Be Spartan Race-Ready: 5 Tips to Get in Super Shape

You may already be fitter than the average Joe, but joining a Spartan Race requires an otherworldly level of fitness. Not Asgardian? No problem. Focus on these key training points to build strength, agility, endurance, mobility, and mental toughness.

Swinging on bars seems easy enough, but not when you have to do it with precision, speed, and purpose. Getting through obstacles requires using your upper body – arms, shoulders, core, and back – to push and pull yourself from point A to B.

According to a 2016 study in the International Journal of Exercise Science, strength training is essential for athletes who require speed, power, and strength. Build upper body strength for the Spartan Race with pullovers using a bench and dumbbell, push-ups, and bench presses. Pull-ups, deadlifts, and farmer’s walks (walking with weights) also boost the upper body while strengthening your grip.

A mark of a true Spartan is strong legs. They can give you the power you need to cross that finish line or go that extra mile when the rest of your body wants to give up. Working on your lower body strength is, therefore, essential for any Spartan Race participant. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Start with easy workouts like squats and lunges, then move on to deadlifts, and jumping exercises. Focus on balance, control, and precision.

Doing mobility exercises such as yoga and Pilates can help you with climbing obstacles that require a wide range of movements. Working on your mobility can also help prevent injuries. Imagine making it to the top of a slip wall and not being able to swing your leg over to the other side. Bummer, right? Don’t be that guy.

A 2016 study in the International Journal of Yoga found that 10 weeks of yoga practice enhanced mobility and flexibility in actively training athletes – warm-up stretching did not. Hip openers and lateral lunges can contribute to balance and stability. If you haven’t performed any mobility exercise before, work with a professional trainer to avoid injuries.

Cardiovascular and muscular endurance can take you far in a Spartan Race, regardless of which category you’re joining. This requires long-term training that slowly ramps up. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, although it will come in handy when sprinting from obstacle to obstacle. Go for long, moderate runs and lightweight training with lots of reps. These activities will teach your body to use oxygen wisely and train your muscles to withstand continuous contractions.

Mental toughness naturally improves as you push your limits and take on new challenges. It reshapes how you think, and your body discovers new ways to support you. Despite this, the mix of excitement and anxiety leading to race day can still be a drag. According to the Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy Review, these feelings are normal, but you must channel them appropriately. 

One way is to set a clear, specific personal goal to help you define your standard of success. Another is to prepare for the unexpected, both logistically and mentally. This means identifying things that can go wrong or become challenging during the race itself, instead of being blindly optimistic. A 2020 study in the Physical Education, Sport, and Kineto therapy Journal states that doing a mental rehearsal, also known as visualization, can make you calmer and adaptable to stressful situations.

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Preparing for the Spartan Race is no easy feat. With a good baseline of fitness, you should be training for the race for at least five weeks (more if you’re doing Beast or Super), according to the Spartan Training Guide. Working on the above prepares you physically and improves your mental agility and toughness. Congratulations on challenging yourself. You’re a winner just for that.

The Spartan Race will be from September 24 to 25. Visit the Spartan website for more details and use the discount code VERMOSAREXONA15 to get 15% off.