Training for your next Spartan Race or Tough Mudder does not have to cost you an arm and a leg. You don’t have to buy a garage full of fitness equipment that you’ll never use again. And you don’t have to sign up for an expensive CrossFit membership.

In fact, you can create your own obstacle course training gym at home with only two key racing necessities:

(1) a door anchor and (2) resistance bands.

Yup. Resistance bands. 

Not only do resistance bands offer a challenging level of resistance for the strengthening of any muscle group, but they are also light-weight, easy to pack, and—most importantly—very affordable.

 “Okay, I’m interested. But how do I start training with bands?”

For starters, let’s look at what we’re specifically training here. Spartan Races and Tough Mudders are comprised of the following major types of movement: Climbing/gripping, Heavy lifting, Running, and Crawling.

Every Spartan Race and Tough Mudder includes these movements, and you must do well in all these things to be a successful racer. The good news is that resistance bands can help with all of these movements when used in a way that mimics actual obstacles.

Below are 6 workout ideas you can use to train for your next Spartan Race right in your living room. You can combine all of these movements together for a full-body high-intensity interval training workout! Read below for exercise descriptions and instructions on how to do the full workout.

NOTE: Before working out, please carefully choose the resistance that is right for you! If you are a beginner, try the lightest band resistance possible first before trying the “heavier” bands. If you can easily perform 15 repetitions of an exercise with good form, it may be time to up the resistance. 

 

1) Mini exercise band burpees with squat walk

--> Helpful for: Cardiovascular endurance, hip strengthening, mastering your burpees

Loop a Medium Band or Heavy Resistance 12-inch Mini Band around the middle of your thighs and focus on abducting (pushing out) your thighs throughout the entire movement. Go down into a squat, jump your feet behind you into a plank, do a push-up, then squat back in. However, instead of jumping upwards, remain in a squat position with your hips sinking back as if you’re about to sit onto a chair. Then, take 3 big steps to the right while maintaining a hip-width distance between your feet at all times. Go back into another burpee and, instead of jumping upward, hold that squat stance again and take 3 big steps to the left.

Remember – a burpee that is considered “legit” in a Spartan Race means that your chest needs to touch the ground and you must jump up with both feet completely off the ground.

 

  

2) Mini band lunge walk with single-arm overhead press

--> Helpful for: Hill climbing, running, shoulder strengthening

Loop a Medium or Heavy Resistance 12-inch Mini Band around the middle of your thighs once again and hold an object that is slightly heavy, yet easy to carry with one hand (ie, a hard-cover book, a gallon of milk, etc.). Raise that object straight overhead on one side while going into a lunge. Make sure your working shoulder is shrugged upward so that your bicep is next to your ear. Take a big step forward into a lunge, ensuring that your knees are above your ankles and that your chest is upright. Stand with your feet together, and then walk forward into a lunge on the opposite side. The whole time, you are holding the object up overhead on one side. Switch sides for the press when you walk to the end of the room until the desired amount of reps or time is over.

3) Mini exercise band box jumps

--> Helpful for: Cardiovascular endurance, leg power

While wearing the Medium or Heavy 12-inch Mini Band around the middle of your thighs, find a sturdy surface you can stand/bear weight on safely (e.g. couch, staircase). Keep your legs about hip-width apart and actively push your thighs out against the resistance of the loop band. Sit your hips backward with your arms behind you. Finally, drive your arms and hips forward and upward simultaneously, jumping with both feet up onto the surface at the same time. Land into a squat position, then stand up with legs fully extended. Step down from the surface one foot at a time, then repeat.

 

 

 4) Bear crawls with band and isometric hold

--> Helpful for: Barbed wire crawls

Secure a Medium Resistance 41-inch Workout Band with a Door Anchor by leaving the bulb end of the anchor behind the door and the loop in front of the door. You’ll want to position the anchor near the bottom of the door. Fasten one end of the Medium workout band into the anchor loop and tug to ensure that the anchor is secure throughout the workout. Then, loop the other end of medium band around your waist. Carefully go onto the ground in a “Table Top” position where your hands and the balls of your feet are on the ground, keeping your back in a neutral position. Bear crawl forward slowly (feeling the resistance of the band) for as far as you go, hold position for 5 seconds, then slowly crawl backwards. The band will pull you as you go backward, so clear your pathway of any objects that could be hazardous. Repeat for the desired amount of reps or time.

 

 

 

5) Banded sprints

--> Helpful for: Running, leg power, cardiovascular endurance

Keeping the door anchor in the same place (near the bottom of the door), loop a Heavy 41-inch Resistance Band around your waist. Pick a spot across the room to run to, and sprint to that spot as fast as you can. Slowly walk backwards to the starting point, and repeat for the desired amount of reps or time.

 

6) Banded suitcase carry (holding dumbbells, plates, etc)

--> Helpful for: Grip endurance, heavy carries

To challenge your grip strength, obtain a heavy household object with a handle (e.g. a gallon of milk, laundry detergent, etc.); you can also use a dumbbell or kettlebell if you have one. Loop one end of a Heavy 12-inch Mini Band  onto the object’s handle, and hold the other end of the exercise resistance band with your hand as shown in the photo below.

Walk across your living room then switch sides. You can turn this into a farmer carry for a more intense grip challenge if you have two bands and two heavy objects to carry (one object and band per hand).

 

 

 

To combine all these movements into a total-body OCR training workout, do each exercise for the specific amount of seconds listed below with the recommended amount of rest in-between exercises. Rest for 1-2 minutes in-between sets, then repeat for the recommended amount of sets:

 

• Beginner: (30 seconds of work, 30 seconds of rest between exercises, 1-minute of rest between sets); repeat for a total of 2-3 sets

• Intermediate: (40 seconds of work, 20 seconds of rest, 1-minute of rest between sets); repeat for a total of 3-4 sets

• Advanced: (60 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest, 1-2 minutes of rest between sets); repeat for a total of 4-5 sets.

 

To make the workouts more challenging, use a heavier resistance band or increase the weight of any external load (weight) you may be using.

To decrease the workout intensity, use a lighter resistance band, rest longer between exercises/sets, or decrease the weight of any external load (weight) you may be using.

Do these exercises at least 2-3 times a week, and you will be ready for your next obstacle course race!

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This article was written by Charmaine Platon. Charmaine is a Registered Nurse and Certified Personal Trainer working in Los Angeles. She is a Ninja Warrior in training who aims to help women get stronger and increase their upper body and grip strength. Instagram: @thenurseninja