jlanka

I need serious help. I find myself tensing up during turns, especially high G turns. I am pushing hard with my left leg on the dead pedal and clenching my hips/buttocks etc. It is a bad habit and I really need to break it, as it wears me out very fast during a session, and I come back soaked with sweat due to the physical exertion.

I have race seats and 6 point harnesses.

Has anyone had this problem, and what suggestions do you have to stop doing it so I can last better physically during a session?

Jeff

dizzy8085

Control breathing

Veloce Raptor

Every time your wheel is straight take as many slow in breaths and slow out breaths as you can. Consciously focus on relaxing your beach and shoulders and hands

jlanka

OK those are both excellent suggestions, and I do currently use the straight to relax and take some slow breaths. But specifically in the turns, I'm assuming it is not necessary to push hard against the dead pedal when I'm in a high G turn, correct? And not clench my butt and quads etc. This is what I'm looking to reduce.

stownsen914

Are you sure you have the right size seat? I normally use a Recaro "regular" halo seat. Very comfortable, and it "hugs" me so I can relax and not brace myself with my feet and on the steering wheel. Recently I used an XL version in a car I was sharing with someone, and I was swimming in it. Even strapped in tightly, I found I had to brace myself. Just a thought.

In case the above isn't an issue, to implement VR's advice, maybe try doing some "80%" sessions and focus explicitly on relaxing.

Scott

Veloce Raptor

You're right, IMO it's not necessary. Here's an idea: on your warm up lap, focus exclusively on consciously barely touching the dead pedal with just your toe. Then do this on the cool down lap top. Train yourself to gradually push less and less on that in turns

CrookedCommie

This, I am finding I'm doing the same as OP in an Ergo L - I realized I'm bracing because I'm moving side to side. I'm looking into adding padding to get a better fit.

ProCoach

You've got to fit in the car well to go fast. Hip support laterally, shoulder support laterally, lumbar support and proper leg and thigh support will do wonders. As pointed out, I often have to remind myself to breathe, and my car is capable of nearly 1.7-1.8 sustained lateral g's. Butt clenching is never good!

24Chromium

I've been struggling with this issue for years. I also found that it was much worse on a clockwise track, and markedly less so on an anti-clockwise track. It dawned on me one day that my home track is anti-clockwise and the real high speed corners where I would be tensing up the most I had nowhere to jam my right leg, as it was busy on the throttle. Where as, a clockwise track I frequent has its high speed corners going the opposite direction. At one point I had to quit the weekend early as I was in so much pain.

It's a work in progress, but I do agree you should invest the time in going at 8/10s to train yourself into driving in a fully relaxed manner. I also found that my seat was a bit too wide, allowing me to slide a bit side to side. I've now got a new, very snug seat.

I personally believe a lot of this is mental, so you'll need to do everything you can to unlearn the bad habit.

jlanka

Thanks so far for the excellent advice. I have to more closely look into all of Peter's suggestions. One thing I can think of right off the bat, I doubt I'm getting my lap belts tight enough. Any tips on how to better tighten them? It's hard to get the leverage needed while sitting in the seat.

MarcD147

two hands pulling down on each belt when leaving garage/paddock

then after a few minutes do it again when sitting on grid; I always get an extra inch or so when I do this

DTMiller

I really struggle to get my lap belts tight too. I've started just having them be as snug as possible while still allowing me to connect them. Once they are connected I can't get them much tighter just because of leverage.

For shoulder belts someone taught me to tighten them and then push yourself into your seat with your legs and then tighten them again.

fleadh

Sounds like you're not fitting properly into the car. Next time you're at the track ask someone who's experienced to have a look.

You should route the lap belts so that you can always tighten them yourself while belted in. Personally, I don't find lap belts gaining much slack in the length of a run, but I tend to tighten shoulder belts once or twice over a run (typically early, after you sweat a bit things tend to "loosen up".).

But before you do anything crazy, make sure you're fitted to the car properly. :-)

-mike

Der ABT

Try an entire session with a limp body, drive 7 tenths or something safe but work on the line being perfect. And focus on a fully relaxed body....let the seat hold you,
Give the mind the realization that you won't fly outta the seat.....if it really feels wrong.....go sit in others seats ....really opens your mind to how much you do or don't move in each seat
It's a fun exercise and can really eliminate unnecessarily expended energy

Recaro, sparco, racetech, omp, etc all fit really different....some hug hips, some shoulders, some your sides.....
I'm a huge fan of the racetech with the integrated back brace....seat is soooooo solid you really feel the car moving better...
Currently have a sparco but if I had the budget a racetech would be in the car (with seat cooling)

Matt Romanowski

As everyone else has said, first thing is to make sure you are fitted to the seat and harnesses correctly. Then I would do some exercises in those corners that make you change your behavior. i would do something like consciously moving you heal to the seat (away from the pedal) or putting it somewhere else. Once you brake the pattern of pushing, you should be ok.