Volkswagen Drivers get into shape for Volkswagen Polo R Cup 2014 Season

• Olympian and India’s fastest swimmer Sandeep Sejwal shared his wealth of experience in physical preparation with the young Volkswagen racers
• Sarath Kumar, professional motorcycle road racer and a national champion shared his fitness mantra at the Volkswagen Fitness Camp

Pune/Bangalore May 28, 2014 – Over the last two days, the Volkswagen Polo R Cup drivers prepared themselves for the 2014 season during an extensive fitness camp in Bangalore. This training camp comes at the heels of the two day pre–season testing sessions attended by these drivers over the weekend at Coimbatore. The fitness camp commenced with basic briefing on how important fitness is for an athlete, followed by physical fitness assessment like BMI check, pulse rate check, amongst others. The fitness camp sessions got more rigorous as the day progressed and drivers were made to undergo several long and demanding routines, on the similar lines as many elite sportsmen follow.

The dynamic training programme was mainly focused on improving physical fitness with respect to stamina, strength and coordination. In addition, the young drivers received expert advice in areas like nutrition plan as per their body types. The drivers were given information on the kind of diet to follow, ranging from a week prior to the race day to what must be eaten just before the races begin. Throughout the sessions, the drivers were kept hydrated with British Nutrition’s Protein shake and isotonic drinks as well.

The extensive training programme of the fitness camp gave the participants an opportunity to analyze their physical condition and to obtain ideas for their individual fitness programmes for the upcoming racing season under the guidance of expert trainers. Even Olympian swimmer Sandeep Sejwal shared his wealth of experience in physical preparation with the young racers.

The driver’s results were monitored on both days and will be used as a benchmark through the season to see how much have the drivers have improved from the day of fitness camp till the end of the season. In addition, the team dinners and the exchange of experiences gained during the days helped to promote the team spirit among the drivers.

Sirish Vissa, Head of Volkswagen Motorsport India Motorsport can be very challenging. To perform well in adverse conditions and handle all the pressure during a race, the drivers need to be in the best of their fitness levels. This fitness camp not only gave the drivers a reality check as to where their fitness levels stand, but thanks to our nutrition and fitness partners British Nutritions, they also got to know how to take care of their diet and cleared myths that people hold against supplements.”

Bharat Reddy, Managing Director, British Nutrition Pvt. Ltd.“One of the main reasons why I entered this industry was to make ensure that the clients get fit and have access to the right kind of supplementation. I have always been extremely passionate about racing. When Volkswagen Motorsport approached us with a fitness camp idea, I was excited to partner with them and offer trainings and sessions on fitness and nutrition. What makes the difference, especially in motorsport, is fitness. Because if you’re fit, you can put in the same amount on concentration even in the 20th lap as you would in the first lap of the race.”