McThrows: So 2026 was the first year since the pandemic with no Olympic Games or World Championships. Does the lack of a major international championships affect the way athletes prepare for a season?

JM: It can in different ways. For example, if you have an injury that you’d try to work through during a normal year, the “off year” gives you the chance to get it taken care of so you won’t have to keep pushing through it next season when there is a Worlds or Olympics. 

In that and other ways, it can be a less stressful year. American athletes, for instance, can go to USAs knowing that if you’re not at your best it’s not going to cost you a spot on a team.

And the break is probably even more impactful for perpetual medalists like Ryan Crouser.

Taking gold at an Olympics or
Worlds every year since 2021 had
to be exhausting.

That’s a lot of pressure both mentally and physically when you can’t afford to have a down year or at least do a little mental reset. 

The last time guys like Ryan had an “off year” was 2018. I had been working at the Olympic Training Center for nine years at that point, and I knew then that the break was beneficial, but now after seeing him and Joe Kovacs fight for medals year after year, I appreciate it even more. 

McThrows: How would a training plan look differently in an off year?

JM: It would give you a chance to focus on improving a certain quality that might raise an athlete’s performance down the line. Let’s say everybody agreed that a particular athlete could benefit from an improvement in their maximal strength. An “off year” would be a good time to push that because you wouldn’t have to work as much on dynamic strength. You could use the “off year” to build a better base of strength that the athlete could draw on in subsequent years.

The chance to shore up different weaknesses and get a mental reset could turn out to be the difference between an athlete making or not making a team in the future, which is big because if you aren’t making World or Olympic teams, you’re not going to last long in this sport.

McThrows: What are your thoughts on the “Ultimate World Championships”? 

JM: It’s for sure not the same as a Worlds or Olympics because all the events are included. To athletes who are left out, it’s irrelevant or maybe even offensive. The athletes I work with who will be competing have not approached it like a Worlds or Olympics. It feels more like a Diamond League meet from my perspective, but that may change if it continues. 

And for sure there is value in competing against the best in an environment that is anywhere close to what you are exposed to at an international championships.

One reason so many American shotputters have done well at the big championships might be that they get so much experience against top competition.

For a long time, all you’ve had to do to face the best was to show up at an average meet at Long Beach State.

McThrows: A quick digression. Mykolas Alekna had an amazing year in spite of not being able to bench press since February. Is bench press an overrated lift?

JM: It might be for the discus. From a physics standpoint, if you just use your upper body to throw the disc it is not going to go far. I have to point out, though, that his injury was to his left pec and not his right.

This also might be another illustration of the importance of learning how to do the movements before you get strong. Mykolas clearly developed a great feel for the throw early on. He’s never been a guy who got by mainly on maximal strength.

Like Ryan Crouser, Mykolas knew how to throw far and right before he was considered strong in throwing circles.

I’m not saying there is no value in being strong. I love all things meat head.

But the first priority in a technical event should be mastering positions and rhythm. It’s easy to add strength later.

McThrows: When an athlete suffers an injury that prevents them from lifting in a “normal” way, how do they keep their nervous system sharp?

JM: There’s lots of ways to do it. Jumps. Medball throws. It also helps to have special genetics.

McThrows: I’d like to say I could relate to that, but…