Karting tips post: Braking, Slowing down to going quicker ("Braking for dummies")

OK, so even I was confused writing that title, but fear not, I know what I speak off... kinda?? regardless I shall try and share what knowledge I think I have and here comes some braking and karting tips flying at yo faces! For all you advanced folk keep your faces in the WandiSport direction for some tips on Trail braking.

So you wanna look all fly and shizz locking your brakes just before you turn? and you may have seen me do it at hooton in my latest vid, if not make sure to check it out, if not for the karting then do it for pendulum's TARANTULA (the music in the background) 

Truth is it aint all about lookin' fly. in fact locking up is a very unefficent form of braking. I could explain the physics behind it but id much rather you took my word for it, later on in your racing adventures you will learn "Trail braking" which includes a little bit of locking up.




If your just beginning karting then I wanna recommend that whilst you master kart control and race craft you should just apply the brakes gently, assuming you have a very sensitive set up you should lock up at around 60-70% application, so keep the pressure limited to around 50%.

Try to be as smooth as possible with both pedal and steering input, don't overwork the steering wheel and be sawing at it, you may think you look all cool and F1 like but you will look like an idiot when your 3,4 seconds slower than Mr silky smooth ahead of you. same for the pedals, don't press the throttle late and hard, be gradual with it to start and when you feel the grip give it the beans. I know I haven't spoken much about braking (wait a minute was this post about braking? damn..) but thats the point. Braking is essential in being quick but in the school of awesomeness/being quick its like lesson 3. when you master smoothness and kart control braking will develop naturally and then we can work on techniques like trail braking to just give us that final push.
So to summarize 
1. Be awesome and well
2. In the words Lando Calrissian "Be Smooth"
3. Dont worry about braking until you feel you have full control of you kart, Later on I will make a post about using that left pedal to master kart control which kind of contradicts everything we discussed here but its for a whole different purpose.

As mentioned i will be posting about trail braking in the very very near future so make sure to keep comming back, or slap that follow button so Google can just tell you automatically.

As for now Goodbye and


Be Well ----------------------- Mustafa S. Wandi