staff “.
Gianni Locarini has been accompanying Clarisse Agbegnenou for nearly a year and a half, as well as two other “top athletes”: Belgian judoka Charline Van Snick who was also in Tokyo, young Formula 3 Europe driver Isack Hadjar.
“The first sessions were before the first confinement, at Insep. During the confinement, she went to Reunion, we did visios. We try to keep at least one appointment per week. even remember workshops where, while the others were having a nap, she added this video session. “
Several special courses were added to these meetings, before the world championships for example. “I had the chance, at the end of his preparation, to make him do a one-week internship in Haute-Savoie. We did not put on the kimono once, he explains. really movement oriented. Break the routine a bit, take a deep breath before setting off again. “
It’s incredible. As a coach, experiencing this, I had never imagined it.
And ditto after the big meeting. Then, before the Olympics. “I had three days to organize an internship which took place two weeks before she left for Japan, continues the former Senon. There is a week where you can not do anything. The idea is to maintain her fitness level and recharge her batteries, and the emphasis has been placed on mobility, movement, sensations … That she leaves this week in harmony with her body. She was relaxed, serene. “
The rest, we know it. The flag bearer brought home two gold medals, individually and as a team. “It’s incredible. As a coach, experiencing this, I had never imagined it”, admits Gianni Locarini, who is undoubtedly no stranger to this success.
WHAT IS MOVEMENT? The training method taught by Gianni Locarini was created by the Israeli Ido Portal. “Me, it really captivated me, this way of training with your body, without needing any equipment.” It is a generalist method, based on the mastery of one’s body. It is based on several themes such as balance, strength, mobility, movements on the ground, coordination, reaction time … Gianni Locarini shows more about it. his website.
Our section on technical gestures: we tested … the ippon at Judo Club Clémentin
Sabrina Huard
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