| Racers have been doing it for decades, but even AAA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommend holding the steering wheel at 9 and 3 these days. In this article I am going to go beyond this basic advice however, and look in-depth at how a driver can further their steering technique to hopefully bring their performance to the next level. Just as hitting a home run requires more than holding the bat correctly, how the arms and shoulders move (or don't move) when driving a car can be even more important than where exactly you grip the steering wheel. |  |
| Beyond 9 and 3 Along with items such as proper seating position and pedal placement, steering wheel use falls under the category of driving ergonomics. Improvements in driving ergonomics is a terrific goal for a driver, as using your controls more effectively can offer almost instant performance gains. This is also a subject with no concrete answers however, and although I have seen the upcoming advice benefit many drivers, there really is no perfect steering technique. Humans are amazingly adaptive and if you can set track records driving with your teeth, than I say go for it. Remember also however that anytime you work on modifying your steering technique, make sure you give it some time. If you've been driving a certain way for a long time, it can be hard to adjust. Practicing a new technique in your daily driver is great way to build new muscle memory before trying it on track. As always, I emphasize understanding why a technique might work better, so to understand the why of proper steering technique, we have to first figure out what we are actually trying to accomplish with the wheel. Put simply, I think the primary goal is to allow powerful, but precise movement over the largest steering range possible. We want to be able to provide the small, precise steering inputs needed to drive at the limit through a tight hairpin while still being able to almost instantly countersteer over 180 degrees with equally precise control, should it be needed. We ideally want to be able to do this for an hour or more in a vehicle with very heavy steering without excess fatigue hindering our performance. Ultimate steering precision in these circumstances is going to take more than simply holding a 9 and 3 hand position, so let's look deeper now at the actual body mechanics involved in steering a vehicle. |
Shoulders Down, Elbows In
Powerful and Precise. You might not think that powerful would be a word you would use when describing steering technique, but almost every single veteran kart racer I have worked with has had excellent steering technique. And what do almost all karts have in common? Very heavy steering. Karts almost force proper steering technique as anything else tires the driver quickly. Heavily assisted power steering or low-power sim racing steering wheels can mask improper technique and might ingrain bad habits in how you apply force to the wheel. Even if a driver doesn't plan on racing in a vehicle with heavy, unassisted steering however, proper steering technique can still offer greater control and precision when dealing with lighter steering forces.
I worked with a driver recently who mentioned they often had shoulder and wrist pain while driving. This is not an uncommon issue, so I had a pretty good idea of what to look for. As suspected, this driver was shrugging their shoulder as they steered and used more of a lifting movement on the steering wheel that required a tighter than necessary grip and excess pressure on the wrist. Interestingly, when I pointed this out, they mentioned that they knew they were supposed to keep their shoulders down and didn't realize they were shrugging them. Sometimes steering technique problems can be quite subtle and hard to identify externally, but understanding what you as a driver are trying to accomplish with the steering wheel and what it should feel like will allow you to spot and fix problems such as this.
Proper steering technique all starts with having a solid foundation from which to apply force on the wheel. In this regard, another sport we can look to for guidance is weight lifting, where proper form is always emphasized. Applying force to the steering wheel is quite similar to an incline dumbbell press and the proper form is therefore also quite similar. When steering, it is important that the shoulders should be held down to provide a solid base. Weightlifters often describe this as trying to tuck your shoulder blades into your back pockets. While a driver probably doesn't need to go quite this far in locking down their shoulders, it might not be a bad idea to try to fully lock your shoulders down at first as you learn what it should feel like. Having the shoulder be a solid pivot point to work from and using the larger muscle groups of the chest and back to control the arm will allow a driver to exert greater control over the wheel. This will feel like they are pushing up on the steering wheel rather than lifting up on it. Most of the pressure will be felt on the palm of the hand and a driver should almost be able to turn the wheel without needing to grasp it. The elbows should remain down and in line with the hands and not rise up and out to the sides.
A good way to check your form is to feel your trapezius muscle by your neck with your other hand. This and the shoulder should feel more relaxed and they shouldn't rise as you steer. Instead, you should primarily feel your chest, triceps, and lats engage as you work the wheel. Higher steering effort makes this easier to feel so look for ways to increase the force needed if possible. Karts and purpose built racecars are great for this, but sim racers can increase their FFB. If all you have available is a car with highly-assisted steering however, you can simulate the motion as you sit parked by pushing up on the opposite side of the wheel to increase the force needed to turn it. A partner can help with this as well. Once you've learned how to properly engage the correct muscles as you steer, you can then begin to do this as you drive, even when the steering effort needed is lower.
This pushing motion is the primary way that you will control the steering wheel and once you understand how it should feel, this can help guide you in determining your ideal seating and steering wheel position. You'll not only be able to find the ideal height, angle, and distance to the steering wheel that provides the best leverage and control, but also the best hand placement depending on the circumstances. You might not always wish to simply keep your hands at 9 and 3, because while this works well for some turn angles, a driver will still wish to have maximum control during tight hairpins and correcting big oversteer moments where keeping your hands in one position won't always be possible.
Powerful and Precise. You might not think that powerful would be a word you would use when describing steering technique, but almost every single veteran kart racer I have worked with has had excellent steering technique. And what do almost all karts have in common? Very heavy steering. Karts almost force proper steering technique as anything else tires the driver quickly. Heavily assisted power steering or low-power sim racing steering wheels can mask improper technique and might ingrain bad habits in how you apply force to the wheel. Even if a driver doesn't plan on racing in a vehicle with heavy, unassisted steering however, proper steering technique can still offer greater control and precision when dealing with lighter steering forces.
I worked with a driver recently who mentioned they often had shoulder and wrist pain while driving. This is not an uncommon issue, so I had a pretty good idea of what to look for. As suspected, this driver was shrugging their shoulder as they steered and used more of a lifting movement on the steering wheel that required a tighter than necessary grip and excess pressure on the wrist. Interestingly, when I pointed this out, they mentioned that they knew they were supposed to keep their shoulders down and didn't realize they were shrugging them. Sometimes steering technique problems can be quite subtle and hard to identify externally, but understanding what you as a driver are trying to accomplish with the steering wheel and what it should feel like will allow you to spot and fix problems such as this.
Proper steering technique all starts with having a solid foundation from which to apply force on the wheel. In this regard, another sport we can look to for guidance is weight lifting, where proper form is always emphasized. Applying force to the steering wheel is quite similar to an incline dumbbell press and the proper form is therefore also quite similar. When steering, it is important that the shoulders should be held down to provide a solid base. Weightlifters often describe this as trying to tuck your shoulder blades into your back pockets. While a driver probably doesn't need to go quite this far in locking down their shoulders, it might not be a bad idea to try to fully lock your shoulders down at first as you learn what it should feel like. Having the shoulder be a solid pivot point to work from and using the larger muscle groups of the chest and back to control the arm will allow a driver to exert greater control over the wheel. This will feel like they are pushing up on the steering wheel rather than lifting up on it. Most of the pressure will be felt on the palm of the hand and a driver should almost be able to turn the wheel without needing to grasp it. The elbows should remain down and in line with the hands and not rise up and out to the sides.
A good way to check your form is to feel your trapezius muscle by your neck with your other hand. This and the shoulder should feel more relaxed and they shouldn't rise as you steer. Instead, you should primarily feel your chest, triceps, and lats engage as you work the wheel. Higher steering effort makes this easier to feel so look for ways to increase the force needed if possible. Karts and purpose built racecars are great for this, but sim racers can increase their FFB. If all you have available is a car with highly-assisted steering however, you can simulate the motion as you sit parked by pushing up on the opposite side of the wheel to increase the force needed to turn it. A partner can help with this as well. Once you've learned how to properly engage the correct muscles as you steer, you can then begin to do this as you drive, even when the steering effort needed is lower.
This pushing motion is the primary way that you will control the steering wheel and once you understand how it should feel, this can help guide you in determining your ideal seating and steering wheel position. You'll not only be able to find the ideal height, angle, and distance to the steering wheel that provides the best leverage and control, but also the best hand placement depending on the circumstances. You might not always wish to simply keep your hands at 9 and 3, because while this works well for some turn angles, a driver will still wish to have maximum control during tight hairpins and correcting big oversteer moments where keeping your hands in one position won't always be possible.
Top Hand Dominance
Whichever hand becomes higher as the steering is turned we call the dominant hand. This is the hand providing the most force and control over the wheel. The non-dominant lower hand has an important role to play as well though. You might think of the lower hand as a boxer's counterpunch being at the ready to instantly snap out when needed for a quick transition or correction. A driver will need to be able to seamlessly switch their dominant hand back and forth as they steer so that they always have the greatest control on the wheel available. The reason we emphasize that one hand should be dominant instead of equal force from both hands is that the best control is only achieved over about a 180 degree sweep of each hand. The right hand is best from about the 10 to 4 position and the left hand is good from about the 8 to 2 position. A driver can go further if necessary, but control starts to suffer. Luckily, for most cars, only the very tightest of turns require a driver go beyond this range.
While turns with little steering needed allow both hands to provide effective control at the same time with a pull/push motion, many turns will cause the bottom hand to lose good leverage and therefore control as it moves below the 8 or 4 position. Even though control is diminished, the bottom hand should stay on the wheel if possible. The lower hand needs to be in position and ready to quickly take over dominance when the steering goes back in the other direction. Some drivers have a tendency to favor one hand over the other, so this switching of hand dominance back and forth might need to be a practiced.
I worked with a driver recently who had a tendency to maintain dominance with the left hand. This is often hard to see unless you look closely as they drive, but there was the tell-tale wear pattern on the thumb groove of the steering wheel you often see when a driver does this. Even in a tight left turn, with the left hand all the way over in the 5 o'clock position, they would be providing the majority of the steering force by pulling on the left steering wheel spoke with their thumb. While controlling the car with the lower hand is sometimes necessary if a driver has to shift during a turn, it provides less control than using the top hand to control the car, as well as increased hand and wrist fatigue. A good way to practice maintaining top hand dominance is to avoid hooking your thumbs through the steering wheel. Instead, wrap them around the rim with your other fingers. This will prevent you from being able to apply much force to the wheel with your lower, non-dominant hand. Once you become accustomed to this, you can then move your thumbs back if you find it more comfortable.
Whichever hand becomes higher as the steering is turned we call the dominant hand. This is the hand providing the most force and control over the wheel. The non-dominant lower hand has an important role to play as well though. You might think of the lower hand as a boxer's counterpunch being at the ready to instantly snap out when needed for a quick transition or correction. A driver will need to be able to seamlessly switch their dominant hand back and forth as they steer so that they always have the greatest control on the wheel available. The reason we emphasize that one hand should be dominant instead of equal force from both hands is that the best control is only achieved over about a 180 degree sweep of each hand. The right hand is best from about the 10 to 4 position and the left hand is good from about the 8 to 2 position. A driver can go further if necessary, but control starts to suffer. Luckily, for most cars, only the very tightest of turns require a driver go beyond this range.
While turns with little steering needed allow both hands to provide effective control at the same time with a pull/push motion, many turns will cause the bottom hand to lose good leverage and therefore control as it moves below the 8 or 4 position. Even though control is diminished, the bottom hand should stay on the wheel if possible. The lower hand needs to be in position and ready to quickly take over dominance when the steering goes back in the other direction. Some drivers have a tendency to favor one hand over the other, so this switching of hand dominance back and forth might need to be a practiced.
I worked with a driver recently who had a tendency to maintain dominance with the left hand. This is often hard to see unless you look closely as they drive, but there was the tell-tale wear pattern on the thumb groove of the steering wheel you often see when a driver does this. Even in a tight left turn, with the left hand all the way over in the 5 o'clock position, they would be providing the majority of the steering force by pulling on the left steering wheel spoke with their thumb. While controlling the car with the lower hand is sometimes necessary if a driver has to shift during a turn, it provides less control than using the top hand to control the car, as well as increased hand and wrist fatigue. A good way to practice maintaining top hand dominance is to avoid hooking your thumbs through the steering wheel. Instead, wrap them around the rim with your other fingers. This will prevent you from being able to apply much force to the wheel with your lower, non-dominant hand. Once you become accustomed to this, you can then move your thumbs back if you find it more comfortable.
Find Your Own Ideal Hand Position
So if we aren't supposed to pull down on the steering wheel thumb grooves, then what exactly are they for? I think the best use for the thumb grooves is that they allow a driver to quickly find their "home" position on the wheel. Think of them as the little bumps on the F and J keys on a keyboard that allows you to quickly find your correct hand placement without needing to look. While always leaving your hands at 9 and 3 makes this unnecessary, sometimes this isn't ideal or even possible. A very sharp turn that requires 270 degrees of steering wheel angle would make it very difficult to keep the non-dominant hand in position. At some point, the driver would need to let go with the lower hand as the steering wheel was turned. As the driver unwinds the steering however, they would be able to slide the rim through their fingers waiting for their thumb to catch the groove so they could go right back to 9 and 3 and be ready to quickly turn in the other direction if needed.
Being able to quickly find 9 and 3 also allows you to change your starting hand position if desired as well. While approaching a sharp left turn, a driver could shift their right hand down to the 4 o'clock position to give them more steering range and control in the upcoming turn. The driver could also raise their left hand somewhat to the 10 o'clock position, but don't go too far with this. I recommend a driver not move their top hand above the 10 or 2 position on the wheel as they will further compromise the amount they are able to countersteer, should it be necessary. The further you bring your soon to be non-dominant hand up, the less steering range you will have should a quick countersteer be necessary.
Once the turn is complete and the driver begins to unwind during corner exit, they would then be able to use the thumb grooves to quickly get their hands back in position. Using this reference will allow a driver to move beyond simply keeping their hands at 9 and 3 all the time. You can tailor your hand position to allow the maximum control possible in any situation. This ideal position could depend on the corner, your seating position, steering wheel height and angle, as well considerations like having to change gears or even your own individual body mechanics. Just remember to keep your shoulders down, elbows in, and maintain top hand dominance on the wheel. If you can keep these fundamentals in mind, then you will be able to figure out the ideal hand placement for you and hopefully bring your steering skills to the next level.
I hope you enjoyed this article. If you are interested in a complete guide to the physics of racing, we also offer The Science of Speed book series, available through our bookstore or at popular retailers such as Amazon.
So if we aren't supposed to pull down on the steering wheel thumb grooves, then what exactly are they for? I think the best use for the thumb grooves is that they allow a driver to quickly find their "home" position on the wheel. Think of them as the little bumps on the F and J keys on a keyboard that allows you to quickly find your correct hand placement without needing to look. While always leaving your hands at 9 and 3 makes this unnecessary, sometimes this isn't ideal or even possible. A very sharp turn that requires 270 degrees of steering wheel angle would make it very difficult to keep the non-dominant hand in position. At some point, the driver would need to let go with the lower hand as the steering wheel was turned. As the driver unwinds the steering however, they would be able to slide the rim through their fingers waiting for their thumb to catch the groove so they could go right back to 9 and 3 and be ready to quickly turn in the other direction if needed.
Being able to quickly find 9 and 3 also allows you to change your starting hand position if desired as well. While approaching a sharp left turn, a driver could shift their right hand down to the 4 o'clock position to give them more steering range and control in the upcoming turn. The driver could also raise their left hand somewhat to the 10 o'clock position, but don't go too far with this. I recommend a driver not move their top hand above the 10 or 2 position on the wheel as they will further compromise the amount they are able to countersteer, should it be necessary. The further you bring your soon to be non-dominant hand up, the less steering range you will have should a quick countersteer be necessary.
Once the turn is complete and the driver begins to unwind during corner exit, they would then be able to use the thumb grooves to quickly get their hands back in position. Using this reference will allow a driver to move beyond simply keeping their hands at 9 and 3 all the time. You can tailor your hand position to allow the maximum control possible in any situation. This ideal position could depend on the corner, your seating position, steering wheel height and angle, as well considerations like having to change gears or even your own individual body mechanics. Just remember to keep your shoulders down, elbows in, and maintain top hand dominance on the wheel. If you can keep these fundamentals in mind, then you will be able to figure out the ideal hand placement for you and hopefully bring your steering skills to the next level.
I hope you enjoyed this article. If you are interested in a complete guide to the physics of racing, we also offer The Science of Speed book series, available through our bookstore or at popular retailers such as Amazon.
