Running is standard for obstacle course race training, but a great resistance workout plan is just as important to finishing strong. The following exercises can be done nearly anywhere, with or without weights. We feel that these five exercises should be implemented into every obstacle course racer’s training regimen, but don’t just take our word for it… try them yourself.
Bear Crawls
There is a very good chance that you will have to crawl under something during an obstacle course race. Whether it be a cargo net, a metal fence, or fallen logs, you need to be able to move quickly with as little effort as possible. Throw the bear crawl into your workout for a total-body strength builder.
Pull-ups & Chin-ups
A race wouldn’t be nearly as challenging without having to pull yourself over something daunting. This is something that I see a lot of participants having trouble with throughout the races. They are relying on team members rather than their physical ability to pull themselves over. Pull-ups and chin-ups are two of the best upper body exercises you can perform, and this skillset will be important for getting over walls and past obstacles like the monkey bars. If you can’t perform a standard pull-up or chin-up, use the following technique to work your way up to the full exercise.
If you really want a challenge and a great exercise to boost your quickness over obstacles, perfect the “Muscle Up.”
Dips
Training dips is incredibly helpful in pushing yourself over pesky walls, out of ditches and ice baths, and through mud. When your legs begin to weaken or you have little room to leverage your leg strength, this general motion becomes invaluable in getting through sticky situations.
Burpees
In my opinion, there is no better exercise for obstacle race training than the burpee. Some obstacles such as the over-under require this movement almost exactly. I’ll just leave it as this and let the exercise do the explaining…
Step-ups
Running is one of the most important things you can do on a week-to-week basis in order to get ready for an obstacle race. However, additional weight training is important to increase performance, especially over brutally steep hills. Step-ups improve not only strength, but balance as well… important in minimizing your risk of injury.
That’s all for now. Now get out to the gym (or wherever it is you workout) and get training! These exercises aren’t going to perform themselves, you know… PS – What exercises have YOU found beneficial during your training? We’d love you hear your feedback.
Great article. I was impressed with your list. I had a great trainer prior to doing my first Obstacle race, the Midwest Spartan Sprint – and he had me doing most of these exercises. The bear crawl saved me on the muddy hills, and the importance of having a strong core/balance in preventing injury is huge IMO. I wasn’t able to master pull ups prior to the race, and honestly don’t know if I will ever be able to, but think it is a critical part of training for an obstacle race. Military crawl was another thing I did prior to the race that I feel was beneficial.
Great start here. I think adding traditional push-ups and sit-ups would be helpful as well. As Spartan Chic pointed out, having a strong core is key to preventing injury.
I can’t stress enough how important pull-ups and chin-ups are. If you’re doing a Spartan Race and can’t pull yourself up, work on burpees because you’ll be doing a lot of them! I speak from experience: I definitely need to work on pull-ups for my next obstacle race.
As far as helpful skills, bear crawls are next on my list. I haven’t figured out the best way to train for the muddy hills, but the they seemed to slow people down a lot and I think bear crawls could help. Digging your hands and feet into the side of the hill and crawling fast are the skills.
I’m getting ready for a mud obstacle race and worried about what I won’t be able to do – for example, pull ups. When you say you will be doing burpees, is that something you have to do if you can’t complete an obstacle?
Kristi
Hi Kristi,
Pullups are a huge help when trying to get over walls, and something a lot of women struggle with on their first few mud runs. When you think about it, you only need to be able to do one at a time if you’re attempting to scale a wall by yourself. In pretty much every race, the other races (or your friends) will be more than happy to help you over if you can’t quite get the hang of it, so don’t worry about that too much.
Spartan Race is the only event that requires you to do burpees (no pushup) if you can’t complete an obstacle. The motion (going into a low crawl, and then standing up from that position) will be helpful in general, so I’d strongly suggest you at least practice them.
It depends on the race. Warrior Dash typically has no penalty. Spartan Race requires 30 burpees if you fail an obstacle.
I suggest 2 additions, but you have a great start here. Low crawls (elbows and knees, back crawl) come in very handy. Towel grip or rope grip pullups help build up your grip for rope climbs, cargo nets, random objects you have to carry, etc. If you can’t do both hands towel grip, use towel in one hand, bar in the other.
I did the Indiana Spartan Sprint this year, signed up for Warrior Dash in August, and am planning on doing the Spartan Trifecta in 2013.
Great ideas Thomas!