Like many places around the world, we are all stuck in our homes due to Corona Virus or COVID-19.
There are still so many things that you can do to help with your racing while practicing social distancing. Some places allow you to drive out to the track still as long as you’re not really around anyone. So head to the track if you are allowed. However, if you’re stuck at home, like my family is, then there are still some things that you can do to help keep your racing training. The following areas to consider are: racing simulators, reaction exercises specific for racing, watching racing footage of kart racing, watching racing movies and also reading articles and books about racing.
Racing Simulators: It’s time to start up your gaming console or PC and fire up a sim racing game of your choice. I currently use Gran Turismo on the PS4, but we all know there are several different racing games to play. Start them up and work on your driving technique. Check out our fifth blog, https://racingforbeginners.com/blog-post-5-sim-racing-and-why-its-important/.
Racing specific exercises and reaction training:
There are several ways to workout at home to improve your driving. If you have a treadmill, start running to keep your cardiovascular fitness up. Do some tennis ball reaction drills to help your eye to hand coordination and reaction speed. Here is a video with some examples for beginners: Improving Your Reaction Time | Fit for the 500 | IU Health Sports Performance. You can do more research on racing specific reaction drills on the internet.
Next, consider watching some karting racing videos. Learn other types of techniques and driving styles so you can see what works and what doesn’t work for you on the track. Watch how people take their racing lines on the different types of surfaces and in different weather conditions. Here is a shortlist of YouTube channels to check out:
- My YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQqIAwAMyvLcibCOMU2JepQ - Telemundi Media:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPniEg2QAOkBndJW0nGQ2zg - WSKPROMOTION:
https://www.youtube.com/user/WSKPROMOTION - Tdi Media:
https://www.youtube.com/user/Super1TVProductions
Along with YouTube videos, there are also some inspirational movies. One of the surprises that I had on the list was “The Art of Racing in the Rain”. I first listen to the book on Audible and didn’t care for it much because it didn’t tackle the racing aspect of it. However, the movie drove into some of the concepts of racing and how the character applied them to everyday life. I enjoyed the movie so much more than the book. My Favorite Racing Movies or Series:
- Senna: No Fear, No Limits, No Equal
- Rush
- Initial D
- The Art of Racing in the Rain
- LeMans
- Grand Prix
Some people take to reading and can translate that better than what a video or movie can do. Recently I acquired a book about kart racing but have yet to dive into it. If you get the chance to pick it up or have it already, I’d like to hear your thoughts about it in the comment section. The book is called, “Learn How To Master The Art of Kart Driving” by Terence Dove.
I hope that you’ve found this list of activities helpful during your downtime and self-quarantine during this COVID-19 pandemic. Even if there was not a pandemic going on, I still will recommend doing these things to help with your passion for driving. Remember to always continue to try and improve yourself on and off the track.