Dr Ash Bowden | Central Coast, NSW, Australia

👨‍⚕️Medical Doctor MBChB BSc
🔹Founder @domorecentralcoast
🔅Greater health & happiness with physical activity
👍 No advice

What inspired you to start your fitness journey, specifically with deadlifting, clean and jerk, hip thrust, or snatch?

Fitness has always been a key part of my life, the older I get the more I realise how crucial it's been for my mental wellbeing above all else. I started integrating barbell movements, especially olympic lifting, when I wanted to improve my strength and mobility too.

What is your current Personal Best (PB)?

Deadlift: 200kg | 440.925 lb

C&J: 100kg |  220.462 lb

Snatch: 77.5kg | 170.858 lb

Bench: 100kg | 220.462 lb

Back Squat: 150kg | 330.693 lb

Front Squat: 125kg | 275.578 lb

What is your fitness target or goal weight?

General fitness. I've had periods of strength focus where I then struggle climbing stairs so I'm very much keen to maintain overall strength and cardiovascular fitness. Specifically I'd love to get to a VO2Max of 50 and 10% BF at 85kg.

Have you faced any challenges or setbacks in your lifting journey?

I often get back pain that's somewhat due to scoliosis but overall just the average amount of aches, pains and injuries.

What training methods or techniques have helped you achieve your progress?

My greatest period of improvement was following a powerlifting-focused program for 8-9 months. I had 1:1 coaching by a high-level olympic lifting coach for 12 weeks and now I follow my local crossfit gym's programming and have seen gradual improvement for the last year.

Do you follow any particular nutrition plan or supplements to support your lifting?

I was previously calorie tracking but I've been trying to manage my intake for the last 6 months without doing so. I use creatine and top-up my protein intake with WPI protein aiming for approximately 2g/kg/BW.

How do you stay motivated to keep improving and pushing toward your goals?

I'm a big advocate for physical activity in my work as a doctor and on social media so that helps me to practice what I preach (ie not be a hypocrite).

Do you have any advice for fellow fitness enthusiasts who want to improve their deadlift, clean and jerk, hip thrust, or snatch?

Find a sensible coach (if they don't understand the term 'progressive overload' move on). Avoid the 'secrets' and short cuts on social media. Follow a program and aim for GRADUAL progress with consistency over quick results. When it comes to olympic lifting, leave your ego at home and work on mobility and technique BEFORE adding weight - don't be afraid to step the weight back to go forward.

Do you have a personal inspirational story or moment you’d like to share with the fitness community?

I'm most motivated by my late father, he died of a brain tumour and in his last years, despite losing his sight, he'd go out running with me as his guide dog. I'd run approximately 1-2m ahead and just off centre to the right so he knew where to go. People have so many reasons NOT to exercise but it was so crucial to his health, wellbeing and even identity that he didn't let anything stop him moving.

Your Favourite Barbell Jack Blog Post?

'Olympic Barbell' I love a post that explains 'the basics' because so often it's overlooked and without posts like this I couldn't tell you the difference between a powerlifting and an oly lifting bar.