Name:
Stephen Stewart

Age:
24

Occupation:
RAF Aircraft Technician based at RAF Wittering Engine Bay Facility

In the gym

Years training:
12 years (more recently a year for Bobsleigh)

Specific types of training undertaken:
Strength and explosive power, with weights and plyometrics. Speed work on the running track by way of 30m and 40m sprint sessions. Use of the Great Britain push track facility at Bath University to improve that all important start at the top of the track. Core stability and mobility work is also very important.

Typical Training week:
Monday: Chest and bicep session, concentrating on bench press – close and wide grip. Session is aimed at explosive fast repetitions to improve fast twitch muscle conditioning, followed by heavy and slower repetitions to build core muscle strength. Typically 1 hr 30 mins.

Plyo-metrics. This is a very beneficial session for me; I have noticed drastic improvements in my push times from doing these sessions. I focus on weighted box jumps and leaps and bounds. Got to make sure that you are producing quality not quantity, if you notice during the session that you are beginning to fade, its time to stop as you will start to have a negative effect otherwise. 45mins tops!

Tuesday: Shoulders and abs session. Focusing again on explosive power, concentrating on dumbbell press and military press. For abs, concentrating on core strength, working with a swiss ball and weighted crunches. 1hr 30 mins

Sprint session at the track in the evening, concentrating on my start, first 5m – 10m is very important; you need to explode off the block!!! 1hr

Wednesday: Rest day, recuperation is as important as the work you do in the gym. I do typically go to the gym and spend a good hour doing some very relaxed stretching, whilst listening to music, followed by a chill out in the Jacuzzi and the steam room, I also usually pop in and see the physio and get a good deep tissue massage to ease the tightness in the main muscle groups.

Thursday: Back on it! With a hard back session. Focusing on cleans and dead lift, nice and heavy and concentrating on technique when doing cleans (these are a great exercise for bobsleigh, as they simulate very closely the start at the top of the track and you use the same muscle groups to perform this exercise). Followed by some tricep work, focusing on heavy, weighted dips. 1hr 30 mins.

Friday: The most important day of the week for me in terms of my training schedule. I travel to bath and attend our weekly team push session on the University push track. Massively important, it’s the only way that we can train for that all important start in Bobsleigh and it is hugely beneficial. A good 2hr session, with a good stretch off and warm down at the end. This is then followed by a massive pasta and chicken dish in the restaurant to repair those muscles and get some energy.

Saturday: A good hard and heavy leg session, focusing on all leg muscles. I start with squats, low and heavy, followed by alternating gun drills with dumbbells. I then do hamstring curls and heavy, weighted calf raises and leg extensions.

Sunday: A light C.V workout for 30 mins, typically on the bike as it is low impact. Relax and chill out for the rest of the day.

I do sometimes make slight changes to my training days. The reason being for instance, if I were to go to Bath feeling stiff and too tired then I wouldn’t get the benefit from the session so I do listen to my body, which is very important, if it doesn’t want to go don’t make it! This is how major injuries can happen.

Sporting background:
Athletics (Coventry and West Midlands hurdling champion age 12 – 16 years)
Rugby (RAF station level)
Football
Field gun (Joint force Harrier wheel number at HMS Collingwood, Brick-woods plate one winners 05-07)
Cycling (civilian time trialist, 10 miles)
Bobsleigh (Great Britain and RAF Driver)

Most satisfying sporting achievement:
Becoming RAF and Great Britain Novice Driver Champion with 5th place at the British Bobsleigh Championships, Austria, Feb 08 after only three weeks in the sport. From this I got selected for Team GB.

Time out

Interests and hobbies outside health and fitness:
I love motor-racing so I love to spend time watching the F1 and if I can, go to track days. My girlfriend owns a horse so I help out regularly with that and watch her compete at show-jumping and dressage. I love playing with cars and spending time in the garage as I am an Engineer by trade.

Love to catch up with my mates, they also love the gym and sport so we have lots in common, I try to treat my self with at-least one steady night out a month on a Saturday night.

It can be quite hard to see my family as I am so busy but I always try and see them as much as I can. Me and my father love to go out for a Sunday morning bike ride when we can, he was the person responsible for my petrol head tendencies and love of fast stuff! I also love to surprise my little sis by picking her up from school (she isn’t so little now though).

Skiing, driving or riding fast things. If its fast and adrenaline filled I’m doing it! There isn’t anything that comes close to living life on the edge with your hair on fire, which is one of the many reasons why I love Bobsleigh.

Sum yourself up in one sentence:
I am a team player who loves life and people, a very passionate guy and I wear my heart on my sleeve. I have very high standards and strive for success and to achieve what I believe I can.

Strengths:
I am a highly motivated team player. Good hand and eye co-ordination and motor-skills. Athletic and strong.

Weaknesses:
I can sometimes be a little over-powering to some people but I try to be as open minded and understanding as possible. Sometimes I can be too trusting in people and that has bitten me in the past, however you live and you learn, life is one big lesson.

Favourite way to relax:
Helping the Mrs compete, watching the Grand Prix, or cooking.

Favourite band/music:
I like lots of different genres. I love Rock and Roll and Heavy metal to classic dance. For motivation I love to listen to Dire- Straits – Brothers in arms, The Verve, a little Led Zeppelin and when I’m really hyped up, bring on Fire Starter by the Prodigy!!!

Favourite food:
Italian

The PhD experience

Favourite PhD Nutrition product:
My favourite PhD supplement is definitely Synergy – iso – 7. I’ve tried lots of all in ones and this is by far the best. It tastes good and it’s very easily digested, with no strange after effects or taste. It really works and I noticed results very quickly. The most noticeable difference was when actually out competing on the Bobsleigh season with the RAF team earlier this year. The days are very long and drawn out due to a very tight sliding schedule and thus very difficult to sustain a strict nutritional programme. I used Synergy religiously as directed and where as others were feeling fatigued, I just kept going and improving. I would and I have recommended this product to many athletes.

Why you chose PhD Nutrition to officially endorse:
No matter what sport you choose to participate in, nutrition is the foundation. It all begins in the kitchen. A steady and productive diet I believe is quite possibly the most important element that makes up a successful and quality athlete. You wouldn’t fill your car with poor grade fuel would you? If you did it would run like a bag of spanners! However PhD does things differently. One thing that I hate is when you read the label and your supplement has all sorts of nasty additives and preservatives and things you’ve never even heard of, plus being and athlete, the question always comes up, how can you trust the product is free from any banned substances? PhD products have solid quality ingredients and are drug tested products that comply with IOC standards, which is a weight off my mind.

Why do you and PhD complement each other?
The PhD team is very friendly and I like the PhD philosophy. The staff are athletes of the highest caliber so they understand what is required to make it to the top, which is where I aim to be. I believe that a partnership between an athlete and sponsor is a very important two-way bond, it should emulate trust and a willingness to succeed and achieve and I know that what I am going to put in is going to be matched by PhD.

Personal ambitions

Future aims and objectives within your chosen sport:
This year I hope to carry on up the ladder of achievements from last season. I believe that I can achieve a top three finish in this season’s British Bobsleigh Championships. I hope to then go onto the Europa Cup with a view to learn and absorb as much experience as I can in the first half of the season. If I do this then I know that I can achieve some impressive results. I hope to finish the season with a number of top five finishes in the Europa Cup and at the Junior World Championships and at least a top ten in the Americas Cup race in Lake Placid.

Next year I want to race at World Cup level at both two and four-man. I have a short window but the 2010 Olympics are a definite possibility I just need to believe in my-self and achieve what I know I can. This sport is 20% ability and 80% mind over matter, a major confidence sport. If you believe you can do it your more than likely will.

Future life ambitions:
To become an Officer in her Majesty’s Royal Air force, something I have always wanted to achieve, a commission. I applied this year and had my selection date but had to withdraw my application as I had just received my selection for Team GB. This was a very tough decision but the right one; I can always go for my Commission at a later date.