You’re trudging through mud, crawling beneath barbed wire, hopping over obstacles and then running long distances. Ranging from roughly three to ten miles, Tough Mudder events consist of plenty of muddy water and military-style obstacles designed to test the participant’s stamina.
Crossing the finish line on an obstacle course race requires strength, stamina coordination and a lot of mental toughness. Unlike training for a traditional race, Tough Mudder event weekends require focus on every aspect of functional movement.
Below are some tips on how to start to get in the mode for these types of events, as you will be needing a certain level of internal Strength and Stamina to complete the course, and feel great at the finish line.
The majority of workouts you might do prior must target the precise movements needed to overcome the obstacles. The ideal Tough Mudder training program is a mix of trail running and Strength /Endurance type of workouts. Everyone has their own goals, but we suggest getting ready for the event by doing some tactical training. For example, speed work and hill reps will help develop the explosive power needed to go through the whole course unscathed. Build your explosive power and stamina for these events by doing plenty of interval running workouts.
Here is how to proceed on your (first) interval running workout:
Start off the workout with a warm-up for 10-minute. This could be stretching, a very light jog, jumping jacks or some high knees.
Doing this will help you get prepared for the intense work ahead and also prevents injury.
Find a comfortable place you know you can put in some running distance: a track, a long quiet road, etc. Sprint at 80 percent of your maximum speed for a full of 30-seconds. Then, Jog slowly for a full minute for recovery. Repeat the process six to eight times. The intensity and length of each interval depends, mostly, on your fitness level and training goals. Start small, knowing this can be scaled up and down as necessary based on your fitness level.
Now, onto Hill Training:
Hill training increases both lung capacity and lower body strength. This combo is going to help you overcome many of the obstacles, steep inclines, climbing and so on.
Running uphill increases leg muscles and allows a type of power that boosts fitness, and engages the muscles of the core lower body and the arms. The goal here is to build that stamina. Hill running will make you a stronger, faster and a better runner. Therefore, whether you are doing a short hill sprint, long hill repeats, or adding drills into your hill workouts, these are key to any training program.
Here is a sample workout to try. Again, start at your own level, knowing you can scale up or down accordingly.
Run 400m at a 5K pace
Perform 40 walking lunges, then 30 standard push-ups.
Run 400m slightly faster than your 5K pace
Perform 40 bodyweight squats, then hold a plank for 90 to 120 second.
Run 400m slightly faster than your 5K pace
Perform 30 burpees, followed by 40 mountain climbers
Run 400m at the fastest pace you can sustain.
Jog for 10 minutes for cool-down.
The great thing about these exercises is that they don’t require long distances to cover – rather, they can get your body in shape for the varied surfaces and distances you might find at a Tough Mudder weekend. Do them in a comfortable place like a well known road or local park with a hill. Make time to do slight improvements with these tips and you will be cruising through the finish line with ease.
