The one about Rio 2015

If anyone follows the GB Diving Team on social media it may have looked like our training camp in Rio de Janeiro was just an exotic holiday! Rio is an amazing city but I worked my butt off for 2 weeks. 2 months after surgery on my shin the medical team put together a pretty extensive rehab programme. I was having to literally roll out of bed and I kept waking up because my body hurt when I turned in my sleep! For 18 months I haven't been able to single leg squat on my right leg, within a week so much confidence and strength was built up I managed to do two on my right. A big achievement in very little time. My shin is still slightly painful but I am hoping it will go within the next few months I am now back to training a full list and ready to take on this seasons competitions. My training days consisted of warm ups, strength rehab work, pool session, pool rehab, more strength rehab, ultra sound and ice. Repeated again on double sessions every day. Thank you medical team, GB (doctor), G (physiotherapist) and Spud (massage/ S & C) a successful two weeks.

Leg push press with Spud

Deadlifts with Spud

Ultrasound with G

The strength rehab was made easier because of the incredible gym facility at the pool. Any type of equipment specific to any sport was there, the best gym facility for sport I have seen. Weights cages, weights machines, rehab and prehab equipment, cardio machines, plyometric equipment ... Everything! The diving pool wasn't too bad either, amazing views up on 10m, it was mostly in the shade and the pool was warm. A refurb on the matting for the towers, the railings put nearer to the side of the platforms, new springboards and hopefully some better water agitation and Rio 2016 is ready.

The Rio gym

The Rio 2016 Olympic pool

 Yoga was a new addition to a training camp, made even better by doing it on the beach just outside our hotel. Tonia, Becky and myself had a 7.30 start every morning, half an hour just before breakfast taken by our Massage guru Paul Murphy aka Spud. Yoga started the day off being slightly less sore and slightly more flexible. In between training the team would work on vitamin D intake ... Tanning either at the beach or the hotel pool. The beach is beautiful in the mornings, the whole strip was filled with 1 million people on a weekend (it's a big strip) and people always working out on it in the evenings.
 

Yoga on the beach

There are some amazing sights to see in Rio. On one of our afternoons off, part of the team hiked a mile to the top of a mountain called Pedra Bonita. We were sweating in 35 degree heat, legs in pieces from weights sessions earlier that day and walking up was effort, but effort that was completely worth it. Insane views over Rio and Barra Plaza 2283 feet up. People were above us hand gliding with selfie sticks and go pros at the same height as the birds, we could also see Christ the Redeemer on the other side of the city. We took a lot of pictures, sat down and chilled taking in the view and the sun, then we had to walk down and it was just as bad as walking up.

The trek

View from Pedra Bonita

When in Rio, Christ the Redeemer is another sight to see. We caught a taxi to Copacabana Beach on our day off, we bought tickets to take a mini bus up to the top to see Christ the Redeemer. So so hot and so busy we were quick to take a load of pictures have a look at each view point, buy some souvenirs and get an ice cream. Perhaps Copacabana beach is famous because of the song but iv never seen a busier beach, we made space for a back somersault picture, got bashed about in the sea by waves, drip dried off and caught a taxi back to the hotel pool to relax.

Some of the team at Christ the Redeemer

Back somersaults

On Copacabana Beach

 London to Rio is a 12 hour straight through flight with only a 2 hour time change. I wasn't ready to go back to the cold English weather. I can't wait to go back to Rio. Fingers crossed!