Working through obstacle course obstacles will send you into icy water, under electrified lines,under barbed wire fencing, and generally force you to move through conditions where you will be on your hands, knees, elbows as opposed to standing. Crawling this way is challenging to an athlete’s core strength and endurance, and also leads to a lot of abrasion and scratches on your arms and knees.

Crawling on hands, knees. and elbows leads to scrapes from dirt, gravel, sticks, and sometimes concrete. At its worst, this terrain can leave an athlete messy, bloody state. Clothing will not always protect and can itself be damaged, and normal tapes struggle to stay on these surfaces around joints, which need to constantly flex and extend.

SHIELD has field tested and refined a solution we think suits obstacle course races for those low-to-the-ground moments: SHIELD TURF TAPE.

SHIELD TURF TAPE is a new construction designed specifically to protect from scratches, turf burn, and abrasion during extensive training conditions. For athletes who are accustomed to turf burn, floor abrasions, or scrapes from hitting the ground. SHIELD TURF TAPE acts as a second skin.

First, we designed an adhesive system to last for hours of intense exertion. Then we built fabric construction that stretched in more ways than any other fabric we use. This allows our shield tape to stay on the body despite repeated impacts and friction, but also to move with you – bending, flexing, extending without constricting your movement or agility.

We have tested SHIELD TURF TAPE in the field first-hand, and we know it works. Apply it on clean dry skin, make sure it anchors to your skin, and you have protection built to last. After cutting a strip and applying the tape as below rub the tape to help activate the adhesive.

Obstacle Challenge:
Barbed wire crawls, low-clearance walls, and events where you move on hands and knees often leave scrapes and cuts on elbows; thigh scrapes, and shoulder strains.

Taping Solution:
SHIELD TURF TAPE provides a durable stick that will last through a full course, a smooth surface, and protection for any part of your body against scrapes, rocks, and other hazards.

SHIELD PRODUCTS:
TURF TAPE PRO – WHITE
TURF TAPE PRO – BLACK

Turf tape began on the football field, where it protects arms and legs from turf burn. For OCR courses that feature crawls on elbows and knees, and risk of abrasions and collisions, SHIELD TURF TAPE is the perfect way to keep your skin on your bones throughout a full-day race.

1. Clean and dry your skin where Turf Tape will be applied. Bring scissors to cut the tape. Unwind a length of Turf Tape about as long as the distance from the tip of your hand to elbow.
2. Before applying, remove one end of the liner, and peel off only about 1/3 of the liner, leaving the rest attached to the tape.
3. For all applications, make sure that your joint is extended when taping over the joint area (elbow or knee). Anchor to your preference.
4. Once the first third of the tape is anchored to your skin, start to peel off the rest of the turf tape. As you do, press the remainder of the tape onto your skin. When complete, discard the tape. Finally, rub the entire tape on your skin to help activate the tape and anchor it to your skin for maximum durability. Done!

Staying healthy, active and fit can become tedious, especially if you don’t have a workout partner to encourage you. But what if your dog could be your exercise buddy? 

Involving your dog in your workout can be a huge motivation, as well as keeping your dog fit and healthy too! 

Here are some of our favorite creative ideas to stay fit with your dog. 

Walk The Dog 

If you aren’t already walking your dog, it should be the first step you take. It’s also a really good starting point if you’re new to fitness and working out. You can start slow. Make sure your dog has a good quality harness and leash, and start out just by taking them around the block. 

If you’re not new to fitness but want to add some extra cardiovascular work to your day, this is a good idea. Just be aware that if you’re running full-tilt, your dog could stop at any time if they catch a scent. 

Be careful and don’t go too fast, in order to avoid injury to both you and your pup. 

Watersports 

If your dog loves the water, why not try some water sports to keep you both fit? Just swimming laps could work well if you want to get some muscle-training and cardio work in. 

If you’re more into adventure sports than swimming laps at the gym or local swimming pool, there are many activities that are suitable for dogs as well as humans when it comes to watersports. 

Paddleboarding, kayaking, canoeing, and even surfing are sports that you can do with your dog. You’ll get a great workout and have your best buddy right there with you to share in the fun. 

Frisbee 

Nothing gets a dog excited like a Frisbee flying through the air. If you’re looking for a simple way to get out in the fresh air and add a bit more calorie-burning to your day, Frisbee could be it. 

It might seem like your dog would end up doing all the work, but if you want a more hardcore workout you could try: 

Frisbee circuits: 

Throw the Frisbee for your dog and while waiting for him to bring it back, do some quick exercises, for example: 

• As many pushups as you can
• Bodyweight squats
• Burpees

Frisbee sprints: 

Throw the Frisbee and see if you can race your dog to it. A few rounds of this will work up quite a sweat. 

Agility Training 

An agility class would get your dog’s blood pumping and have you running right alongside him while he’s learning. This is a great way to improve your fitness and teach your dog something too! 

If you want something to work towards, train yourself and your pooch for an event like Tough Mudder. Unfortunately dogs aren’t allowed on the course, but we can play pretend, am I right?

Bodyweight Dog Gym 

If you prefer bodyweight exercises, you can make it more challenging by adding your dog’s body weight too! Giving your dog some food to help build muscles will definitely give him a boost before his weight exercises.

It might be harder if you have a large dog and not so challenging if you have a small one. But try picking your dog up and squatting or lunging while holding them, or doing a “tug-of-war” bicep curl. 

Getting your dog involved in your exercise together with a proper diet will not only help it be more motivated. It can also improve your dogs’ fitness level and help it build muscle, stay at a healthy weight, and improve their immune system. Furthermore, having regular exercise and a proper diet can help improve your dogs’ appetite without gas build up in its digestive system.

Get started today! You won’t regret exercising with your furry friend.

Mike Powell loves dogs, adventures, and writing. Follow Mike and his adventures on his blog.

[Featured Image Credit: Matthew Henry from Burst]

 

We are often warned that if you fail to set goals, you’ll fail to get anywhere. Ok, fine – consider us warned. But what about how to set goals that actually work? If you’ve ever experienced setting goals that you miss by miles, or bail on them early in disgust, this is the question you need to answer. In fact, setting 20 goals at the beginning of a year and watching them all go up in proverbial flames can be more harmful than having not set them in the first place.

Can Goal Setting Be Counterproductive?

Here’s the thing, setting goals and failing to achieve them can do some damage. If you or I set a goal to reach 10 pull-ups in 12 weeks and only get to 6, our confidence and motivation take a hit. As a Rotman School of Management study suggested, failure to attain a goal can be counterproductive and can result in deterioration of future performance.

We may just shrug, give up on it all, and go back to eating pringles and watching reality TV shows. Let’s all agree now that we aren’t going to let that happen.

3 Techniques To Set Goals That Actually Work

So we don’t want to set a bunch of goals and miss them all. Equally we don’t want them to be a walk in the park, we’re looking for a challenge after all, it’s just key that we avoid setbacks when we can. The good news is that by following a few key evidence-based techniques, we can solve this problem by setting goals that actually work.

1) Eliminate the competition

If you work through a goal exercise and generate some goals you want to achieve, that’s a wonderful start. But a crucial step to achieving goals is to be merciless as you trim down the list, cut the fat and only keep the ones that get you the most pumped.

What’s the problem with too many goals? Psychologists say that ‘goal competition’ can divide and weaken your inner resources. Too many goals can be confusing. This confusion drains motivation as you desperately try to keep the plates spinning but they just crash to the ground.

“Goal competition says that one of the greatest barriers to achieving your goals is the other goals you have,” writes James Clear, goals expert and author of the bestseller, Atomic Habits. “In other words, your goals are competing with one another for your time and attention.”

Rather than trying to divvy up your time and energy across a jumble of goals, you draw from other parts of your life and pour it into one place. You wake up thinking about your goal, obsess about it during the day, think about it going to sleep. This is how you really get after something.

2) Get results with Choice Architecture

OK, so you’ve narrowed your focus to the one goal that really gets you revved up. Let’s say it’s entering a new race that you are excited to take part in and want to be prepared for. Now use the concept of choice architecture so that can’t help but bump into the right choices to make your goals happen.

Choice architecture is a marketing concept that mixes design and human psychology to lure you into buying decisions. To whatever degree that’s evil, you can use the principle to lure yourself into making choices in alignment with your goals.

Back to the race goal; your plan to achieve the goal includes frequent trail runs. To use choice architecture to nudge you along your exercise plan, you make sure your running shoes are set up the night before a morning run – prepped so that you’ll practically trip over them as you get out of bed. The ready-and-waiting shoes act as a trigger to help you make the right decision, so you’ll find yourself lacing them up in the morning instead of chilling on the sofa.

Choice architecture is a powerful tool when it comes to eating better. Stocking your fridge with all the right stuff, we’re talking fruits, vegetables etc. and hiding the junk food in some dark corner of the cupboard, is bound to help you choose healthier meals.

3) Get S.M.A.R.T with your goals

You’ve probably heard of S.M.A.R.T. in a business setting for goal strategies, to refresh your memory it stands for:

• Specific: A clear target (like setting a goal for a specific race).
• Measurable: You can objectively measure your progress toward knocking out the goal (like getting fit and ultimately finishing the race).
• Attainable: You have to put in the work to stretch yourself but the goal is not a fantasy.
• Relevant: Does the goal have meaning for you? (The race you enter is what you want to do and gaining the fitness and health to finish is appealing to you).
• Time-bound. You have a deadline for crossing off the goal. (The date of the race, in our example).

When it comes to setting goals that actually work, these are all solid tactics to put into action, but the stand out is attainability. Yes the goal should be a stretch for you, but make it realistic. When picking your goal, it’s wise to reflect on where you are, what you’ve accomplished in the past, and how much time you have to put in the work.

Remember the ideal goal should not be dependent on others to such a degree that it is out of your control. Like getting a promotion or winning an award. If possible, frame your goal in terms that doesn’t require subjective approval from others. 

Eliminating goal competition, using choice architecture to trigger good habits and repel bad habits, and taking steps to ensure your goals are reasonable – these are three potent ways to turn your goals into achievements.

Here’s a quick checklist to follow to get you on the right track in setting goals you can really achieve.

Your Goal Smashing Checklist

1. Brainstorm up a big list of goals
2. Think hard about them, trimming them down to a select few. Or even just one
3. Make sure they’re challenging but not out of reach
4. Make your plan
5. Organize your environment to be conducive to working toward your goals
6. Get after it

Feeling inspired to make a Tough Mudder your goal? Grab your 2023 event ticket. We’ll see you on Mudderhorn.

You’ve been going to the gym for what seems like an eternity, yet that lean physique all the fitness influencers have on Instagram still isn’t what you see in the mirror. The truth of the matter is that simply lifting weights and calling it a day won’t make you shredded. It takes time, consistency, a whole lot of dietary planning, and never giving in when the going gets tough.

Here are 5 ways to build lean muscle and earn the physique you’ve been working for:

1. Lower the weight, increase the reps
   • While curling 50 pounds sure is impressive, only being able to do so about 5 times won’t help the muscle reach it’s true potential. Drop the weight to an amount where you can do 10-15 reps comfortably while simultaneously being able to get a full extension of the muscle. A big mistake that a lot of people make when lifting is aiming for the most they can physically lift, ignoring the fact that they can’t extend or contract the muscle fully. Developing a full range of motion will allow the muscle to be worked properly. Next time you go for a barbell curl, make sure you can control the movement of the bar through the entirety of the rep.
2. The best weight to lift is your body weight
   • Calisthenics truly speak for themselves when it comes to creating a defined, muscular physique. While machines and free weights are an integral part of every workout, make sure you are throwing in some bodyweight exercises as well. Dips for chest and triceps, pull-ups for back and biceps, and a whole range of other exercises will develop your ability to lift your own bodyweight and carve the physique you’ve been looking for.
3. Cardio
   • Running may seem mundane and time consuming to some, but it’s essential to burn fat and increase muscle functionality. Running for just 10 minutes a day will put you in a caloric deficit, which is key to losing weight… as long as you’re not simultaneously slamming back pizza rolls.
4. Eat lean protein
   • What you eat after every workout is just as crucial as the workout itself. Consuming high amounts of fat and sugar on a daily basis will undo most of your progress in the gym and bury those hard earned muscles in a layer of fat. Try to finish of every workout with a low-fat protein shake or protein bar, and stray away from excess carbohydrates. Your muscles need the protein for recovery and growth, but whatever else you throw in there will have just as much of an impact on your body as the protein itself.
5. Stretch it out
   • A proper stretch is more than just injury prevention when it comes to working out. Dynamic stretching before a workout can lead to increased muscle hypertrophy, allowing for better results from your workouts. Additionally, long, intense stretches can decrease soreness after a workout and allow more room for accelerated muscle recovery. Stretching a single muscle group after a workout session can improve it’s recovery and growth by a lot, so take those 5 minutes once you’re finished and get loose!

Get to building that lean muscle

Building lean muscle doesn’t happen overnight and requires a lot of commitment and perseverance. Don’t convince yourself that you’ll never reach the physique you deserve, rather take these tips and strive to build the body of your dreams.

Ready to take on your next challenge? Sign up for an event

So you want to know the best exercises to build muscle mass… Well, you clicked on the right article. There are many different exercises that you can do to build muscle mass, but the most effective ones are usually compound movements. Below are our favorite exercises to achieve the big guns, and a short video demonstration of each.

Squats

Deadlifts

Bent-Over Rows

Shoulder Presses

Bench Presses

Chin Ups

Additionally, adding accessory exercises like bicep curls, triceps extensions, and calf raises can help to target specific muscle groups. To ensure that you get the most out of your workouts, make sure that you are doing each exercise with proper form and technique and increase the weight gradually as you get stronger. There you have it, these are the best exercises to build muscle mass.

Put Those Muscles to the Test at an Event

Sign up for an event here!

Everyone has their limits when doing an event like Tough Mudder. Some people run through and try to see how fast they can complete the course, while others like to take their time and soak it all in. While we applaud both, we don’t have much sympathy for those who simply like to quit and take the easy route out. 

The Tough Mudder event formats put you to the test over a variety of distances, each with insane obstacles spread throughout miles of trail. The best part? You’re on course with thousands of other Mudders who are not only willing to help you through the obstacles, but empower you to keep going. Even when it can seem impossible to keep going, Mudder Nation knows that quitting is not an option. 

So, why quit? Whether it’s out in the mud or staying regimented with routine exercise and fitness, why give in to that little voice in your head saying you can’t do it? Your brain is often the main thing that stops you from succeeding, and it’s important to recognize that you’re physically capable of doing amazing things and proving your brain otherwise. 

What happens to your brain when you quit engaging in exercise or fitness?

You start to lose memory

• Routine fitness can increase blood flow to your brain and help your hippocampus to operate at it’s maximum potential. The hippocampus is a structure involved in learning and memory.

You become less sharp or “quick”

• Exercising regularly and staying on top of a fitness pattern increases gray matter in your brain, which is key tissue to help you process information. Keep your body moving to keep your brain juices flowing.

You can’t focus as well

• Endorphins and other feel-good chemicals are pumped into blood during exercise. This results in better ability to concentrate on the important things. That to-do list? No match for you.

…That’s what happens to your brain when you quit fitness

Movement on or off the Tough Mudder course will keep your noggin in optimal condition. See for yourself how quitting is not an option. Book your 2023 Tough Mudder challenge today and let’s get moving.

Hold up! Don’t just start running… you need to stretch first. Listen, we all hate having to stretch before a run, but it’s necessary to prevent injury. Here are some basic stretches to do before a run.

Calf Stretch

Standing with your feet in a staggered stance, keep your back leg straight, your front leg slightly bent, and lean forward. Hold for 20-30 seconds, switch legs, and repeat.

Quad Stretch

Standing with one leg slightly in front of the other, grab your ankle and pull it back until you feel a stretch in the front of your thigh. Hold for 20-30 seconds, switch legs, and repeat.

Glute Stretch

Sit on the ground with both legs out in front. Bend one knee and use your opposite hand to pull it towards your chest. Hold for 20-30 seconds, switch legs, and repeat.

Hamstring Stretch

Standing with your feet in a staggered stance, keep your back leg straight and bend forward at the waist until you feel a stretch in the back of your leg. Hold for 20-30 seconds, switch legs, and repeat.

By taking a few moments to do these stretches before each run, you can help prevent injury and improve your performance. Don’t forget to stretch after your run, too!

Now that you’re all loosened up…

Put your running (and stretching) to the test at an event

We don’t mean to brag, but we NEVER skip a leg day. Lucky for you, we don’t like to gatekeep, so we’ll let you in on a few of our best lower body exercises. No equipment? No problem. All you need is your body weight.

First Up: Basic Lunges

This one might seem obvious, but don’t sleep on lunges. They may seem simple, but lunges are one of the most efficient lower body exercises – activating several different muscle groups simultaneously (your core, hips, quads, hamstrings, and calves). Lunges are also a test of your stability balance, which will both come in handy on the Tough Mudder course when you’re dodging Pitfall’s secret sinkholes and shimmying across Widow’s Peak. 

 Start your warm-up or finish your cool-down with this lower-body-burner. 

• Level Up: If basic lunges don’t have you feeling the burn, level up by adding some weight or pushing for distance. After a quarter to a half mile, we promise you’ll be feeling the BURN.

Second: Hit the Squats

Squats are one of the most diverse and versatile lower body exercises. In just one movement, you can give your legs a complete workout and strengthen your core at the same time. If it starts getting repetitive, switch up your workout by trying a new squat variation. You don’t even need to be at the gym, you can easily add a little movement to your day in between daily chores, running errands, or whenever you find a spare minute. 

• Level Up: Ready to take things to the next level? Add in a little cardio by jumping in between each squat.

Next Up: Calf Raises

This one’s for all you endurance junkies. Calf raises are an easy way to build power, calf strength and stamina. Over time, they can also help improve your speed and explosiveness off the start line. Strengthening your calves and ankles can also help to prevent injury.

• Level Up: Try doing one leg at a time for a little extra challenge.

All that said…

Building your lower body takes time, patience and discipline. But, we promise all your hard work will come in clutch when it comes time to stack the miles at your next Tough Mudder event.

See you at the start line after you master the best lower body exercises!

We get it. You don’t just want to run a Tough Mudder, you want to run it fast! While we totally cheer on our walkers as much as our runners, we respect your need for speed. Here are 5 things you can do to increase speed and show everyone on course who’s boss. (By the way, did you know we have an Endurance Series where you can really push yourself and test your limits? Well now you do).

Proper Form

It’s important that you run with proper form to try to avoid injury. This means keeping your head up, your shoulders relaxed, and your arms at a 90-degree angle.

Interval Training

Interval training is a great way to get those Usain Bolt speeds. When interval training, you’ll want to practice running for a short burst of time at a fast pace, and then running at a slower pace for a longer period of time. This will help your body get used to running at a faster pace.

Nutrition

It’s important to make sure you are properly fueled. Running on coffee and dreams will only get you so far. Try eating foods that will give you sustainable energy, such as complex carbohydrates and proteins. If you run in the morning, maybe have some yogurt topped oatmeal before you head out. Or later in the day you could fuel up with a chicken stuffed sweet potato. There are lots of options that can help you reach your goals.

Sleep

Do we really have to tell you that it’s important to get enough rest? Sleep is an important part of any runner’s lifestyle, helping to promote recovery and energy levels. Getting adequate and quality sleep helps to reduce fatigue and muscle soreness, allowing you to perform at your best. It also helps with injury prevention by giving your body time to repair and rebuild. Sleep also helps with mental sharpness, allowing runners to better focus on their running goals and remain motivated. So, make sure to get plenty of quality rest and your running performance will thank you for it!

Believe in Yourself

If you tell yourself you can do it, you will be more likely to reach your goal. When you believe in yourself, you open yourself up to the possibility of success. You are more likely to take risks and take action, which can give you the confidence to see your goals through. It can also help you get the necessary motivation to stay focused and keep pushing towards your goals, even when it feels like the odds are against you. When you believe in yourself, you can tap into your own inner strength and resilience, which can ultimately help you run fast, or conquer anything else you want to do in life.

Now that you know the 5 things you can do to increase speed, sign up for an event and get running!