10 Exercises to Get You Ready for an Obstacle-Course Race

Written by
Erik Taylor
Running up muddy hills, climbing over walls, jumping over fire pits, and carrying sandbags ? these are a few of the challenges you'll likely find at a mud run or obstacle-course race.

Obstacle racing offers several new challenges and tests. Get ready to take on these new tests by starting in the weight room.?Building strength and circuit training are the main ingredients to performing successfully in these types of races. It takes more than running to be prepared for these events—you also need strength, power, balance, coordination and strategy.

Here are eight exercises that will help you master obstacle-course races. Learn these exercises one at a time and, once you have the technique down, try grouping 3 to 5 of them together for a circuit. When focusing on strength, use heavier weights and perform fewer repetitions. When circuit training, use lighter weight and do more reps.
Deadlift
Level: intermediate/advanced
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Stand with a weighted bar above the center of your feet. Grab the bar with your hands and bend knees until shins are touching the bar. Lock your arms out straight, keeping your shoulder blades directly over the bar. Your back needs to be in good lumbar and thoracic extension. Pull the barbell in a straight vertical line until you have fully extended your hips. Return to starting position.

Reps/sets: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps
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Kettlebell Deadlift
Level: beginners
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This is a great exercise to prepare for a traditional barbell deadlift. Stand over the kettlebell, keeping your back straight. Lower down and grab onto the handle. Make sure to keep your core activated as you lift the kettlebell off the ground. Stand up straight and return to starting position.

Reps/sets: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps
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Power Clean
Level: intermediate/advanced
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This exercise increases explosiveness. Set up is the same as the deadlift: bar in hands, elbows straight and chest up. Get the bar into the rack position with your elbows high and pointed straight forward. Pull bar off the floor using hip and knee extension, keeping bar close to the body. Jump up aggressively while shrugging your shoulders, and drive the bar into the rack position with your elbows high. Make sure the bar travels in a vertical path.

Reps/sets: 3 to 5 sets of 3 to 8 reps

For beginners: Use a pair of dumbbells or a single kettlebell.?
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Kettlebell Swings
Level: all
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A great way to build strength and conditioning, start with the kettlebell sitting in front of you. Grab the bell with both your hands, hike in between your legs with hips bent and a slight bend in your knees. Snap your hips, swinging the bell forward, and bring the bell to your chest level. Let the kettlebell drop without any restriction, hike between your legs and repeat.

Reps/sets: 4 to 6 sets of 30- to 45-second rounds
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Farmer's Walk
Level: all
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Chances are you are going to have to walk with something heavy in your hands during these races. Pick weights that feel heavy but manageable. Use the same set-up as the deadlift. Take quick, short steps, keeping your back straight and your head up as you walk. Fifty to 100 feet is a perfect distance range.

Reps/sets: 4 to 5 sets
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Box Jumps
Level: all
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These jumps build speed, strength and conditioning. Stand in front of a box or platform. Jump onto box with a soft landing, keeping both feet together. Return immediately to starting position and repeat.

Reps/sets: 4 to 8 sets of 10 to 30 reps
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Pull-Ups
Level: intermediate/advanced
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Grab a bar, with your palms facing away from you, feet a little wider than shoulder width apart. Pull yourself up to where your chin is above the bar. Slowly return to starting position, using a full range of motion.

Reps/sets: 3 to 6 sets of 3 to 15 reps
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Inverted Rows
Level: beginner
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Grab the bar and lean your body back, keeping your body rigid and feet in one place. Pull your body up and return to starting position.

Reps/sets: 3 to 6 sets of 3 to 15 reps
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Push Press
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Stand while holding a pair of dumbbells just outside of your shoulders, with your arms bent and palms facing each other. Your feet should be shoulder width apart. Slightly bend your knees and drive up explosively, extending your hips while pressing the weights overhead. Lockout the elbows and return to starting position.

Reps/sets: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps
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Sandbag Carry
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Sandbags are simple but one of the most effective strength training implements out there. Put a sandbag on your shoulder and walk up a hill or stairs. Sandbags work your stabilizers, and will teach you how to handle an unbalanced load.

Reps/sets: 5 to 20 hill or stair repeats
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mud run