Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-6/29/15

It's summer and you may be thinking of vacation, if you aren't already enjoying some travel adventures. While you are on the road, think about your meals and activities. Maybe you won't be able to do your regular routine, but you should be able to do something. 

You may not be able to enjoy the clean food that you've come to know and enjoy at home. Restaurants and family recipes that are a great part of vacation can wreck your healthy diet. There may not be much you can do about it short of being annoying and making dietary demands. So, eat what is served to you, make menu suggestions if asked, and select healthier alternatives when dining out. 

Additionally, your new and unfamiliar surroundings may make running difficult. Street traffic, lack of sidewalks, wild animals, husband or wife unwilling to pack sweaty gym clothes, and whatever, may make running difficult to impossible. So, plan on using a tread mill, walking, or a complete rest. This could be a select time of healing.

Here is a good workout you can do at many hotel fitness centers or your spouse's brother's home gym:

Walk a brisk mile
10 dumbbell curls x 3
20 v-ups
10 dumbbell squats x 3
20 v-ups
10 dumbbell standing shoulder presses x 3
20 v-ups

Alternatively, you can do a set of 10 simultaneous squats, curls and shoulder presses x 3. Mix it up.

10 ladder push ups from 1 to 10
Between each set add 10 ladder squats from 1 to 10
for example:
1 push ups
1 squat
2 push ups
2 squats

perform the following 3 x
20 bench dips
20 bent knee v-ups

So, go ahead and enjoy friends, family, and rest assured that you can heal while doing alternate exercises.

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-6/26/15

I sleep in on most Fridays to give my body a break. I then do an afternoon workout and run the last run of the week. I might workout a bit on the weekends, but I tend not to run. That way I am more motivated to run on Mondays.

Here is the Friday afternoon workout:

Warm up:
Stretch
Rotate

Main set:
Pyramid push ups from 10 reps down to 1. Then from 1 back up to 10
Run 4.1 miles
Monkey bars and play in the park.

Cool down:
Walk 1 mile

Apparently obstacle race venues like Savage Race, Spartan Race, Tough Mudder, and Warrior Dash are bringing out new challenges. Here's a new one from Savage Race:

Good thing we've been innovative with our workouts. Here are some monkey bar and playground obstacles I've been using to stay ahead of the challenges. Are you ready:

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training

Warm up:
Stretch and rotate for 7 minutes
25 jumping jacks

Main set:
Run 4.1 miles

Cool down:

Walk .3 miles

Lunch:
Walk 1 mile
15 v-ups x 3
15 bent knee v-ups x3
15 horizontal leg lifts x2
15 horizontal pelvic lifts x3

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-6/24/15

My workouts sometimes last all day. Between work, writing, my car, church, and family (not in the right order), I just can't commit all the time at once to get the exercise I need. Usually I wake up, run and knock out some obstacle training.

During my lunch break I walk a mile.

Throughout the day I walk up and down 3 flights of stairs

At home I do some more exercises such as pull ups or rope climbs.

Here's my day today:

Stretch and rotate for 6 minutes

Run 4.1 miles
10 walking lunges each leg
10 side lunges each leg
10 walking lunges each leg
walk .3 miles

Overhead press firewood while walking
from this pile to the one in the background

20 overhead presses with fire wood x 2

Lunch
Walk 1 mile

After dinner:

Swim .3 miles



How to write and market your book:

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 More exercises here:

 

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-6/23/15

Run 5.2 miles

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-6/22/15

Nothing beats realistic training. However, sometimes life takes over and you can't get the run in or the rope climb. However, as the Spartan Workout of the Day demonstrates, alternate workouts will help prepare you for race day. 

If you can't run, walk and if you can't find a rope, do close hand pull ups.

Walk 1.5 miles

10 overhead dumbbell presses x 3

10 dumbbell curls x 3

10 dumbbell squats x 3

Ladder pull ups (total 55)

10 pull ups, then 9, and so on...

continue counting down to 1 pull up

56 hanging leg lifts (do sets of 5 to 10 each as you are able)

Pyramid Push ups (total 110)

1-10

10-1

More alternate and real time exercises here:

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-6/20/15

Army Physical Readiness

 Swim .5 miles

10 pull ups with leg lifts x 2

Climb rope x 3

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-6/19/15

Walk 1.5 miles at a fitness trail or track. Incorporate obstacles along the route.

Walk .25 miles

Tire obstacle

Ring monkey bars

Walk .25 miles

6 pull ups with leg lifts

4 foot wall

Walk.25 miles

Ring monkey bars

Tire flip x 3

Walk .25 miles

Parallel bars walk on hands the full length with dips after each step Rope climb

Walk .25 miles

Balance obstacle

6 pull ups with leg lifts

Walk .25 miles

6 pull ups with leg lifts

Climbing obstacle x 2

Walk .25 miles

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-6/17/15

Walk 1.5 miles
Swim .5 miles in 30 minutes or less

Cool running swag:

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Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-6/16/15

Take a break from running and recover this week. If you are like me, it's been a non-stop 15 - 20 mile week for the past year. Time for some recovery for the body and for sanity.

Walk 1.5 miles
along the way, do the following 3 x:
25 overhead claps
25 shoulder level air curls (hold arms at shoulder height and curl arms and release. Apply resistance in both directions)
25 arm rotations forward
25 arm rotations backward

5 pull ups with leg lifts x 5

Rope climb

10 spider man and 10 regular push ups x 3

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-6/15/15

I won't be able to run for the next two days, so I am posting my workouts sans run.... 

Warm up:
Stretch and rotate for 6 minutes

Main set:
Walk 1.5 miles
10 dumbbell air squats x 3
10 dumbbell curls x 3
10 dumbbell overhead shoulder presses x 3
10 pull ups with leg lifts x 3
Swim 1/8 miles

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-6/12/15

Run 3.1 Miles on a track or route with obstacles, such as a fitness trail.

My track is 1/4 miles long and has 13 obstacles. 

Run 1 lap 

6 chin ups with leg lifts
tire obstacle x 2

Run 1 lap 

Monkey bars x 2

Climb over 4 foot wall x 2

Run 1 lap
Monkey bars x 2

6 chin ups with leg lifts

3 x truck tire flips

Run 1 lap

Incline monkey bars x 2 (too wet and slippery so I did 10 burpees)
Parallel bar work out. Walk on hands for 1 step, dip and repeat until traverse parallel bar distance

Run 1 lap 
Rope climb with 10 chin ups at top (too wet and slippery so I did 10 burpees)
Balance obstacle x 2

Run 1 lap 
Monkey bars x 2

6 Chin ups with leg lifts

Run 1 lap and sprint the 

Climbing obstacle x 2
Jog remainder of 3.1 miles

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-6/10/15

After an intense beginning of the week, Wednesday is a 3.2 mile run with a light workout.

Warm up:
Stretch and rotate for 6 minutes

Main set:
Run 3.2 miles
5 pull ups with leg lifts x 3
8 dumbbell curls x 2 sets
8 dumbbell presses x 3 sets

Cool down:
Walk .25 miles

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-6/11/15

Block Party! Oh yeah, we're back. It's been way too long since we celebrated fitness. The block party is intense, but fun and keeps you close to your home. The idea is to start at home, complete a circuit, then return for some water and repeat.

My block is 1.1 miles with a hill, a playground, and some equipment at my house. Here's a great workout:

Warm up:
Stretch muscles and rotate joints for 6 minutes

Main set:

Repeat three times:
Climb rope
5 pull ups with leg lifts
10 box jumps
Monkey bars
Balance beam (run along curb)
Run 1.1 miles

Followed by:

Plank hold for 2 minutes (add  spider man push ups during the time period)
Side plank hold for 30 seconds on each side.

Cool down:
Walk .2 miles

There are so many exercises to do. Many are covered in this great book from the US Army:

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-6/5/15

Run 3.1 Miles on a track or route with obstacles, such as a fitness trail.

My track is 1/4 miles long and has 13 obstacles. 

Run 1 lap 

6 chin ups with leg lifts
tire obstacle x 2

Run 1 lap 

Monkey bars x 2

Climb over 4 foot wall x 2

Run 1 lap
Monkey bars x 2

6 chin ups with leg lifts

3 x truck tire flips

Run 1 lap

Incline monkey bars x 2 (too wet and slippery so I did 10 burpees)
Parallel bar work out. Walk on hands for 1 step, dip and repeat until traverse parallel bar distance

Run 1 lap 
Rope climb with 10 chin ups at top (too wet and slippery so I did 10 burpees)
Balance obstacle x 2

Run 1 lap 
Monkey bars x 2

6 Chin ups with leg lifts

Run 1 lap and sprint the 

Climbing obstacle x 2
Jog remainder of 3.1 miles

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-6/8/15

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Warm up:
Stretch muscles and Rotate joints

Main set:
Run 6.2 miles
Climb rope

Cool Down:
Stretch
Walk .25 miles

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-6/9/15

I've seen a lot of questions on Facebook obstacle race training pages about how best to train for a Spartan Sprint, Warrior Dash, Tough Mudder, Savage Race, and etc. So far the best answers come from those who responded with advice on improving the run. Someone stated that mud runs were running events with sporadic obstacles. I thought that was a great description.

Training doesn't have to be brutal either. The training goal is to finish a 3-5 mile race with up to 20 obstacles without walking. Run and reinforce with obstacle training workouts; that's my advice.

Warm up:
Stretch muscles and rotate joints for 6 minutes
5 burpees x 2

Main set:
Run 4.2 miles
every 1/4 mile, do 5 burpees or more.

Cool down:
Walk .25 miles
Stretch

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-6/3/15

Practice leaping

Warm up:
Stretch and rotate for 5 minutes

Main set:
Run 4.2 miles
Run on curb for balance (intermittently)
Jump over recycle bins
Walking shoulder presses (walk 20 yards while pressing weight overhead 20 times) x 2
Rope climb

Walking shoulder presses get you ready

Cool down:
Walk .3 miles

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-6/4/15

Warm up:
Stretch and rotate for 6 minutes

Main set:
Run a 5k at a moderate pace.
Rope climb with 6 alternate grip pull ups
Traverse swing set bar
Climb rope wall

Cool down:
Walk .2 miles


Traverse a swing set demonstration:

Climb rope with pull ups:

Climb rope wall:

Climb rope with feet on wall

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-6/2/15

Warm up:

Stretch and Rotate for 7 minutes

Main Set:
Run 4 miles with 20 burpees each mile.

You can do 80 at once, 20 every mile, or break it up into 5 burpees at every ¼ mile interval; your choice

Cool down:
 Walk .2 miles
 10 walking lunges each leg
 10 side lunges each leg
 10 walking lunges each leg
 6 pull ups with leg lifts
 6 chin ups with leg lifts
 6 pull ups with leg lifts

 

Good Swag
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Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-6/1/15

Weekend wrap up and something new on Monday.

This weekend I rested and played. Here is a workout summary of some of the light training I participated in: swam 1/4 miles, biked 2 miles, and walked a mile.

Today:

Warm up:
Stretch and rotate for six minutes

Main set:
Run a 10k 

Cool down:
Walk .25 miles.