Professional racing drivers go through cardio and special workouts before every season
Driving an F1 car 300 km/h for about fifty laps, steering a WRC car on surfaces ranging from gravel and tarmac for three to five days, or going through an endurance race for from six to twenty-four hours without a break demands enormous core strength and top-notch muscular endurance. Usually, F1 drivers lose about 3-4kg of weight after every race, and WRC drivers burn approximately 5,000 kcal on a single day.
Not only the professional drivers sharpen their techniques to get the desired results but also they try to improve their performance through harsh strength-based exercises, including cardio and special workouts. Below is how an F1 or WRC driver gets trained.
Neck: The most important exercise for better peripheral vision
Professional drivers’ necks have to bear the load equivalent of their weight(g-forces)
All professional drivers, regardless of race type, go through neck training to endure extreme forces. When the drivers face fast cornering speeds, the lateral and longitudinal g-forces increase, adding the load on the neck. For example, the Formula One drivers at the Melbourne Circuit in Australia have to bear the load equivalent of up to 6 times their weight.
Neck strengthening exercises are crucial for F1 drivers for their peripheral vision. At first, they lie on their back, lift their head and turn it slowly from left to right. They try and aim for thousands of repetitions. Then, they start to add weights attached to a head harness and raise their heads up. Sometimes they put 40-kilogram plates on the side of their heads. After the neck training, they always take two or three days off for relaxation.
Peripheral Vision & Reaction Time
When the trainer behind throws a ball at the wall and make it bounce off, the driver has got to catch it with one hand
The drivers need extraordinary neuromuscular capabilities for their nervous system to be able to react quickly to stimuli on the track while driving 300km/h. They have to make quick decisions in seconds. Driving at such high speeds requires instant decision-making while controlling a car. The F1 drivers' reaction time is usually three times faster than that of ordinary people.
There are many different exercises and tools for this. Sometimes the drivers push buttons that light up. Or they stand close to a wall, facing it, as a mate behind them throws a ball at it. Then when the ball bounces off the wall, they've got to catch it with one hand. Other sports such as badminton, ping pong, juggling, boxing are also very helpful for improving peripheral vision and reaction time. Thierry Neuville and Andreas Mikkelsen at Hyundai World Rally Team play squash for the same purpose.
The Shoulder/Arm/Hand Training: For Strengthening the Grip
The shoulder/arm/hand training is good for strengthening the grip
For the drivers who need to endure racing for a long time, having a strong shoulder complex is essential. The shoulder complex is the most important area of a driver’s body, along with the hands and arms, because the shoulders support the arms for steering. The shoulder/arm/hand training decreases the risk of unwanted accidents, which could be life-threatening.
When drivers do their shoulder training, they use a standing cable row. They grab a straight-bar attachment with a wide grip from the low setting and pull the bar toward their torso. However, this would increase their overall muscle weight and affect their race car performance, so they watch their weight carefully.
Lower Body Training: For 1,200 Brakings
Single-leg squat and lunge are the basic workout for delicate braking
Because of the abrupt braking and accelerating, the imbalances on the drivers' bodies are very strong. Their legs are extremely important for braking to produce the forces required to control the speed of the car. And they have to repeat that maximal braking throughout the race, which is 1200 times on average, loads of up to 180 kg, for each race.
Even when they are just using the tip of their toes for delicate braking, they need to use their whole legs muscles. Squat, lunge and deadlift are well known for stronger legs. This could increase their body weight as well, though.
Core Muscles For a Strong Column
The core is a strong column that links all the body parts - arms, legs, etc - together
They also work hard to keep their balance throughout the core movement, stabilizing the core and spine for when they are in their race cars. This is because the core is a strong column that links all the body parts together - arms, legs, and a neck. Maintaining balance is essential for better results.
Just like other athletes, professional racing drivers strengthen their core muscles for balance. Holding a plank on a BOSU ball challenges their balance, engaging stability muscles not only in their core but throughout their upper body as well. First, they place the BOSU ball on the floor. Then they perform an elbow plank on it, extend their legs out and forming their body one straight line. Sometimes they also do a crunch position while holding a plate.
Diet For Endurance
Many professional racing drivers enjoy cardio for better endurance and maintaining body weight
Just like every other sport, motorsports require tremendous endurance for decent results. The drivers should never feel tired inside the cockpit. This is why they always try to stay fresh through many kinds of exercises - running, cycling, or swimming.
Cardio is also important for the drivers' hearts. The drivers need very efficient cardiovascular systems to bring enough oxygen to their muscles and brain. Also, a typical professional racing drivers’ body-fat percentage is just around eight, in order to keep their weight as light as possible.
Photograph. Yoon-Sik Kim
