Obstacle course races are all the rage at the moment, and with good reason: Few physical endeavors are as grueling. Courses are peppered with various challenges that require total-body strength and muscular and cardiovascular endurance. Since participants don’t know what obstacles await, the only way to prepare is to prepare for absolutely anything. This month’s workout does just that. Designed by Elite Personal Trainer Jeremy Carbajal, the king of Obstacle Course Race (OCR) Training at ClubSport Pleasanton, this training plan will prepare OCR newbies to conquer their first race and OCR vets to own their next course.
The Obstacle Course Race Workout
Complete 3-5 rounds of the following exercises.
Farmer Carries
Walk 20-30 yards
Hold two dumbbells or kettlebells. Keep an upright posture and walk 50-100 feet while holding a neutral spine. Make sure to choose a weight that challenges your grip and core strength.
Bear Crawl
Crawl 20-30 yards forward and back
On all fours, keep your hips low to the ground and crawl like a bear for 20-30 yards forward and back. The distance should challenge your shoulders and core.
Pullups
10-15 repetitions
Perform 10-15 pull-ups. They can be without assistance, machine-assisted, or band-assisted.
Marpo Rope Pull
Sled Pull to Sled Push
Incline Walk/Run Intervals
5-8 intervals: Walk/run for 60 seconds, recover for 60 seconds
Set the treadmill to a challenging incline and a slower speed. Walk or run for a minute, then rest for a minute. Repeat 5-8 times.
Meet Jeremy Carbajal
Jeremy Carbajal is an Elite Personal Trainer at ClubSport Pleasanton. He is trained as a Corrective Exercise Specialist, Level 1 YogaFit instructor, and is an experienced basketball coach at the high school level.
