In addition to lessened injuries in the case of an accident, Metcalf recommends cardiovascular conditioning and several muscle groups to be trained to improve co-ordination, reaction time, alertness, endurance, flexibility, respiration and heat tolerance.1 MUSCLE GROUPS TO BE STRENGTHENED Wrist Flexors Biceps Triceps Quadriceps Pectoralis Anterior Deltoid Posterior Deltoid Latissimus Dorsi Spinal Errectors Abdominals Hamstrings Gastrocnemius Lateral Deltoid Trapezius Naturally strengthening cervical and core musculature would be of benefit to any athlete, particularly the driver, given high lateral loads placed on the head dur- ing cornering. A driver’s head with his helmet can weigh up to nine kilograms (20 pounds), and with even just one g of cornering force, this adds up to nine kilograms of force applied to the neck in a manner that few are accustomed to. Some high-performance cars can produce two to four g of load bringing their head weight up to 36 kilograms (80 pounds). Few athletes are accustomed to loads like this. The car is merely the tool a driver uses to win races, go fast, or just have fun. However, any experienced driver would tell you that tuning the driver will pay more dividends than increasing the horsepower of the car. Mark Martin, NASCAR driver and fit- ness expert, and John Comereski M.A.T. – exercise physiologist – have co-au- thored Strength Training for Performance Driving.2 tion to the library of anyone wishing to start a career in racing, or just improve the fun they have with their hobby. NUTRITION Although it may seem rudimentary, nu- trition plays a vital role in the effective- ness of a driver at a driving school or 20 • CANADIAN CHIROPRACTOR | SEPTEMBER 2009 during a race. From personal experience on the track, I can say that my diet be- fore, and during, a day at the track has a profound impact on my ability to drive at the limit. I would like to offer the follow- ing excerpt from Strength Training: “In terms of nutrition, most Formula One drivers control their diets in much the same way as track and field athletes, carefully regulating the amount of car- bohydrate and protein that they absorb. During the race weekends most drivers will be seen eating pasta or other carbo- hydrate-rich foods to provide energy and to give the all-important stamina for the race itself. It is also vitally important that drivers take in large amounts of water before the race, even if they do not feel thirsty. Failure to do so could bring on dehydration through sweating – not sur- prising given that the physical endurance required to drive a Formula One race is not dissimilar to that required to run a marathon.”3 While only a select few make it to the pinnacle of driving found at Formula One, the driver’s nutrition will play a role in: Fat Loss – easier and cheaper to remove This book is an essential addi- weight from the driver versus the car, Increasing Strength – protein is vital for muscle development, Energy – low glycemic index foods will build glycogen stores, and higher GI ratings the day of the school or race im- prove concentration and endurance, Mental Performance – as blood sugar drops when driving at speed, neurologi- cal impulses slow, causing impaired fo- cus and concentration, carbohydrates are needed to maintain attention levels and prevent fatigue, Recovery from Exercise and Injury – protein and glycogen must be replenished. Simply put, if you, or a patient, plan to even casually attend a driving school, a proper diet of complex carbohydrates, with proteins and fats, consumed the days before and of the event is essential to your ability to concentrate, have fun and be safe. CHIROPRACTORS ATTHE TRACK Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong and many others have been quoted as expressing how vital chiropractic is to their train- ing and wellness regimen. Chiropractors are becoming an essential component to the professional and elite athlete’s wellness program. Athletes are no longer just seeking out preventive and rehabilitative benefits, but looking for ways to create health and en- hance performance. This is no less true of high-performance drivers. The stresses placed on the spine and nervous system are immense when driv- ing at track pace. Even in the absence of a trip into the wall, or an accident with an- other car, the injuries, both symptomatic and sub-clinical, encountered trackside are too numerous to list. From a preven- tion and recovery standpoint, adjusting drivers before, during and after an event would be immensely benefi cial to them. Imagine you are driving 140 kilome- tres per hour around a downhill cor- ner with a tension headache or chronic pain. Put another driver, who has been adjusted regularly, in the same car at the same race. (Races are won by 10ths of a second per lap.) Who would have the advantage? If, through the course of a www.canadianchiropractor.ca
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