The Iain Percy column

Vanity muscles might look good, but they don't win you races

I have received some feedback asking for some insight into the weight training routine I undertook for my Finn sailing. My fitness training changed dramatically when I left the Laser and joined the Finn class.
Over the last four years Pete Cunningham from Chichester University has designed my fitness programmes and I owe a great deal to him. His task of turning me into a vaguely fit human being is an impressive task indeed, and he spent many evenings of his own time in the gym kicking me into action. It was Pete who was given the task of turning an 85kg Laser sailor into a lean 98kg Finn sailor.

In 1995 I was training full time in the Laser for the Olympic trials. One of the biggest problems for me in the Laser class was keeping my weight down in the region of 80kg. The two priorities within my fitness programme were therefore weight control and aerobic fitness, as my natural size made me sufficiently strong for the boat. During this period I was performing three long duration (60mins) aerobic sessions at 135 beats per minute and 1 short session (25mins) at 185 beats per minute.

On top of this I had to be particularly conscious of my diet. I had to cut out many foods that should never be denied to a growing lad. When all my mates were enjoying their first year at university consuming beer and kebabs I was on the road consuming pasta and water. The result was a very lean, quite weedy 81 kg 20 year old, not a hit with the ladies. In all seriousness the effect of such a strict regime was an unhappy boy, who sailed, regrettably, like an unhappy boy.

As soon as the last race of the 95 trials finished my dad took me straight to the fish and chip shop and that, coupled with 15 pints of lager and university two weeks away, more than made up for the disappointment of not winning the spot for Atlanta; another year of that routine would have given me lasting psychological problems. My attention then turned to the Finn.

I was always going to be too big for the Laser but when I began my Finn sailing I was still 15kg light for the boat. The first 8kg were easy, university took care of that! I still started my Finn campaign 9kg light (and a little chubby) at the Europeans in '98. Over the next 18 months I embarked on another Pete Cunningham fitness programme that culminated the day before the Games when I stood on the scales at 98kg with 12 per cent of body fat.

My programme still had a large aerobic element, with 1-2 long sessions that had increased to 90 minutes in duration, and 2-3 shorter high intensity sessions that were again increased to 30 minutes (thanks Pete). On top of this I obviously needed to undertake a large weights routine to increase my weight and strength for the Finn.

Because you are allowed to pump directly from the boom without purchases, and the pumping rules are relaxed, a top Finn sailor needs to be incredibly strong in his back and biceps. My weight training was therefore concentrated on these muscles, but also on the large upper-body muscle groups to increase weight in the right place.

It is worth noting the only reason I spent time on the bench press was to increase weight, it did however fit me in well with the macho image of my competitors. It was notable how there was far more talk about the evening ‘bench off’ than there was of the day's racing in the sailing club bar. For the record I was well down the bench press ladder but then again I almost snapped my boom when I went hell for leather on a reach; it says something, vanity muscles don't win races.

The result, a far more proportioned 24 year old, but unfortunately a 24 year old who was still not a hit with the ladies.