If you’re not familiar with Luis Javier Mosquera, he’s an extremely powerful Colombian weightlifter. Just watch the videos from All Things Gym and you can see the level of talent he has and he’s only 20 years old!
Luis clearly has the abilities needed to become one of the best in the world but you’ll see in the interview that he’s also a very driven and humble weightlifter. These are some of the qualities needed to take you to the next level, talent can only take you so far and he knows it. Check out the video interview and there’s transcription below it too.
Interview with Luis Javier Mosquera
Intro video credit: All Things Gym
Fusion Weightlifting (FW): I read that you’ve been training since you were 10 years old. How has training for your pulls, squats, and the lifts (snatch/Clean and jerks) changed as you’ve developed from a beginner, intermediate, to elite weightlifter?
Luis Mosquera: I believe it all starts with technique first. You also need strengthen your back, lower back, the abdomen the shoulders, the wrists and the arms. It’s important to strengthen these muscles to keep the weight up, after you have enough strength in the back and in the abdomen you can manage a better technique.
FW: What is your current training routine like? How often do you train a week, a day, and what do you focus on?
Luis Mosquera: My current training routine is pretty normal. I lift two times a day, Monday through Saturday. In the mornings we train for 2 hours and in the afternoon for about 2 hours too.
I focus more on the snatch and I always try to improve my positioning. Everyday I focus on achieving more speed and try to be a better weightlifter each day.
FW: I read that your gym has not been repaired or upgraded for a while. Has that recently changed since you and many other Colombian weightlifters (Andrés Mauricio Caicedo Piedrahita, Jhonatan Rivas, Jose Mosquera, Wil Torres, Jenny Jenny Fernanda Álvarez Caicedo) are have success on the international stage?
Luis Mosquera: Yes, about a month and a half ago they fixed the gym. We were given new equipment and now the gym looks much better. This helps a lot not only for me but for the other kids that train here and for future generations.
FW: How did you get introduced to weightlifting?
Luis Mosquera: I first started because of my 2 older brothers. They started training weightlifting first and one day I told them that I wanted to go watch them train and I liked it, since then I’ve been training hard.
FW: I believe you’ve recently moved up to the 69kg class? When and what made you decide to move up?
Luis Mosquera: I wanted to go up since approximately two years ago. But I waited because I had to figure out the risk vs rewards of moving up to the 69kg (from the 62kg).
I tested it out at the junior world championship and world weightlifting championship and did pretty well. So I said, let’s try to going up to 69kg and I’ll give my best to shot to stay as good as I am in 62kg. I am also taller now, so it was hard to stay down in 62kg. I prefer to train hard and hopefully can be even better in 69kg, I know that I can do it.
FW: Did you do change your diet or training to help you at the heavier weight class?
Luis Mosquera: Yes, I changed my diet. Now I eat a little bit more, increased my protein, and the training is a little harder because this category is very competitive.
FW: I’m sure there have been many coaches that have helped develop you through your career. How has each coach developed you into the weightlifter are you are today?
Luis Mosquera: Yes, I have had several coaches ,I started with Edwin Mosquera who still is an active weightlifter and is competing with me in the 69kg. Then I trained with Gina, she was a weightlifter too, then with Damaris Delgado, and now I am training with Oswaldo Pinilla, who is the national coach. I’m thankful to have been developed through a great process and to have worked with great coaches that have helped me a lot.
FW: In 2012-2014 your numbers stayed relatively the same, then at the Kazan World Championships, you went 6/6 and significantly increased your total. What did you do differently throughout this time to help you increase your performance?
Luis Mosquera: I did not have support or help from anyone at the time, so I had to work to help support my family and my own training. I could not train well, I wasn’t training how an elite athlete is supposed to train. But thank God, I started to get support and the economic benefits to help me train the way I needed to and that motivates me a lot. It helped me to be where I am now and to increased my total too.
FW: Many people would probably get frustrated and quit, how did you stay motivated to push through and prosper?
Luis Mosquera: How do I stay motivated? Well it is the desire to succeed, the desire to fight for what I want, and to have a good future for me and my son.
FW: You’ve gotten to travel all around the world to compete with some of the best in the sport, is there anything you’ve learned throughout your time watching the other countries compete?
Luis Mosquera: No, I always try to do my own thing. I have always focused on being who I am. I haven’t copied anything from any athlete or coach. I try to do what I’ve learned from my coaches and do I believe I have to do.
FW: What is one thing you’ve learned in your career that you can pass on to other aspiring weightlifters?
Luis Mosquera: Well something that I have learned a lot is to stay humble. It is something that every good athlete should have and to believe in God he will always help you. Also to stay the same even if you win or lose or if you have money or not always stay the same.
FW: To wrap up, is there anything you’d like to say to the audience?
Luis Mosquera: I would like to say to the weightlifters that are just starting, that this is not easy, that everything is hard, but you have to keep looking forward and when you fail to keep fighting. Also to always have goals and try to reach them, then when reach them to then make another one and keep going.
You can follow Luis on instagram HERE
Also make sure to check out our interview we did with Wil Torres too!
Thanks for reading and sharing!
