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Obstacle Course Races - How to Train for Any Race?

Obstacle Race Ebook Available NOW


Prepare for Any Training

Hardcore Obstacle Races such as the intense military spec ops based , mud, crawling, climbing, even zombies chasing you, are all the rage these days.  Most of these races share a common denominator - mud, water, obstacles you climb, crawl under, jump over, and run to and through.  Most also throw in a few curve ball obstacles as a surprise that are usually terrain / race event specific to include sliding down hills, dealing with fire, rope climbs and swings, swims, log carries, and many more.  But much of the fun is to not have a mapped out course and list of the obstacles to challenge your mind as well as your body.   Here is a list of obstacle course races that are growing in popularity:


The Spartan Race - www.spartanrace.com - A race complete with miles of obstacles, mud, fire and more and a variety of distances for different levels of fitness.  This race has taken off and have venues around the world.

Metro Dash www.metrodash.com - A short sprint type race full of 15+ obstacle / events.  You will only run 600 meters in this race, but lift / pull / climb / push through so many events you wish you could rest with a mile jog.

Tough Mudder www.toughmudder.com - Designed my British Special Forces, this 10-12 mile run mixed with as many obstacles will challenge any competitor. 

Warrior Dash - www.warriordash.com  - Another obstacle race complete with miles of obstacles, mud, fire, and running.

A fun one for the FREAK in you - Run for Your Lives
- www.runforyourlives.com  - This is a shorter 5km race complete with obstacles and mud BUT you run from the zombies chasing you.

There are many races that are out there and some likely very close to you.  See US Race Calendar for more info and the dozens of races in your area.

The training plan below is specific to the Civilian Military Combine,  but you can use this training program to build your abilities and strengthen your weaknesses for ANY race.  See link to their site and non-profit involvement.  This race is one of the toughest as it combines strength and muscle stamina from the PIT as well as cardiovascular endurance and leg endurance for running up / down steep hills.

For this training program, a 7.5 mile race complete with obstacles every mile and a six minute burnout PT in the Pit for a pre-race warm-up will build a foundation of obstacle course fitness you can take to any race.  The Pit is simple 4 exercises and you have a 1:30 seconds to do as many reps as you can at each station with a 30 second rest and rotate between each station.

The weight is not super heavy but it will allow for most levels of fitness to complete the 90 second set:

 

Exercise 1:  Thruster (front squat into over head push-press)
75lb for men
45 (the bar) for women
(30 second rest)

Exercise 2:  Kettle bell swing
40lb for men
20lb for women
(30 second rest)

Exercise 3:  Burpee – max reps for 90 seconds
(30 second rest)

Exercise 4:  Box jump
20 inches universal height
(30 second rest)

These exercises are full body and highly anaerobic events.  Train each exercise for 90-120 seconds to get used to the exercise for that time, BUT also adapt to the 30 second recovery period.  Make sure in your workouts that you practice the 30 second rest period for optimal performance gains in the PIT. Another option if you are not into lifting weights is to add the 8 Count Pushup / Pullup Pyramid into your training routine once a week for a few months.

To train for any event, I highly recommend getting familiar with these four exercises in sequence and following this quick workout with a longer run of 6-7 miles to get a solid foundation of the distance required for this race.  Yes - this race is on a ski slope so prepare by running hills.  Mix these PIT workouts 2-3 times into your weekly workout with 3-4 runs per week totaling the 6-7 mile distances (LSD run and interval speed work).  If you do not currently run that distance, build up to 5-7 miles of running over the next several weeks.  Perhaps by adding a mile per week to your runs for 5-6 weeks will help you depending on your current mileage per week.  Here is a sample running plan.  Arrange to fit your personal schedule and fitness level as needed:

 

Wk

Monday Mile Intervals

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday
Mile Intervals

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

1

3 miles

2 miles

off

3 miles

Off

2 miles

off

2

4 miles

3 miles

off

3 miles

Off

2 miles

off

3

4 miles

4 miles

off

3 miles

Off

2 miles

off

4

5 miles

off

off

5 miles

Off

5 miles

off

5

6 miles

5 miles

off

off

Off

5 miles

off

6

7 miles

5 miles

off

off

off

event

off

 *note – the above distances assumes you already jog regularly in your workouts – If you are a beginner or currently do no running, see optional beginner plan

Another training method to help with your speed is to mix in mile intervals with exercises that are from the PIT or that mimic the obstacles in the run.  For instance,
 

Repeat 3-4 times
run 1 mile timed
KB swings 90 seconds or box jumps
30 seconds rest
burpee – 90 seconds or thrusters
30 seconds rest
pull-ups – max (mimic pulling obstacles)


Since, every mile there is an obstacle, doing more 1 mile interval work during the week will enhance your times, but building a base of 5-7 miles per running session will help you with endurance. 

You then have 1 minute to the start line where you funnel off into a 7 and a half mile steep mountain race.

Obstacle 1:  Low crawl
75 feet wide x 150 long. 20 inches off the ground

Obstacle 2:   Ladder walls
750 ft of ladder walls
10ft tall - 75ft between each wall- 10 rows

Obstacle 3:  High low poles
40 poles spread 8 ft apart
Every other pole is 42 inches tall and 20 inches tall.  Competitors must go over and under each pole for 40 poles!!!

Obstacle 4:  Steep hill climb
Competitors must scale 300 yards of a pitch that will make them get on their hands and knees

Obstacles 5:  Log carry
400 yard log carry with both decline and incline
Men 35 pounds
Women 15-20 pounds

Obstacle 6:  100 yard belly crawl going downhill

Obstacle 7:  River run
1100 ft long by 16ft in width. Competitor must run through waist high water for 1100 ft to the finish line. Competitors will have to bob under wooden planks making them submerge themselves in icy water

 

Here is a sample week of workouts to fit preparing for these events into your schedule.  You will have to get creative with simulating these obstacles, but it can be done with relative effort.

Monday

Repeat 3x’s
(90 seconds each)
Thrusters
Burpees
Box jumps
KB or DB swings
(rest 30 secs each exercise)

Mile Interval Runs

Tuesday

Distance run – mix in hills, stairs

Wednesday

O course Simulation Pull-up / Burpee Pyramid

Mix in low crawls, jogs, log carry, hurdles etc during the 20m run in between exercises


 

Thursday

Mile Interval Runs

-rest with lunges 10.leg, 20 squats, 20 KB swings, 20 burpees in between each 1 mile timed run

Friday

Make up Day or day off

Optional  non impact aerobic activity like rowing, swimming, biking, etc

Saturday

Distance run – mix in hills and stairs

PIT Workout
Test:
Thrusters
KB Swings
Burpees
Box Jumps
(90 secs each – 30 secs rest)

O course Simulation Pull-up / Burpee Pyramid

Sunday

Day off or make up day

 

 

 

The week of training above is just one of many ways to pre-train for this event.   Creating a strategy for success in the CMC race requires you to practice the events, adapt to the recovery and exertion levels, pace your miles to your level of fitness and abilities, but most importantly –have fun doing it.

Enjoy the workouts and preparation and good luck with the race!

Stew Smith CSCS
Founder Heroes of Tomorrow Fitness
www.heroesoftomorrow.org
www.stewsmith.com



Good luck with your nutrition / performance fitness program and I hope you see improvement soon.  Workouts can be easily obtained at the
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Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the
National Strength and Conditioning Association. If you are interested in starting a workout program to create a healthy
lifestyle - check out the StewSmith.com
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Published Books / DVDs / APPs

Complete Guide to Navy SEAL Fitness      |    More Info     |  Book / DVD
Maximum Fitness - CrossTraining     |    More Info     |  Book only
The Special Operations Workout     |   More Info     |     Book only
The SWAT Workout - From Recruit to SWAT      |  More Info    |  Book Only
The Combat Swimmer Stroke Video     |  More Info   |  Download MP4
The Pre-Habit Workout     |  More Info  |  DVD only
New Fitness APPs Navy SEAL, FBI, Pushup. Pullups   |  More Info    |  APPS

Coming Soon - Navy SEAL Fitness with Weight Training

The Complete List of Stew Smith's eBooks / Books:

* NO EBOOK READER REQUIRED  |  READ WITH ADOBE ACROBAT READER

Fitness for All Levels of Fitness

The 90 Day Beginner Guide to Fitness    |  More Info  |  eBook, Book

Reclaim Your Life - The Erin O'Neill Program     |  More Info   eBook only

Veteran's Fitness - Baby Boomer and a Flat Stomach     |  More Info   eBook only

The Diabetic Prevention Workout   |  More Info   |   eBook only 

Advanced Maintenance and Recovery Program   |  More Info   |  eBook only

The TRX Workout eBook     |  More Info   eBook only

NEW - Circuit Training 101 eBook      |  More Info   eBook only

NEW Obstacle Course Race eBook      |  More Info   eBook only


The Special Forces Physical Fitness Workouts

 

Combat Conditioning Workout       |  More Info  |  eBook, Book
 

Navy SEAL Workout Phase 1:  Beginner       |  More Info  |    eBook, Book
 

Navy SEAL Workout Phase 2 - 3:  Intermediate     |  More Info   eBook, Book

 

Navy SEAL Workout Phase 4  Grinder PT      |  More Info   eBook, Book


Navy SWCC Workout       |  More Info    |    eBook, Book

 

Army Special Forces / Ranger Workout  | More Info SF /  Ranger  eBook, Book

 

USMC RECON Workout       |  More Info  |  eBook, Book

 

Air Force PJ / CCT Workout      |  More Info  |  eBook, Book

 

The Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Workout      |  More Info   eBook, Book

 

The Army Air Assault School Workout     More Info   eBook only

 

The Army Airborne Workout     More Info   eBook only

 

NEW - Upper Body Round Robin (UBRR)    More Info   eBook only

 

The OCS, ROTC, Service Academy, & Bootcamp Workouts

The USMC IST and PFT Workout      More Info   eBook only

 

USMC OCS / TBS Workout       |  More Info   eBook, Book

 

The Service Academy Workout     More Info   eBook, Book

 

Navy, Air Force, Marine Corp Bootcamp Workout   More Info   eBook, Book

 

The Army OCS and PFT Workout    More Info   eBook, Book

 

NEW Army PRT and Combat Readiness Test Workout    More Info   eBook only

 

The PFT Bible - Military / Police Standard PFT    |  More Info   eBook, Book

 


The Law Enforcement Physical Fitness Test Workouts

 

The FBI Academy / PFT Prep Workout (Vol 1 and 2)      |  More Info   eBook, Book

 

The DEA Prep Workout      More Info   eBook only

 

The FLETC Prep Workout - Ace the PEB      More Info   eBook, Book

 

The PFT Bible - Military / Police Standard PFT      |  More Info   eBook, Book

 

The Fire Fighter Workout       |  More Info   eBook, Book

 


 

 

 

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