Originally Posted by
fpv_gtho
something thats just popped into my mind.....hows your fitness? half an hour of go karting left me with 2 dead arms almost, i'd be getting straight on the treadmill before getting serious into racing
oh, yes, fitness is important.
karts are actually worse for a full grown guy than a car due to the smaller rack ratio.
BUT you learn to relax.
Starting out it's common to GRIP the wheel.
On race tracks it's a bit like the grip on a golf club. Firm but not tight.
I was lucky to sit with Tim Harvey for LOTS of laps and I was surprise how much he only used his fingertips on the wheel rather than a 'grip' - the vids up on UCP somewhere
Also - as in rallying - if you grip it too tight and with locked in thumbs you'll end up with a bad thumb injury first time you get wheel contact or hit the gravel.
I'm Ok for 20-30 mins of track - and to be honest unless you have a full-on race spec vehicle then IT is struggling too. On trackdays I do 20 on 20 off.
Rallying is another kettle of fish. Older guys just can't keep it up to be competitive - so we usually "retire" to classic rallies with slitghtly slower speeds and less grip
As well as strength you shoudl ensure you're exercising for supleness and speed. Especially if you're going into RWD, you need to be fast at correcting things if you're goign to stay ontrack at speed !!!!! Early, small, FAST movements get them back under control better.
"A woman without curves is like a road without bends, you might get to your destination quicker but the ride is boring as hell'