TOUGH MUDDER FITNESS AND SKILLS PROGRAMME

The purpose of this programme is to get anybody fit and prepared to complete the Tough Mudder Challenge. It has three different elements: 1. Tough-Mudder-style Workout (10 intervals + 20 drills) 2. Supplementary running/other activity 3. Skills practice (optional)

1. Tough Mudder Style Workout

You can do this on grass, mud, even marshy ground. Each training session comprises 10 running sections interspersed with some basic, TM-appropriate movements/training drills. It works like this. Run 1 interval, then complete two drills then repeat 10 times until youve run all 10 intervals and 20 drills

The 10 running sections

In every workout youll do ten running intervals; however the number of laps (or distance) that goes into each interval will change with increasing levels of fitness. As you get fitter you will build up the number of laps you complete for each interval. You could do these anywhere, but I would suggest a park would be ideal. Work out a circuit thats about 400m long*. Thats what we will call a lap. * alternatively you could work out 4 different length running laps: a 400m an 800m a 1200m and a 1600m, but it will be helpful if the end of each lap is in the same place, where you can leave any equipment needed for the drills, etc. If you are starting from a low level of fitness, youll run one lap only for the first interval. Thus, youll end up running 400m ten times (thats about 4km, 2.5 miles). When you can complete all ten 400m laps and complete the drills in between, you can throw an extra lap in. So youd now be running 2 x 400m x 10 intervals (8km, 5miles). Carry on like this, building it up, session by session, until you can run 4 laps (1600m, 1 mile) ten times while still completing all the drill exercises in between each running section. By this point you are replicating the demands of the course pretty accurately. Note: The progression of your training efforts should not be linear (i.e not in a straight line increase in quantity.) A format of 2 steps forward, one step back, allows for proper recovery. E.G. When you can complete 4km (with one lap) easily, then try 8km (using double laps) but then step back to doing 4km for a session or two before trying 8km again.

You can also break your progress down into smaller increments if you want. You could, for example, when looking to move between 4km and 8km, do double laps for only the first 5 laps, then revert to singles. Youd only end up running 6km therefore, which would be an easier stepping stone. Pace and Intensity: Run at a speed at which you could almost chat. They are recovery time between the other drills. When you get closer to the competition however you can push harder. Dont start doing this more than six weeks before or you will likely burn out. Be sensitive to what your body is telling you: If youre tired, dont go all out, but scale things back until you feel recovered. Although you need determination to do all the training when you might rather be doing other things, you do not need a Rambo mentality for every training session. Less is sometimes more if your body cannot adapt fast enough. Equipment needed: 1 or 2 Sandbags (10-20kg depending on strength) 25m Rope Shorter bit of rope to be tied around you or to a harness for dragging practice Weight to be tied to end of rope to drag in different ways Monkey bar or longish wooden ladder Something to do pull-ups on branch, pole, ladder 5 foot sturdy fence to practice scaling/vaulting Balance beam (few long bits of timber will do)

[The Programme is on the next page]

The Tough Mudder Programme

1. RUN 1/2/3/or 4 laps a) Sandbag overhead lifts b) Bear crawl

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQb1b8x4SBI&feature=plcp http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qycQ_CfJ2xk&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvdkeMFO2mc&feature=plcp http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njxx0cpytPw&feature=plcp

2. RUN 1/2/3/or 4 laps a) Mountain climbers and Long-Jump 3. RUN 1/2/3/or 4 laps a) Vaults

b) Monkey Bar swings or straight arm swing on pull-up bar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn34qyn_gpc&feature=plcp http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9S_K_GOGZBE&feature=plcp

b) Backwards drag

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuBKHTNeWps&feature=plcp

4. RUN 1/2/3/or 4 laps a) Down elbow crawl jump up down elbow crawl b) Weighted or sandbag Lunge 5. RUN 1/2/3/or 4 laps a) Press-up wave 6. RUN 1/2/3/or 4 laps a) Caterpillar walk b) Pull-ups (to max)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpo1c2Pwnvo&feature=plcp or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMFRZheFRuM&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnubzHSDKfY&feature=plcp http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vakEI0G-IH4&feature=plcp

b) Sprint 25m, turnaround recovery

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWZWwAqg3lg&feature=plcp http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ug-40rrBv0&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVbUXSiUsZQ&feature=plcp http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSwnc8thpFc&feature=plcp

7. RUN 1/2/3/or 4 laps a) Sideways monkeybar swings

b) Sprint with heavy carry

http://www.youtube.com/audio?feature=wenh&v=DiYT3guy7vI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2vGE-O7XOI&feature=plcp

8. RUN 1/2/3/or 4 laps a) Stationary rope drag with arms b) Knee tuck jumps

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYsGVQcmiz4&feature=plcp http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaOYcfMORJk&feature=plcp

9. RUN 1/2/3/or 4 laps a) Horizontal pull-ups b) Crawling Press-up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9tY65vbVfg&feature=plcp http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU26CbrII9I&feature=plcp

10. RUN 1/2/3/or 4 laps a) Balance beam walking with sandbag b) Walkout press-up burpees

Number of Repetition for each exercise Im not a big fan of programmes with fixed numbers of reps. Even if I was, I wouldnt know, from here, how many to give you as were all individuals. I like to do each movement until I notice that my form is really struggling. At this point I leave the exercise and move onto whatever is next. Closer to the date of the competition (say within a month), if you want to, you can do each exercise until total face-in-the-mud exhaustion. It will help make you mentally tougher, though you do risk burn out if you do this for too often for too long. Definitely do not take this approach from the beginning. Start slowly and build up: running speed; number of laps; number of reps. Think of each exercise as a skill which is worthy of practice, not as a sledgehammer to batter your body into shape with. It can be motivating to keep a record of how many (or how long) you achieve as you watch yourself progress.

Training Frequency
Start off completing the TM-style workouts above twice a week, but exercise 5 times a week. (See point 2, below) After one months training, step things up and complete the TM workout 3 times a week. Aim during this month to get to the point where you can run four laps for each interval and still do a growing number of each drill. 6 weeks before the competition, pick things up to do the TM workout 4 days in each week, Taper off your training from 9 days before you race, so you are doing only half your normal workout 3 days before the big day. Do very little for the final 3 days leading up to the event. Make sure you are well rested, fed and hydrated on the day.

2. Supplementary running/other activity

You need to add some supplementary, easy aerobic exercise to the efforts youll make on the TM training days. Ensure that you get some exercise 5 days a week. No more, no less. Even if you start off doing the TM Programme only two times a week, ensure you do something else active on another 3 days. Adjust your distances or intensity so you start each TM session feeling fresh, not fatigued from the previous days exertions. To do this you may have to have some really easy days but you should still do them. If you play other sports, do these on your non-TM days. Dont run further or exercise harder than you do on your TM-like days. Take it easy. Its about extra time spent active, not pushing harder.

3. Skills Practice
TM demands certain skills which can be practiced in advance of the day. Some are included in the programme: Monkey bars, obstacle scaling/vaulting and crawling. I would also suggest that you spend some time practicing jumping between objects, balancing (on a plank or balance beam), regains and jumping down from some height. Also crawling along a balance beam might prove useful. Improving grip strength could also be helpful from holding slippery bars. Improving your top speed may

be useful for running up concave-shaped obstacles. (Practise running to the top of a skateboard ramp if you have access to one.) You should also improve your confidence with heights and regularly immerse yourself in really cold water (the shower will do, but a lake is better) while keeping calm by keeping your breathing deep and under control. Running through deep mud is also highly specific to the competition (the clue in the name of the event, folks!).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wb1LJrriyA&feature=plcp http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WIXKHdU_vg&feature=plcp

Warm-ups and Mobility Drills You should do a 10 min warm-up before each session and ideally on your non-workout days too to work on your mobility. I will make a YouTube video for this too. Soon. Even sooner if someone requests it. GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY TRAINING! Olly Selway