Motorsports Training: Neck Strength, Cardio, Reaction and Heat

This article contains affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

“It’s just driving.” Every racer has heard it. Then you look at the numbers: professional drivers averaging around 165 beats per minute for close to an hour of racing, necks holding a helmet against forces of 5 g in fast corners, all inside a fire suit in a cockpit that can pass 50 °C. Whether you’re a 12-year-old karter, a club racer chasing a regional title, a motocross rider or an endurance driver sharing a car for 24 hours, the body is part of the machine. This page covers how drivers train off the track: neck strength, cardio for racing heart rates, reaction training, heat acclimatization and the core, at every level.

General guidance for healthy drivers. Check with your doctor before starting a new program, especially with a heart condition or after an injury. Young drivers should train under a qualified coach. For an overview of the sport, see our motorsports hub.

What a race asks of the body

• Heart rate stays high for a long time. In a Japanese study of 15 professional drivers across 13 official races, average heart rate while racing was 164.5 beats per minute over about 54 minutes, and faster relative speed meant higher heart rates. In IMSA sports cars at the Six Hours of the Glen, drivers averaged 159 bpm in the final 50 minutes of a one-hour stint. NASCAR Pro Series drivers finished a hot race at 89% of their age-predicted maximum.
• The simulator isn’t the same. When the same IMSA drivers did an hour on a simulator in matched heat and full gear, heart rate averaged 112 bpm instead of 159. The researchers concluded a simulator doesn’t recreate the g-loads or the competitive stress of a real race. Sim time is great for learning tracks; it doesn’t replace physical training.
• Neck strength stands out. A 2026 review of F1 physiology, which included interviews with three F1 performance coaches, found F1 drivers are not especially exceptional in aerobic fitness, height or weight, but do have clearly stronger necks. Coaches routinely use neck strengthening for g-forces and heat acclimation, precooling and cooling during the race for heat, although much of this is based on experience more than published data.

Neck strength

Every corner pushes the head sideways, every braking zone pulls it forward, and every acceleration pushes it back. A neck that tires lets the head move, which costs vision and focus and makes the next corner harder. Drivers train the neck in every direction: forward, back, both sides and rotation. A sensible way to build it:

• Start with isometrics. Press your head gently into your hand (or a partner’s) in each direction and hold, without letting the head move. No equipment, low risk.
• Add light resistance. Bands, a head harness with a small plate, or a rotational trainer like the Iron Neck 3.0. Move slowly and under control; the neck doesn’t like sudden loads.
• Train the shoulders and upper back too: shrugs, rows and face pulls support the neck and help with steering and handlebar control.
• Progress gradually, two or three short sessions a week, and stop if you feel pain, tingling or numbness. Young karters should use body weight and light bands under a coach rather than heavy loads.

Cardio for racing heart rates

Heart rates in the 150s and 160s for most of an hour, plus heat, mean drivers need a solid aerobic base. A fitter driver works at a smaller fraction of their maximum at the same racing heart rate, and many coaches believe that leaves more focus for the driving. A practical week for an amateur racer:

• Two or three longer, steady sessions (cycling, running, rowing) of 30–60 minutes at an easy-to-moderate effort.
• One interval session, such as repeated 3–4 minute hard efforts with easy recovery, to raise the ceiling.
• Use a heart rate monitor to compare training with race data. A chest strap like the Polar H10 is the most accurate option at high intensity. Our VO2 max training guide explains intervals in more detail.

Endurance racers have an extra challenge: repeated stints. A study of three professional drivers at the Rolex 24 at Daytona found that later stints produced different heart rate, temperature, glucose and hormone responses from the first, so plan training and recovery for the whole event, not just one stint. See our motorsports recovery page for between-stint routines.

Reaction training

Light-based reaction systems are a familiar sight in driver gyms. The evidence is still thin, but encouraging: in a randomized trial with 24 car racing drivers, a 6-week program of two 60-minute sessions a week with flashing-light reaction drills improved reactive agility and reaction time during training, improved accuracy or reaction time on some cognitive tests, and also improved aerobic fitness, while the control group did not. Systems like the BlazePod reaction training kit run similar drills from an app: hit the light that comes on, choose between colors, react while tired. Doing reaction drills after a hard cardio interval mimics the end of a race, when focus fades. More options are in our mental training tools guide.

Heat acclimatization

The body adapts to heat: it sweats earlier and more and keeps core temperature lower. The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) says acclimatization takes about 7 to 14 days of gradually increasing exercise in the heat. Drivers heading to a hot summer race or a tropical Grand Prix can:

• Train outdoors in the heat (or indoors in a warm room) for part of their sessions, building the time over one to two weeks.
• Do some sessions in extra layers to mimic the fire suit, starting short and staying with a partner.
• Weigh before and after to learn their sweat rate, which helps with race-day drinking (see race day).
• Stop at the first sign of heat illness: dizziness, confusion, nausea, cramps, unusual fatigue. Confusion or collapse is an emergency: cool first, then call for help.

Core, legs and grip

The core holds the body still in the seat so the hands and feet can work precisely. Planks, side planks, Pallof presses and rotations with a medicine ball are staples. Legs matter for braking: single-leg strength work (split squats, step-ups) helps with heavy brake pedals in cars and with standing on the pegs in motocross. Forearms and grip take a beating on bikes and in karts; farmer’s carries and grip work help, but sore forearms that don’t settle deserve a look from a PT. Our resistance bands guide covers simple tools for training at the track.

A sample week (amateur racer)

Day	Session
Monday	Strength: legs, core, neck isometrics (45 min)
Tuesday	Steady cardio 45 min + reaction drills
Wednesday	Rest or easy mobility
Thursday	Intervals + neck and shoulder work
Friday	Light session, travel to track
Saturday–Sunday	Practice and racing

For young drivers, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends at least one to two days off a week from organized sport and time away from a single sport during the year; general fitness and other sports make better athletes than year-round training for one thing. See youth motorsports.

Motorsports training: FAQs

Are race car drivers really athletes?

The data say yes. Professional drivers average around 160–165 beats per minute while racing, hold their heads against strong g-forces and race in heat inside fire suits. Researchers studying “driver-athletes” have made that case for more than a decade.

How do F1 drivers train their necks?

With resistance in every direction: isometric holds, bands, harnesses and dedicated neck machines, progressed over time. A 2026 review found neck strength is the clearest physical trait that sets F1 drivers apart. Amateurs should start light and build slowly.

Does reaction light training help drivers?

One randomized trial in 24 car racing drivers found 6 weeks of light-based reactive agility training improved reaction time in the drills and some cognitive test results. It’s promising but based on limited research, so use it alongside, not instead of, track time.

Is sim racing enough training?

For learning tracks and racecraft, it helps a lot. Physically, no: a study found the same drivers’ heart rates averaged 112 bpm on a simulator versus 159 bpm in a real race, because the simulator lacks g-forces and competitive stress.

How long does heat acclimatization take?

NATA says about 7 to 14 days of gradually increasing exercise in the heat. Start early before a hot race, build the time slowly and never train in heat alone.