Formula One drivers are known for their notoriously strict, rigid regimens when it comes to working out. After all, their bodies need to be in tip top condition for each race. We think what they put their bodies through is pretty amazing. Drivers can burn up to 1,400 calories every race and in that time, they carry the weight of roughly 25 kilograms on their necks while dealing with an increased heart rate that can go up to three times the average normal rate.
To prepare for the race, drivers mainly do two types of trainings — cardiovascular and strength training. The aim: to make sure their bodes are able to withstand G-forces pulling them into various different directions and dealing with the stress of being in an enclosed space with extremely limited movement. They have to keep their bodies strong and lean without adding too much bulk.
While life as a mummy may not, at first glance, seem that similar to that of a professional race car driver, embarking on a Formula 1-inspired workout regime can be beneficial to the everyday mummy.
For those days where you have to run after your little angels, or when the little one is sick and barely sleeping through the night, you too would need endurance and an excellent stamina to keep from giving up halfway through the day. If you find yourself in that situation, why not take a leaf out of these Formula One drivers’ books on how to go about building your endurance and stamina? (Psst, we think these are excellent stress relievers as well!)
While Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo builds his through long distance cycling and boxing, Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and McLaren’s Jenson Button look to cycling, swimming, and running, which coincidentally led Jenson Button to be an avid participator in triathlons.
As a result of the strain Formula One drivers put on their neck, core, arms and legs, it is important to build the strength in these parts of the body as well. Mothers also find themselves needing additional strength in these very areas as their little ones get older and heavier. Though the strain of carrying a baby is monumentally different from that of driving a car weighing 691 kilograms coupled with the various forces, it still can be felt by mummies.
Experts recommend having a mix of cardiovascular and strength training as well, in order to properly build endurance. If hitting the gym and lifting weights is not your thing, you could invest in a weight bench and a few hand weights that you can use in the comfort of your own home! For more ideas on how to build strength, click here, and here.
For last week’s Fitspo Friday, click here.
