Loading the Bobsleigh: Order, Timing and Position

Loading a bobsleigh explained: why the driver boards first and the brakeman last, when the crew loads and why it is only trained with a coach on the track.

Sport: Bob · Level: Intermediate

Introduction

The honest answer: loading is the moment your crew switches from runners to passengers after the push: the driver first, then the push athletes from front to back, the brakeman last [1][2]. It is not a trick to try on your own but a rehearsed choreography that only develops on an ice track with a coach and a fixed crew.

The running distances explain why the order is fixed. In a two-man bob the driver pushes for only about 20 to 30 metres and jumps in from the left side of the sled. The brakeman runs about 50 metres and jumps in from behind once he can no longer keep up with the speed [1]. The shortest runner boards first, the longest runner last.

The moment comes beyond the crest of the start straight. There, slope and speed already gained add more than further pushing could, and the crew loads without taking speed from the sled [2]. So you jump into a moving, icy machine with spikes on your feet.

Some perspective belongs here: at Olympic Games the injury rate in bobsleigh was 14 to 18 % of athletes, the upper end of the three sliding sports [2]. This guide explains and motivates. It does not replace supervised training or a coach.

What you need

A clean push. Loading builds on the push (see our push guide). If pushing still costs you everything, you don't belong in loading yet. That is a practice standard, not a study.
A club, a coach and an ice track. Without track, track staff and coach, nobody boards. Full stop.
The right kit: race suit, a mandatory Kevlar vest underneath against ice burn, a helmet to standard and spikes with at least 250 micro-points on the forefoot. Goggles or a visor are typically worn by pilots only [2].
Resilient hamstrings. High speed plus trunk extension during the transition load the posterior chain; strains are a known pattern here [2].
A fixed crew with fixed roles. Who sits where, who jumps from where is settled before the run.

Step by step

1. Learn the order before you see a sled edge

The rule: front to back. The driver first, then your push athletes in seating order, the brakeman last [2]. In the four-man the two middle push athletes board between the driver and the brakeman. Milestone: you announce your position and your crew's from memory without thinking. Only then move on.

2. Know your running path

The driver pushes on the left side of the sled and jumps in there after about 20 to 30 metres [1]. The brakeman pushes from behind, runs longest and also boards from behind [1]. How your jump looks in detail is set by your coach. It is in no text and does not belong in self-study.

3. Understand the timing

You don't jump by feel but together, after the sled has passed the crest [2]. Jump too early and you take momentum from the sled; too late and you chase a bob you will never catch. That is practice, not a study. The crew agrees the signal with the coach beforehand.

4. Rehearse the sequence under control, without track speed

Because a mistake here is expensive, there are controlled intermediate steps: sprint drills and heavy sled pushes off-season, and in some training centres start houses with an ice surface where real sleds can be used without a track run [2]. Such centres are rare. So much of the work happens on the track itself, with coach and staff.

5. Sit tight, head down

After boarding, the push athletes stay in the tub with the head tucked and the trunk strongly flexed [2]. The driver steers under the cowling at the front. Anyone who now adds unrest to the sled endangers themselves and the crew (practice).

Common mistakes

Boarding too early or out of step. It costs speed because the sled starts to sway or some are still pushing while others sit. Fix: set the signal and order beforehand and repeat in dry runs, never improvise on a shout.
Watching your feet instead of your landing. A typical beginner mistake from practice. Fix: your coach corrects this on video; the jump is coachable but not by remote diagnosis.
Tucking the head too late. After the jump the head belongs in the tub position immediately [2]. Fix: practise posture as part of the jump, not as an extra.
Ignoring tired hamstrings. If you feel pulling in the back of the thigh before loading and jump anyway, strain risk rises [2]. Fix: tell your coach instead of toughing it out.

Safety notes

Only with a club, a coach and a closed track. No solo attempts, no videos as instructions, no "let's just try" on a rolling sled.
Bobsleigh is risky even without a crash: in twelve athletes over one World Cup season, 1,900 head acceleration events were recorded; peak values averaged around 12 g, twelve times gravity, brief but repeated [4]. A review puts concussions at 13 to 18 % of sliding athletes and describes "sled head" as an under-recognised issue [3]; headache and fogginess after many runs are typical [2].
Neck stability counts. A clinical commentary considers neck training potentially worthwhile to dampen head accelerations; the effect is not proven [2].
After a crash, don't run to the sled. A moving sled is dangerous for responders; only once it has stopped and track staff clear it does anyone enter the track [2].
Cold is part of the risk: thin gloves, race suit and speed in freezing temperatures make hypothermia realistic [2].

Pro tip

Train the role, not only the jump. Before every dry run announce aloud who boards when and where, and repeat the call afterwards: was the order what you announced? This is practical knowledge from dry runs, not a study: crews that run through order and roles aloud beforehand have less confusion in the run. Only the fixed front-to-back rule is documented [2].

FAQ

Who boards the bobsleigh first?

The driver. In a two-man bob he runs only about 20 to 30 metres and jumps in from the left side. The push athletes follow front to back; the brakeman boards last from behind because he runs longest [1][2].

When does the crew board?

Beyond the crest of the start straight. There, slope and speed already gained add more than further pushing could. The crew loads so that as little speed as possible is lost [2].

How do you sit in a bobsleigh after boarding?

The push athletes sit with the head tucked and the trunk strongly flexed in the tub; the driver steers under the cowling. The compact position is part of boarding [2].

Can I practise loading on my own?

No. Boarding happens at high speed on ice. You can practise sprint, push and the sequence in dry runs with a coach; actual loading belongs with a club, a track and a crew [2].

Key Takeaways

Loading follows a fixed front-to-back order: the driver first (after about 20–30 m), the brakeman last after around 50 m [1][2].
Crews board beyond the crest of the start straight, when more pushing adds little speed, and with as little speed loss as possible [2].
Loading is safety-critical and belongs with a club, a track and a crew: the head goes straight into the tub position, and head loads in bobsleigh are real [2][4].

Next guide

Crew Posture in the Bob: Head Down, Body Still, Hands Secure

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