The MOVE by BJC Blog


Preparing for Your Next Event

Preparing for Your Next Event

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Ten years ago, if you were training for an “event,” that event was probably a 5K, a marathon, a cycling race or perhaps a triathlon. Nowadays, there is a plethora of different types of fitness competitions that gym-goers can try. These include the “mud run,” “inflatable 5K,” “zombie run,” “color run” and many other outdoor events in which you do a whole lot more than just run. Although these types of events are commonplace now in most major cities, the type of training they require is anything but common.

Events such as the Tough Mudder, for instance, requires completing a 10-12 mile course with over 20 obstacles. These obstacles include monkey bars, wall climbs, a human hamster wheel, rings and an ice bath. These are hardly exercises you train for in the gym, but there are ways to get your body ready.

Generally speaking, you want to focus on your cardiovascular health first, but continue to increase in your intensity as your other training progresses. Many of these events involve 5 or more miles of total distance, but they allow you to “take a break” from running to complete an obstacle instead. What this means is that training for these events is more like training for a game of basketball or soccer, rather than just a 3, 5, or 10 mile run. It’s not about training at a moderate pace for a long duration, but rather alternating moderate pace running or jogging with high intensity bursts of speed and strength. This means you must train your body to use all its energy systems efficiently. As a general rule though, you should be able to run continuously for at least half of the total distance, i.e., if you’re doing a 10 mile Tough Mudder, make sure you can run for 5 miles continuously. In addition to your normal moderate pace running, you should practice sprint training as well as plyometric training to increase your power development.

Strength training is an integral part of completing an event that requires you to climb walls, hang or jump. You should be able to do the following in order to make it through the course:

  • Hang from a pull-up bar for 2 minutes or longer
  • Bring your knees to your elbows while hanging
  • Complete several chin-ups and pull-ups with varying grip combinations
  • Pull yourself up and over a wall or bar

In addition to training your back, arm and grip muscles to complete the previous list, it’s also important to focus on the often forgotten stabilizing muscles in your hips, knees and core. Since you’re not just running in a straight line, it’s paramount that you add in exercises that work your body in several planes of movement. Lateral and diagonal stepping, agility ladder work and mini hurdles can all help develop your hips, knees and ankles to function well during odd movement patterns.

If you’re planning your first non-traditional fitness event, and you need some additional advice, feel free to contact one of the exercise specialists at Move by BJC. Good luck!