how to train for an obstacle course run

How to Train For an Obstacle Course Race.

• 1. Jumping pullup. Stand in front of a pullup bar, ideally one that’s 12 to 18 inches above your hands when your arms are overhead. Jump vertically ...
• 2. Bear crawl drag. Get on all fours—like you’re about to crawl—with a sandbag or 15 to 35 pound kettlebell on the floor between your knees. Reach ...
• 3. Gorilla hang pullup. Stand underneath a pullup bar so you’re perpendicular to it. Grip the bar with one hand in front and the other right behind ...
• 4. Jumping lunge jack. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Step backwards with your right leg so your right knee is just above the ground, your left ...

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How to create your own obstacle course run?

Dead hangs, bat wings and pull-ups are excellent exercises to help prepare you for this obstacle." You’ll need: Excellent grip strength, good shoulder mobility, flexible lats and chest. Multiple...

How to make your own obstacle course?

1. Interval Run Workout. Obstacle race tends to take place in in full-out-efforts or intervals, typically alternating between running and the obstacles. In other words, they are like fartlek training on steroids. Build your explosive power and stamina for the OCR by doing plenty of interval running workouts.

Why are obstacle course races so popular?

 · Vary your hand positions to work different muscles: Face palms away for a set, then towards you for a set. Use your muscles to lift your body off the ground and pull up so your chin goes above the bar. Try as many you can to. Repeat it three times. 1 2 NEXT About the Author Jill Tomich and Peter Lavelle

How to find the best obstacle course?

 · Workout #2: Obstacle Course Race Lung Tamer 1. . Get into pushup position. Perform a pushup, but as you do, bring your right knee up to touch your right elbow. 2. . Place a kettlebell on the floor in front of you. Push your hips back and slightly bend your knees, leaning over the... 3. Dumbbell ...

How do you build strength for an obstacle course?

Top 12 Exercises to Prepare For An Obstacle Course RaceDouble Kettlebell (Or Dumbbell) Front Squats. Play. ... Cliffhanger Pull-ups. Play. ... Plank Kettlebell (or Dumbbell) Drag. Play. ... Kettlebell (or Dumbbell) Suitcase Carry. Play. ... Heavy Cable Lift. Play. ... Burpees. Play. ... Single-arm Kettlebell (or DB) Walking Lunges. Play. ... Plank Crawl. Play.More items...

How do you train for an obstacle mud run?

Training for mud runs and obstacle racesRun, run then run some more! Allocate a significant portion of your training to running. ... Hop, skip and jump. ... Build your upper body strength. ... Know what you're up against. ... Cross train.

How long does it take to train for a mud run?

If you've already tried a mud run and you're in good shape, you need four solid weeks of training. If you've never run a race, train for 90 days. A beginner should train three days a week, each labeled A, B, and C.

How do you train for a 5k Mud Run?

7 Things to Know Before Your First Mud RunWATCH OTHERS TACKLE OBSTACLES FIRST. ... BRING PLENTY OF WATER. ... TRAIN TO RUN FURTHER THAN THE RACE DISTANCE. ... RACE WITH A FRIEND OR TWO. ... CHOOSE YOUR CLOTHING WISELY. ... DON'T CRAWL ON YOUR KNEES. ... SKIP OBSTACLES WHEN NEEDED.

How do I get in shape for an obstacle course?

An Example Obstacle Race WorkoutRun 400-800 meters at about 5k race pace.Perform 10-20 bodyweight squats + 10-20 push-ups.Run 400-800 meters at 5k pace.Perform 10-20 walking lunges + 1-minute plank.Run 400-800 meters at 5k pace.Perform 2-8 pull-ups + 1-minute side plank (both sides)Run 400-800 meters at 5k pace.More items...•

What is the easiest obstacle race?

The easiest obstacle course race is the 5k Foam Fest. This course is great for families and is filled with foam and inflatables. Some other easy obstacle course races are the Terrain Race and Epic series. These races are great for beginners or anyone wanting to try out an obstacle course race for the first time.

What do you wear to a mud run?

What to Wear for Your First Mud RunHead. Avoid wearing anything extra on your head like a hat or sunglasses. ... Tops. Wear a shirt or tank that is form-fitting and has wicking fabric. ... Bottoms. ... Shoes and Socks. ... Shoes: Most mud runs will have extremely muddy sections where your regular running shoes won't cut it.

How do you get ready for the savage race?

Three Core Workouts That Will Improve Your Obstacle Completion Rate5 Rounds for Time: 5 Strict Pull-Ups* 10 Flutter Kicks. ... Every Minute on the Minute, For 10 Minutes: 30 Second Plank Hold* 30 Seconds of Air Squats (even minutes) / 30 Seconds of Lunges (odd minutes)As Many Rounds As Possible in 40 Minutes: 1/4 Mile Run.

How do I prepare for muddy princess?

As this is an outdoor, physical event, we do suggest that you wear comfortable clothing that is easy to move in. We also really encourage our participants to make a statement by dressing up and showing off their inner Princess.

What should I eat before a Tough Mudder?

POINT TWO: THE NIGHT BEFORE TOUGH MUDDER You're better off waking up hungry on event day than full and bloated from the night before. Some digestion-friendly dinner choices include white bread, pancakes, pasta, bagels, pitas, tortillas, oatmeal, skinless potatoes, brown rice, and…well, you get the point.

How do you prepare for a Tough Mudder?

TRAINING FOR TOUGHEST MUDDERConsistency is key. Going out an doing one really hard workout isn't going to help you much. ... Prep. ... Taper. ... Test your gear beforehand. ... Get the right footwear. ... Get a headlamp. ... Test-run your race-day food. ... Limit your “heavy” foods leading up to the event.More items...•

How many miles are there in an obstacle course?

Ranging from roughly three miles up to 10, obstacle course races, or OCRs, are non-traditional competition events consisting of plenty of muddy water and military-style obstacles designed to test the racer’s resolve to the breaking point.

How many obstacles are there in the tough mudder course?

On the Tough Mudder course, you will have go through and over about 25 gut-busting military-inspired obstacles designed by British Special Forces.

What is an OCR race?

Most OCRs mix elements of adventure racing, trail running, and gut-throbbing military-inspired obstacles—all of which can offer you a one-of-a-kind fitness experience. Unlike training for a traditional race, the ideal OCR plan touches on every aspect of functional movement.

What is an interval run?

Interval Run Workout. Obstacle race tends to take place in in full-out-efforts or intervals, typically alternating between running and the obstacles. In other words, they are like fartlek training on steroids. Build your explosive power and stamina for the OCR by doing plenty of interval running workouts.

How many obstacles are there in Spartan Race?

So regardless of your fitness level, there is always an obstacle course distance that will fit your current fitness level. Here are the main distances on the Spartan Race series: A three-mile sprint with 15 obstacles. The Super Spartan, an 8-miler featuring 20 obstacles. A 12-mile Spartan beast with 25 obstacles.

How far can you go in OCR?

The Distance and Obstacles. OCR distance tend to vary from one event to the next. In fact, they can range from three to 25 miles (or even more), with 10 to 40 death-defying obstacles. Some of the obstacles include: Wall climbs, Greasy monkey bars, Cargo nets climbs, Rope climbs,

How long is the toughest race?

Tough Mudder. From the largest in the world, to “world’s toughest race”. Tough Mudder is a 10 to 12 miles obstacle course that’s so grueling it might have you praying on your knees for it to end only halfway through. The events take place on five continents and attract thousands of athletes from all around the world.

What is the purpose of the obstacle race workout?

“It also helps you prepare mentally for the types of different cardio and muscle exertion experiences during the race.”

How to get rid of a squat in one day?

Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Bring the weights up to shoulder level, so they’re resting on the meat of your shoulder. This is the start. Drop into a quarter squat: bend your knees and slightly push your hips back. Now explosively stand and thrust the dumbbells overhead. Slowly lower them back to the starting position. That’s 1 rep.

How many rounds of dumbbell thrusters?

Repeat the pattern with each successive exercise. So, for example, next you would do 6 rounds of 60-second runs and kettlebell swings, then 6 rounds of 60-second runs and dumbbell thrusters. If this is too hard, you can cut your rounds in half, or cut the time of each exercise to 30 seconds. 1. Spiderman pushup.

How to swing a kettlebell?

Place a kettlebell on the floor in front of you. Push your hips back and slightly bend your knees, leaning over the bell, grasping its handle. Hike the kettlebell between your legs, then stand tall, thrusting your hips forward and swinging the bell to shoulder level.

How to do a row with a dumbell?

Dumbbell row. Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand, your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and knees bent slightly. Push your hips back and drop your torso so it’s close to parallel with the floor, your back straight. This is the starting position.

How to do a pull up bar?

Now pull yourself up until your right shoulder touches the bar. Slowly lower yourself. Repeat, this time touching your left shoulder to the bar. Repeat back and forth for 40 seconds.

How to do a box jump?

Stand with your right foot flat on a box or bench, your left foot on the ground. Jump laterally to the right so that your left foot is on the box and right foot is on the ground. Continue going back and forth for time.

Obstacle Race Training 101

Having a versatile skill set of strength, endurance, and speed will help you conquer the challenge of competing in any obstacle race. And being in better shape will surely make the event more fun since you’ll struggle less. Let’s focus on sound training so you can enjoy the race instead of just surviving it.

An Example Obstacle Race Workout

It’s always important to train specifically for the race that you’re preparing for. This is why marathoners run long and 5k athletes train fast — they’re building the specific fitness they need to be successful for their race.

What is an obstacle course race?

Obstacle course racing, or OCR, is the sport that mixes running and pre-constructed obstacles to challenge your mind and body in a unique way. There are competitive heats, where you can earn cash prizes or just-for-fun heats ...

How many miles does an obstacle course run?

Regardless of your obstacle course race goal, one thing is for certain: You will learn a lot about yourself at these events. OCRs typically range from three to 14 miles, with some longer races reaching 30 or more miles.

How to do a bicep curl?

Complete one round of: 1 ¼-mile run 2 Ten pull-ups (inverted rows for beginners) 3 ¼-mile run 4 20 bodyweight squats (place a 30- to 50-pound sandbag on your back to increase difficulty) 5 Three-minute incline walk on treadmill 6 20 dumbbell bicep curls (you can also use resistance bands) 7 Three-minutes StairMaster 8 20 dumbbell squats to presses (aka thrusters)

How to train for OCR?

If your race is 12 weeks away, divide training into three four-week blocks that each contain days for strength training and days for running.

How to increase muscular endurance?

A great way to increase your muscular endurance is with Aaptiv’s strength training workouts. 5. Get grip strength. Regardless of your bodyweight, your forearms, wrists, and hands all contribute to successfully being able to hold on to or squeeze things.

What is cardiorespiratory endurance?

Cardiorespiratory endurance, gained from doing aerobics such as running and swimming, is different from muscular endurance, which is the body’s ability to perform repeated contractions (actions) for a long duration.

How long before a race can you get a time range?

Sometimes companies will give you a time range but not an exact time until a couple weeks prior to your race date.

How long does it take to train for OCR?

If, however, you want to do more than just finish, you will want to dedicate six to eight weeks to OCR specific training, Kraker says. Rea Kolbl, currently ranked 3rd in the United States Spartan Championship Series, sees your main strength as a huge benefit to starting.

What happens when you finish a race later than you planned?

Much like a first marathon, ending a race much later than you planned can send runners into a downward spiral of self-doubt. “When you’re assessing the time you expect to be out on the course, make sure you add about 25 to 50 percent to your expected finishing time of an equivalent road or trail race,” Kolbl says. “The added strain and exhaustion from completing obstacles will slow you down greatly.”

What is the second most important training factor?

Grip strength is second most important training factor. Anything from hanging on a bar, pull-ups, or holding yourself up on a bar with your arms in an L position will make you stronger for those climbing or pulling obstacles. “I always train pull-ups with a standard grip or neutral grip,” Stryde says.

What to do if you can't do pull ups?

If you can’t perform a pull-up, you can start with a resistance band to help you start. You can also work on something called “negative pull-ups.” This is an exercise where you start from the top of the pull-up, and lower yourself slowly. (Need more help getting strong? Try these five moves on your next trail run .)

Who is Josh Stryde?

Josh Stryde, a personal trainer and coach with more than 30 obstacle race podiums, says in OCR that doesn’t exist. “OCR provides relief in not having to chase times,” Stryde says. “Everyone knows what their typical 10K time is, and it can be disappointing always chasing your best.” In fact, he thinks it’s a good break for some and can reinvigorate your overall love of running.

How to train a dog to run an obstacle course?

Throughout training your pup to run an obstacle course, you will need to teach him simple commands such as 'up', 'through', 'weave', and 'round'. Take your pick, but be sure to use a single command for each activity. Mixing up the commands or using different ones each time will only confuse your pup and make the training go that much harder.

How many obstacles do dogs have to run in a competition?

In competition, dogs are expected to navigate between 18 and 20 obstacles with the one who does so the fastest declared the winner. The dogs and their human friend get ...

How to get a dog to stop jumping over bars?

Take the leash off, have your pup sit a few paces away from the jump, go to the other side and call his name. When he comes running and jumps over the bar, give him a treat and plenty of praise.

How to train a dog to sit in a tunnel?

Using a flexible and expandable tunnel (buy one that has solid ends and a soft tube), create a short tunnel for the first stages of training. Step. 2. Have a seat. Have your pup sit at one end of the tunnel and give him time to get used to it.

What happens when a dog jumps over obstacles?

During the obstacle course, your pup will be jumping over some obstacles, climbing up and over others, and running between slalom poles, all of which could lead to serious injury.

How to teach a dog to jump on a leash?

Find a spot in your yard with plenty of room on both sides of the jump and set the jump up with the bar set at the lowest height. Step. 2. Lead your dog. With your job on his leash, walk him up to the bar and give him time to get used to the jump. Step. 3.

How to get a dog to go through a tunnel?

Release your pup, give him the 'through' command, and let him go through the tunnel so that he can get the treat. Praise him for doing a good job. Repeat until he will go through the tunnel on command.