how to train for obstacle course racing

How To Train for an Obstacle Course Race

• #1 Develop Belief Some people will say, “just get out there and do it” and that does work…for some. ...
• #2 Mind Your Mental Game As with any goal or new endeavor, it takes time to adapt. ...
• #3 Pace Yourself I’ve witnessed many an obstacle racer become obsessed with training and racing—this sport is highly addictive. ...
• #4 Practice Consistency ...

Full Answer

How do you train for an obstacle race?

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How do you build endurance for an obstacle course?

One of the best ways to build endurance for full obstacle course races is to incorporate distance running and training that helps you achieve and maintain a specific heart rate. We recommend completing 80% of your training at 80% or less of your max heart rate.

How do you prepare for a terrain race?

Focus on movements that build strength for common obstacle movements, like crawling, climbing and jumping--try jump-squats, lunges, pull-ups and push-ups. Look for a list of the obstacles or photos of them so you can tailor your strength-training workouts more specifically.

Can I train for a Spartan in 2 months?

Assuming you have a baseline of fitness, you should train for at least one month for a Spartan Race with strength training moves that build your upper body and grip strength. Ideally, you would train for two to three months for a Spartan race to adequately prepare for the challenge.

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 I train for a Spartan race in 4 weeks?

4 Weeks Spartan Race 'Sprint' Training Program4 Weeks Spartan Race Training Program. Week 1 – Tuesday. Warm up: 1KM Light Jog. 3 Sets: 10 push ups. 10 squats. 10 ring rows. Conditioning: 8 sets. 300m run. 8 burpees. Week 1 – Thursday. ... 7 Immune boosting tips that could help you get through this pandemic. Start.

Which obstacle race is best for beginners?

The 5k Foam Fest is the easiest, all the way down to Spartan Race Sprint as the hardest “beginner-friendly” races. If you're looking for a good reason to get muddy and experience a challenging obstacle course race (the cool kids say “OCR”), our best suggestion is to start with Warrior Dash or Rugged Maniac.

Which obstacle race is the hardest?

The Spartan Death Race is arguably the most difficult obstacle course race in the world. This race is so difficult that many times, only about 10% of the participants actually finish the race. This highly unpredictable race takes place in Pittsfield, Vermont and the course varies from year to year.

Is Tough Mudder or Spartan harder?

Participants also say that Tough Mudder obstacles tend to be more creative and fun, while the Spartan obstacles are more physically challenging. You're also allowed to skip obstacles during a Tough Mudder race, while doing so during a Spartan race will cost you 30 burpees.

How in shape do you need to be for Spartan race?

“That's the unique thing about a Spartan race — you have to be well-rounded from a cardio and strength standpoint, as well as core stability," says Sam Stauffer, director of training for Spartan. "Overall good mobility throughout the body is also important. You can't be good at just one thing."

How do you get in shape for Spartan race?

Squats, lunges and deadlifts will prepare your muscles for the challenges of a Spartan Race. Other helpful exercises include box jumps, tuck jumps, jumping lunges and other plyometric movements.

Do you have to do burpees in Spartan race?

Plus, aren't the obstacles the point of doing an obstacle course race? However, if you attempt an obstacle that you simply cannot overcome there is a mandatory set of burpees that you must complete before moving on. This is the case with ALL obstacles.

How do you train for a Bonefrog?

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Is an obstacle course a good workout?

When you train for an obstacle race, you not only build full body fitness that allows you to hoist heavy sandbags over your head, but you also build the mobility to crawl under barbwire, the resilience to dive into cold mud pits, and an overall uncanny ability to conquer the unknown and withstand just about anything ...

How do you train for a Rugged Maniac?

0:041:59Prep Your Body for Rugged Maniac - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou want to make sure you can comfortably cover between three and four miles on foot with bursts ofMoreYou want to make sure you can comfortably cover between three and four miles on foot with bursts of intensity along the way. Don't. Forget you're also going to be asked to jump crawl push.

How do you prepare for the mud girl run?

5 Ways to Prepare for a Mud RunDon't Take it Too Seriously. Your first mud run should be a fun experience, so don't stress about pushing yourself to your limits. ... Eat Light. Are there specific foods you should eat before your first mud run? ... Plan Your Clothing. ... Remember to Pack Water. ... Remember to Pack a Change of Clothes.

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.

Why Try An Obstacle Course Race?

Signing up for any sort of fitness event or race can boost your motivation to get moving by giving you a tangible goal to train for. What makes OCR unique, though, is that in addition to the physical benefits you’ll reap from training (like weight loss, improved balance, coordination, mobility, functional strength, and cardio endurance), the sport offers major mental and social benefits, too.

How many obstacles are there in an OCR race?

What you can expect is anywhere from 12 to 20 obstacles in a 3- to 5-mile course or 30-plus obstacles in a 14-mile (or longer) course.

How many workouts per week for OCR?

Typically, you’ll do four or five specific workouts per week, plus a run or running and stair-climbing combo session.

What is the best way to get the most bang for your buck?

Plyometrics. Plyometrics are explosive movements that require a muscle to reach maximal force in the shortest possible time. You’ll want to work on both upper- and lower-body plyometric moves—but lower-body plyometrics will get you the most bang for your buck come race day.

How to move your hips while low to the ground?

Practicing army and bear crawls at the gym will prepare you to move quickly and comfortably while low to the ground. Since dropping low requires solid hip mobility, incorporate side lunges and wide mountain climbers to make your hip joints more fluid.

What do you do on a lower body day?

On lower-body days, start with front squats, back squats, or deadlifts. On upper-body days, start with overhead presses or bench presses.

What are rigs in a gym?

Like evil monkey bars, rigs are tall metal structures equipped with all sorts of hanging objects you’ll have to grab one by one to get across. Many rigs feature gymnastics rings, ropes, frayed nylon, baseballs—any combination of objects that’ll absolutely torch your forearms as you try to hold on.

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.

What is obstacle course racing?

Obstacle course racing is the perfect marriage of strength and endurance in a competition.

How to get better at obstacle course?

1. Make a Plan – Making a plan, for both training schedules and race timing, is critical for all obstacle course athletes.

What is overtraining in sports?

First, we need to ask ourselves, what is overtraining? Overtraining normally occurs when an athlete’s training frequency exceeds the time their body needs to properly recover from exercise. Some exercises and sports can be addicting – like obstacle course racing – and it’s not uncommon to see athletes jump into very intense training in an effort to compete in more difficult competitions. What they don’t realize is that these super hard training sessions are having the opposite effect, and the body can break down instead of getting stronger.

How to build endurance for obstacle course?

One of the best ways to build endurance for full obstacle course races is to incorporate distance running and training that helps you achieve and maintain a specific heart rate. We recommend completing 80% of your training at 80% or less of your max heart rate. To achieve this, most athletes can run 10Ks and above, which will help you run further for longer and build that endurance into your legs and cardiovascular system. However, do not increase your running distance more than 10% week over week.

How to get explosive power for obstacle course?

There are several ways you can train to get the explosive power necessary for obstacle course racing. Hill sprints, track, and High Intensity Interval Training ( HIIT) classes are great options.

What is the key to improving OCR?

If your OCR training has you always doing the same thing, facing something unexpected could throw your whole race. In OCR, more so than in most other sports, variety is the key to improving your performance.

How much of your training should be done at a high intensity, race pace?

The other 20% of your run training should be done at a high intensity, race pace; 5Ks are great for this. You’ll find that over time you’re be able to run faster and keep your heart rate lower.

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 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.”

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.

How many people participated in OCR in 2017?

Obstacle course racing (OCR) and mud runs have been popular since 2012—nearly 500,000 people participated in 2017 according to a recent industry report. Odds are if you are a runner, many of your friends or coworkers have tried one.

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 is the benefit of OCR?

One benefit of OCR is it gives you a chance to break up the monotony. Rarely is any one course exactly the same from the other, so each race you sign up for is a completely different challenge compared to the local 5K you do every year.

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 Brakken Kraker?

Brakken Kraker is one of the original members of the Spartan Race Pro Team and runs LeaderboardFit, a coaching program geared toward obstacle racing athletes who want to gain endurance, speed, and strength. He also has experience working many runners who were once new to OCR.