Sailing Fitness with Bow Down Training

On the Wire

By Chris Herrera

I had my first experience crewing a 49er in Palma, Spain with Erik Storck. I have previously crewed a 470 with both Stu McNay and Amanda Clark. Sailing on these boats gives me a feel for what the athletes go through. Although I have been building programs for athletes that both skipper and crew both boats for approximately six years, this was my first time actually doing the work on the boat.

In this blog entry, I will take this first-hand experience and incorporate what my body felt into the workouts I build, while giving you tips.

Sailing Fitness with Bow Down Training

Developing Functional Hiking Skills
By Chris Herrera


After reading that title you might be saying… what is functional hiking? In terms of fitness, functional hiking is the ability to hike for power and strength, while effectively working the rails and shifting.

When most athletes train their hiking skills they work on leg extensions, lunges, squats, and some plyometric exercises. All of these are good and will help develop leg strength and power translating into stronger legs. But the question still remains, will that help your hiking while sailing?

An Inside Look at the US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics Training Camp

By Chris Herrera

Last weekend, Bow Down Training and US Sailing held a four-day training camp at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. This camp was held for the 2012 US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics and US Developmental Team. Below are some questions and answers that will help give you a perspective on what our teams do to get better both physically and mentally to prepare for elite international competition, including the Olympics.

What was the purpose of this training camp?

Our training camp has a variety of goals. We focus on fitness levels, both testing and improvement. We also work on developing and improving the athlete’s ability to enhance and develop their mindset and focus in order to keep pushing their limits. Our four-day program is comprised of:

Sailing Fitness with Bow Down Training

Testing your fitness to guide your program design
By Chris Herrera

Racers everywhere are looking for that competitive edge. During the offseason, sailors are turning to physical fitness training that specifically targets their needs, maximizes their abilities and improves their performances. As the official physical trainer of the US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics, Bow Down Training has been developing innovative training techniques that suit sailors needs. Chris Herrera, President and Head Trainer of Bow Down Training has provided US Sailing with a guide on planning your program design.