Patrick Harding was born in Leash, simply exterior of Dublin, Eire, however now travels the world utilizing his expertise as a efficiency coach, physiotherapist, and psychological improvement coach with the intention to get one of the best out of his shoppers, such because the Williams’ Components One famous person, Alex Albon. M&F caught up with Harding between races to learn how his profession route led him to working with racers, and the way his partnership with the person who turned the primary ever Thai driver to make an F1 podium end when he positioned third, is getting stronger on a regular basis.
How did you end up turning into a efficiency coach for Alex Albon?
I’d been in skilled sports activities for about 14 or 15 years. I had been working in Olympic sports activities, and at Arsenal Soccer Membership as properly, and moved from squad-based sports activities to working one-to-one with an Irish golfer and an Irish boxer. Working with people, I began to actually benefit from the degree of element that I might get into; analyzing the gaps and placing plans in place bodily and nutritionally, and from a behavioral standpoint, in order that we might bench mark what one of the best on this planet have been doing, and work in direction of that.
A contact I knew, from my days of gaining a Energy and Conditioning Grasp’s diploma, related me to motorsport. I began working in Components 2 for a 12 months (with racer, Tadasuke Makino, who moved on to Tremendous Components), and that was additionally when Alex was there. We sort of knew one another from the season and we sat and had a dialog about how we preferred to work and what our personalities have been, and what we felt like we would have liked from one another. Now we’re in our seventh season collectively. The connection has grown from energy to energy.
There may be a variety of knowledge that goes into racing, how vital is physique composition?
The way in which the laws work, it’s truly a weight-making sport. (The minimal weight is 80 kilograms together with helmet, race go well with, and sneakers). Something above that, and also you’re penalizing your self, proper? (If a driver is beneath 80 kilograms absolutely kitted, then the burden distinction is corrected with a ballast). So, from our standpoint, on the burden administration facet, (Alex) is about 78 kilograms, with equipment. Alex is 6’ 1”, he’s most likely one of many tallest drivers on the grid. This has it’s challenges each positionally, and ergonomically within the automobile. He’s tremendous lean, tremendous athletic, in order that makes it simpler.
F1 races can final 80 minutes and upwards. How a lot weight would possibly a driver lose in that point?
I’d say, on common, between a kilogram and a kilogram and a half. Then you definitely’ll get particular races, like Singapore, or like Quatar final 12 months, the place it may be something as much as two and half, or three kilograms. So, it’s a big shift in weight. With someone like Alex, who’s fairly lean, there’s not a variety of reserve there by way of power, in order that’s why diet, for us, particularly by way of these scorching weekends is so vital, in addition to hydration, combining each of these collectively. It’s definitely one thing that we have now to be aware of.
Let’s begin with hydration, how do you strategy this?
We are going to calculate the quantity of water that Alex is allowed, within the automobile, primarily based on the general weight of the motive force and the automobile. Temperature circumstances are vital as a result of what you don’t need to do is begin including tons of fluid, including weight to the automobile, after which that fluid doesn’t get used and also you’re simply carrying round further ballast. Usually, we allot for 200 milliliters. Then, in a very scorching race we’ll do 750. We might do 1,000 mils. We’ll preserve it actually easy; it’s water and electrolytes, so we be certain that he’s nutritionally fueled earlier than the race, and that he has entry to fluid on board. We aren’t making an attempt to chase hydration throughout a race, as a result of that’s a harmful situation to be in. We guarantee that we have now carried out all the work beforehand.
By way of that prep work, what well being dietary supplements are usually good for racers?
When you concentrate on the quantity of journey that Alex does, and his power expenditure, we complement for common well being. So we complement with a multivitamin together with vitamin D, vitamin B complicated, vitamin C and zinc. We’ll be certain that he’s received a powerful, wholesome immune system but in addition that he’s getting a praise of nutritional vitamins that he wouldn’t at all times get in his weight loss plan. We use probiotics, at occasions, to assist assist intestine well being. There are at all times choices, by way of the overall well being facet.
Within the pre-season, we spend a while making an attempt to place some muscle-mass on Alex. So, good high quality protein is absolutely key for us in that interval. If he’s not getting sufficient from meals then we will complement with powders and protein-based snacks.
How does Alex’s diet differ in a race weekend in comparison with the pre-season?
Throughout a race weekend, we focus lots on diet however for a driver like Alex, who’s so focussed on the race, typically meals slips down the record of priorities (for him). In these circumstances, we’ll complement with some carb and protein restoration shakes. From our standpoint, dietary supplements are a key a part of our efficiency regime. Naturally, we wish to get all of what we want from good wholesome meals, and that’s what we purpose for, however we’re additionally very aware that there are top quality dietary supplements on the market that we will add to the schedule with the intention to assist buffer these areas the place we’d not be hitting what we have to on sure events.
How does Alex strategy diet usually?
He makes actually good decisions with regards to meals and he likes his meals, and he likes good meals. He’ll say he’s an excellent prepare dinner however he’s completely not (laughs). We’ve an unbelievable nutritionist who helps us from a distance with the plans. However the actuality for someone like Alex is that he has an enormous power demand throughout a race weekend. And even usually throughout these weeks in between races as a result of we’re coaching, and he’s touring, then he’s received simulator work, his physique is making an attempt to get better, and I’d say he’s near an power deficit more often than not simply because it’s tough for him to devour the quantity of meals that he wants.
So, on race weekend, if I see him dipping into the dessert part right here and there, I’ve completely no points with that. Generally we want these energy on board from an power and restoration standpoint. About 99% of the time he makes good decisions. He likes candy potato mash, stuff that’s straightforward to digest, some greens or a pleasant leafy salad with these good antioxidants in there. supply of protein shall be one thing like rooster, turkey, or some lean fish.
You talked about that Alex is lean and muscular. Are you able to discuss us by way of his energy and conditioning?
The neck is clearly a key element of the game, and we spend a variety of time neck loading. His neck max’s are 78 kilograms plus, in facet flexion (facet bending) and extension, so he’s extremely robust. Outdoors of that, two or three cardio primarily based periods per week are actually vital for Alex, and any driver, as a result of drivers endure 120, 130 bpm for something as much as 5 or 6 hours on a weekend within the automobile. We do Zone 1 work (55 – 65% HR max) both on a motorcycle or working. Then we’ll intersperse that with some excessive heartrate HIIT work, bursts of something from 30 seconds as much as 2-minutes, and get his coronary heart fee proper up there. Maximizing the stroke quantity with very nice oxygenated blood. If we buffer that oxidative capability and we max that, then I do know we’ve received a extremely robust cardio base there.
Outdoors of that, the periods Alex completely hates are the anaerobic periods. He’s beginning to construct his tolerances with some lactic periods (like quick, heavy bursts on a motorcycle). They’re horrible. There’s no cause to say that they aren’t. However there are intervals throughout a race when he’s tapping into completely different power techniques and his heartrate shall be at 170, 180 bpm, defending positions, overtaking vehicles, so he wants to have the ability to exist in that zone as properly. How he executes these cardio and anaerobic periods tells me extra about the place he’s at from an total, and common readiness standpoint.
Singapore is arising in September, so we’ve received periods booked the place we are going to get right into a humidity chamber with the intention to recreate these circumstances and can begin to acclimatize Alex’s physique earlier than we even go away the UK. That’s the extent of prep that we have to do to.
Having labored in F1 for a number of years, what impresses you most about Alex and different F1 drivers?
What impresses me probably the most is that these are athletes that need to exist on the broadest spectrums of bodily health. In a bizarre method, they’re similar to boxers, by way of needing a extremely good cardio base, actually good anaerobic base, and energy and energy are key for fulfillment. But it surely’s additionally technical and tactical and I believe what makes F1 a bit bit completely different is the environmental circumstances.
We talked about Singapore; we talked about Qatar. Should you take Hungary, the observe temperature was 140°F/ 60°C plus. And never solely are they within the automobile for an hour and a half, driving at 190 mph/ 320 kph, enduring as much as 6G corners, however additionally they need to react with precision. Then, they’re consistently speaking with the engineers with data on tires, technique, in order that knowledgeable choices will be made on the pit and within the manufacturing facility with the intention to decide the success of the race. So, it’s the cognitive degree, to have the ability to carry out at that top execution fee whereas nonetheless withstanding these environmental circumstances and bodily load. It’s actually, actually spectacular.
Patrick will assist Alex when the F1 season continues with Spherical 15 within the Netherlands on August 23-25.
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