For some people who have youth and/or natural athleticism on their side, a single kart race is not enough to start feeling fatigue. Fitness training is still something that should be considered, even for the more physically gifted driver.
Here are four reasons you should be using fitness training to help you #KartFaster.
1) Prevent Mental Fatigue.
The first reason is mental. That’s right, mental. The level of fatigue required for your decision making and mental sharpness to fade is far lower than the level of fatigue required before you start to “feel fatigued.” If you’re constantly running up front and finishing on the podium, but can’t quite seem to cross the line first, odds are you’re getting beaten by somebody who is training more than you. The better shape you’re in, the sharper you’ll be at the end of the race, and the better you’ll be when you’re locked in a battle for the win on the last lap.
2) Sustain Performance At Longer Events.
If you’re racing at a national level, race weekends tend to be three, four, even five days long. In some cases, there can be upwards of an entire week of testing leading up to an event. Being in better physical condition helps to improve your body’s recovery from day to day. The races that pay the points are usually at the end of the day on Saturday, and the end of the day on Sunday. If you’re not prepared physically for the amount of track time you get in the five or so days you’re at the track, you’ll be worn down before the most important sessions of the weekend even start.
3) Prevent Injury and Speed up Recovery.
As we all know, karting can be a dangerous sport. Injuries are a part of the game, and if there’s something you can do for yourself to reduce the risk of being injured, or accelerate your recovery time should you be injured in an accident, why wouldn’t you do it? A stronger body is a more resilient body. Improved strength can help reduce the risk of injuries in certain impacts, and in some situations could prevent an injury from even occurring. Additionally, if you were to suffer a broken bone, for example, being in peak physical condition could greatly reduce the amount of time it takes for that bone to heal. There have been great examples of this throughout motorsports, with drivers rebounding from injury much more quickly than the average Joe would be able to manage.
4) Preparing For The Next Step.
Kart races are typically short sprints. However, most karters, especially the younger competitors, are in the sport to move to the next level. Beyond karting, most races are a minimum of a half hour long if moving up the open wheel ladder. If you’re going to be racing sports cars, or even stock cars, the cars may not be as physical, but races/stints can be up to an hour and a half or two hours long, or longer. It’s important to already be prepared for that when you get there, as opposed to getting beaten by those who are more physically fit, and having to catch up. This is especially true of you’re driving for somebody else. Their patience may be limited if you’re unable to close the deal on race day because you’re not fit enough to do so. If you’re a karter who already does compete in endurance kart races, the fitness aspect of your performance is clear.
In Summary...
Karting is a sport in which the smallest of margins could mean the difference between a victory and second place, between being on the podium and being mid pack. When searching for such small increments of time, every bit of advantage is worth the effort. Even if fitness training only gains you a few tenths of a second over the course of a race, anybody who’s won a race will tell you it’s worth it. If you’re not training, chances are you’re getting beaten by someone who is.
Stay Tuned
In my next article, I'll talk about some specific techniques that can help you improve your performance and #KartFaster.
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