Physically fit, which will also help them mentally as the nine-day event drags on at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria.
Known as 鈥淭eam Buff鈥� for their tremendous physical conditioning, skip Brad Jacobs and his Team sa国际传媒 crew of third Ryan Fry, second E.J. Harnden and lead Ryan Harnden tend to stand out amongst the field. Bulging biceps, solid torsos and tree-trunk legs will do that.
It鈥檚 an aspect becoming more customary in the sport of curling, where 鈥� back in the day 鈥� competitors used to smoke right on the ice, ashtrays on benches.
Not so for Jacobs鈥檚 work-out demons, who rarely miss a day away from the gym.
鈥淭he sport in general and curling and physical fitness ... I think it鈥檚 fair to say we鈥檝e maybe taken it a little bit to the next level,鈥� said E.J. Harnden as he and his rinkmates get set to open the world championship Saturday afternoon against China. 鈥淚t鈥檚 almost needed now 鈥� the nutrition, physical part of it.
鈥淎nd even the mental aspect, it evolves every year and it鈥檚 only going to continue to be more prominent and it鈥檚 going to require much more,鈥� he sressed.
鈥淏eyond the physical benefits of staying in shape and being in the game, I don鈥檛 think people understand how much it helps mentally as well.鈥�
And all four are keen on keeping up the pace in the gym as well as staying sharp on the ice.
鈥淗ey man, you gotta go to the gym,鈥� Fry said with a chuckle. 鈥淓veryone has said it doesn鈥檛 do anything. That getting into that type of shape doesn鈥檛 do anything for you in curling.
鈥淲e have disagreed with that from the start,鈥� added Fry, exlaining the health aspect has also helped attract supporters.
鈥淲e鈥檙e tring to change how it鈥檚 viewed and if we can get some of the sponsors that we鈥檙e talking to right now, itls going to be an exciting time for curling.鈥�
Not that they are the first to be known as fitness buffs in a sport more recognized for its camraderie. Marcel Rocque, the lead for Randy Ferbey鈥檚 foursome 鈥� which won the Worlds in Vicoria in 2005 鈥� was recognized for his fitness, allowing him to drag rocks further with his sweping techniques and raw power.
But Fry says it goes back further, back to the 鈥�70s when his dad Barry Fry had Gord Sparks and Bryan Wood sweeping.
鈥淭hey were animals,鈥� Ryan Fry said. 鈥淚t [fitness] took a break when it switched from corn brooms to push brooms. There was a lull there, but it鈥檚 slowly evolving into a sport that will be recognized and respected among other athletes, that curlers can be in peak physical condition and still be at the top of the sport,鈥� Fry insisted.
The benefit sfar out-weigh the negatives.
鈥淲e want to be physically fit for the sweeping, but they鈥檙e also long weeks and at the end of the day, if you are physically fit it keeps you more mentally sharp and helps with some of the stress that come at the end of the week,鈥� stressed E.J. Harnden.
It has become such a major part of their training that Fry stated he did not miss a day in the gym, even after all the celebrations after their Brier win.
Jacobs, on the other hand, said: 鈥淥K, I might have missed one or two.鈥�
