“It is important not to be afraid to take risks”. Interview with Olympian Dmitry Nosov

Dmitry Nosov – bronze medalist of the Olympic Games (2004), Russian Championship (2002, 2003), European Championship (2004). Honored Master of Sports in judo and sambo. After his career ended, he opened a network of martial arts schools. Founded the All-Russian public movement against drug addiction and alcoholism “Anti-Dealer”. Author of the books “Heart Rhythm” and “My Struggle”. He was a member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation. For several years was a deputy of the State Duma.

My life changed dramatically after the Athens Olympics

Literally in one second I became world famous. At that time, the Internet was less developed and popular than it is today, everyone read newspapers. My photo with a broken arm appeared on the covers of publications and sold thousands of copies all over the world (Dmitry Nosov went to the decisive bout of the Olympics against Mehman Azizov (Azerbaijan) with a broken arm and won it. Read more in our material. – editor’s note).

judoka, Olympic bronze medalist

At the Olympic Games, I was amazed to meet people I had only seen on TV before. Here they communicated with me on an equal footing, and we became friends. At the Russian House, I was introduced to Yankovsky. It was he who advised me to pay attention to movies. When later I played the main role in the movie “The Way”, Oleg Ivanovich was the first person I invited to the premiere.

After meeting with the president, my popularity increased many times over. At the reception in the Kremlin on the occasion of honoring Olympic laureates were dozens of athletes, but only me he hugged not formally, but in a fatherly way. This did not go unnoticed.

Officials began to get acquainted with me, and the attention started pouring in. At some point I began to catch myself thinking that I was getting very tired of it.

I was told that I was “star-struck”, but I wasn’t. After participating in the Olympics, I started getting calls from hundreds of people we had ever crossed paths with in our lives. They offered to meet me, expected something from me. It was impossible to do it even physically – there are only 24 hours in a day. So my refusal was interpreted as arrogance. A similar situation occurred when I became a member of the State Duma.

The star disease really came upon me at some point. I caught myself thinking that I started to look down on everyone. But it went away quickly because I realized it in time. I think I passed the test of success and fame.

Conversation is the best way to educate

Sport still occupies a huge place in my life. I play hockey, I go to the gym. Three or four times a week I do 50 pull-ups and various exercises.

I am convinced that only by my own example, you can teach children to a healthy lifestyle. I have two daughters. A child is an imitator. Especially until the age of 10. The main authority in this period – parents. However, in adolescents the main role is played by the collective, and relatives go to the second plan. Therefore, the school and sections that they attend are important. The main enemy – free time.

I condemn any kind of violence, including aggressive teaching methods. I believe that conversation as a way of education is always better than the use of force.

As for relations within the family – the question is complex. Here it is important: for what they beat – for the cause or not? If a guy stole the last of his grandmother’s money – what should you do?

I will not let my daughters go near coaches who yell and hit them. At the same time, everyone knows examples of such upbringing of champions with excellent results. A case from my childhood is indicative for me. When my boys and I got into trouble, the coach kicked us out and said: “If you want to return to the sport, you will clean up.” We cleaned the gym for three months. We had a dream – to return to the mat. Out of seven people, only five remained. This is the right motivation, not yelling or using brute force.

Sport is about overcoming every day. When you’ve done the maximum in training, and then a little bit more. That’s what brings you closer to the top. My motto: overcoming gives birth to a personality. That’s why you shouldn’t indulge children’s whims at an early age. Today they will say at the age of 6-7 that they are too lazy to go to training, and their parents will listen and give them slack. In the end, there will be no result. If you have determined the vector of development of the child, go through this path with him until the age of 17. This is how champions are brought up.

The main secret of the diet is only fresh food

I cook dishes according to my mood. Often I invite guests and make something specific, focusing on people’s tastes. As for my diet, I do not eat pork. I give preference to other meat, poultry, seafood, greens. I like red and black rice, avocado.

When I go to Asia to train, I don’t eat sugar and sweets. I replace everything with fruit. In Russia, I try not to indulge in bakery products, and I categorically do not eat them at night. I can afford some for breakfast with a cup of coffee. But usually in the morning I eat toast with eggs, avocado and salad.

The main rule is not to eat if you don’t feel like it and not to force-feed your children. It’s terribly annoying when a child is seven years old and food is being shoved down their throat.

Any organism, including children, adapts to the proposed conditions.

If a person is hungry, he will eat what is given. He will not demand chips and chocolate instead of potatoes and meat. He will eat what he is given. Then, maybe, dessert will be allowed. If he does not eat now, he will not eat tomorrow, the day after tomorrow his body will demand it. Thus, it is necessary to educate heirs, and not indulge their desires.

It’s hard to surprise me

I travel a lot, I have been to Europe almost everywhere except Portugal, Norway and Belgium. But it’s not my thing, it’s boring there. I like Asia better with its climate, opportunities. I get up, go to training, go to boxing, go surfing, look at waterfalls. But Russia is more native to me.

Now I am actively engaged in opening new martial arts schools. We are registered in the Russian Book of Records for the largest number of children’s judo sports organizations in the country. I am not stopping there, I have set a goal to open 100 institutions. In my old age I will be proud of the fact that I brought up children who made our country stronger.

I also supervise the public movement “Anti-Dealer”. This is part of my fight for the health of the nation. We oppose the spread of drugs, counterfeit alcohol and cigarettes. It is important for me to do something in my life that I can be proud of.

It’s hard to surprise me, so I am delighted by people’s extraordinary and unexpected reactions. For example, I am inspired by the children in my school and the examples of other people. I think the attitude towards other people’s successes speaks volumes. If we can be happy for our colleagues and draw motivation from their achievements, it shows a high level of our personality. It is better to strive for such an attitude than to live in envy.