- Speed training is essential for obstacle course racing enthusiasts because it teaches you how to move quicker and use your energy strategically.
- You train for speed by systematically practicing your run or by using equipment like sleds, bands, and plyo boxes.
- The exercises that can enhance speed work on your core and leg muscles, as well as the explosiveness of your movements.
• Obstacle Course Training Guide for All Levels
In order to conquer an entire Obstacle Course Race, you will need to run from one obstacle to another. This is why training for speed is essential. Although not all OCRs are timed, moving quickly can help you manage both your time and your energy on race day.
There are people who are naturally fast movers. If you’re not one of them, don’t fret! It is possible to become a fast runner through practice. You can enhance your running speed by mastering some speed training drills and practicing them with discipline. The exercises included in these drills develop leg strength and power and techniques to utilize these.
Striders
If you're new to speed training, it's probably a good idea to start with striders. All you have to do is run for 45 minutes at an easy pace. Gradually allow your body to get used to the exertion and do not burn yourself out. Do your striders on a track, a flat road, or in a field if there's one accessible to you.
Running coach Elizabeth Corkum usually introducers speed training to neophytes through striders. She says, "Speed work is high stress, and so striders are a short taste of that stress. Like anything new to the body, diving into the deep end increases injury risk."
Sled push
Using a sled is an efficient way to mix strength training and speed training. Simply load it up with weights and push it across the ground. If you're pushing a heavy load, try to go for 10-20 yards at a moderate pace. Do the same with a lighter load but pick up the pace and try to cover the distance more quickly. This is called a "sled sprint". To avoid hurting your back or arms, remember to keep your elbows straight and your spine flat while you push.
Alternating sled pushes and sled sprints is the brainchild of conditioning coach Danny Takacs. He emphasizes that sled work is valuable for practicing acceleration since it helps the body angle forward. With this exercise you are training to build speed and also to stay in control of your movement, with the added challenge of controlling the weight of the sled.
Aside from increasing your speed, sled pushes are great for trimming down body fat quickly. They're especially effective for lessening subcutaneous fat — the layer of fat that is just below your skin. Losing excess subcutaneous doesn’t give you a more toned figure, it also reduces the risk of certain ailments like sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, kidney disease, fatty liver disease, and even some types of cancer.
Tired leg training
While striders and sled pushes can be used for training for obstacle course races for beginners, tired leg training should be reserved for fitness buffs with a bit more experience. This is due to the intensity of the workout.
Begin with a mile-long warmup. Once your heart rate is raised and your muscles are warm, do eight intervals of 600-meter runs. In between intervals, jog for 200 meters so that your body has enough time to recover for the next one. After your last recovery jog, switch it up to 200-meter runs, slightly faster than the first set. Do this four times with more 200-meter jogs in between to recover. Then when you're done, do one more mile to cool down.
Those 200-meter recovery periods may not feel like they add merit to your speed, but they are actually highly important. Aside from giving you time to rest, the breaks train you to find the "next gear" even when you feel exhausted; hence, the name of the workout.
Broad jump
Although speed training mostly known for running, sprinting, and jogging, it also includes other exercises like the broad jump. The broad jump is fairly easy. You start by standing with your feet at hip-width apart. Without lifting them off the ground just yet, do a quick counter movement. Push your hips back toward the wall, then extend them along with your knees and ankles to jump as far forward as you can. Do your best to avoid a rough landing. Bend your knees a bit so that you land in a squat position. This will also stop you from stumbling forward.
The broad jump is a plyometric exercise, which is a quick but powerful movement that lengthens a muscle or muscle group then contracts it again shortly after. This explosive yet controlled contraction is necessary to pick up and maintain speed.
Broad jumps mainly work out your quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes. Your lower back and calves reap some of the benefits, too. To make the most out of your broad jumps, invest in a pair of weight cuffs for your ankles. These will add difficulty to the work out but it will most definitely make your muscles stronger, as well as boost your metabolism.
Relaxed speed work
If you're recovering from an injury or illness, it’s still possible to do speed training. Relaxed speed work is a low intensity workout that will get your heart going without putting your body through more stress than it can handle.
Start with a warmup of around one or two miles. Then do your dynamic drills for five to ten minutes. You're now ready to run. Do five intervals of 1,000 meters each. Rest for two and a half minutes in between intervals. When you're done, cool down for up to two more miles.
Relaxed speed work is also a good entry point for those who have just started with OCR. If you’re a beginner, think of the first two intervals as a continuation of your warmup. You don't really have to push yourself hard until the second half of your run. Just ease into it and have fun.
Depth jumps
For this exercise, you'll need a sturdy, elevated surface like a bench or plyo box. Whatever you use, make sure it's strong enough to support your weight and that it’s stable enough not to topple over when you kick off of it. To minimize the force absorbed by your body when you land, use a small- to medium-sized box or bench.
Stand on the edge of the surface, then jump off. Depending on what you're comfortable with, you can do a vertical jump and try to achieve more height, or you can do a broad jump and try to land farther away from your starting point.
Include depth jumps in your workout routine if you would like to achieve a more explosive power to sprint faster right from the beginning of your run. In addition to giving you an advantage in OCR, depth jumps are also beneficial for of your nervous system, and your stamina, balance, and agility. Regular high-intensity depth jumps can also bulk up your thighs, hips, hamstrings and calves.
• Obstacle Course Training Guide for All Levels
Pallof press
The pallof press calls for either a band or a cable system that will resistance to the movement. If you're using a cable system, put the handle at chest level. When you're ready to go, stand a short distance away from the machine to unrack the weight. Grip the handle firmly, then press it away from your chest. Make sure it's at arm's length and hold it there for a few seconds. While waiting, squeeze your abs and keep your torso stable.
After three to five counts, move the handle back to your chest, and do the whole thing over. Do the same number of repetitions for each side.
The pallof press might seem like the odd man out of this list because it's a form of core stability training. However, core stability is necessary for sprinting just as much as endurance and leg strength are.
More than just moving fast, speed training is about using your legs, heart, and lungs strategically. Speed is achieved by combining good form, a full range of motion, and explosiveness to push you along as you go from one obstacle to another on your way to the finish line.