Tough Mudder/Spartan race type training??

pawnstarNate
pawnstarNate Posts: 1,728 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Just brain storming but, it has crossed my mind to maybe enter one of these events this year. Looks grueling but, rewarding. If you have been in one of these...how did you train? I would just assume lots of running, maybe some crossfit, and pull ups. I could be very wrong though...maybe a lot of these....

strange-flip.gif

ok, I couldn't do one of those but, seriously...any ideas?

Replies

  • amandarawr06
    amandarawr06 Posts: 251 Member
    bump for later
  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
    Running is obviously always beneficial for these types of events. TM actually has some great circuits on their website. Honestly, if you mentally want to do it, you will. Is the Tough Mudder hard, sure, but you can walk when you don't want to run and the obstacles usually have lines to catch your breath. It's fun and honestly one of the best events I have done. The camaraderie is amazing. People helping people - I did mine in FL and 1/4 of it was in swamps. People falling into holes, other people helping them up and continuing on. I had trouble with the Berlin walls and I hear someone say "help her up" then some guy grabs me and lifts me up - no clue who he was.

    Running, upper body strength and your mentality will get you through. Don't listen to people that say you need to be able to run so many miles, etc. I could run 3 miles when I did mine and I ran it with someone who has done marathons. At the end of the day, around mile 8 we were both cramping up and wondering what the *kitten* we got into, but we both completed all 12 miles. You can't prepare for everything - don't go swim through ice or electrocute yourself. It's over fast - just go. Have fun!
  • whhth
    whhth Posts: 10 Member
    If you sign up for workouts at the Spartan race website, they send you a WOD (workout of day) by email every day.
  • MaeRenee94
    MaeRenee94 Posts: 175
    I agree with the lady above me. Don't just run, I could run 2 miles and did just fine. It's all mental. I ran the hole thing, 12 miles and didn't die. The obstacles are often so you get time to catch your breathe and calm down. I would focus more on upper body if I were you.
    Pre Tough Mudder I did more crossfit based workouts and I feel it helped a lot.

    The tough mudder is an amazing experience!!!! :) I wanna do a Spartan race this year!

    Good luck!
  • lindsaylove07
    lindsaylove07 Posts: 444 Member
    MOST races will list the types of workouts you should be doing for their race, they'll list the kinds of movements you'll be doing (IE wall climbs, army crawls etc) Tough mudder has them!
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,078 Member
    This is something I've been considering very recently, but I am no runner and I think the distance on some may be too much for me....but I have found shorter ones...the only thing putting me off now is doing it solo, barely any of my RL friends even work out.
  • DanielleDavids
    DanielleDavids Posts: 96 Member
    My gym offered an adventure athletes class specifically for training for these! I did a Spartan and a Mud Hero. I'm definitely doing them again, so fun!

    Definitely do your cardio, but don't just do steady state. Do intervals with sprints and slower pace running and practice running hills etc. Also incorporate total body workouts, upper body is important as you need to be able to pull yourself over walls etc, but don't neglect your lower body. Lots of squats, deadlifts, curls, crunches etc are also beneficial. I also found that lifting made me stronger and much more prepared for the obstacles.

    If you have an opportunity, definitely try to do some wall climbs in advance (that was the hardest part for me..the vertical wall). The courses I did also had tire flips, sandbag hauling, mud crawls, hill sprints, balance beams and all sorts of walls!

    Finally, PRACTICE YOUR BURPEES. In the races I've done if you can't do an obstacle you have to do a certain number of burpees before you move on, so you want to make sure you can bust those out! :D People of all fitness levels do adventure races, but it never hurts to train in advance and be prepared so you can really crush it!
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    running is key. you don't want to be that person on your team that is walking. i'd put endurance ahead of speed though. you don't need to be able to run 7 minute miles. if you can keep up a 10-11 minute mile for 2 hours, that would be good.
  • shellbatronic
    shellbatronic Posts: 193
    I did my first Tough Mudder in November, and I think my boot camp-style training was most helpful. I do a lot of heavy lifting in addition to that, but I would also really recommend intervals. Tabata style sprints, box jumps, accelerations and deccells. The running sucks, not gonna lie, but personally since it's not a timed "race" I think you're better off training for strength and power rather than pure endurance as in running a full marathon. Try to pick up some 5 and 10ks along the way.
  • shardown
    shardown Posts: 258 Member
    bup for later
  • sillygoosie
    sillygoosie Posts: 1,109 Member
    I did the Rugged Maniac training program last year. It was quite grueling but very effective. I'll have to start it again soon. I didn't run the entire race but I ended up running more than I thought I could. I don't think I'll ever be up for a Tough Mudder. Here in CO it takes place on the side of a mountain so you run up and down ski slopes. No thanks.
  • LadyConundra
    LadyConundra Posts: 37 Member
    I have done 4 SR, One in 2012 and got my trifecta (3 different SR) 2013. Hoping to do a double trifecta this year. We will see if work will work with my race schedule. Upper body strength is so important, burpees, crossfit (if you have the money) and running too. I walked my first SR. I agree with the signing up for WOD emails.
    But be fore warned OCR are addicting. :)
  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
    In. For ideas.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    also, pull ups are probably the number one thing you want to be training on.
  • tduffy8144
    tduffy8144 Posts: 1 Member
    We got a group of 12 guys together every Saturday morning, and mixed it up. Climb, jump, play tug o'war, run hills, run with a car tire for 4 miles. One week we did sprints and push-ups. Another week, we did an 8 mile trail run.
    The key part was to finish each work out with at least one Guinness. Worked like a charm, and we had a blast at the race. I highly recommend it!
  • TheBoldCat
    TheBoldCat Posts: 159 Member
    Am keen to attend one this year, so am in for ideas and advices ^_^
  • Sylvitryinghard
    Sylvitryinghard Posts: 549 Member
    this motivates me. Planned on doing Tough Mudder in Germany in September. Hope I will be able to start running soon(knee problems)
  • MrsGraves1987
    MrsGraves1987 Posts: 162 Member
    Bump
  • patrickblo13
    patrickblo13 Posts: 831 Member
    I did the TM last year and signed up again this year. It is more mental than anything. Anyone can do it. But some things to focus on. I did a lot of circuit training to train for last year. I went in thinking I did enough cardio between soccer and MTBing. I was wrong. I wanted to run the whole course. I started cramping at about mile 7. While I still managed to jog the majority of the course I definitely lacked on my running. So this year I am going to add more running into my routine. Probably 5-8 miles once a week.
  • sillygoosie
    sillygoosie Posts: 1,109 Member
    Here's the link for the Tough Mudder boot camp

    http://toughmudder.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/tough-mudder-boot-camp.pdf

    I'll do the training but I still won't do the race. :blushing:
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member

    I'll do the training but I still won't do the race. :blushing:

    what?? why not?? thats like saying "i'm gonna study, but not going to take the exam."
  • markheusser
    markheusser Posts: 26 Member
    I just signed up for my first spartan race...just sign up and go for it!...I will start training in feb for it....running, stairs, rowing, etc.
  • OnAllFours
    OnAllFours Posts: 170 Member
    I have done 6 of these last year. Got another 5 signed up for this year among others. I would sign up for the Spartan WOD (Workout Of the Day). they will send you workouts to help you get prepared for any of the Spartan. And if you are ready for a Spartan you can do any of the other races.

    Upper body is the biggest thing to work on. Lots of lifting, pulling, and oh ya get your burpee practice in.

    It's great fun. Everyone should sign up at least once.

    http://www.spartanrace.com/wod/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=New Year New You+2014&c3ch=Email&c3nid=Email
  • amelia_atlantic
    amelia_atlantic Posts: 926 Member
    I haven't done Tough Mudder yet but I've done long-ish obstacle course races.

    Best training I found was trail running and stopping periodically to do burpees, push ups and "bear crawls". There are a lot of free or cheap training Apps.

    I'm lucky enough to have a mini obsctacle course in a local park where I live. I practiced (and mastered!) walls of various sizes and found that the most useful. Cargo nets will always be my nemesis. They terrify me but I pushed through.
  • sillygoosie
    sillygoosie Posts: 1,109 Member

    I'll do the training but I still won't do the race. :blushing:

    what?? why not?? thats like saying "i'm gonna study, but not going to take the exam."

    I just don't know if I can deal with our Tough Mudder. For one, I don't run. I'm a cyclist and I hate, hate, hate running. Our TM is up in the mountains on a ski slope...basically, I'm afraid of failure. The Rugged Maniac was a piece of cake and I'd like to do a Spartan. I just need to find my balls some day for the TM.
  • rklein03
    rklein03 Posts: 4
    I have done the Vegas tough mudder. At the time the only thing I was doing was Crossfit, but honestly half-marathon training would be your best bet to complete the course with ease. A combination of running and push ups and you will be fine. As long as you can comfortably run ~12-14 miles. The obstacles are easy or at least manageable. There are normally lines at them so you can rest a little. The hardest obstacle for me was the ice bath especially when the person in front of you lags and you can't get out fast enough.

    -RK
  • LaurDavies
    LaurDavies Posts: 77 Member
    I'm doing my first ever Tough Mudder in June of this year! If anyone else is training for this also and wants to add me for solidarity and motivation then please feel free! :)

    I'm focusing on doing circuit training (starting with 30DS as its circuits are pretty similar in exercises to the ones the TM website recommends) and running, both standard running and intervals.

    Bring it on!
  • marikaCL
    marikaCL Posts: 276 Member
    I'm doing my first tough mudder in October.

    Currently I am running 3 times a week and have two gym sessions working on strength, with heavy lifting.

    Am also going to be doing the tough mudder workouts and swimming a few times as well.

Categories