Fitness and High Performance Driving. New Year Resolution

[Triple M]

Not sure if this has ever been discussed.
As the new year approaches, I'm putting a lot more thought into my New Year resolutions. Every year I try to come up with 1 or 2 for my driving, and devote majority of my HPDE trying to get those goals achieved while hopefully achieving others in the process.
Fitness is something I have always known is important to our sport, but I've always thought is more for the pros (since it's their career and livelyhood that's on the line).
Not sure if it's coincidence or not, but just about all the instructors I've had who are club racer are all quite physically fit, and some of them were much older than I am, and in better shape (I'm ashamed of myself with the 17lbs I've gain last 3 months ).
Over the years, I've noticed I'm mentally more focused when I'm close to my base weight, than I am during the holidays when I rack up 10-20lbs (turn more "saves" into anticipated corrections on exits). I've always thought it was all in my mind, but I'm starting to see a pattern. I've decided to pay a lot more attention to cross-training and dropping a little more weight in 2015.
Although its a resolution that is probably more common than others, but in 2015, I want to do it not just to be healthier, but to see if it impacts my driving in a positive way. Heck, it helped during the years we played the local neighbourhood basketball series, but high performance driving?
I wonder if others have noticed any impact between their changing fitness status and their track driving.
If it doesn't help my driving, at least I'll be a bit healthier, and it'll be a free 20lbs weight loss mod for the car

[jbjones85]

not specifically for high performance driving but I have noticed that when I am eating healthier and in better shape my general mental focus is better which can only translate into better, more focused driving so I would agree with your conclusions. Happy new Year!

[1MOREMOD]

I think your onto something. People who excel at one area are often successes in others as well. The mental preparation and dedication to be fit for life, eat right and make proper choices for your health also will affect your ability to make choices in racing and so on. Not to say you can't be fat and drive like the devil but it helps to have a strong will that it takes to work out all the time when it comes to prep for other things too.

[ortho281]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

I think your onto something. People who excel at one area are often successes in others as well. The mental preparation and dedication to be fit for life, eat right and make proper choices for your health also will affect your ability to make choices in racing and so on. Not to say you can't be fat and drive like the devil but it helps to have a strong will that it takes to work out all the time when it comes to prep for other things too.

This^

[1MOREMOD]

Pick something that you can be driven about and do it. I have been competing in powerlifting for some time. Having goal there helps other avenues and makes me feel good also.

[AlpineE92M3]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

Pick something that you can be driven about and do it. I have been competing in powerlifting for some time. Having goal there helps other avenues and makes me feel good also.

I used to lift and workout pretty hard throughout my 20's. Then I tweaked my back pretty good while benching. Now I'm worried to get back into like I used to with a worry that I might reinjur it. Ive been confined to mountain biking occasionally and spirited walks with the wife. I feel as I get older I have less and less ambition to work out, so I just try to stick with driving the M as much as I can lol

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by AlpineE92M3

I used to lift and workout pretty hard throughout my 20's. Then I tweaked my back pretty good while benching. Now I'm worried to get back into like I used to with a worry that I might reinjur it. Ive been confined to mountain biking occasionally and spirited walks with the wife. I feel as I get older I have less and less ambition to work out, so I just try to stick with driving the M as much as I can lol

Don't be content with that. I'm mid 40s now and still have the fire for it. Tore acl and mcl and still squat decent amount. Also back tweeks from heavy deads. Hard feeling to match keeping after it.

[admranger]

Triple M, you are correct that fitness will help your driving. Eating right too -- no burgers/fries at lunch. Bring some string cheese, fruits, nuts, veggies. When I raced, I never ate food prepared by anyone but me or my wife.

Also, if you do a lot of hot summer events, figure out a way to mount a cool suit cooler in your car. Best improvement I ever made to my track car.

As for what workout to do, it probably doesn't matter all that much for HPDE. I have found Pilates to be good as it has a core strength focus. Yoga looks easy, but will kick your ass. Getting 'pumped up' is not going to hurt, but flexibility is something to not skimp on. It doesn't get easier as you get older (I just turned 52 last week). Before you poo-poo Pilates or Yoga, you do get a 'visual' motivator to go. Just be sure you go to a place that will watch your technique so you don't hurt yourself.

I get to rehab a shoulder this spring, after surgery in the next month or so (current plan). Should be fun...

[Triple M]

Originally Posted by admranger

Triple M, you are correct that fitness will help your driving. Eating right too -- no burgers/fries at lunch. Bring some string cheese, fruits, nuts, veggies. When I raced, I never ate food prepared by anyone but me or my wife.

Also, if you do a lot of hot summer events, figure out a way to mount a cool suit cooler in your car. Best improvement I ever made to my track car.

As for what workout to do, it probably doesn't matter all that much for HPDE. I have found Pilates to be good as it has a core strength focus. Yoga looks easy, but will kick your ass. Getting 'pumped up' is not going to hurt, but flexibility is something to not skimp on. It doesn't get easier as you get older (I just turned 52 last week). Before you poo-poo Pilates or Yoga, you do get a 'visual' motivator to go. Just be sure you go to a place that will watch your technique so you don't hurt yourself.

I get to rehab a shoulder this spring, after surgery in the next month or so (current plan). Should be fun...

+1
I learned a lot how out of focus I get during the summer as I fatigued a lot easier and having to either pit or dial it back as I caught myself spacing. Although I've resisted wearing the race suit my wife bought me formchrist,as 2 years ago, the smell of my race seat as got me reconsidering and I'm either getting a cool suit as you recommended or get the cool vest with inserts offered by winding road.
As we all get older, it definitely has gotten harder to stay in shape. The drive back home and soreness on Monday mornings after a weekend track event was becoming an eye opener for me. The wife as agreed to let me join her morning cardio sessions.

[aus]

Best wife award goes to Triple M's... down pipes for the /M was epic. THen she gets you a race suit?

Try P90x3. 30 minutes and it'll kick your ass with low chance of injury. As I get older, I'm definitely going light weights and more reps. Not worth the injury that puts you down for 6 months.

[Triple M]

Originally Posted by aus

Best wife award goes to Triple M's... down pipes for the /M was epic. THen she gets you a race suit?

Try P90x3. 30 minutes and it'll kick your ass with low chance of injury. As I get older, I'm definitely going light weights and more reps. Not worth the injury that puts you down for 6 months.

Definitely a good option. I figured if I'm ever even going to get close to driving at the limit, I need to not run out of breath as things happen even faster. Implementing my instructors recommendation or adjustments I plan to make after going through my data should be successful if I'm not struggling.
I remember Scott Mann during one of the pca schools telling us to speak as we drive the course, and most of us soon found out we were holding our breath through some of the most technical section at SMMR.

Lean and healthy is definitely the goal. The mid section has to go.

[StealYourFace]

Just to echo what has been said, I'm 35 now but when I was 18-19 I got into running/working out and eating right and dropped 40 pounds (220 to 180, 6' tall, pretty dramatic). Since then my weight has stayed around there plus/minus 10-15 pounds. When my weight goes up, I feel lethargic and everything I do is effected. I recently gained and lost 10 pounds to get back to 185... when I gain the weight, it is 100% related to what I eat because my exercise doesn't change. It always amazes me how quickly poor eating choices makes an impact.

[bigjae1976]

I think fitness helps but the biggest off track driving improvement for most will be sleep and hydration. While fitness impacts those things...the biggest improvement most could make is to be more consistent in managing the variable of how much sleep you get at the hotel the night before.

Unless you are one of the lucky ones that live near a track. I have done some of my best driving at a track here in Milwaukee which is 20 min away. When I travel...the first morning is usually interesting.

Originally Posted by admranger

Triple M, you are correct that fitness will help your driving. Eating right too -- no burgers/fries at lunch. Bring some string cheese, fruits, nuts, veggies. When I raced, I never ate food prepared by anyone but me or my wife.

So 2 burgers right before your session is bad? Eating veggies and fruits will lead to constant harassment and endless insults against your manliness. Then nuts? Where do I begin?

Actually, I usually drive my best sessions after a stogie.

[1MOREMOD]

Being heavy enough to slow the car down is never a good idea. I'm usually fastest after a download of a brown load.

[Triple M]

It's quite interesting how I try to explain my offs to myself, acknowledge what I did wrong. I definitely admit the fun factor is greatly affected by how fit I am. Compensate better for lack off sleep and poor hydration when I'm fit, more than I do when I'm carrying that extra human backpack in the midsection. Hydration and sleep clearly without a doubt has a huge impact when your hand, foot, and eye coordination needs to be extra precise. Btw, I sleep waaayy better when I'm in Shape. Heck, I feel like I can use 6 extra hours after a good 8 hour sleep when I'm a slob.

[nicksm3]

It's about being fit for life. It's a life long journey that you take to the grave and I mean that in a good way. I'm 32 years old and I'm a national Superheavyweight body building competitor and powerlifter. Been in the field for over 16 years. I am Also a nutritionist and personal trainer. I stress to every one of my clients, mental alertness comes from what you eat, the lifestyle you live. Now when it comes down to racing, you need to be on your A game with mental alertness and not being a porker behind the wheel lol. (Not saying you are)
Taking care of yourself and your health is number one. Once you have that covered you are winning. It's about proper diet/nutrition, cardio and weight training. Also keep away from cross fit because you will get injured.
Set a goal, pick a date where you want to look awesome and get to that desired weight and look. Again no one will make you do this..you have free will...it's all up to you.

[Triple M]

Originally Posted by nicksm3

It's about being fit for life. It's a life long journey that you take to the grave and I mean that in a good way. I'm 32 years old and I'm a national Superheavyweight body building competitor and powerlifter. Been in the field for over 16 years. I am Also a nutritionist and personal trainer. I stress to every one of my clients, mental alertness comes from what you eat, the lifestyle you live. Now when it comes down to racing, you need to be on your A game with mental alertness and not being a porker behind the wheel lol. (Not saying you are)
Taking care of yourself and your health is number one. Once you have that covered you are winning. It's about proper diet/nutrition, cardio and weight training. Also keep away from cross fit because you will get injured.
Set a goal, pick a date where you want to look awesome and get to that desired weight and look. Again no one will make you do this..you have free will...it's all up to you.

+1

[Flying Ace]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

Being heavy enough to slow the car down is never a good idea. I'm usually fastest after a download of a brown load.

What are you an elephant?

[bigjae1976]

Originally Posted by nicksm3

It's about being fit for life. It's a life long journey that you take to the grave and I mean that in a good way. I'm 32 years old and I'm a national Superheavyweight body building competitor and powerlifter. Been in the field for over 16 years. I am Also a nutritionist and personal trainer. I stress to every one of my clients, mental alertness comes from what you eat, the lifestyle you live. Now when it comes down to racing, you need to be on your A game with mental alertness and not being a porker behind the wheel lol. (Not saying you are)
Taking care of yourself and your health is number one. Once you have that covered you are winning. It's about proper diet/nutrition, cardio and weight training. Also keep away from cross fit because you will get injured.
Set a goal, pick a date where you want to look awesome and get to that desired weight and look. Again no one will make you do this..you have free will...it's all up to you.

You're right but I wouldn't necessarily go on a workout program just for HPDE.

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by bigjae1976

You're right but I wouldn't necessarily go on a workout program just for HPDE.

Side benefit. If that's what motivates you use it.

[nicksm3]

Exactly, a side benefit for life.

[bigjae1976]

Originally Posted by Flying Ace

What are you an elephant?

lol