- OCR involves holistic training and exercises that develop strength for different muscle groups.
- A complete workout should cover full-body exercises and include training equipment that is readily available to you
- OCR exercises are also handy when it comes to everyday tasks like climbing stairs, carrying groceries, and moving items from one place to another.
Strength training is an integral part of preparing for obstacle course racing events. You will have to do a lot of lifting, carrying, dragging, pushing, and pulling at various points in the race. Oftentimes, you will also have to carry your own weight. Strong muscles, like your core and your grip, give you an enormous advantage in overcoming obstacles. A well-rounded set of functional training exercises will get you ready to take on challenges when the big day arrives.
• Obstacle Course Training Guide for All Levels
Pull-ups
To do a pull-up, you need to firmly grasp a sturdy bar with your hands about shoulder-width apart, then pull your body upward. Spartan pro David Magida says that pull-ups play a huge part of obstacle course training because "You need to have the ability to pull your own bodyweight free of gravity. It’s going to help you with rope climbing, with basic things like grip on monkey bars, and with hoist obstacles."
Other than amping up your OCR game, pull-ups will also simultaneously strengthen a good number of muscles such as your back, arms, and shoulders, making it easier to lift and carry heavy things.
Hand-over-hand Rope Sled Pulls
Hand-over-hand rope sled pulls, as the name suggests, it involve a sled, some weights, and a long rope (around 50 feet). To do this exercise, tie the rope to the sled then lay it in a straight line. Sit or stand with the end of the rope at your feet, then grab it and pull it toward you, hand over hand. Once the sled reaches you, walk the rope back out (or run if you're really in the zone) and start over.
This exercise improves grip strength, which is vital for obstacles that has rope and rings. It's also good for your back muscles. With a strong grip, you are less likely to drop things, including your own body weight, which you will have to carry at some point in an OCR event.
Medicine Ball Burpees
This is a more advanced version of the classic burpee, because it requires a medicine ball.
First, set the ball at your feet. Lower yourself down into the squat thrust-push-up part, then as you get up, grab hold of the ball before doing a jump. Lift the medicine ball overhead during this part.
Medicine ball burpees are a true functional fitness exercise with a killer combination of upper body muscles, core muscles, and grip strength. If you can handle having them in your workout regularly, you'll be toning your body and preparing it for OCR all at once.
Single-leg Deadlifts
One of the best exercises for strengthening your back is the deadlift. It engages your arms, hands, core, and legs, and can be done in several ways depending on what's available to you and which muscles you want to focus on.
To do the single-leg deadlift, hold your weight of choice in one hand and hang to the side. You should be standing on one leg, on the side you're using to hold the weight. Bend your knee slightly, then your hip. As you do this, move your free leg outward and behind you to stay balanced. Keep lowering the weight until your body is parallel with the floor, then work your way back into an upright position.
Single-leg deadlifts enhance your sense of balance and coordination, which are both important for overcoming obstacles like the loaded balance beam. Having these skills will also help you on activities like dancing and sports.
Unbalanced Deadlifts
Another popular variation of the deadlift is the unbalanced deadlift. This is done with uneven loads between the left side and right side of your body. There are two ways to achieve this "imbalance". The first is to have one side partially loaded. This means that you are holding a weight in each hand, but not the same weight. For example, you could be carrying 50 pounds on the left and 75 pounds on the right.
The second method is done with one side completely unloaded. In this case, you would perform a dumbbell lift (or lift whatever weight you choose) with one hand for four repetitions. Then you would have to switch the weight to the other hand and do four repetitions on that side.
Because of its unbalanced nature, this variation of deadlift is excellent for core engagement. They can also help resolve specific body problems, such as lopsided muscle development caused by repetitive movements you do for your job.
Barbell Thrusters
The barbell thruster is a good addition to a functional training workout that is time-constrained because of its efficiency. Get into position and unrack the bar by pushing it upwards and at the same time pushing your hips slightly forward. Then take a step back from the rack and descend into a squat. Keep going until your upper legs are parallel to the ground.
To come back up, you must have a firm grip on the bar and push into your heels. When you're almost all the way up, push the bar upwards, extending your neck as much as you can so that you have space to move the bar. The final position for this exercise is when your arm are extended all the way up and your legs are straight.
Although you'll likely do them indoors, barbell thrusters can simulate the challenge of overcoming obstacles when done in between running. This is because a set of barbell thrusters doesn't feel the same as being on the course, but it does give you the chance to piece together movements quickly and strategically, which you and your teammates will need to do on race day.
Squats
Squats are simple yet incredibly effective for building on your leg strength. They are more than just moving up and down. In order to get the full benefits of squats, it should be done correctly.
When you are not conscious of your movement, you risk putting too much weight on your knees and quadriceps (thigh muscles) while neglecting your power muscles, which are your hamstrings and glutes. To avoid this, mind the position of your hips as you do squats. Push your hips back as you lower your body, and push your hips and your chest forward and out as you raise your body up again.
• Obstacle Course Training Guide for All Levels
Burpees
Some events like the Spartan Race use burpees as a penalty for failing or for skipping an obstacle. Even when you’re confident of your OCR training, it's still a good idea to master the burpee and practice doing as many as you can in one sitting. After all, you will never know when an obstacle might be harder than you expected.
David Magida agrees that the burpee is essential to OCR training, saying "It's a great conditioning exercise interspersed with running." Not only will it help you complete the OCR event you signed up for, but it's an all-around useful exercise for building up cardiovascular endurance. You'll be able to run farther and longer with a lot of burpees under your belt.
Many OCR exercises double as functional fitness exercises. As you train for OCR greatness, you are also building strength and utilizing your back, arm, core, and leg muscles. Your whole body becomes stronger and more resilient the harder you train. Having a strong body enables you to also perform day-to-day activities. Overall, OCR is not just good for your body, but also for your emotional and mental well-being.