Overcome all obstacles with Yann Senjaric

It's late and a It was not by chance, thanks to the sports exam for his baccalaureate, that Yann Senjaric puts to athletics in Saint-Julien-en-Genevois then, with the best coaches of Aix-les-Bains. From his football debut to his victory at the 2017 Balkan Games in the 400m hurdles, this Franco-Croatian hyperactive us reveals his career as an athlete but also as a sports coach in Geneva.

HAS : When and where did you start athletics?

Y : It was only at the age of 19 that I really started athletics following excellent results obtained on the day of the athletics option sports exams for the Baccalaureate. My teachers strongly advised me to take out a license. I first registered with Athlé Saint Julien 74, then I progressed to AS Aix-les-Bains to seek the expertise of the very famous sprint group, led by Pierrot Carraz. Since 2017, I have been guided by a new coach : Frédéric Gazeau. He is very strong and I like his vision of things.

HAS : Did you play other sports when you were younger?

Y : Yes, I have always been very active and " daredevil » with friends : fan of skateboarding, snowboarding in winter, in the football club since I was 5, then tennis at 15.

HAS : When did you discover your talent for hurdling? ? Why did you choose this discipline? ?

Y : The 400m hurdles was my 1^era athletics race without any real training, without even a choice, just with the aim of running for the club and bringing points to the team. I tried other disciplines but the one where I expressed myself best was the low hurdles (400m hurdles : 1 lap of the track with 10 hurdles raised to 91cm). I progressed very quickly, which encouraged me to persevere. It is a very complete discipline which combines speed, resistance, flexibility, crossing technique, stride pattern and adaptation of the rhythm obstacle after obstacle.

HAS : Do you compete in other disciplines? ?

Y : Yes, the 400m flat to be part of the 4x400m relay.

HAS : What is the best memory of your athletic career? ?

Y : A race on 07/13/14 in Varazdin in Croatia which brought me a lot : my 1^er Croatian champion title, a personal record, the minimums for the European championships… and so much euphoria ! And then every race where I put on the Croatian national outfit is indescribable, it helps me to transcend myself.

HAS : What are the most important personality traits or physical strengths for a top athlete, in your opinion? ?

Y : I think that humility is the 1^era because no matter how hard we surpass ourselves, win victories, break records, appear on TV... we will always remain human, vulnerable and ephemeral on Earth.

The 2^th is the respect for one's opponents because we draw our strength from them to win.

The 3^th East listening to oneself Knowing yourself is essential to progress.

The 4^th is the determination which, thanks to work, allows you to achieve your goals or even your dream.

The 5^th is the creativity because very often, you have to know how to open your eyes, be attentive to what is offered to you and use your imagination to create new opportunities.

HAS : You are not only an elite athlete. Tell us about your career as a Sports Coach. !

Y : I have been a self-employed sports trainer/coach in Geneva for 5 years now. I have also worked in a wellness and fitness center. I draw a lot of inspiration from my favorite sport, athletics, to train my clients. I collaborate with the Efficium clinic in Les Acacias, I work at home, outdoors and in a Personal Training studio called Funcwork in Les Eaux-Vives. I am also an ambassador for Algorigin and Five Sport Management with the dual role of athlete and coach.

HAS : What are the main reasons people come to see you as a Coach? ?

Y : Each person has their own goal and I offer personalized training accordingly. There may be a competition at stake or rehabilitation following an injury. Some will work mainly on flexibility and joint mobility to combat back or neck pain, others will seek weight loss and general muscle strengthening. Overall, people want to escape, relieve stress and feel good in their body. My daily life is extremely varied and exciting. !

HAS : How do you assess a client's needs? ?

Y : Most of the time things happen naturally during the sessions. : we communicate, we laugh, I observe, I analyze and at the same time… we train hard ! No need to do test sessions or evaluation questionnaires. I base myself on communication, I listen to my clients and ask them questions, I document myself, I arrive with something new and sometimes with a surprise objective to motivate them. !

HAS : How does a session with you as a coach go? ?

Y : A session lasts 1 hour. Systematically 10 minutes of warm-up and 10 minutes of cool-down and stretching. We have 40 minutes left in the middle of the session to work and sweat. ! I try to develop all the physical qualities in anyone, namely endurance, strength, speed, flexibility, balance, coordination, etc. Of course, all this is spread over several sessions with the aim of having a balanced body.

HAS : Do you have a favorite exercise? ? If yes, which one?

Y : Yes, jumping and jumping over obstacles of all kinds. But it's not given to everyone... you have to accept falling sometimes. !

HAS : What is your tip for motivating people? ?

Y : When the feeling is good, then we don't look at the watch and we don't save ourselves. I often remind them of their journey and their personal goal. All the accumulated sessions and the efforts made go through difficult moments and outside their comfort zone. The end result is simply good health and the ability to move by discovering new sports such as mountain walking, climbing, boxing, swimming, running, cycling, board sports, the list is long. And inevitably pleasure will come from it.

HAS : What do you like best about your job? ?

Y : I like the diversity of the people I meet, their origins, their experiences, their personalities, their confidence. Sport is a part of my profession but relationships are yet another dimension that enriches our daily lives much more. Being a coach is about boosting people ! Sometimes a discussion is more effective than an exercise.

HAS : Tell us a little about your upcoming projects. !

Y : I have loads of them and some really great ones. ! I have a short-term project by this spring to start one, or even two, small group sports classes with the Efficium clinic focused on joint mobility, flexibility and muscle strengthening. The 2nd class would be more focused on cardio and developing outdoor endurance.

HAS : Do you follow a specific nutritional plan? ?

Y : Yes, with Virginie Terrier at the Efficium clinic. An annual blood test allows her to see my general condition, then we set up a food supplement, treatments. We adjust and do an assessment every month. All accompanied by a healthy and varied diet.

HAS : Which Algorigin products have you already tested? ?

Y : I have already tested the spirulina .

HAS : What are the benefits of algae according to you? ?

Y : It is difficult for me to feel the benefits of algae in particular because I often have several treatments at the same time. The results on me are good and the scientific studies on algae are positive so I trust Algorigin.

HAS : How do you prefer to take seaweed? ?

Y : I only take them as a tablet on an empty stomach in the morning.

HAS : Do you have a recipe to share with us? ?

Y : My best meals are those where I cook vegetables from my garden, whatever the recipe, the cooking, it is pure joy to work the land, to harvest and to consume fresh. !

LEARN MORE ABOUT YANN SENJARIC:

– His age: 28 years old
– Nationality: Franco-Croatian
– Sport: Athletics 400m Hurdles
– Job: Personal Trainer in Geneva.

– Awards:

Winner of the 2017 Balkan Games in the 400m Hurdles
2014 European Championships in Zurich (400m Hurdles and 4x400m Relay)
Croatian 400m Hurdles Champion since 2014
Selected in the national team since 2014

– Records:

400m Hurdles: 50 sec 88
400m: 47 sec 83
800m: 1 min 52 sec 82

– You in 3 words: Patient, positive, combative