BY EMMET RUSHE: Mud runs are becoming more and more popular.
Each county is opening their own versions of the larger events and more and more people are taking part in them.
With such huge variations in the type and length of these events, it has to be asked;
How exactly should you train for a mud run?
There are a few considerations that you should take into account before you start training for one of these events:
• Your experience
• The type of the event
• Are you in it to compete or just to complete it?
• What is your current fitness level?
1. The first consideration and the one that most people tend to overlook is the actual length of the course.
Hell and Back is 8km (The Rushe Fitness crew will be competing as usual)
Tough Mudder is 20km. (I have teamed up with Pat Divilly to take part in this event for charity in July. There is more info at the end of the article)
With such a difference in the length of both events, it wouldn’t make sense to train the same way for both.
Your aerobic foundation is hugely important in your ability to not only complete the event, but also to recover quickly after each obstacle.
If you are unsure how to go about this, HalHigdon.com has loads of free templates ranging from a beginners 5km all the way up to an advanced marathon training guide.
Head over there and select the right running template to suit your fitness level and the length of the event.
2. The second consideration is your strength level.
With the wide range of obstacles throughout these events, you have to have a good base of strength.
• Use bodyweight exercises
• Compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, heavy presses, heavy pulls.
• Functional work like prowler pushes, farmers walks, heavy sled drags, rope slams, tyre flips.
• Grip strength for the dreaded monkey bars.
3. The next consideration is your speed and agility work
I wouldn’t put as much emphasis on this as others, as most people who take part in these events are doing it for fun and just to complete the course.
Adding in some short sprints, cone drills and exercises like burpees etc., will be enough to see you through the event.
4. The last consideration is your mobility work.
The length of the course, the type of the terrain, mud, water, walls, crawling, running, walking and sprinting all take its toll on you over the length of the event.
Keeping yourself mobile and flexible will reduce the chances of injury and allow you to compete in the next event when it comes around.
Always remember the 5 P’s
Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.
There you have it; an outline to how you would plan out your mud run to help you to finish the course with ease.
#TrainSmart
If you would like to take part in one of these events, I regularly take groups to them and we have training geared towards this.
If you would like to team up with Pat Divilly and myself to compete in Tough Mudder and help 3 great charities, please contact me through the link below and I’ll send you on all the relevant information.
https://www.facebook.com/Rushe-Fitness-120518884715118/
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