Keeping your eyes on the road is important if your car is traveling at 322km/h (200mph). A strong neck helps.
Neck strengthening exercises are essential in the fast-paced world of Formula 1 racing. Many drivers will bring special training gear with them when they arrive in Florida for Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix, the next event in the world’s best year-round championship.
Exercising with weighted braces or using deep body weight implants calms their heads and helps them stay focused on the track through high-speed corners while forcing up to five times the force of gravity to lift their bodies from side to side.
Adults with “tech neck” don’t work in such extreme conditions, but the training methods of professional race car drivers highlight an often neglected muscle group.
Paying more attention to posture while using a screen and adding specific neck exercises to physical activity are small changes that can reduce discomfort, according to Dr. Neeru Jayanthi, an Atlanta-based sports medicine specialist who works with athletes of all ages from a variety of sports.
“Does a normal person need to have a neck like an F1 driver? Maybe not,” Antti Kontsas, an experienced coach who worked with four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel and other stars of the sport, said.
