Friday, November 9, 2018
10 years ago, if you were training for “an event”, that event was probably just a 5k, ½ marathon, full marathon, or perhaps a cycling race, biathlon or triathlon. Nowadays, there are a plethora of different types of fitness competitions that average (some require above average) gym-goers can try. These include the “mud run”, “inflatable 5k”, “zombie run”, “color run”, and many other outdoor events that make you do a whole lot more than just run. Although these types of events are commonplace now in any major city, the type of training that they require is anything but common.
Events such as the Tough Mudder for instance, has you complete a 10-12 mile course with over 20 obstacles. These obstacles include whacky monkey bars, wall climbs, a human hamster wheel, Olympic rings, and an ice bath. These are hardly exercises you train for everyday in the gym, but there are definitely ways to get your body ready.
Generally speaking, you want to focus on your cardiovascular health first, but continue to increase in your intensity as your other training progresses. Many of these events are 5+ miles of total distance, but they allow you to “take a break” from running to complete an obstacle instead. What this means is that training for these events is more like training for a game of basketball or soccer, rather than just a 3,5, or 10 mile run. It’s not about training at a moderate pace for a long duration, but rather alternating moderate pace running or jogging with high intensity bursts of speed and strength. This means you must train your body to use all its energy systems efficiently. As a general rule though, you should be able to run continuously for at least half of the total distance, i.e., if you’re doing a 10 mile Tough Mudder, make sure you can run for 5 miles continuously. In addition to your normal moderate pace running, you should practice sprint training, as well as plyometric training to increase your power development.
Strength training is an integral part of completing an event that requires you to climb walls, hang, or jump. You should be able to do the following in order to make it through the course:
In addition to training your back, arm, and grip muscles to complete the previous list, it’s also important to focus on the forgotten stabilizing muscles in your hips, knees, and core. Since you’re not just running in a straight line, it’s paramount that you add in exercises that work your body in several planes of movement. Lateral and diagonal stepping, agility ladder work, and mini hurdles can all help develop your hips, knees, and ankles to function well during some odd movement patterns.
If you’re planning your first non-traditional fitness event, and you need some additional advice, feel free to contact one of the exercise specialists at Move by BJC Center. Good luck!
- Aaron Gutjahr, MSed, FMS, TPI CGFI/CGI, ACSM CPT
Manager, Move by BJC