SLIDING TOWARD SOCHI—PART II: A REVIEW OF PROGRAMMING TACTICS USED
DURING THE 2010 – 2014 QUADRENNIAL
BRAD DEWEESE, EDD, CSCS, MATT SAMS, MA, CSCS, AND AMBROSE SERRANO, MA, CSCS
INTRODUCTION
P
art I of this two-part series on athletic development for
bobsled athletes highlighted the theoretical constructs used
during the creation of practice agendas. Our programming
model, termed Seamless Sequential Integration (SSI), describes
the combination of previously separate training theories and
components including conjugate sequential training, phase
potentiation, and vertical integration. This mode of programming
was used to ensure that the development of individual fitness
qualities occurred in a logical and complementary manner. In
addition, this model allowed the coaches to address the tenants
of periodization through the inclusion of an objective athletemonitoring program that provided unique insight into each
athlete’s physiological adaptations to the training stimuli (1).
Part II continues the discussion on bobsled training with an
overview of how information collected through a performancemonitoring program can be used to assist in the development of
a sliding sport talent identification program and the fine-tuning
of training blocks throughout each annual plan. The monitoring
program should treat each athlete as an individual case with intraindividual longitudinal monitoring being the primary focus.
IDENTIFICATION OF BOBSLED-SPECIFIC
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
With little to no information regarding the physical characteristics
of elite bobsled athletes in existence, coaches will first need to
get a handle on what physical characteristics are needed to excel
in the sport. With no information to start, baseline data needs to
be compiled. Based on the sport requirements, some suggested
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variables that should be tested include morphological and
anthropometric measures, reactive and isometric strength, and
power. Some tests may require specific equipment. For example,
isometric mid-thigh pulls (IMTP) can be assessed using PASCO
force plates and analyzed using LabVIEW data analysis software
(2). Reactive strength is another variable that can be monitored
through a series of maximal jumps on a force plate. It is valuable
to test these jumps using a variety of loads (an example load
progression for these jumps could be unweighted, 10 kg, 20 kg, 40
kg for both the men and women, and then an additional weighted
jump of 60 kg for the men).
This compilation of data can provide the strength and conditioning
coach a better understanding of the physical attributes needed
for the sport and current standing of their athletes. For example,
as bobsledders sprint for the initial part of their races, this time
period may be an important variable to examine when testing an
incoming athlete. Since this time period is so crucial, the rate of
force development would be a valuable measure to test.
Another aspect that may be noteworthy is the anthropometric
profile of the athletes. Bobsled is unique in that it is a sport that
requires an athlete to find balance between maintaining a weight
that will create and sustain momentum when traveling down the
track, and avoiding a body composition that is so high that it
deleteriously affects sprint performance.
Mentioned previously, the SSI model is built to ensure potentiation
of one phase into another, with each block of training having a
particular training focus and expectations for which adaptation
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