Williams Formula 1 with SAQ®
Alan Pearson, Managing Director of SAQ® INTERNATIONAL's recent programme with Williams Formula 1 and Lewis Hamilton focussed on the key fitness demands of the sport. The challenges of a season's racing make serious reading and have been covered by newspapers around the world (Dubai City Guide is shown in particular).
Here is just a sample of what Lewis has gone through in the four months leading to 2009 season:
•165 HOURS OF TRAINING
• MORE THAN 60 TRAINING SESSIONS: The equivalent of training non-stop 24 hours a day for an entire week
• 450 KMS OF RUNNING: The equivalent of running just under six laps of each of the 17 race tracks in the 2009/10 season
• SHOULDER SHRUGS UP TO 750KG PER SESSION: 10 times his own body weight
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The following comparisons were created by the research development experts Speed Agility Quickness International (SAQ®).
LEWIS HAMILTON - FASTER THAN ELECTRICITY
Giving new meaning to the saying, “faster than the speed of light”… Lewis Hamilton’s lightening quick reactions are faster than electricity.
How? The contraction time of fast twitch muscle fibres during high force movement is 40-45 milliseconds. Electric current is like a flow of syrup, 3 inches per hour.
CARRYING THE WEIGHT OF 20 CARS
Training his neck muscles is a crucial part of Lewis’ regime. The weight exerted onto Lewis Hamilton’s neck during competition is the equivalent of around 20 saloon cars!
How? G Force plus the weight of his helmet averages 24 kilograms at each bend. An event consists of 58 laps at 13 bends per lap. So, 58 laps x 13 bends x 24 kg = Total of 18,096 kgs. 1,016 kg = 1 ton. Saloon car average between 1,000 – 1,200 kg unladen mass.
LEWIS HAMILTON - THE GLOBAL FOOTBALL PLAYER
Who knew Lewis Hamilton could have been a footballer? Lewis’ heart rate will maintain a level for the whole event equivalent to playing two global football games back to back.
How? A driver’s heart rate averages 170 beats per minute (bpm) per hour in event time (typical event time 1 hour 50 minutes). A footballer’s average is 150-160 bpm for 60 minutes of a game. NOTE – ball in play an average of 60 minutes in international game of football.
LEWIS HAMILTON - THE MARATHON RUNNER
Lewis Hamilton’s maximum heart rate will be higher during a race than that of a marathon runner.
How? A marathon runner’s heart rate average is between 150-160 bpm per hour. A driver’s heart rate averages 170 beats per hour. Lewis Hamilton’s heart rate will be higher during competition than a marathon runner.
LEWIS HAMILTON - THE SUPERMODEL
Due to his rigorous fitness training regime, Lewis Hamilton has less body fat than a supermodel.
How? The average body fat of a driver will be less than 13%. (Calculated from Durnin & Womersley 1974 Formula). The average female body fat is 20-30%. An average supermodel measures at 13.8%.
LEWIS HAMILTON – THE PROFESSIONAL CYCLIST
During competition, Lewis Hamilton’s heart rate will be higher than that of a cyclist competing in a major event.
How? Professional cyclists have a heart rate average between 140-150 bpm per hour. A race driver has an average of 170 bpm per hour.
LEWIS HAMILTON – THE ASTRONAUT
“One small step for man, one giant leap for Lewis”… During competition, Lewis Hamilton will accelerate faster than a space shuttle at blast off.
How? A race car goes from 0 to 100 miles per hour (160 km per hour) in 5.4 seconds. A rocket reaches a 160 km per hour (100 per hour) in 6 seconds. (NASA Communication 2001).
TRAINING FOR THE ULTIMATE ROLLER COASTER
Lewis Hamilton’s blood pressure while racing will rise to and stay at a level equivalent to sitting on a roller coaster non-stop for 1 hour and 50 minutes. The same as sitting on 55 roller coaster rides in a row.
How? A racing driver’s blood pressure will raise an average of 50% during competition, average time of a race is 1 hour and 50 minutes. Average roller coaster time, 2 minutes. (Dr Juergen Kuxhyk – Hasslott, Germany). Roller coaster riders‘ blood pressure rises on average 16%.
THE LEWIS HAMILTON DIET
A great way to diet. Lewis Hamilton will lose the equivalent of 80.59% of his body weight in sweat during a year of competition.
How? Lewis Hamilton’s current weight = 67 kgs. He loses 54 kgs of sweat per season. 54kgs = 80.59% of his body weight.
TRAINING FOR WATER LOSS
Lewis Hamilton will lose on average 54 litres of fluid during a competition season while racing. This is enough fluid to:
…have an average shower of 2 minutes
…do the family washing in an average modern front loading washing machine
How? Average 54 litres of fluid lost during a season. Average 2 minute shower will consume 40-45 litres of water. Average family washing machine will consume 50 litres of water.
SmoothFit
SmoothFit is a unique technology that eliminates all exposed stitching and bonding in shoes and apparel to reduce the amount of abrasion against the foot and body. This delivers the ultimate in comfort allowing the wearer to train for longer without the risk of blistering or irritation.
Reebok’s SmoothFit collection is currently at select retailers worldwide and also available on www.reebok.com.
CALLING LICENSED SAQ® TRAINERS!
Do you have a story of your success that you would like to share with visitors to the SAQ® website? We want to hear from ALL Licensed SAQ® Trainers – parents, Teaching Assistants, coaches, EVERYONE!
Drop you story and any pictures you have to nicol@saqinternational.com
