www.AtlasRace.com
OBSTACLE RACING FOR THE BEGINNER
PAIN 101 - A GUIDE TO FITNESS
PAIN 101 - A GUIDE TO FITNESS
So you gathered up the courage to commit and you even bragged to a few friends about your upcoming obstacle race. The next step is simple. Freak out and panic! Well not actually, but that is what it can feel like. Whether this is your first race event or if you are making the transition to obstacle race events, the key to obstacle racing is simple. Preparation.
Obstacle races demand respect. This doesn't mean you have to train like an Olympic athlete to prepare, but it does mean you should do some reasonable training prior to running any obstacle race. For some this means simply getting into decent shape. For others, they will see the challenge of obstacle racing as a wake up to re-discover their inner athlete and train with a fierceness. Regardless of your approach we wanted to create a guide to help you out!
Whichever way suits you best there are some simple things to do that can mean the difference between just finishing a race and finishing a race strong. Obstacle racing is unique in that training for the events requires a multi-faceted approach. Here are some common themes we see among people training for obstacle race events.
Run: Training for obstacle race events requires some conditioning. Remember that your body will become tired often before you reach the halfway point of a race. You will need to be able to push past this and break the wall to your second wind. Because of this running is a required staple of obstacle race preparation. This being said, you don't have to go nuts here. Remember that running is just as much about building your wind, as it is your distance. Most obstacle races are relatively short in distance compared to traditional races. Since the obstacles break up the running into numerous shorter chunks, racers should prepare by running with this in mind. No need to do 10 mile runs here. In fact, for obstacle events under 6 miles, it is often best to prepare by running 3 miles. once you are comfortable running three miles, take a short break after your first three and then give it two more miles. You might be surprised at how easily your body will make this transition. Once you can comfortably run three miles, you body is usually capable of going much further. From here on out its your mental game that determines the length of your run. Practice by doing short runs until you feel strong, then add interval runs with short breaks between them. Training in this fashion will help you to be prepared for what is to come.
Lifting: Hitting the gym is great. But you should be careful here. Most of us go to the gym for strength building and muscle mass building. Break out of your patterns and remember that the heavier you are on an obstacle course, the harder it is to lift yourself and climb over obstacles. Strength training is great, but be careful not to lift too much for mass. Take it easy, and do lots of reps with lighter weights than you would when building mass. Lean up and tone, aiming for strength and agility. Skip the mass protein diets used by body builders and go for lean diets full of fresh and raw power foods. You want to be lean and agile. Think like a champion, eat like a cyclist.
Balance Training: Balance is a very overlooked key element of obstacle racing. Most obstacles require agility and balance to conquer. When training in the gym or on the trail, incorporate exercises that require sudden balance adjustments. For example, hold a 25lb weight to your chest with your arms crossed and jump up onto a box, then jump down. Alternate jumping to the side as well. The added weight helps confuse the muscles as you condition the specific areas of muscle responsible for your balance. Medicine balls can be very effective for balance work. While running, consider jumping over things along the trail, running up the bank slightly and then back down - or for your street runners, jump up onto the edge of a curb while running at full speed and attempt to keep your balance until the curb ends. Little activities such as this help develop a firm and strong core that your body will require in order to do well with obstacles.
Climber Training: Here's the one nobody expects, and many forget to do. In obstacle racing climbing is a major part of any race. There are often numerous obstacles featuring ropes, bars, walls, slippery slopes, and a few we are keeping secret which will require the same muscles are climbing. So how do you do this? Well keep in mind that climbing requires three key muscle areas. First, the bicep and tricep area. This area is easily trained with a combination of push ups and pull ups. Second, and quite obvious are the shoulders. Train by doing dips, cable pulls, or rows. Third - YOUR ENTIRE BACK. Yep, when climbing your back is responsible for balance and stability. Especially in cargo net obstacles the shoulders and back can quickly become fatigued. Alternate your pull up grip between outer grip and inner grips, and perform rotations while holding weights close to your chest in a crossed arm style. You do not need to overdo any of these climbing exercises as they are often difficult and if overworked can cause injury. Stick to three sets of 20 reps for weight based rotations, and keep your pull ups to sets of ten - doing as many as you feel comfortable with. Push ups are the exception. These you can go big on, and as long as your posture is correct you can perform as many as you are comfortable with.
Remember, as with beginning any new fitness regimen you should seek the advice of your doctor to be sure it is safe for you to exercise in this manner.
Obstacle races demand respect. This doesn't mean you have to train like an Olympic athlete to prepare, but it does mean you should do some reasonable training prior to running any obstacle race. For some this means simply getting into decent shape. For others, they will see the challenge of obstacle racing as a wake up to re-discover their inner athlete and train with a fierceness. Regardless of your approach we wanted to create a guide to help you out!
Whichever way suits you best there are some simple things to do that can mean the difference between just finishing a race and finishing a race strong. Obstacle racing is unique in that training for the events requires a multi-faceted approach. Here are some common themes we see among people training for obstacle race events.
Run: Training for obstacle race events requires some conditioning. Remember that your body will become tired often before you reach the halfway point of a race. You will need to be able to push past this and break the wall to your second wind. Because of this running is a required staple of obstacle race preparation. This being said, you don't have to go nuts here. Remember that running is just as much about building your wind, as it is your distance. Most obstacle races are relatively short in distance compared to traditional races. Since the obstacles break up the running into numerous shorter chunks, racers should prepare by running with this in mind. No need to do 10 mile runs here. In fact, for obstacle events under 6 miles, it is often best to prepare by running 3 miles. once you are comfortable running three miles, take a short break after your first three and then give it two more miles. You might be surprised at how easily your body will make this transition. Once you can comfortably run three miles, you body is usually capable of going much further. From here on out its your mental game that determines the length of your run. Practice by doing short runs until you feel strong, then add interval runs with short breaks between them. Training in this fashion will help you to be prepared for what is to come.
Lifting: Hitting the gym is great. But you should be careful here. Most of us go to the gym for strength building and muscle mass building. Break out of your patterns and remember that the heavier you are on an obstacle course, the harder it is to lift yourself and climb over obstacles. Strength training is great, but be careful not to lift too much for mass. Take it easy, and do lots of reps with lighter weights than you would when building mass. Lean up and tone, aiming for strength and agility. Skip the mass protein diets used by body builders and go for lean diets full of fresh and raw power foods. You want to be lean and agile. Think like a champion, eat like a cyclist.
Balance Training: Balance is a very overlooked key element of obstacle racing. Most obstacles require agility and balance to conquer. When training in the gym or on the trail, incorporate exercises that require sudden balance adjustments. For example, hold a 25lb weight to your chest with your arms crossed and jump up onto a box, then jump down. Alternate jumping to the side as well. The added weight helps confuse the muscles as you condition the specific areas of muscle responsible for your balance. Medicine balls can be very effective for balance work. While running, consider jumping over things along the trail, running up the bank slightly and then back down - or for your street runners, jump up onto the edge of a curb while running at full speed and attempt to keep your balance until the curb ends. Little activities such as this help develop a firm and strong core that your body will require in order to do well with obstacles.
Climber Training: Here's the one nobody expects, and many forget to do. In obstacle racing climbing is a major part of any race. There are often numerous obstacles featuring ropes, bars, walls, slippery slopes, and a few we are keeping secret which will require the same muscles are climbing. So how do you do this? Well keep in mind that climbing requires three key muscle areas. First, the bicep and tricep area. This area is easily trained with a combination of push ups and pull ups. Second, and quite obvious are the shoulders. Train by doing dips, cable pulls, or rows. Third - YOUR ENTIRE BACK. Yep, when climbing your back is responsible for balance and stability. Especially in cargo net obstacles the shoulders and back can quickly become fatigued. Alternate your pull up grip between outer grip and inner grips, and perform rotations while holding weights close to your chest in a crossed arm style. You do not need to overdo any of these climbing exercises as they are often difficult and if overworked can cause injury. Stick to three sets of 20 reps for weight based rotations, and keep your pull ups to sets of ten - doing as many as you feel comfortable with. Push ups are the exception. These you can go big on, and as long as your posture is correct you can perform as many as you are comfortable with.
Remember, as with beginning any new fitness regimen you should seek the advice of your doctor to be sure it is safe for you to exercise in this manner.
Nice Blog. Enhance your team’s confidence and uplift your team’s coordination and communication with Obstacle Race ideas“Corporate Spartans”, the ultimate team building activity for corporate employees. For more information, visit our website now.
ReplyDelete