Top 13 Quotes & Sayings by Franz Stampfl

Explore popular quotes and sayings by Franz Stampfl.
Last updated on April 21, 2025.
Franz Stampfl

Franz Ferdinand Leopold Stampfl MBE was one of the world's leading athletics coaches in the twentieth century. He pioneered a scientific system of Interval Training which became very popular with sprint and middle distance athletes. His most striking success was the world's first sub-four minute mile by Roger Bannister in 1954. Stampfl was posthumously awarded the World Athletics Heritage Plaque as a "legendary and pioneering coach" on 26 September 2019.

November 18, 1913 - March 19, 1995
Training is principally an act of faith.
Fear is the strongest driving-force in competition. Not fear of one's opponent, but of the skill and high standard which he represents; fear, too, of not acquitting oneself well. In the achievement of greater performances, of beating formidable rivals, the athlete defeats fear and conquers himself.
The runner's greatest asset, apart from essential fitness of body, is a cool and calculating brain allied to confidence and courage. — © Franz Stampfl
The runner's greatest asset, apart from essential fitness of body, is a cool and calculating brain allied to confidence and courage.
The runner must be a fanatic for hard work and enthusiastic enough to enjoy it.
The coach's main job is 20 percent technical and 80 percent inspirational.
There's nothing a man can't do if the spirit's there.
Confidence is the most important quality in all athlete-coach relationships.
With the proper motivation, that is, a good reason for wanting to do it, your mind can overcome any sort of adversity.
The coach's job is twenty percent technical and training, and eighty per cent inspirational. He may know all there is to know about tactics, technique and training, but if he cannot win the confidence and comradeship of his pupils he will never be a good coach
The Possibilities in racing tactics are almost unlimited, as in a game of chess, for every move there is a counter, for every attack there is a defense.... The runner's greatest asset, apart from essential fitness of body, is a cool and calculating brain allied to confidence and courage. Above all, he must have a will to win.
In the achievement of greater performances, of beating formidable rivals, the athlete defeats fear and conquers himself.
The Athlete defeats fear and conquers himself!
Training is principally an act of faith. The athlete must believe in its efficacy; he must believe that through training he will become fitter and stronger; that by constant repetition of the same movements he will become more skilful and his muscles more relaxed...He must be a fanatic for hard work and enthusiastic enough to enjoy it.
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