"Stretching was a major part of my preparation"
About this Quote
“Stretching was a major part of my preparation” lands with the quiet force of someone who knows the difference between highlight-reel mythology and the daily, unglamorous labor that makes dominance possible. Coming from Edwin Moses - the 400m hurdles phenom who turned an event defined by chaos into a near-scientific certainty - the line reads like a subtle rebuke to the way we romanticize athletic greatness as genetics plus grit. He’s pointing to something almost offensively basic, the kind of routine most people treat as an afterthought, and elevating it to doctrine.
The intent is practical, but the subtext is cultural: greatness is often built from boring decisions repeated until they become identity. Stretching isn’t just flexibility work here; it’s a proxy for discipline, injury prevention, and the patience to invest in outcomes you can’t immediately see. It also signals control. Hurdling punishes even minor misalignment - a tight hip, a shortened stride - and Moses’ era-defining consistency depended on removing variables wherever possible. “Major part” is the tell: preparation isn’t just intervals and strength; it’s the connective tissue work that lets the engine run.
Context matters because Moses wasn’t merely fast; he was methodical, educated, and famously meticulous about training. The quote fits a larger Moses worldview: win by engineering the margins. In a sports culture hooked on intensity and spectacle, he’s praising maintenance, not mayhem - a reminder that longevity and precision are competitive advantages, not side quests.
The intent is practical, but the subtext is cultural: greatness is often built from boring decisions repeated until they become identity. Stretching isn’t just flexibility work here; it’s a proxy for discipline, injury prevention, and the patience to invest in outcomes you can’t immediately see. It also signals control. Hurdling punishes even minor misalignment - a tight hip, a shortened stride - and Moses’ era-defining consistency depended on removing variables wherever possible. “Major part” is the tell: preparation isn’t just intervals and strength; it’s the connective tissue work that lets the engine run.
Context matters because Moses wasn’t merely fast; he was methodical, educated, and famously meticulous about training. The quote fits a larger Moses worldview: win by engineering the margins. In a sports culture hooked on intensity and spectacle, he’s praising maintenance, not mayhem - a reminder that longevity and precision are competitive advantages, not side quests.
Quote Details
| Topic | Training & Practice |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
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