Preparation
The off-season takes athletes on USA Bobsled all over the Country and sometimes the World. Bobsled is a unique “team sport”, in that we are actually allowed to train wherever we want and with whoever we would like as our strength and conditioning coach. It is our job as athletes to determine how to become the strongest and fastest for bobsled season, and make that happen in the off-season. We do come together as a team, as the season approaches to push together, which is definitely important, but when it comes to your training program, that is up to you.
Over the past 5 years I have been a resident at the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, NY. I have always believed that the best training environment for bobsled was at the training center in Lake Placid, and I have been fortunate to earn housing there each year. With housing, food, sports med, the weight room, chiro, massage, and the push track all in one location, it's really the best! While I still consider Lake Placid to be home, I was able to participate in a six-week training camp with some of my teammates at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs this summer. I made a lot of gains in the weight room while I was in Colorado, so I am really happy about the time I spent there as well as the great training group and coaching I had!
PHOTO- My training group in Colorado Springs: Top left to right- Jeremy (coach) Emily, Curt, me & Jesse (bobsled). Middle-Katie & Matt (skeleton) and right- Eric (coach)
VIDEO- Squat workout in CO Springs weight room. 127.5 kilos for a single rep.
We also are required to participate in two pre-season events every year in order to be eligible for the USA National Team. These events are the combine and the national push championships. The combine is an eight item test which includes sprints, jumps, throws and lifts. (Sprints- 15m, 30m, 45m and flying 30m. Jump- Standing broad jump. Throw- underhand forward shot toss. Lifts- 3 rep max squat and 1 rep max power clean) Push Championships is an individual push competition the first day, separated into driver and brakeman categories, and a team push competition the second day.
VIDEO- Push training from the driver's bar in Calgary ice house.
Right now I am up in Calgary a little early, getting some training runs in at the ice house and getting adjusted to the area before our competition next week. After spending some time in Colorado Springs, and getting to watch the summer athletes compete, I am definitely excited to have the opportunity to compete! The combine is July 30, and the National Push Championships take place July 1-3. Wish me luck :)