The athletic base for the bobsleigh push: which tests trials actually use, which numbers matter and how to build them sensibly as a beginner.
The athletic base for bobsleigh is surprisingly narrow: short sprint, horizontal jumping power and heavy foundational strength. Exactly these standard combine tests — short sprints, standing broad jump, shot toss, squat and power clean — predict push ability [1]. So you do not need an exotic bobsleigh-only plan, but a clean sprint and strength programme with a clear forward focus.
The strongest single factor is your sprint power. Maximal mechanical sprint power — Pmax for short, meaning how much force you put into the ground per unit of time — correlates most closely with push start performance (around 0.80) [3]. Whoever puts the most power into the ground while sprinting pushes the bob fastest.
The direction of that force matters. Propulsion in the push comes mainly from hip extension, that is from the glutes and hamstrings; as speed rises the ankle takes on an additional share [4]. Push forward, do not jump upward — that is the whole movement idea.
And you do not have to guess, you can measure. Federation best marks give clear orientation: 45 metres in 5.10 seconds (men) and 5.60 seconds (women), standing broad jump 2.21 and 1.85 metres, shot toss 18 and 15 metres [2]. These are elite marks, not entry tickets — but they show you which direction to work in.
Everything starts with acceleration. Sprint 20 to 30 metres flat out, with full recovery between runs — three to five minutes is normal. Four to six runs are enough. As soon as times drop off, the session is over. Sprint training is quality training, not conditioning.
The standing broad jump is not part of the trial by accident [1]: it measures exactly the forward force that moves the sled. Use it as a weekly test and as an exercise — plus single-leg broad jumps, because pushing happens one leg after another [3].
Squat and power clean are in the test set for good reason [1]. In one study of a national squad, medallists differed from non-medallists in squat, back strength and hamstring strength among other measures [5] — but with a very small sample, so read it as a hint, not a law. Train squatting, pulling and hip extension heavy and clean.
Pushing means pushing. In meta-analyses, resisted sled sprints improve acceleration over 5, 10 and 20 metres as well as horizontal force production [6]. Typical loads sit between 12 and 30 per cent of body mass, with very heavy variants reaching 80 per cent [6] — in the bob you will later move 170 to 210 kilos of sled plus crew [7].
Four numbers are enough: 30-metre time, standing broad jump, maximal squat, body mass. Resisted sprint meta-analyses work with blocks of six to eight weeks at two to three sessions per week [6] — a good rhythm for making progress visible at all.
Maximal sprints and explosive lifting are demanding: without a thorough warm-up, hamstring and adductor injuries are the typical consequence. Build in at least 15 minutes of warm-up with build-up runs and only start sprint blocks once you are genuinely warm.
Power clean and heavy squats belong under qualified instruction before you load them heavily. And as everywhere in bobsleigh: this guide explains and motivates but never replaces training with a club and federation — every contact with the real sled and the ice track happens under the supervision of qualified coaches.
Keep your athletic numbers in a table with four columns: date, 30-metre time, standing broad jump, body mass. After three months you will see something no training feel can give you — namely whether your added mass cost you speed. That balance of mass and speed is the real craft in bobsleigh, because body mass and sprint time both appear as determinants of push performance [3].
Sprinter-fast and strong at the same time. Federation best marks give orientation: 45 metres in 5.10 seconds (men) and 5.60 seconds (women), standing broad jump 2.21 and 1.85 metres, shot toss 18 and 15 metres [2]. Squat and power clean are tested on top [1].
The standard set is short sprints over 15 to 60 metres, standing broad jump, shot toss, squat and power clean [1][2]. These events predict push ability [1] — so the trial measures exactly what counts in the race, not general fitness.
Two to three quality sessions per week: maximal short sprints with full recovery, horizontal jumps and heavy foundational strength. Resisted sprints with sled loads of roughly 12 to 30 per cent of body mass improve acceleration and horizontal force, typically in blocks of six to eight weeks [6].
Because they accelerate a sled of at least 170 kilos in the two-man and around 210 kilos in the four-man [7]. Body mass therefore appears alongside sprint time and sprint power as a determinant of push performance [3]. Mass without speed does not help though — both have to grow together.
No. You build the entire athletic base without a bob: sprint, jumps, barbell, optionally a simple training sled [6]. The real bob and the push track come later from your club — and that is where you learn the specific technique under supervision.
Two-Man or Four-Man: How a Bobsleigh Run Works — From Push to Brake