Tough Mudder

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Carnivorekat
Carnivorekat Posts: 370 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have the chance to get involved with this next year - and take part to raise money for a wonderful charity but I am seriously unfit and overweight at the minute - what tips and ideas could you give someone starting out on their journey - to make me fit enough to take part in this in a years time - I have plenty of time to train but a complete novice when it comes to getting fit.

I would love to have something to work towards that will be beneficial to more than just me

Replies

  • Frank_Just_Frank
    Frank_Just_Frank Posts: 454 Member
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    I think you'll need to see a trainer. That's going to take a lot of work to get ready for and your current fitness level makes you prone to serious injury.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    i love tough mudders. as the event isn't officially timed, people aren't really concerned with course performance. people stop and help each other and motivate each other.

    the most obvious thing about these obstacle course races is the thing that people seem to take for granted and not train for properly: the distance. a tough mudder is 12-14 miles long with varying degrees of elevation. it can be very hilly!! therefore you need to prepare for that kind of distance.

    please don't be intimidated. you can walk the whole thing if possible. i haven't done an obstacle course race where i haven't walked parts of it. yesterday i ran a spartan race and pretty much walked 4 out of 8 miles.

    so if i could give you one tip is to start walking.
  • ashleymmbent
    ashleymmbent Posts: 4 Member
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    I agree, a trainer (at least for the first little while) would be a very good idea. You can download training guides from the TM website, have a look to get a bit of an idea of what you should be able to do in order to participate safely and successfully. Saying that, you've got plenty of time and a great goal to aim for - if you stick with it, I have no doubt you will be able to do it!! Good luck!!
  • SadFaerie
    SadFaerie Posts: 243 Member
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    There's a plan on official TM site: http://toughmudder.com/tough-mudder-boot-camp-training/

    Tough Mudder is no joke. You have time and if you apply brains to it, it's entirely possible to turn your life around in a year time. Set realistic goals, work your way up slowly, don't get discouraged. Nobody gets from a couch potato to 100 burpees overnight. Start programs like C25K, for TM specific I would strongly recommend GSP RushFit* as it's a functional training very similar to TM Boot Camp.


    * Get a glimpse here: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheNewJoker6/videos?shelf_index=3&view=0&sort=p
  • Carnivorekat
    Carnivorekat Posts: 370 Member
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    Thanks everyone - it is a big task to achieve and one I am going to attempt, if I can't do it in one year then I will definitely do it in 2 - this is something for me to work towards and I will start slowly and work up - have no intention of causing injury - I will see if I can find a trainer to assist me too - thanks for the advice
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    i don't think you need to really look into a trainer. in my opinion, not worth the money. they're going to tell you what you already know, that you need to lose some weight. and when you are heavier, you don't have tons of options. eat a little less to lose weight, and for exercise, walking is your best bet. other low impact exercises are cycling, swimming, and water aerobics.

    when i was heavier, i couldn't run. it hurt my legs and i didn't have the endurance. but i wanted to get some cardio in, so i dusted off my old mountain bike, thinking i'd ride around the neighborhood for a bit. to my surprise i did about 6 miles my first day. i loved it. i could go further and longer than i ever could running, and my legs and body didn't feel beaten up.

    and after losing some weight and building up my endurance, i decided to go for a run. i told myself i'd just go whatever felt okay. i did two miles in about thirty minutes without a problem. it was great.
  • taeliesyn
    taeliesyn Posts: 1,116 Member
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    I'm off for my first tough mudder in about 7 weeks, my decision to do it was made seriously late, so I only had about 9 weeks to train, thus my cardio is not going to be anywhere near where I would like it to be.
    My advice, besides the trainer and training to try and find some of the easier mud runs during your lead up, so you get an idea of the sort of obstacles you may encounter and some ideas on how to deal with them.
  • jetscreaminagain
    jetscreaminagain Posts: 1,130 Member
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    i love tough mudders. as the event isn't officially timed, people aren't really concerned with course performance. people stop and help each other and motivate each other.

    the most obvious thing about these obstacle course races is the thing that people seem to take for granted and not train for properly: the distance. a tough mudder is 12-14 miles long with varying degrees of elevation. it can be very hilly!! therefore you need to prepare for that kind of distance.

    please don't be intimidated. you can walk the whole thing if possible. i haven't done an obstacle course race where i haven't walked parts of it. yesterday i ran a spartan race and pretty much walked 4 out of 8 miles.

    so if i could give you one tip is to start walking.

    This is true. I want to add to it.

    Ive done TM two years in a row. My first year it really helped focus me. Singing up was my New Year's. Resolution (thanks Cot. Apollo!) And I was invited by some officers in my work gym. My focus the first year was to get strong enough so I focussed on lifting heavy. I planned to walk. It was a great experience and I did walk, more of it than I thought I would, but the Terrain of the course is brutal. Both years just getting through the course was as bad as half the obstacles.

    I love TM and knew I could do better so I signed up again. Already loved lifting but my partner was a better runner, so I tried to focus on that. Because I'm a dope sometimes, I did a dumb thing and winked out my knees so I walked a lot of the second course too. I was still strong though so that's good. But I was cursing Big Mudder for the evil nature of the course (another observer told my hubs that other Kidders weren't as hilly with hostile Terrain as the Twin Cities so maybe I was just lucky)

    The thing I'd say is both years I could have used to be lighter. I'm not interested in losing weight for aesthetics any more. I like how I look. But every pound of fat makes things harder and doesn't add any benefit. There are obstacles that you *need* a fellow mudders help with. Being hoisted up a 12 foot wall by a stranger, you feel bad if you're heavier than necessary.

    Tough Mudder is hard. I wasn't gonna do it again I said while we were still on the grounds. But its awesome so before we were even halfway home I was starting sentences with "next year when I do Mudder ..."

    But it is hard. And while I've done it twice and there's no chance they'll do it in Minnesota before May, so nine months from now, I'm already training. You should to. Light, strong, with endurance and the legs to go that distance. Don't do it if you can't commit to months of dedicated work. And if you aren't sure, do a warrior dash or something before you put down your money.

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