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български 30 July 2024
Being a professional driver is a demanding job that forces long hours of concentration, endurance and mental toughness. Ensuring wellbeing and optimal physical and mental state is crucial not only for peak performance, but also for safety on the road. This article outlines a comprehensive wellness and training plan that professional drivers can follow, based on a protocol developed by HubermanLab and Dr Huberman, one of the most popular promoters of healthy living, and Dr Dr Mike Israetel.
The importance of physical fitness for professional drivers
Physical fitness not only affects appearance, but also well-being and functioning at the highest level. For professional drivers, maintaining physical fitness can prevent injuries, improve endurance and build resilience against future illness and degeneration.
In addition, physical activity is known to reduce stress and improve mental clarity, which is essential for maintaining concentration during long journeys and particularly stressful situations.
Example of a weekly training plan
Day 1: Endurance training (Sunday)
30-75 minutes of zone 2 cardio (physical activity during which you are able to maintain conversation), such as running, rowing, cycling or fast walking. Aim to do 180-200 minutes of zone 2 cardio per week.
Day 2: Strength training
Exercises: Squats, leg bends lying down, barbell press on an incline bench, barbell row, dumbbell deadlift, dumbbell deadlift, arm bends with dumbbells, French press (barbell overhead press).
Repetition amounts: With good technique try to aim for 5-10 repetitions
Quantities of series: 4-6 series (including warm-up series with less load).
Day 3: Recovery
Day 4: Strength traning
On this day we do strength training with the same exercises as on Day 2, but in reverse order.
Exercises: French press (overhead barbell press), Shoulder bent with dumbbells, Side dumbbell raises, Barbell row, Barbell press on an incline bench, Leg bent lying down, Squats.
Repetition amounts: With good technique try to aim for 5-10 repetitions.
Quantities of series: 4-6 series (including warm-up series with less load).
Day 5: Recovery
Day 6: Strength training
Exercises: Dumbbell triceps, Straight-legged deadlift, Pull-up bar to chest, Dumbbell bench press, Barbell row along the torso, Arm bending with dumbbells, French press lying down (overhead barbell press).
Day 7: Endurance training
30-75 minutes of zone 2 cardio (physical activity during which you are able to maintain conversation), such as running, rowing, cycling or fast walking.
Aim to do 180-200 minutes of zone 2 training per week (remember that you can also get this effect from strength training).
Tips for sustaining new habits
Consistency and adaptation
When creating your plan, build it to suit your daily and weekly schedule. Be realistic about how many days a week you can exercise and when you have time to do so.
Stick to your schedule, but allow yourself flexibility when needed. If you're having a tough day, don't force yourself to train, but make sure you do that workout on the following day, for example.
Include recovery
Remember that rest days and active recovery techniques are insanely important. Regeneration is an integral part of training and will allow you to perform better in the future, and is also effective in preventing overtraining.
Active recovery includes light forms of exercise, massage, sauna and plenty of sleep.
Nutrition and hydration
Maintain a balanced diet rich in nutrients. Particularly at work it can be difficult to find time for a decent meal so preparing food in advance will help you avoid junk snacks.
Hydrate adequately, especially on long runs, to maintain your energy levels.
Additional ways to take care of yourself
Mental health
Ensure you get enough sleep and relaxation to keep your mind clear and reduce stress. Remember that 8 hours of sleep is not a figment of your imagination - research shows that this is the optimum amount to rest. At the same time, sleep is one of the best supplements to support muscle growth during recovery.
A great way to look after mental resilience is meditation. There are many free apps and online tutorials that can easily introduce you to simple meditation methods to practice at home and during work.
Ergonomics and posture
Use ergonomic seating and equipment to maintain good posture when driving.Do stretching and exercise regularly to alleviate common musculoskeletal problems caused by prolonged sitting.
Maintaining a consistent schedule of exercise, rest and relaxation and building mental resilience is essential for balance. By incorporating proper recovery and taking care of mental health and ergonomics, drivers can improve their overall wellbeing and ensure a long, healthy career on the road.