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Jenson Button F1 Workout – How Does Jenson Button Get Fit?
Jenson Button, Spanish Grand Prix, 2009
Formula 1 drivers are amongst the fittest sportspersons around. To drive an F1 car at high speed for two hours non-stop requires a very high level of muscular endurance and core strength. Jenson Button is certainly in great shape, as the many photos of him reveal.
For F1 drivers the key area to work on is the core, from the waist up to the neck. A strong core helps to prevent injury during crashes. A strong neck is vital to withstand the G-force pressures when cornering at high speed, and accelerating and braking quickly.
There are three core exercises that F1 drivers such as Jenson Button need to concentrate on in addition to low impact endurance training. The low impact endurance training is to prepare the body for 120 minutes of torturous driving. For this, drivers generally either run or cycle. The runners cover about 10 miles per day. Cycling places less stress one the joints, and cyclists may cycle over 30 miles per day. British F1 driver was such a well trained cyclist that his coach believes that he could compete professionally if he was to stop F1.
This workout format is followed by many F1 drivers, including Lewis Hamilton, Mark Webber, Rubens Barrichello and Massa.
The F1 Core Strength Workout
1. Swiss Ball Press Ups
This is one of the best core strength exercises. Having your feet balanced on a Swiss ball while do press ups ensure that you engage all supporting muscles. It is the equivalent of doing free weight bench presses instead of using a Smith machine.
2. Swiss-ball balancing
Sounds simple enough. Sit on a Swiss ball, and then lift one foot up. You engage hip and lower back muscles to remain seated. Pushing your forehead against a partners palm also builds neck muscles, and teaches your body to keep muscles engaged without over tensing.
3. Over-arm pull ups.
The classic back and forearm strength builder. The main purpose of this is to build a strong grip. Two hours gripping a F1 steering wheel quickly starts to burn without proper preparation.
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I myself am a personal trainer with a passion for fitness/wellbeing and Formula 1. I am currently trying to find a path as a personal trainer for Formula1, any advice or help would be great.