Perhaps sports car racing is a budding hobby, or maybe you’re taking it to the next level and attending a professional racing school to hone your skills. Even though being in the driver’s seat doesn’t seem very athletic, because of the increased speeds and the impacts from G-force, the shoulders, necks, and backs of drivers are under tremendous tension, making them susceptible to injury. Race car drivers need to be in peak physical shape to keep up with the demands of their sport.
At Racing Adventures, we offer a professional racing school and race car driving lessons to the sheer beginner and to the seasoned driver. If you’re looking to get more serious about your driving, we’re here to guide the way! Follow along in today’s post and learn how to become a better driver through exercise.
A Race Car Driver’s Fitness Regimen
Because of the impact, the body takes behind the wheel, it’s important to stay physically fit off the race track. There are specific fitness regimens elite racers adhere to meet the demands of a 90-minute race.
High-intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
HIIT training is popular in the exercise and fitness industry — for a good reason. HIIT is wonderful for boosting stamina and improving the endurance needed to sustain a race, like the Grand Prix. What’s great, too, is that little equipment is needed to gain the benefits of HIIT. HIIT can be performed indoors on a treadmill, bike, or row machine, or outdoors on a track or a trail. The basics of HIIT are performing at a 100-percent effort for 30 seconds, followed by 90 seconds of rest or light movement — repeated roughly 10 times.
Strength Training
Strength training is a crucial part of the race car driver’s fitness routine. Not only do you gain strength, but also balance and flexibility. You can do basic lifts, like squats and deadlifts, with either dumbbells or kettlebells, or perform them on a squat rack and add plates. Incorporate both upper and lower body movements, and strengthen the muscles through push-ups and pulls up as well.
Focusing on your core is important as well, and you will develop a strong core through strength training. But to really engage and develop your core, try doing traditional sit-ups, lemon squeezes, and hollow rocks.
Mobility Training
This type of training, arguably, is one of the most important to incorporate in any program. Sure, you’re not necessarily gaining muscle, but these movements are key to preventing injuries! This can be as simple as performing mountain climbers, the inchworm, and hip-openers. It doesn’t take a lot of time, but with consistent efforts, the benefits are huge.
Being an elite driver takes decades of hard work and practice, and exercise and fitness is a key component. To sharpen your skills on the road and prevent injuries focus on HIIT, strength, and mobility training.
At Racing Adventures, we’re here to help steer you towards your car racing goals through a variety of car racing experiences, such as a professional racing school or car driving lessons.
Book a racing adventure today!