obstacle course workout plan

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23 of the Best Training Plan for Obstacle Course Race

Whether you are a beginner in ocr or training for a spartan beast, you need a workout plan. here are 23 free programs that you can use at home or the gym..

The best training plan must be tailored to your precise needs and goals. Also, every workout must be detailed, with the type of exercises, the number of repetitions and the duration. All of which can be efficiently followed through a weekly schedule. However, to find the best training plan, you must consider the following options.

Beginner + training plans

• Intermediate + training plans

Advanced + training plans

What is a good training plan for obstacle race, how much time do you have before the race, would it be your first race, what kind of race have you joined, what do you want to improve specifically, the 5 training keys for ocr.

If you're searching for the best gear to train for an obstacle race and expecting to find a real review from a real runner. Check out this list I created of the top OCR training equipement.

Here's the best training program you can find for free on the internet. They are categories in difficulty levels: beginner, intermediate, advanced and elite.

28-Day Spartan 5k Running Plan

From: Megan Beck at Spartan Race Type: Weekly training schedule Duration: 28 days Suitable for: Beginner Work on: Endurance & running Location: Outdoor Equipment needed: Running shoes Link: See training plan

Beginner 5KM obstacle course race

From: BeMilitaryFit.com Type: Downloadable training schedule (PDF) Duration: 8 weeks Suitable for: Beginner Work on: Running and mobility Location: Home and outdoor Equipment needed: none Link: Download training plan

Couch to Sprint training plan

From: Spartan SGX Type: Downloadable training schedule (PDF) Duration: 5 weeks Suitable for: Beginner Work on: Complete body workout (Endurance, running, strength, grip, mobility) Location: Everywhere (gym, home, outdoor, playground) Equipment needed: Sandbag Link: Download training plan

OCR training workout plan

From: Endurelite Type: Downloadable training schedule (PDF) Duration: 4 weeks Suitable for: Beginner & intermediate Work on: Complete body workout (Endurance, running, strength, grip, mobility) Location: Gym, home and outdoor Equipment needed: CrossFit gym equipment Link: See training plan

Spartan Training Guide

From: Shane Yost, Spartan trainer Type: Downloadable training schedule and workout plan (PDF) Duration: 5 weeks Suitable for: Everyone (Beginner, intermediate and advanced) Work on: Complete body workout (Endurance, running, strength, grip, mobility) Location: Everywhere (gym, home, outdoor, playground) Equipment needed: Weights Link: Download training plan

Stadium Sprint Training Plan

From: Megan Beck at Spartan Race Type: Weekly training schedule Duration: 28 days Suitable for: Beginner, intermediate & advanced Work on: Complete workout (Endurance, running, strength, grip, mobility) Location: Everywhere (gym, home, outdoor & playground) Equipment needed: Weights Link: See training plan

Spartan Workout of the Day

From: Spartan Race Type: Daily workouts in your inbox Duration: N/A Suitable for: Everyone (Beginner, intermediate, advanced, elite) Work on: Complete body workout (Endurance, running, strength, grip, mobility) Location: Everywhere (gym, home, outdoor, playground) Equipment needed: Link: See training plan

The minimal optimal obstacle training plan

From: Grit Camp Type: Downloadable training worksheet (PDF) Duration: N/A Suitable for: Beginner Work on: Complete body workout (Endurance, running, strength, grip, mobility) Location: Everywhere (gym, home, outdoor, playground) Equipment needed: Kettlebell Link: See training plan

The Perfect Spartan Race Workout Plan

From: Laura Williams, MSEd, ASCM-CEP Type: Weekly training schedule Duration: 6 weeks Suitable for: Beginner & intermediate Work on: Strength, running, and mobility Location: Everywhere (gym, home, outdoor, playground) Equipment needed: none Link: See training plan

The Ultimate Mud Run Training Plan

From: Mark Barroso, Spartan SGX coach Type: Weekly training routine Duration: 28 to 90 days Suitable for: Everyone's fitness level (Beginner, intermediate, advanced & elite) Work on: (Endurance, running, strength, grip, mobility) Location: Gym and home Equipment needed: CrossFit gym equipment (Kettlebell, medicine ball, barbell & weights) Link: See training plan

Train For An Obstacle Race With This 6-Week Plan

From: WomensRunning.com Type: Weekly training schedule & downloadable training schedule (PDF) Duration: 6 weeks Suitable for: Beginner Work on: Complete body workout (Endurance, running, strength, grip & mobility) Location: Home, outdoor and playground Equipment needed: park bench, pull-up bars Link: See training plan

Race day domination Obstacle race training program

From: HybridAthlete Type: Downloadable training schedule (PDF) Duration: 24 week Suitable for: Beginner & intermediate Work on: Complete body workout (Endurance, running, strength, grip, mobility) Location: Gym & outdoor, playground Equipment needed: Kettlebell, jump rope, foam roller, barbell & weights Link: Download training plan

Intermediate training plan and more

1-Month Spartan Race Training Plan

From: Spartan Race Type: Downloadable training schedule (PDF) Duration: 4 weeks Suitable for: Intermediate and advanced Work on: Complete body workout (Endurance, running, strength, grip, mobility) Location: Everywhere (gym, home, outdoor, playground) Equipment needed: Weights Link: Download training plan

4 Weeks To Get Spartan Race Ready

From: Andrew Read, Coache at BreakingMuscle.com Type: Daily workout plan Duration: 4 weeks Suitable for: Intermediate & advanced Work on: Complete body workout (Endurance, running, strength, grip, mobility) Location: Gym Equipment needed: Gym equipment Link: See training plan

6 Weeks Obstacle Course Training Plan

From: Andrew Read, Coach at BreakingMuscle.com Type: Downloadable training schedule (PDF) Duration: 6 Week Suitable for: Intermediate & advanced Work on: Endurance, running, strength & grip Location: Gym Equipment needed: CrossFit Gym equipment Link: Download training plan

Conquer a Spartan Race: Training Plan

From: OutsideOnline.com Type: Weekly training schedule Duration: 16 weeks Suitable for: Intermediate and advanced Work on: Complete body workout (Endurance, running, strength, grip & mobility) Location: Gym and outdoor Equipment needed: Gym equipment Link: See training plan

Spartan 12 Week Training Plan

From: Spartan Race Type: Downloadable training schedule (PDF) Duration: 12 weeks Suitable for: Beginner and intermediate Work on: Complete body workout (Endurance, running, strength, grip, mobility) Location: Gym Equipment needed: Gym equipment (StairMaster) Link: Download training plan

Spartan Beast Training Plan

From: Megan Beck at Spartan Race Type: Weekly training schedule Duration: 28 days Suitable for: Intermediate, advanced & elite Work on: Complete workout (Endurance, running, strength, grip, mobility) Location: Everywhere (gym, home, outdoor & playground) Equipment needed: Weights Link: See training plan

Spartan Beast Training Program

From: Rob DeCillis, co-owner of Training for Warriors Long Island Type: Weekly training schedule Duration: 8 weeks Suitable for: Intermediate & advanced, elite Work on: Complete workout (Endurance, running, strength, grip & mobility) Location: Gym & home Equipment needed: Basic CrossFitGym equipment (Kettlebell, plyo box, pullup bar, barbell & weights) Link: See training plan

Super Spartan Training Plan

From: Megan Beck at Spartan Race Type: Weekly training schedule Duration: 28 days Suitable for: Intermediate & advanced Work on: Complete workout (Endurance, running, strength, grip, mobility) Location: Everywhere (gym, home, outdoor & playground) Equipment needed: Weights Link: See training plan

The 10-Week Obstacle Race Training Plan

From: MensJournal.com Type: Weekly training schedule Duration: 10 weeks Suitable for: Intermediate and advanced Work on: Complete body workout (Endurance, running, strength, grip, mobility) Location: Gym, home & outdoor Equipment needed: Crossfit gym equipment Link: See training plan

Ultimate 2-month obstacle course race training plan

From: Mark Barroso, Spartan SGX coach Type: Weekly training schedule Duration: 8 weeks Suitable for: Intermediate & advanced Work on: Endurance, running, strength & grip Location: Everywhere (Home, outdoor, playground & gym) Equipment needed: Pullup bar, heavy bucket See training plan: Week 1 , Weeks 2 & 3 , Weeks 4 & 5 , Weeks 6 & 7 , Week 8

8-week training plan to demolish an obstacle course race

From: MuscleAndFitness.com Type: Weekly training schedule Duration: 8 weeks Suitable for: Advanced & elite Work on: Complete body workout (Endurance, running, strength, grip, mobility) Location: Gym Equipment needed: Gym equipment Link: See training plan

First, a good training program for OCR will include a wide selection of exercises, that work your entire body. It can't be only about weight lifting or running.

Therefore, forget about the all-in-one gym machine, or the endless weight lifting and get ready to do circuit training. The circuit training includes a wide variety of exercise targeting different muscle groups.

Secondly, the number of repetitions or the amount of time you must perform the exercise is detailed in the plan. You'll precisely know what to do for each workout. The activities are group into categories and propose through a weekly schedule. Every day is a different workout, alternating strength, cardio, upper and lower body training. Plus, each week the volume and the intensity increase, until the day of the race.

However, finding the right workout plan is a daunting task, especially if you are a beginner. Before you pick any training plan, you must know what you need.

When choosing a training program, I always ask the same questions: how much time do you have before the race, what the type of event and what is your fitness level?

I recommend you read the following to get a better idea of what you need. After I will guide you towards the right training plan for you. I have personally searched the entire web and selected the best training program you can use for free.

The amount of training you'll cumulate before the race drastically makes a difference between finishing the race or dying on the course.

Obstacle racing is no joke, and even if no actual death as happens during such events, you should start training yesterday.

In general, it takes between 4 to 16 weeks of training before the race. However, depending on your fitness level, and goals, I would recommend starting your practice 6 months before the big day.

For my first mud run, I had 8 weeks to prepare, and I barely run half the time. The other half I was walking or catching my breath. As for my first Spartan Race (8 miles), I had 1 month to train, and I almost finished last.

In my experience, if you were to ask me how long does it take to prepare for a Spartan Race, I would suggest you start training right now if you want a chance to finish the race on your two feet.

If you are beginning, your goal is to train 3 to 4 time a week and increase the volume each week. As for the intermediate and more advanced athletes, your target should be 5 to 6 time a week.

Therefore, you must find a training schedule that maximize the time you have available and that correspond to your fitness level.

Training for a race we never did before, mean going out of our comfort zone and accepting that we might be a little bit out of shape. However, you don't have to be a beginner to feel like you are not ready for a race.

Before my first Spartan Beast (13 miles), I was as anxious like at my first mud run (3 miles). I remember the feeling of not knowing what I got my self into and severely doubting my capacities. Therefore, I decided to train 5 days a week to make sure I cross the finish line. Also, I showed up for training, even on the day that I had all the excuses not to exercise.

Put your anxiety away and start planning for success because you have the opportunity to achieve the extraordinary.

By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. - Benjamin Fraklin

My advice is to find a training programme that is challenging enough for your fitness level, and that you are confident in completing.

Did you signup for a 5K, an obstacle race or a mud run? Therefore, your training strategy should be aimed at getting ready for that specific race.

For a first Spartan Sprint, you'll have to follow a basic 5K obstacle course training plan. I know how hard is the Spartan Sprint, and it's not your Sunday jog around the block that will get you ready. You'll need to work on your strength and endurance.

Before picking a training plan, find out the quantity and type of obstacles you'll be facing, as well as the length of the race. From this information, you'll be in a position to precisely pinpoint the type of workout plan you'll need.

However, you don't need to run a marathon before running a marathon. Which means it's impossible to train in the same condition as the race, but you should find a workout routine that mimics the difficulties you'll encounter during the race.

During an obstacle race, you'll have to climb, crawl, run and lift heavy objects. Maybe you already know which one of those aspects you need to improve. Therefore, you should look for a training program that works on that particular deficiency.

Personally, it's my grip strength that I need to train more, especially If I want to perform on the monkey bars and the climbing rope. Consequently, I always make sure to include grip work in my training schedule.

Maybe you feel out of shape completely, and therefore, you should get a training plan for beginners that will guide you to the minimum viable fitness level for the race. Such workout program will include all kind of exercises that train every key aspect of an obstacle race.

Here are the 5 pillars of a good workout plan that will get you ready for any obstacle races such as Spartan Race and Tough Mudder.

1. Endurance

The most crucial aspect for the training must be your endurance. During the race, your legs will require lots of power to keep on moving and pushing up the hills. Also, your arms will be used to lift heavy objects or pulling yourself over an obstacle. On the day of the race, your body needs to be able to perform for an extended period. Therefore, the only number you should focus on is the duration of the training and not the weight or the speed.

Increase your muscle endurance by performing the maximum amount of reps, using compound exercises such as presses, deadlifts, and squats.

Another great tip to improve your overall endurance is to modify your everyday habits, such as taking the stairs, walking to work, get a standup desk, lifting heavy objects, etc.

When working out for an obstacle race, the second important key to your training is the running aspect.

First, you need to focus on the duration of your runs. As you get stronger, you can shift your focus on your speed. The goal is always moving forward, even if it means walking. Because the longer you stay on the course, the more tired you'll become, the more energy you'll consume and the less chance you 'll reach the finish line.

In your workout, make sure to include all running types, such as long run, sprint, and interval. This will condition your legs to the stop and go style of an obstacle race. Also, you need to practice in all kind of situation, such as trail, hills, downhill, sand, mud, and water.

By varying your running routine, you'll prepare your feet and legs for any difficult terrain you might encounter during the race.

3. Strength

Your strength will be tested, and you must be prepared to lift ridiculously heavy loads. Most strength obstacles during a Spartan race are between 40 to 90 pounds for men and 20 to 70 pound for women.

Therefore, during your workout, you should experiment with different types of weight and objects. Don't just use the practical weights with the comfortable handle, go for the oddly shaped objects with no handles.

For example, you could grab 2 bumper plates in each hand or carry your dumbells is into a 5-litter bucket until your hands burst in flames. Another excellent training equipment is the sandbag because you can take it in your hands, on your back, over your head, etc.

If you workout in a gym, do a rotation between dumbbells, kettlebells, and barbells. Also, try to combine the weight lifting with movement, because it works on stability and grip. For example, you can perform squats or lunges with your dumbbell press.

During an obstacle race, you'll need plenty of grip power to pull yourself over an obstacle. Therefore, you must include in your schedule the proper exercises that work on your grip. During a workout, there's two way to train your grip.

The first is be lifting, swinging and carrying weight. For example, kettlebell swings are great exercises because it works your strength, your core and your grip at the same time. Another great activity to include in your workouts is the framers carry, where you walk with heavy dumbells in your hands.

The other way to train your grip is with a pull-up bar. For example, you can perform a series of pull-up or simply practice hanging under the bar for a maximum time. However, the ideal equipment you could use is the monkey bars at your local park. If you don't have access to monkey bars, you can just use a pull-up bar and switch grips to mimic the movement you'll do under the actual bars. Your goal is to become comfortable supporting your body weight.

5. Mobility

Mobility training makes you stronger and more flexible, which is an excellent advantage for obstacle racing. You'll become flexible enough to move your body over the obstacles and finishes the race injuries free.

Again, ditch the gym machine, and work on your ability to perform full range movement in a controlled manner, without help from a piece of equipment. Also, consider attending yoga classes during your recovery days. Such activity will keep your body moving, while lightly stretching your muscles.

Your goals are to strengthen your joints and stabilizer muscles, which will allow you to perform movements on a broader range-of-motion.

Finding the right workout plan is critical, but you must also commit to your training. You are on the way to discover a new you, and once you meet your better version, you'll thank yourself for putting all the efforts.

You got this!

P.S. If you're searching for the best training equipement for OCR and hoping to get genuine advice from a real runner. You should check out this list I created of the top tools to train for an obstacle race.

I have picked these tools because I'd used them in different obstacle races and mud runs. Plus, I'd confirmed my selection with my fellow OCR runners. With all their insights and my own experience, I've built this list of the top training equipement.

Thank you for reading!

Hi, I'm the Obstacle Ninja, and I will share with you my tips on how to crush it at your next obstacle racing. Also, how to get your little ninja more active with obstacle course. Want to know more about me? Read my story!

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Hi, i'm the obstacle ninja, and my passion is ocr (obstacle course running)..

My idea of the perfect weekend is to run a Spartan Race or Tough Mudder with my family. We love to run in the mud and challenge your self with the obstacle. My kids and I, we love to watch Ninja warrior and train for our next obstacle race or mud run. I will share with you my tips on how to crush it at your next obstacle racing. Also, how to get your little ninja more active with obstacle course.

Want to know more about me? Read my story!

Got questions? Contact me!

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OCR Training Plan For Beginners

So you’ve qualified for the  OCR World Championships  and you want to make sure you keep that all important band, but where do you start?

With the right training and with enough confidence and belief that you can take on nearly any obstacle course that is set out in front of you.

The physicality required to navigate the course mimics the functional, whole-body movements made by our ancestors thousands of years ago: natural movements such as running, balancing, crawling, jumping, climbing, and carrying. Obstacle course racing is the perfect marriage of strength and endurance in a competition. In addition, you need explosive power, stability, and stamina.

Table of Contents 1) OCR Training Tips 2) OCR Workouts & Exercises 3) Distance Running 4) Sprints & HIIT 5) Grip & Upper-Body Strength 6) The 400 Workout

OCR Training Tips

Obstacle course races, especially the Obstacle Course Racing World Championships, require dedicated athletes committed to a strenuous, yet balanced training plan. While everyone’s training will vary, you should make sure your programming focuses on these elements:

• Improving core strength and mobility
• Building strength and stability across the hips, midsection, and shoulders
• Developing explosive movements, such as jumping and leaping
• Increasing endurance
• Creating seamless transitions between obstacles

And while it’s easy to find countless examples of training exercises and programs – don’t worry, more on that later – we wanted to make sure we covered more comprehensive tips surrounding training schedules, types, variation, and most importantly, rest.

Avoid Overtraining & Practice Adequate Recovery

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.

So how do we stop ourselves from overtraining? Here are a few steps that can help you become better, stronger, and hit your races in peak condition without overtraining or putting yourself at risk for injury.

1. Make a Plan – Making a plan, for both training schedules and race timing, is critical for all obstacle course athletes. We recommend using a calendar to make a note of all your races and prioritize which ones are your A, B, and C races. Your A races are the big ones, the races you want to be most competitive in. B races are less important, but you still want to do well in them to gauge where your performance is at. C races are your training races; you will complete these at about 80% effort to keep advancing through your training plan.

2. Consult a Coach – The best way to find a good coach is to consult with our sport’s top athletes to find out who they use or recommend. They may not use a coach now, but they’ll probably be able to make a few suggestions. A good coach will give you everything you need; you just need to bring the intangibles: the commitment, determination, desire, and most importantly, the patience to trust the process and program. Coaches will also help you build in that recovery, which leads us to our next step.

3. Ensure Adequate Recovery – Rest is incredibly important, but it’s often ignored by athletes trying to get to the top. Sometimes there’s a misconception that if you’re not constantly pushing yourself and training hard every day, then you’re getting worse. If your training is at the right level, those rest days will allow you perform at a higher level on training days. Rest allows your body to repair, grow, and hit race day at your peak, ready to give 100%.

Recovery Essentials

There are different types of rest and recovery that you should make sure you incorporate into your total training routine. Some are active, some are passive, but all are essential for proper recovery.

• Sleep – Aim to get at least 6-8 hours of sleep at night.
• Active Recovery – Go for a very easy run, bike ride, or even walk the day after a race or heavy training day.
• Foam Roll/Massage – Foam roll regularly during training and schedule a sports massage a few days following a race.
• Hydrate – Drink plenty of water, especially leading up to and following a race.
• Stretch – Mobility is critical, so you should be incorporating mobility movements and stretching routines regularly.
• Deload – Leading up to a race, reduce your training to ensure that you hit race day at peak performance and are fully recovered from previous exertions.

Incorporate Variety in Training

It’s important that athletes prepare themselves for the unexpected. Quite often new obstacles will appear on the course, and you need to know how to approach them. 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. One way many athletes do this is by incorporating varied exercises into their runs. For example, every 500 meters you can complete different exercises such as burpees, pull-ups or bear crawls, then continue the run and repeat. While this varied training is key for physical strength, it will also fatigue the whole body and get you mentally ready to run the obstacle course while tired.

OCR Training Workouts & Exercises

To help kickstart your training and give you some programming ideas, here are some of our recommended obstacle course training workouts and exercises. Before you get started, make sure you have some of the following:

• Somewhere to run, or a treadmill if in a gym
• A set of monkey bars or a bar to hang from
• Park bench or gym bench
• Makeshift balance beam
• Box to jump on

With a combination of some or all of these training implements and equipment, you will be well prepared to tackle these workouts and get into shape for professional obstacle course races.

Distance Running

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.

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.

Sprint & High-Intensity Interval Workouts

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.

• Hill Sprints: Find a hill that takes approximately 30 to 45 seconds to ascend in a full sprint. Once at the top, descend the hill at a walking pace for your recovery and then repeat 9 more times.
• Track Session: Start with sprint intervals with 200/400 splits – sprint 200 meters, walk 400 meters and repeat 9 times. Over time you can expand on this programming, adding more sets or going further distances.

*Bonus training tip – You can also mix in exercises like broad jumps or burpees between each sprint for an added challenge.

Grip & Upper-Body Training

Bouldering is one of the best OCR related training exercises you can do for upper body and grip strength, but it’s not everything you will need. Pull-ups and dead hangs should become a staple of your training, as these movements are part of many obstacles, from monkey bars and rings, to the dreaded Stairway to Heaven and Gibbons.

• Dead Hangs: Start by hanging from the bar using both hands and see how long you can hold yourself in a dead hang. From there move onto single hand hangs to increase the difficulty of this exercise. To take it a step further, you can even hang a towel over the bar and hold the towel which is great for training grip strength.
• Pull-ups : Pull-ups have so many variations and advancements you can incorporate to make your training progressively harder. Start with pull-ups using resistance bands and progress to full pull-ups and chin-ups without assistance. As you increase your strength, mix in wide and close grip pull-ups, towel pull-ups, and if you can, progress to single arm dominant pull-ups.

The 400 Workout

A final, full-body workout is what we call “The 400.” The 400 incorporates many of the aforementioned movements and more into just one workout. Get ready, it puts even the most fit athletes to the test.

Start with dynamic warm-up stretches, and then repeat the sequence of exercises below until you reach 40 minutes.

Run 400 meters

Jumping Squats Jumping squats help you develop explosive power for leaping up and over obstacles.

• Stand with feet at shoulder width. Squat by pushing your hips back and bending your knees so that your thighs are parallel to the ground. At the same time, swing your arms backward.
• Jump vertically by extending your ankles, knees, and hips in a straight line, while swinging your arms forward and upward. Reach as high as possible, as if trying to block a volleyball.
• Land on your forefeet, then heels, with knees bent.
• Repeat 20 times.

Note: Once you start getting more confident try jumping onto a box and gradually increasing the height of the box.

Burpees The benefits of burpees are that they improve full-body strength, power, and endurance.

• Start in a squat position and place your hands on the ground. Jump your feet back into a plank position. Keep your core engaged and avoid arching your back.
• Perform a pushup.
• Jump your feet forward toward your hands to return to a squat position. Immediately jump as high as you can while swinging your arms over your head.
• Repeat 10 times

Monkey Bars or Dead-Hangs with Hand Release* This exercise develops upper-body strength and technique required to traverse monkey bars and rings.

• Start with two hands on the first bar in a dead hang. From this position, reach one arm forward to the next bar.
• Swing your hips forward to generate momentum. Your hips will then swing backward and forward again. As you begin your next swing forward, reach your trailing arm ahead and grab hold of the next bar.
• As soon as your trailing hand becomes the lead hand, let your body swing backward and forward again. Use the momentum to reach your trailing arm to the next bar.
• Repeat for 10 rungs.

Note: If you do not have access to monkey bars, substitute dead-hangs with a hand release. Try to take one hand off the bar for a few seconds, before grabbing the bar and releasing the other hand. Repeat the release 10 times for each hand.

As you develop further, start using towels or balls to help your grip strength develop further, and start bouldering or climbing so that you can learn the techniques on how to shift bodyweight, developing flow that you can introduce to obstacles on course.

Bench Routine Bench exercises build upper-body and core strength as well as shoulder stability, which helps you pull yourself up and over obstacles.

• Alternate bench pushups and bench dips for sets of 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, and 2 repetitions.

Bench Pushups (12, 8, 4)

• Start by facing a park bench or other elevated surface. Place your hands on the bench, slightly wider than your chest, and step your feet back into a plank position.
• Keeping your weight on the thumb sides of your palms, bend at your elbows. Keep your body in a straight line and your elbows at a 45-degree angle relative to your chest.
• Press your hands into the bench and extend your elbows to rise to the starting position.

Bench Dips (10, 6, 2)

• Face away from a park bench or other elevated surface. Place your hands behind you on the edge of the bench, with your palms down and fingers facing forward. Keep arms straight and chest open.
• Step your feet forward and away from the bench. Straighten your legs so that your weight is resting on your heels and the palms of your hands.
• Bend at your elbows to lower your body toward the ground, with triceps parallel to the ground, keeping your butt close to the bench and your chest open.
• Press your palms down and extend your elbows to rise to the starting position.

Front Plank with Superman Reach This movement develops core strength and improves mobility and stability in shoulders and hips, which helps with crawling and climbing.

• Start in a plank position on your forearms, with your shoulders directly above your elbows, your entire body forming a straight line from head to toes.
• Reach your left arm forward while lifting your right leg off the ground. Focus on keeping your hips level. Note: If this is too challenging, extend one limb at a time, going clockwise: left leg, left arm, right arm, right leg.
• Return your left arm and right leg to the ground. Then reach your right arm and lift your left leg.
• Alternate lifting your left arm/right leg and right arm/left leg for one minute.

Balance beam Practicing on the balance beam develops skills necessary for balancing obstacles.

• Find a narrow surface (no wider than 4 inches) similar to a balance beam. Step onto the “beam,” putting one foot directly in front of the other. Engage your abs and keep your shoulders back and down.
• Transfer your weight to your front foot, making sure to engage your glutes. Slowly step your back foot forward while keeping your abs tight and knees softly bent. Keep your arms close to your body.
• As you place your new lead foot on the beam, distribute your weight evenly between both feet. Once you feel stable, continue walking forward in this manner.
• Repeat for 20 feet (one set) and perform 10 sets.
• Sprint the final 400 meters, giving it your absolute all – whilst remaining in control, either on a treadmill or outdoors.

How many times should you do this routine? That depends on you and what other training you are doing.

Here is a possible OCR training schedule for beginners:

Monday –  The 400 Workout Tuesday –  Bouldering/Climbing Wednesday –  The 400 Workout Thursday –  Short Run (5k) Friday – The 400 Workout Saturday –  Rest Sunday –  Long Run (10k+)

There are several ways to boost the intensity of your workout, whether by increasing the distance run between exercises, increasing the reps or time of each exercise, adding weight to movements (bench press-ups become dumbbell bench presses), or by trying to beat your time and mimicking the urgency that you will face in the  OCR World Championships . You can even work out with an accountability buddy of a similar level and compare scores to help make training more competitive.

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8-Week Obstacle Course Training Program

Preparing for an obstacle course race requires a comprehensive training program that will improve your strength, power, muscular endurance, aerobic capacity and anaerobic capacity. The 8-week program below will accomplish those goals.

This 8-week training program calls for four workouts per week. Each session will challenge you in a different way to prepare you for the various sprints and obstacles you will face during the race.

Train hard for four days, and focus on recovering during your off-days, which should include foam rolling and light mobility work. Train hard and train smart.

Day one is a strength day in the weight room. Getting stronger sets the foundation for improving your other fitness attributes and ensures that you will have the strength to complete any obstacle.

Day two  challenges your anaerobic system. In the first four weeks, you will perform Hurricane training, which is derived from the Training for Warriors System . It will improve your ability to sprint and execute short bursts of strength and power, and will even enhance your aerobic system.

Day three is a trail running day, so you can train in the same environment as a race. This will improve your long-duration endurance and prepare you for the ever-changing terrain. It also calls for intermittent bodyweight exercises to simulate random obstacles scattered throughout the course.

Day four  builds muscular endurance via density training. During an obstacle course race, your entire body will begin to fatigue, eventually slowing you down. The density day will prepare your muscles to be used over and over again.

The Obstacle Course Workout

• 5 Tips to Survive an Obstacle Course Race
• 3 Unconventional Obstacle Race Training Drills
• How to Prepare for the Spartan Race and Other Mud Runs

Photo: wickedmuddy.com

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The Ultimate Obstacle Course Race Training Plan

The eight-week training plan for obstacle-course domination. PLUS: The Dos and Don'ts of race day gear

Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! >","name":"in-content-cta","type":"link"}}'>Download the app .

Like marathons and triathlons, obstacle-course racing requires specific training. But the skill set is wildly different. To finish an OCR, you’ll need endurance, upper-body strength, good balance, and, perhaps most importantly, mental fortitude. “Obstacle racing throws everyone onto an even playing field,” says Daren de Heras, cofounder of team SISU, a nationwide obstacle-racing club. “To succeed, you’ll need total body fitness.”

De Heras created an eight-week plan, divided into four training categories—run, gym, playground, and outdoors—to prepare participants for any course longer than eight miles. Do one workout from each training category per week, except for the run, which you’ll do twice. Use the workouts here to get started, and check out the sidebar for the full regimen, which covers everything from balance and stability to endurance and race-specific skills.

RUN Workout 1: A three-mile steady run with ten burpees each mile. Workout 2: A one-mile tempo run, followed by five eight-to-ten-foot wall or fence climbs, then a one-mile run, four wall climbs, a one-mile run, three wall climbs, a one-mile run, two wall climbs, a one-mile run, and five wall climbs.

GYM Workout 1: Five sets each of five burpees, five squats, and five lunges per leg. (Complete in a steam room for bonus points.) Swim for 30 minutes in a lap pool. Workout 2: Twenty-five sit-ups, 50 kettlebell snatches, 25 push-ups, 50 kettlebell swings, 50 burpees, 50 kettlebell clean-and-presses, and 50 mountain climbers.

PLAYGROUND Workout 1: Ten sets each of 30-second bent-arm hangs, 20 parallel-bar dips, and ten walks across the balance beam. Workout 2: Bear crawls, crab walks, low crawls, wall climbs or muscle-ups, mountain climbers, rope climbs, balance beam walks, and squats with a bucket of sand held overhead, all to exhaustion.

OUTDOORS Workout 1: A 90-minute march carrying 15 percent of your body weight in a backpack. Stop every ten minutes to do ten push-ups while wearing the backpack. Workout 2: A two-hour hike, carrying a heavy rock or log (20 percent of your body weight) against your chest.

Dress for Success : The dos and don’ts of race-day gear

DON’T: Wear cotton. It rips easily and gets waterlogged.

DO: Opt for form-fitting synthetic materials like Under Armour’s HeatGear compression shirts and shorts (from $25).

DON’T: Wear shoes with Gore-Tex. They keep water out, but they also keep it in.

DO: Run in minimalist trail shoes with aggressive tread and a low profile, like Inov-8’s X-Talon 190s ($120).

DON’T: Race with your glasses or a hat on or your keys in your pocket. You will lose them in the muck.

DO: Use gloves, like Mad Grip Pro Palm ($10), to protect your hands and enhance your grip. Cut off the fingertips for quicker drainage

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Top 12 Exercises to Prepare For An Obstacle Course Race

Have you done an obstacle course race yet?

If yes, your endurance, strength, agility, and mental grit are challenged.

No matter what race you choose (check out the Top 5 Obstacle Course Races ), you’ll probably jump over walls, climb ropes, crawl through mud, hoist weights, and carry heavy objects uphill.

You can’t train with only only traditional exercises to do your best.

Instead, you have to get creative with your workouts, focusing on full-body movements that increase your power, flexibility, stability, and grip strength.

The 12 exercises below will load your body in many ways to build a solid core.

At the same time that you build endurance, you will develop total-body strength.

Are you ready?

1. Double Kettlebell (Or Dumbbell) Front Squats

Goblet squats are an excellent exercise to build leg strength and core stability. This exercise will help you flip tires, and lift and carry cement balls (or other heavy objects). You can perform this exercise using a kettlebell or dumbbells.

Instructions : Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, and slightly turned out. Holding the weight at your chest, get tall through your spine and pack your shoulders. Keeping your chest tall and core tight, bend your knees and bring your hips down towards your heels. Make sure to track your knees over your 2nd toes (don’t let your knees collapse in). Inhale as you pull your hips down, and exhale as your drive through your feet to stand tall again.

2. Cliffhanger Pull-ups

Rather than a typical overhand pull-up, you’re going to perform a narrow-grip pull-up with staggered hands. In most obstacle races, you’ll have to climb up ropes, traverse ropes, jump over walls, and cross monkey bars. This means you need to be strong enough to hold and pull up your own body weight, usually with an asymmetrical grip.

Instructions : Using a pull-up bar, you’re going to place your right hand in front of your left, with both palms facing into the mid-line. Hang from the bar, keeping your shoulders packed away from your ears. Perform a pull-up bringing your head to the left side of the bar, then lower back down to the start. Now do a pull-up bringing your head to the right side of the bar. Continue to alternate sides. On your second set, place your left hand in front of the right.

3. Plank Kettlebell (or Dumbbell) Drag

Having a strong, stable core will help you conquer so many obstacles – crawling under barbed wire, crossing a cargo net, walking across rope ladders, etc. The plank kettlebell drag will not only build your core endurance, but also anti-rotational strength. The key is to keep your shoulders and hips square as you drag a heavy weight underneath you.

Instructions : Start in a high-plank position – hands on the ground, arms fully extended, and feet about hips-width apart – with one weight outside of your right hand. Get long from head to heels. If you’re doing plank correctly, you should be able to draw a straight line through your head, shoulders, hips, and heels. Maintaining this strong position, reach your left hand underneath your body to grab the weight and drag it along the floor to the outside of your left shoulder. Then plant your left hand, and reach your right hand underneath you to drag the weight back to the right. Keep going, and don’t let your hips or shoulders dip or twist.

4. Kettlebell (or Dumbbell) Suitcase Carry

You’ll probably face an obstacle that requires you to balance, whether that means crossing a balance beam, hopping from post-to-post, or walking across a rope bridge. Your ability to maintain stability is crucial. That’s your focus here. To make this exercise more challenging, step one foot right in front of the other, as if you were walking on a tight rope.

Instructions : Choose a moderate- to heavy weight, and hold the weight in your right hand. Stand tall with your shoulders and hips square, shoulders packed, and core tight. Step your right foot directly in front of your left without letting the weight pull you off-center, and without leaning to the right. You should feel your core working hard to stabilize your spine. After 30 seconds, switch hands and repeat.

5. Heavy Cable Lift

Being able to generate rotational power is hugely beneficial. One obstacle that challenged a lot of people in the Sacramento Super Spartan was dragging a cement block attached to a chain up a muddy, rocky hill, and then back down again. There’s a good chance you’ll have to pull or drag a tire, or some other heavy object.

Instructions : Using a cable machine, select a heavy weight that you can lift with good form. Set the anchor low. Stand sideways with your left shoulder next to the cable machine, holding the handle in your left hand, covered by your right hand. Start facing forward, then pull the cable diagonally upwards toward the upper right as your pivot your feet and hips. Control the weight back to center, and repeat.

Burpees are the bread-and-butter of a lot of obstacle races, but especially Spartan Races. If you miss an obstacle, you get 30 burpees. Sometimes burpees are part of an obstacle, and sometimes burpees ARE the obstacle. Don’t you think it’s a good idea to get really efficient at doing burpees?

Instructions : Start standing tall, then squat down to bring your hands to the floor. Jump your feet back into a plank position as you lower yourself down into a push-up. Press out of your push-up and then jump your feet forward towards your hands. As soon as your feet touch the ground, jump up into the air. Land softly, and repeat – hands down, jump back, push-up, jump-forward, and jump up.

7. Single-arm Kettlebell (or DB) Walking Lunges

Unilaterally loading your body during walking lunges will challenge your legs, glutes, and core in a whole new way. This exercise will help you keep your balance when crossing balance beams or hopping from post-to-post.

Instructions : Select a moderate- to heavy-weight, and hold it in your right hand. Stand tall with your shoulders packed and core tight. Step your right foot forward, bending both knees down to about 90°. Then drive through your legs to step your left foot forward and lunge down. Continue your walking lunges without letting the weight pull you off-center.

8. Plank Crawl

Can you guess what this exercise prepares you for? – Crawling under barbed wire. Yes, the barbed wire is sharp. And you’ll want to keep your body low to the ground while moving efficiently forward. You’ll get muddy and feel your arms, legs, and core burn, but practicing the plank crawl will help you beat this obstacle without a scratch.

Instructions : Start in a plank on your forearms. Keep your body long from head to heels, and your core tight. Crawl your right arm and your left foot forward, then the left arm and right foot. Keep crawling until the time is up. Don’t let your knees, hips, or head drop down.

9. Hanging Oblique Raises

When you have to jump over a tall wall, climb straight up a rope, or cross the monkey bars, you’ll be glad you did this exercise. Hanging oblique raises strengthen your grip while building your core control.

Instructions : Hang from a pull-up bar with an overhand grip. Pack your shoulders, bringing your shoulders away from your ears. Start with your legs hanging straight down. Maintaining stability in your upper body, bend your knees and raise them towards your right tricep. Lower your legs back to the start with control, then bring your knees towards your left tricep. Continue alternating sides until you’ve completed the prescribed number of repetitions. Don’t swing your legs! You want this movement to come from the strength of your core, not from velocity.

10. Box Jumps

In some races, you’ll have to jump over a wall of fire. In others, you’ll be required to jump over logs, or even walls. In order to overcome these obstacles, you’ll need enough power in your legs to get some serious height. That’s where box jumps come in. You can either train this exercise for max speed, or for height. I recommend focusing on height.

Instructions : Choose a tall box that you know you can safely jump onto. Start standing tall facing the box. Squat down, and then drive powerfully through your legs while driving your arms to land softly on top of the box in the squat position. Make sure to land with soft joints, and drive your knees towards your 2nd toes. Don’t let your knees collapse in. Initially, I recommend stepping down. As you build your technique, you can jump down, making sure to cushion your landing with soft knees. Reset in your start position, and then jump back onto the box.

11. Inverted Rows

To prepare yourself to climb an inverted wall out of a muddy water pit, or traverse across a hanging rope, you’ll want to increase your horizontal pulling strength. The inverted row does just that. To make this exercise easier, don’t lean back as far. For a greater challenge, place your feet on an elevated surface.

Instructions : Holding onto a squat bar or a suspension training system (like TRX), step your feet forward so that you’re leaning back. Keep your hips lifted by engaging your glutes and squeezing your abs. Pull your chest towards the bar while keeping your body in a straight line. Lower yourself back to the start position with control. For a greater challenge lean further back, or elevate your feet on a box or bench.

12. Resistance Band Sprint-in-Place

The hardest obstacle in the race might just be the steep, relentless hills. Practicing resisted sprints will build your hamstring and glute power, so you can charge the hills and beat the fatigue.

Instructions : Attach a super band to a solid anchor point. Step into the band so that it’s against the front of your waist, and take a few steps forward. Leaning slightly into the band, begin “sprinting”. You won’t go anywhere, since the band will be holding you in place. Pump your arms and drive your legs as fast as you can, with control.

Obstacle Course Strength Workout Example

Here’s an example of how you can combine some of these exercises into a workout:

Complete 3 rounds of each circuit. Rest for 30-60 seconds between each round.

Obstacle Course Workout Plan Tips

To properly prepare for an obstacle course race, you’ll want to include both running and strength training. The distance of your race will determine how much endurance you want to build. For example, several races are only 3-4 miles, while others can be upwards of 12-14 miles. Whatever the distance, plan on running 3 times per week.

If you’re new to obstacle course races, or to running in general, I recommend starting with a 3-4 mile course. If you’re an avid runner who’s participated in a variety of road races, ranging from 5-Ks to half-marathons, then challenge yourself with a longer course of 8-10 or 12-14 miles.

Don’t underestimate the importance of building your aerobic base. I can’t tell you how often I’ve seen people crying mid-course. You’re going to face steep uphills and downhills, uneven terrain, rocks, tree branches, and mud. But the hills are what get people. The more you can include hills in your running program, the more prepared you’ll be on race-day. If possible, include one tempo/speed day, one hill day, and one long run per week.

Be Prepared to Conquer the Race

To do well in an obstacle course race, you’ll want to train for at least 3-6 months ahead of time (depending on the distance of the course). Perform these strength workouts in between your running days for best results. If you try these out, let me know what you think! What are your favorite exercises to train for obstacle races?

Additional Resources:

1. Spartan Race 2. Tough Mudder 3. Savage Race 4. BoneFrog Challenge 5. Rugged Maniac

About the Author - Kristin Rooke, CPT, HHC

Kristin is a certified personal trainer who takes an integrated approach to fitness. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Exercise and Sports Studies and Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, has a background in yoga instruction through YogaWorks, and studied holistic nutrition at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

Amazing article, Kristin. Love the exercise demos and you include some exercises that are very effective but many people may not have done before.

Good for my knowledge as a basketball coach

Glad you found it useful!

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6 Week Training Plan for Your Obstacle Course, Tough Mudder, Spartan Race

Signed up for some crazy race and now you need to be prepared for it? Obstacle courses offer a unique challenge, so your training must be unique as well. Here's a 6 week plan to get you in gear.

Written by Andrew Read Last updated on Nov 22, 2021

Obstacle racing is the new boot camp. Going back a few years boot camps were all the rage. You’d have a bunch of pretend tough guys (in most cases, although some were legit ex-military PTIs) parading around in camouflage or other tactical gear, and barking orders at people desperate to get in shape. The reason boot camps were so popular came down to two things:

• It gave people a taste of what it is like in the military.
• Training in a group helps people stay committed as not only do they enjoy the workouts but there is peer pressure at work to keep people coming back even when they don’t feel like it.

And those are two of the big draws for obstacle racing , too. You can do it as a team challenge with events like Tough Mudder or choose to do individual races like Spartan Race , but in both cases you will be amongst large groups of people and you will get to run through various obstacles (although I must be honest and say in all the times I ran various obstacle courses in the military I never once had to run through a bunch of electrified wires).

But how do you train for one of these things if you don’t have a ten-foot wall to climb or a bunch of pipes to crawl through? I’m going to assume that if you have decided to sign up for a mud run that you can at least run. If you’re not a runner at this point then please look at my running break-in plan . On top of that we’re also going to add some strength work.

The twist to the strength work is that we can’t allow ourselves to be dogmatic about how we train. The thing about events like an obstacle course race is that there is no way you can actually train for them short of being on the course. They’re incredibly non-specific, so our training needs to be broader based than usual. This doesn’t mean we need to go crazy and start trying to cram everything plus the kitchen sink into our sessions, but where I would normally suggest picking a few exercises and getting very good at them, for events like this we need to deliberately expand our training selections.

What do I mean? Here are the elements you should include:

Power Cleans

The power clean is a long time favorite exercise of mine. It gives me a lot of benefits for a single movement and allows me to use a lot of weight. But for events like this we’ll be better off not just using power cleans but using every variation we can come up with. So it might be power cleans, hang power cleans from various positions, full cleans, and all forms of clean pulls from both the floor and the hang.

I’m also a firm believer that grip strength and the ability to pull yourself up are important for climbing walls, ropes, and the other odd shaped obstacles that need to be navigated. So we’ll need pull-ups too, but we need a wide variety of them .

Single Leg Training

Since spending a lot of time running getting ready for an Ironman, I’ve fallen in love again with single leg training. You get big strength increases and improvements in your movement (which can actually be assessed via the FMS), but miss out on a lot of the spinal compression you get from bilateral leg training. But again, we need a wide variety to satisfy this element of the unknown that we will encounter during the mud run.

Circuit Training

We also need to incorporate elements of circuit training into our own training so that we get used to accessing our strength under stress. This kind of power endurance work is often used by people in the mistaken belief that it is all they need, but you still need to include straight high-load strength work in your training up until about a week out.

I’ve put together a six-week training plan that will prepare you for an obstacle course. To get it in printable form, you can download a PDF here.

Download a printable PDF of this 6-week training plan.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock .

About Andrew Read

Andrew Read is like that old guy in the Rocky movies - he has a funny accent, hates everyone, and no one ever knows if he's happy or sad. But just like Mickey, he knows training. Even back in grade school his teachers would complain he was spending too much time reading bodybuilding magazines or trying new exercises in the gym. These days nothing has changed and even after a lifetime of competitive martial arts and some time spent in special forces he still maintains that same passion for increasing human performance, especially that go all day, out run a zombie, live in an apocalyptic wasteland kind of fitness. Having been a Master RKC, Andrew is recognised as one of the best kettlebell trainers in the world.His specialty is elite performance and he has been involved with training three world BJJ champions.

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Top 10 Insane Obstacle Course Workouts

In case you hadn’t noticed, obstacle course races and mud runs like the Spartan, Tough Mudder and Warrior Dash are sweeping the nation. From 20,000 participants in it’s 2010 debut year, the Tough Mudder logged nearly 700,000 participants in 2013. With 350,000 participants in 2012, 60+ events in 2013, and featuring over 100 events in 2014, Reebok Spartan Race is one of the fastest growing events in the world.

O bstacle racing is a sport in which, traveling on foot, you must overcome various physical challenges. Obstacles include, but are not limited to, climbing over walls, carrying heavy objects, traversing bodies of water, crawling under barbed wire, and jumping through fire.

With a history of heavy military influence, it’s no surprise that many obstacles are similar to those used in military training. But other obstacles are unique to obstacle racing and test endurance , strength, speed, mobility, and mental toughness. Races vary in both distance and challenge level, combining trail running, road running, and cross-country running in distances ranging from 1 mile arena sprint events to 26.2+ mile “death races”!

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 that gets thrown at your body.

In this article, you’re going to get 10 slightly insane obstacle training workouts that will spice up your workouts like nothing else, and completely redefine the way you train. You don’t need much equipment for these – just some heavy stuff and the willingness to tolerate physical discomfort. Ready? Let’s jump right in. If you can tackle a few of these a week, you’ll be ready to race obstacle courses – or at least be a helluva lot tougher.

Obstacle Course Workout #1: Butt Burner

A simple workout that requires just you and your body.

•  400M walking lunges
• Run max distance for 5 minutes
• 400M walking lunges
• Run max distance for 4 minutes
• Run max distance for 3 minutes
• Run max distance 2 minutes
• Max distance run for 1 minutes

Obstacle Course Workout #2: Battle Rounds

Perfect when you have one set of dumbbells and you want a lung-sucking workout that includes some significant load lifting.

Preferably wearing Elevation Training Mask, do 3-5 rounds for time of:

• 50 leg levers
• 40 mountain climbers
• 20 kettlebell or dumbbell swings
• 10 dumbbell manmakers (40lb men/25lb women)

Obstacle Course Workout #3: The Running Bear

It’s called the bear because it feels like you have a bear on your back. Enjoy that feeling.

• Do 10 Bear complex using 95lbs for females or 135lbs for males. Then run 1 Mile.
• Then 8 Bear Complex, followed by running 800M.
• Then 6 Bear complex, followed by running 400M.
• And finally 4 Bear Complex followed by 200M and a final 2 Bear Complex.

Obstacle Course Workout #4: Sandy Stairs

All you need for this is something heavy to carry and a flight of stairs. You get to work your core during your “rest periods”.

• Find a flight of stairs, preferably 3-5 flights
• At bottom of stairs, do 5-10 sandbag , rock or dumbbell clean and jerks (here’s how to make your own sandbag)
• Carry sandbag to top of stairs. Carry sandbag back down stairs.
• Set sandbag down and hold plank position for 60 seconds.
• Repeat for as many rounds as possible in available time.

Obstacle Course Workout #5: Row Your Boat

Don’t have a rowing machine? Then use a bike. But double the distance if done on a stationary bike.

Row 1000m, rest 2 minutes, row 800m, rest 90 seconds, row 600m, rest 60 seconds, row 400m, rest 30 seconds, and finally row 200m for an all out effort. Finish by hopping off the rowing machine for 30 burpees.

Obstacle Course Workout #6: Hotel Room Workout

I travel a ton and do body weight workouts like this quite a bit. I’ve also done similar workouts (without the cold shower of course) in airport terminals, parks, etc.

As many rounds as possible of:

• 10 lunge jumps per side
• 20 box jumps onto bed
• 25 chair dips
• 30 jumping jacks

Finish with a 2-5 minute cold shower

Obstacle Course Workout #7: The Wrestler

You’ll feel like you’ve been in a wrestling match after this one.

Complete 3 rounds of:

• 30 squat tosses with sandbag
• 10-30 pistol squats each leg
• 10-30 pull-ups
• 5 rope climbs

Obstacle Course Workout #8: 5×5 With Sprint Finisher

very good combination of strength, speed and muscular endurance. 5 sets of 5 reps of:

• Shoulder Press
• Power clean

Finisher: 10×30 second sprint at 8-10mph on 8-10% incline

Obstacle Course Workout #9: Hotel / Stairs Workout

very good option for when the hotel gym is crappy.

• Run one flight of stairs one step at a time. Stop on landing for 20 second isometric squat.
• Run next flight of stairs two steps at a time. Stop on landing for 20 push-ups.
• Run next flight of stairs by box jumping as many steps at a time. Stop on landing for 20 mountain climbers.
• Repeat for as many flights as possible.

Obstacle Course Workout #10: The Stairmaster

If you really fancy yourself as fit, try going from 5 to 1 minute, and then back up.

• 5 minutes hard stair climb, 100m walking lunges with 40lb dumbbells
• 4 minutes hard stair climb, 100m walking lunges with 40lb dumbbells
• 3 minutes hard stair climb, 100m walking lunges with 40lb dumbbells
• 2 minutes hard stair climb, 100m walking lunges with 40lb dumbbells
• 1 minutes hard stair climb, 100m walking lunges with 40lb dumbbells

Want over a hundred more workouts just like this? You can get them, along with Onnit’s Unconventional Guide To Obstacle Course Training, a complete 12 week nutrition plan from Ben Greenfield, obstacle how-to training videos with top Spartan athlete Hunter McIntyre, a guide to making your own backyard obstacles, top-secret interviews with the world’s top obstacle racing athletes and much more! Just head over to https://www.ObstacleDominator.com.

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How to Train For an Obstacle Course Race

Don’t make the mistake of assuming your regular running or lifting routine is enough to get you over the finish line

Indeed, these races will kick your butt—especially so if you approach them like most guys do: By thinking your regular old routine of either running or lifting is enough to get you over the finish line.

That’s just not so, says Alexander Nicholas, CPT, group fitness instructor and owner and founder of Epic Hybrid Training in New York City. The key to conquering these races is to combine the fitness disciplines, train at the manic pace you’ll face on race day, and mimic many of the awkward movements you’ll do in the course, he says.

“In an obstacle race, you need to ‘start and stop’ different muscle groups when transitioning through different obstacles, which leaves your entire body fatigued,” says Nicholas. In a Rugged Maniac race, for example, you might run a half mile through mud and water, then pull yourself up a massive warped wall, then climb across a cargo net before sliding 60 feet into water.

With that in mind, Nicholas designed these two high-intensity interval workouts to help everyone from average guys to seasoned OCR pros excel at their next race. You’ll hammer your muscles and lungs, and build the strength and mobility you need for any obstacle. He suggests doing each of the workouts once a week along with your regular fitness routine.

Fair warning, says Nicholas. These workouts are intense. Do them 3 to 4 days apart so your body has enough time to recover. The upshot: You’ll blast a ton of fat in the process, and have a serious leg up on your competition.

Workout #1: The Ultimate Obstacle Course Race Circuit

In this intense workout, you’ll practice the most common OCR movements that tend to throw guys off their game on race day. It’ll help you pull ahead on race day, and will also fill a ton of gaps in your overall strength and fitness.

Directions: Warm up by performing 5 reps of pushups, 5 reps of air squats, then 5 reps of situps. That’s 1 round. Do as many rounds as you can in 3 minutes.

Now move onto the workout: Perform the exercises below in the order shown for 40 seconds each. Rest 20 seconds between each exercise. Once you’ve complete the last exercise, that’s 1 round. Do 6 total rounds.

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 and grab the bar with an overhand grip. Pull yourself up until your chin is over the bar. Continue doing pullups for the remainder of your 40 seconds.

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 between your legs and pull the weight across the floor up in front of you. Now, bear crawl forward until the weight is between your legs again. Repeat.

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 it, like you’re gripping the handle of a baseball bat. 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.

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 knee forward and bent 90 degrees. Jump as high as you can as you switch legs mid-air and land so your left knee is just above the ground and your right knee is forward and bent 90 degrees. Now do two traditional jumping jacks. Repeat the pattern for time.

5. Plank to elbow touch

Assume a pushup position. Raise your left hand, bend your left arm, and slowly touch your left elbow to the floor. Reverse the movement, then repeat with your right arm. Continue the pattern for 40 seconds, occasionally adjusting the distance between your feet throughout.

6. Lateral box skater

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.

Workout #2: Obstacle Course Race Lung Tamer

“The workout simulates the unforgiving pace and challenges found during an obstacle race,” says Nicholas. “It also helps you prepare mentally for the types of different cardio and muscle exertion experiences during the race.”

Directions: After a warmup of your choice, hop on a treadmill and set it to a pace that’s equivalent to your fastest 1-mile pace. Run for 60 seconds. Rest 10 seconds, then perform the first strength exercise, Spiderman pushups, for 60 seconds. Rest 10 seconds.

That’s 1 round. Do 6 rounds, then rest 90 seconds.

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

Get into pushup position. Perform a pushup, but as you do, bring your right knee up to touch your right elbow. Push back up, returning your leg to the starting position. Repeat on the other side.

2. Kettlebell swing

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. That’s Swing the weight back down between your legs—your back straight and knees slightly bent—and repeat the pattern, like a pendulum.

3. Dumbbell thruster

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.

4. 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. Pull the dumbbells up to your rib cage. Slowly lower them back to the start. That’s one rep.

Get into a pushup position. Step your right foot to outside of your right hand, then return it back to the start. Repeat, this time with your left foot.

6. Seated kettlebell or dumbbell Russian twist

Lie on your back holding a weight between your hands. Lift your torso so it’s at a 45-degree angle from the ground, and raise your legs, keeping them straight. Your body should resemble a big V. Bring the weight to the right side of your body, tapping it to the ground just near your right hip. Reverse the movement and repeat to the left, tapping the weight to the ground near your left hip.

Note: If you’re not experienced with this move—or if you’ve had back pain in the recent past—try the Pallof press instead of the Russian twist.

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6 to 10 Mile Basic Obstacle Course Race Training

Posted by runningplanet | Jun 8, 2020 | Obstacle Course | 0 |

Obstacle course racing, mud runs and adventure racing are relatively new but very exciting running events. These high energy events inject some needed fun and variety into your normal running routine. You could continue with your typical training routine and still be fairly well prepared for the unusual requirements of obstacle course racing, but why not switch up your training routine just a bit. By engaging in a semi-custom obstacle course training program you will be fully prepared for the higher intensity movements of the race. You will perform better and even more importantly, avoid injury.

This series of training schedules are designed to meet your obstacle run, mud run and adventure racing needs. Each training plan includes specific running workouts and strength training routines to prepare you for your obstacle course event. The basic level plan is intended for new runners or experienced runners that simply want to enjoy their obstacle course experience. This obstacle course training plan will prepare you for a race distance of between 6 miles or 10K and 10 miles or 16K. If you prefer a shorter training plan we also have a 2 to 5 mile basic obstacle course race training plan.

This booklet includes the following components to help you meet your obstacle course running and racing goals. Each training component includes training schedules for 4, 5, 6 or 7 workouts per week so you can customize them to your training time.

You may or may not need this build up component. The build up schedule will take you from a walk/run combination to running 2 miles without stopping. If you are a new runner I would suggest beginning with this schedule. More experienced runners may want to skip this schedule and go directly to the 6 week training schedule.

Eight Week Training Schedule

The primary training plan is an 8 week schedule that begins with a 2 mile long run and progresses to 12 miles. Drills, strength training and stretching are included in each 4, 5,6 and 7 day per week time lines.

Strength Training

Strength training is important for all distance running plans, but it is especially important for obstacle course racing due to the climbing, jumping and crawling demands. The strength training exercises included are specifically designed for obstacle course racing.

Drills and Flexibility

There are sections included for both agility drills and flexibility exercises. Agility drills are used as a warm up and also to improve your obstacle course agility conditioning. Post workout flexibility training is important to maintain muscle and joint range of motion.

Terrain Training

Terrain training is a very specific type of training for obstacle course racing. This category of training will prepare you for the specific components of your race. Each race is different, so you will need to look at the events in your race and choose the terrain training exercises most appropriate for your specific obstacle course.

Obstacle Strategy

Some obstacles are easy to conquer while others can be a monster. We have included some easy strategies to help you overcome even the toughest obstacle.

Running Workouts

This obstacle course series includes the following types of running workouts. Your specific plan may include all or only a few of these workouts. The workouts in your plan depends upon the training program level.

Endurance Runs

This type of run is also known as aerobic conditioning. Endurance runs make up the highest percentage of overall mileage for a distance runner. These runs build your overall endurance, increase your blood volume, improve your ability to store energy supplying fuel, and improves the ability of your system to deliver oxygen to your muscles. Endurance workouts are performed at about 55 to 75 percent of your VO2 max (your body’s ability to process oxygen). This pace should feel easy and “conversational” in nature.

Tempo runs are moderate to long distance runs that are performed at between marathon pace and about 15 seconds per mile slower than 10K pace. Tempo training intensity is slightly less than lactate turn point intensity. The purpose of tempo running is to improve your ability to run long distances at paces that produce a significant amount of metabolites without the limiting factor of reaching your lactate turn point.

Progressive Runs

Progressive runs are a workout that combines endurance training, tempo training, lactate turn point training and speed training. When performing progressive runs you should start at an easy endurance pace and gradually increase your pace through out your training run. Increase from endurance pace to lactate turn point pace through all but the final 800 to 1600 meters of your progressive run. Then increase your pace to speed pace portion. For example, if you are doing a 6 mile progressive run you should start at endurance pace and gradually speed up to lactate turn point pace through the first 5 to 5.5 miles. Then finish at speed pace.

Lactate Threshold or LT Runs

LT runs are moderate distance, higher intensity training runs that are performed at very close to your 10K race pace or a hard pace. The purpose of these training runs are to improve the ability of your body and central nervous system to deal with the affect of metabolic imbalances.

These workouts are also known as aerobic capacity training. Speed runs are performed at between 90% and 100% of your VO2 max which is between your 5K race pace and your 3K race pace. Improving this pace will increase your fitness, speed, endurance and speed endurance.

These runs improve your endurance, goal pace endurance and mental toughness. They also improve your body’s ability to burn fat as fuel and conserve carbohydrates. Long runs are performed at an easy pace, goal pace or a combination of the two paces.

Strength Workouts

The second category of workouts in your training program are strength workouts. Strength training is important for runners because it helps prevent injury, improve your impact resistance, improve your running economy and build your speed and power. These workouts fall into one of three types:

• General Strength – General strength workouts build your overall body strength and provide a base for the more specific types of strength training.
• Running Specific Strength – These are strength building exercises that target your running specific motions and muscles
• Plyometrics – Plyometrics are high intensity strength exercises and drills that are explosive in nature and are great for improving running economy and power.

This 6 to 10 mile basic obstacle course race training plan is presented to you in PDF format. You can view the pages using your scroll bar or use the PDF viewer controls at the bottom of each page.

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The Best Workout Plan for Your First Obstacle Course Race

Signing up for your first obstacle course race or Spartan Race can be an emotional combination of excitement and a little intimidation, and that’s completely normal. Even as an athlete my entire life, I was a little nervous going into my first race. So, you’re not the only one.

Related: 30 Days to Beast: How I Trained for a 21K Spartan Race

The key to success in your first obstacle course race is to race your own race and shift the way you work out so it’s catered specifically to Spartan racing. Chances are you’re going to be running on tough terrain, face elevation, you’re going to be pulling stuff, carrying stuff, climbing stuff, getting into weird positions, you name it.

Here’s the plan to get prepared.

Pick Your First Obstacle Course Race Wisely

For a Spartan Race, you’ll most likely race a Sprint, Super, Beast, or Ultra. A Spartan Sprint is a 5K with 20+ obstacles, a Spartan Super is a 10K with 20+ obstacles, a Spartan Beast is a 21K with 30+ obstacles, and a Spartan Ultra is a 50K with 60+ obstacles. The main thing that changes in your workout plan is the distance you’re running. It’s highly recommended that if it’s your very first race, sign up for a Spartan Sprint.

Related: The Best Exercises to Prepare for Spartan Race Obstacles

Your First Obstacle Course Race Workout Plan

The following accelerated program takes the exercises listed above and compiles them into a full weekly training program that you can perform week over week, no matter which race you plan on tackling.

Monday:  Uphill Walk at Low Intensity

For Sprint Prep:  Incline walk at 12% grade for approximately 15-20 minutes. For Super Prep:  Incline walk at 12% grade for 20-30 minutes (with weight vest, if possible). For Beast Prep:  Incline walk at 12% grade for 40+ minutes (with weight vest, if possible).

Tuesday:  Pull and Carry

• Plank (3 sets x as long as possible)
• Side Plank (3 sets x as long as possible on each side)
• Sit-Up (3 sets x 25 reps) or Hollow Hold (3 sets x for as long as possible)
• Farmer Carry (3 sets x as long as possible, with 40-70-pound dumbbells or kettlebells)
• Pull-Up, Inverted Row, or Dead Hang (3 sets x as long as possible on each side)
• Pull-Down (3 sets x 10-15 reps)
• Reverse Curls (3 sets x 10-15 reps)

Wednesday:  Tempo Runs

For Sprint Prep:  2 miles at easy and harder paces throughout For Super Prep:  4 miles at easy and harder paces throughout For Beast Prep:  4-6 miles at easy and harder paces throughout

• 30-90 burpees

Thursday:  Active Recovery

Friday:  lower-body strength.

• Sit-Up (3 sets x 25 reps) or Hollow Hold (3 sets x as long as possible)
• Squats (3 sets x 30 seconds)
• Lunges (3 sets for 30 seconds)
• Weighted Step-Ups (3 sets x 10-15 reps)
• Sumo Deadlift (3 sets x 8-10 reps)

Saturday:  Active Recovery

Sunday:  long run.

For Sprint Prep:  4 miles at a comfortable pace For Super Prep:  6 miles at easy and harder paces throughout For Beast Prep:  8 miles* at easy and harder paces throughout *Increase mileage by 10% each week.

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Train For An Obstacle Race With This 6-Week Plan

Don’t just do an obstacle race—completely dominate. our six-week plan will get you more than ready to conquer the course..

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Have you recently run through a finish line caked in mud from head to toe? If so, you’re not alone. More than 2 million people(!) completed an obstacle race in 2012, a number that just keeps increasing.

“Experience is the new luxury good,” says Will Dean, founder of the Tough Mudder series. “This is what people want to brag about on Facebook.” Social media has been a major driver for sure. Who wouldn’t want to post photos of themselves crawling under barbed wire, getting zapped by electrical cords, leaping from 12-foot platforms or climbing cargo nets?

If you’ve never answered the call of the mud, fear not. Although it might seem uber-intimidating to power full speed over miles of ditches and hills, the dirty little secret of these races is that many participants walk the majority of the course.

There’s no shame in walking between obstacles—or even around the scary ones—but you’ll feel best if you’re ready to conquer the event. And we have just the plan to get you there.

Follow this six-week program of integrated workouts that combine running with movements that mimic the challenges and rhythms of an obstacle race. This way, you’ll be prepared to leap over walls, move quickly while carrying logs or buckets of gravel, and wiggle effortlessly through claustrophobic-inducing tubes and freshly dug tunnels. Now go get dirty, girl! But first a few guidelines…

Warm up before every workout. An active warm-up is important before an obstacle race or training session since you’re using your entire body. Make sure you’re loose and limber going into every workout by completing a few walking lunges and lateral lunges, planks, arm swings and hip circles.

Get in touch with your inner-child. In an obstacle race you’ll be called upon to navigate monkey bars, balance on beams, climb walls and traverse ropes. Chances are you can find all of those things at your local playground. This is a great excuse to play more with your kids. No children? Borrow some nieces or nephews or use the playground during o -hours.

Run off-road. Obstacle races take place on dirt. So why train on concrete or asphalt? Even in urban areas, you usually can run on the grass along sidewalks or through parks. Challenge yourself to stay o of cement as much as possible.

Training Key

Active Rest (AR):  This is an off day, so there’s no formal workout. But if you have time, consider spending 15 minutes in motion on a foam roller or playing your favorite sport.

Interval Run (IV):  This speed workout will have you alternating between fast running and walking or slow jogging. A 3-3-2-2-3, for instance, consists of 3 minutes of running at 80-percent effort, followed by 3 minutes of walking, 2 minutes of running, etc.

Obstacle Run (OR):  This race-simulation workout will break up a run by mimicking an obstacle every half mile.

Park Bench Routine  (PBR): Find a bench (outside, or in the gym if necessary) for this workout, which will have you alternating between sets of pushups and dips, both performed while leaning on the bottom of the bench. If the workout reads “10- 8-6-4,” do a set of 10 of each, a set of 8 of each, etc.

Park/Beach/Playground  (PBP):  This workout is best performed at a park, beach or playground where you have pull-up bars, park benches, monkey bars and the ability to run on grass or sand.

Click here for the pdf version of Weeks 1-3

All workouts are 30ish-minutes, including a 5-minute full-body warm up.

Monday IV 1-mile easy run, 3-3-2-3-3 intervals, 1 mile easy run

Tuesday PBP 400-meter run, pull-ups (5 or to failure), 50 mountain climbers, 400-meter run, 20 push-ups (repeat until reaching 25 minutes)

Wednesday AR

Thursday PBR  400-meter run, 15 burpees, 400 meter run, park bench routine 12-10-8-6-4-2 (repeat until reaching 25 minutes)

Friday PBP  1-mile run, 20 pushups, 50 mountain climbers, 5 pull-ups, 10 burpees (repeat until reaching 25 minutes)

Saturday AR

Sunday Rest

All workouts are 40ish-minutes, including a 5-minute full-body warm up.

Monday PBP  400-meter run, 20 pushups, 30 mountain climbers, 400-meter run, 20 squat jumps, 20 V-sit crunches (repeat until reaching 35 minutes)

Tuesday PBP  400-meter run, 20 pushups, 20 squats, 400-meter run, 50 mountain climbers, 5 pull-ups, 400-meter run, 20 burpees, 15 squat jumps. (repeat until reaching 35 minutes)

Thursday PBR  400-meter run, 20 jumps for height, 400-meter run, 10 monkey bars, park bench routine 12-10-8-6-4-2, 400-meter run, pull-ups to failure, 1-minute plank (repeat until reaching 35 minutes)

Friday IV 1-mile easy run, 4-3-3-4 intervals, 1-mile easy run

All workouts are 50ish-minutes, including a 5-minute full-body warm up.

Monday PBR  400-meter run, 30 push-ups, 50 mountain climbers, 400-meter run, park bench routine 12-10-8-6-4-2, 20 squat jumps, 400-meter run, 20 burpees (repeat until reaching 45 minutes)

Tuesday IV  1-mile easy run, 4-3-3-4-2 intervals, 1 mile easy run

Thursday PBP  400-meter run, 20 pushups, 20 squats, 400-meter run, 50 mountain climbers, 5 pull-ups, 400-meter run, 20 burpees, 15 bench jumps (repeat until reaching 45 minutes)

Friday PBP  400-meter run, swim 50 yards or run 25 minutes and perform 20 burpees, 400-meter run (repeat until reaching 45 minutes)

Click here for the pdf version of Weeks 4-6

All workouts are 60ish-minutes, including a 5-minute full-body warm up.

Monday OR  4-mile run: 0.5-mile mark (20 pushups), 1-mile (15 burpees), 1.5 mile (20 squats), 2-mile (20 pushups), 2.5-mile (15 burpees), 3-mile (20 jumps for height), 3.5-mile (20 squat jumps), 4-mile (20 burpees)

Tuesday PBR  800-meter run, PBR 12-10-8-6-4-2 (repeat until reaching 55-minutes)

Thursday IV  2-mile easy run, 3-4-2-4-3 intervals, 2-mile easy run

Friday PBR  1-mile run, PBR 12-10-8-6-4-2, 30 squats, pull-ups to failure, 2-min plank, 1-mile run, 30 V-sit crunches, PBR 12-10-8-6-4-2

All workouts are 70(ish)-minutes, including a 5-minute full-body warm up.

Monday IV  3-mile easy run, 3-4-2-4-3 intervals, 2-mile easy run

Tuesday PBR   2-mile run, 10 jumps for height, 20 squats, 20 pushups, 2-mile run, PBR 12-10-8-6-4-2 (repeat until reaching 65 minutes)

Thursday PBR  PBR 12-10-8-6-4-2, pull-ups to failure, 20 squats, 2-min plank, 15 monkey bars (repeat until reaching 65 minutes)

Friday PBP  2-mile run, 15 monkey bars, 20 jumps for height, 20 pushups, 2-mile run, 2-min plank, 15 monkey bars, 20 squats, 2-mile run (repeat until reaching 65 minutes)

All workouts are 40(ish)-minutes, including a 5-minute full-body warm up.

Monday IR  1-mile easy run, 2-3-3-3-2-3-2 intervals, 1-mile easy

Wednesday PBR  400-meter run, 15 burpees, 400 meter run, park bench routine 12-10-8-6-4-2 (repeat until reaching 35 minutes)

Thursday AR

Friday Rest

Saturday Race!

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The Perfect Spartan Race Workout Plan

Andrea Rice is an award-winning journalist and a freelance writer, editor, and fact-checker specializing in health and wellness.

Obstacle Course Racing

• OCR Training
• Workout Plan

It shouldn't come as a surprise that the state of the running industry remains strong after significant growth through the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st.   A big part of the growth after 2010 came in the form of non-traditional running events, most commonly termed obstacle course races, or OCRs.

In fact, according to a 2014 State of the Sport press release from USA Running, the growth of non-traditional running events, including obstacle course races, adventure races, and themed races, surpassed the record-setting participation in half marathons and full marathons with a whopping 4 million runners taking part in such non-traditional events.  

To put this another way, while running as a whole continued to grow during this time period, participation in non-traditional running events didn't just grow, it exploded.  That said, the drastic rise in participation has started to turn, with more recent data released by USA Running that indicated a 30% decline in OCR finishers in 2015.  

The initial surge the industry experienced dropped off as the novelty of the experience started to wear out. But despite this decline, overall interest remains strong, and millions of runners continue to seek out the challenge of such OCRs and adventure races each year.  

Obstacle course races (OCRs), as opposed to some of the other "themed" or "adventure" races, are highly competitive events. They have a militaristic mentality that encourages participants to push their physical boundaries—climbing cargo nets, jumping into mud pits, and crawling under webs of barbed wire—all while aiming to complete a race ranging from three to 26 miles.

These races aren't for the faint of heart, but they're perfect for anyone who thrives on competition. In fact, there's even an OCR World Championship that brings together top OCR athletes from a range of race series and competitions who want to prove they're the best of the best. 

Of all the OCRs around, the most popular and competitive include the Spartan Race and Tough Mudder. These races, along with a slew of other up-and-coming events, are all considered qualifying races for many of the OCR World Championships' competitive events.

Qualifying takes serious training and requires a rigorous workout regimen that helps competitors achieve the "diverse and well-developed motor skills and physical capacities," required of OCR athletes, as according to Nicole Mullins, the author of the 2012 paper, "Obstacle Course Challenges: History, Popularity, Performance Demands, Effective Training, and Course Design."  

OCR Training for a Beginner

The good news is, you don't have to undergo an hours-per-day workout regimen to prepare for your first OCR. In fact, there are many races that are actually quite accessible for beginners.

Most events give runners the option to choose shorter race distances with the ability to opt out of difficult obstacles. This flexibility enables almost anyone who follows a reasonable and consistent training program to complete such an event. And, while you can definitely complete an OCR in your regular running shoes, you may consider picking up a pair of shoes for Spartan races . Some minimalist running shoes , like Altra Men's AL0A4VQB Superior 4.5, can also be excellent for trail running.

The challenge, of course, is knowing what type of training program a runner should follow. Because OCRs aren't traditional running events, athletes should follow more comprehensive strength and cardio routines that incorporate bodyweight exercises as well as interval work to build endurance.

The Spartan empire is growing and making its training programs more accessible to anyone who's interested in competing. In 2016, Joe De Sena, Spartan CEO and founder and author of three books, published Spartan Fit! , a 30-day diet and exercise plan to prepare readers for a Spartan Sprint race.

In 2017, Spartan began offering an exclusive group fitness classes at 100 Life Time fitness centers across the U.S. Then in 2019, Spartan entered the corporate wellness space and launched the SpartanFIT app, a 30-day challenge app to promote health and fitness camaraderie among employees in the workplace.

While these training programs are specifically designed for Spartan races, they're also a great way to build strength and endurance for many OCR events, giving interested participants an idea of what to expect from a race of this caliber. 

While it's always a good idea to work directly with a coach or trainer leading up to a big event like an OCR, if you're looking for a few routines to get you started, you're in luck. Spartan SGX Training Director Joe DiStefano, BS, CSCS, SGX, prepared an exclusive Spartan SGX plan for Verywell Fit readers to help get you started.

This plan takes about 20-minutes per day, three days a week, not including endurance training days. It's a great way to start preparing for your first OCR, whether it's a Spartan race or another similar event. 

Workout Plan for Beginners

Weeks 1 and 2.

Duration : 3 days per week, plus walk at least 3,000 steps every day

Theme : Establish fundamental levels of output

Workout : Perform 4 rounds of:

• Bear crawl , 10 yards (keep your knees 1 inch off the ground, back parallel to the ground)
• Reverse lunges , 10 reps per leg
• High plank hold , 30 seconds (keep your abs, quads, and glutes tight with your body parallel to the ground)
• Walking rest, 30 seconds

Weeks 3 and 4

Duration : 3 days per week, plus 3,000 daily steps, and one endurance day

Theme: Accumulate high-quality total output in minimal time

Workout : Break up the reps and movements as you wish to finish the workout in the least amount of time possible:

• Bear crawl , 50 yards
• Reverse lunges , 50 reps per leg
• High plank hold,  accumulate three total minutes of hold time

Also, complete an endurance hiking day of 60 or more minutes hiking in nature

Weeks 5 and 6

Duration : 3 days per week, plus 5,000 daily steps, and two endurance days

Theme : Take training to the next level

Workout : Repeat the movements twice, completing them as fast as possible, then rest two minutes. Repeat the entire series three times:

• Push-ups, 5 reps
• Bear crawl , 15 yards
• Reverse bear crawl , 15 yards
• Walking lunges , 30 yards
• Burpees , 5 reps

Also, complete two endurance days:

• Hiking day : 90 or more minutes on your feet hiking in nature
• Running day : 3 miles completed as fast as possible

Robinson R. Runner's World . How the Running Boom Began . May 6, 2011.

Peer to Peer Professional Forum. Running USA 2014 State of the Sport - U.S. Race Trends .

Bachman R, Helliker R. The Wall Street Journal . Obstacle Racing Finds Itself Stuck in the Mud . May 11, 2016.

Dern N. The Atlantic . Why Are Obstacle-Course Races So Popular . July 14, 2018.

Mullins N. Obstacle Course Challenges: History, Popularity, Performance Demands, Effective Training, and Course Design . J Exerc Physiol Online . 2012;15(2).

By Laura Williams, MSEd, ASCM-CEP Laura Williams is a fitness expert and advocate with certifications from the American Council on Exercise and the American College of Sports Medicine.

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This is the best way to train, according to 5 master coaches, crush the week, crush your week with these 5 cardio kettlebell workouts, crush your week with these 5 performance-training mobility workouts, crush your week with these 5 bodyweight workouts for foundational strength, crush your week with these 5 resistance band workouts for foundational strength, crush your week with these 5 dumbbell core workouts, crush your week with these 5 burpee workouts for foundational strength, crush your week with these 5 obstacle-prep dumbbell workouts, crush your week with these 5 obstacle-prep medicine ball workouts, crush your week with these 5 total-body strength workouts (week 4), crush your week with these 5 total-body strength workouts (week 2), crush your week with these 5 resistance band core workouts, crush your week with these 5 total-body workouts, crush your week with these 5 obstacle-prep ram workouts, crush your week with these 5 total-body strength workouts (week 3), crush your week with these 5 total-body strength workouts (week 1), crush your week with these 5 kettlebell and burpee workouts, crush your week with these 5 kettlebell workouts for foundational strength, crush your week with these 5 obstacle-prep jump rope workouts, crush your week with these 5 resistance band core workouts (part 2), crush your week with these 5 kettlebell core workouts, crush your week with these 5 bodyweight core workouts, crush your week with these 5 bodyweight workouts, crush your week with these 5 mobility workouts, crush your week with these 5 ramroller workouts, gear up with spartan.

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