Fitness is a key aspect of any sport, and motorsport is no exception. In order to be successful on the track, you need to be in excellent physical condition.
There are three key fitness aspects that you really need to focus on if you want to maximise your performance on the race track.
The mental stress of competition and the g-forces involved keep the heart rate high for prolonged periods. Drivers have been known to lose 5% to10% of their body weight or about two to three kilograms over the course of a race.
Faced with such extreme stresses on the body, a driver must be in the best physical condition. But what aspects of fitness should drivers focus on to remain competitive?
Motorsport athletes are well-rounded because the sport forces them to use their mental, psychological, and physical toughness. Their fitness training needs to be specific because motorsport is about strength and exceptional psychomotor abilities.
Here are the top 3 physical aspects motorsport drivers should pay really attention to:
Aerobic fitness is all about improving the body's cardiovascular system in absorbing and transporting oxygen through cardiovascular training and developing breathing control.
Motorsport entails staying inside a car for long periods with the temperature often rising above 40 degrees Celsius and humidity above 90%. This stress and pressure cause the heart rate to increase significant to tolerate these demands, as a the heart tries to keep up with the oxygen demands of the body.
The best way to increase the ability of the heart to pump oxygen around the body is through aerobic fitness.
Some examples of aerobic exercises include:
● Cycling
● Swimming
● Rowing
● Running
● Skipping
There’s a common misconception among outsiders that race drivers don’t need strength because they are just driving a car. However, racers drive at higher speeds, exposing them to high levels of g-force while still having to manage the physical aspects of driving. This takes large amounts of strength in different areas of the body.
In saying this, when it comes to motorsport driving, it is important that drives have lean muscle mass, with low body fat, as this allows for the cars to travel faster.
With this in mind drivers should aim for strength training based around high reps and low volume.
Exercises for upper-body strength:
● Bench press
● Lat pulldowns
● Shoulder press
Exercises for lower-body strength:
● Deadlift
● Lunges
● Leg press
● Squats
Core strength is necessary to withstand large amounts of force throughout the race. Strong abdominal and back muscles allow stability while manoeuvring the car. The best way to think about your abdominal exercises is asa soft drink can: diaphragm across the top, obliques on the side, erector spinals on the back, rectus abdominus on the front and pelvic floor on the bottom. It is important to train these muscles with exercises of strength and control.
Here are some examples of exercises that build core strength:
● Deadbugs
● Pallof press variations
● Side plank
● Ab roll outs
Success in motorsport is not about luck or chance; it’s about skills and physical fitness. There’s a lot of preparation involved in motorsport driving so one has to be physically, mentally, and psychologically prepared before attempting their first race.
Physical training for motorsport includes increasing aerobic capacity,improving upper and lower body strength, and building a strong core. Focus Driver Performance can help you achieve the ideal fitness level so you can compete in thebig leagues.
Focus Driver Performance is Australia’s one-stop shop for race driver preparation. For more information, get in touch with us or call +61 (0) 475 398 961.