Obstacle Course Training for Ages 14-18
So, your burgeoning Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) warrior and competitor has developed as much as possible under the novice training for 13-year-olds and under, and now has entered into an optimal period to kick start their training even further!
Being an older OCR warrior, your child will now more than likely be permitted to participate in the adult courses. These courses have eerily similar obstacles to the kid courses, only substantially bigger and more difficult to navigate. The adult obstacles will challenge not only your warrior’s strength, but also their stamina, speed, and skill. The kid obstacles are being left behind now. Training will still ensure enjoyment to be had, but it will also shift gears drastically to prepare them for a far more difficult and demanding event.
Unfortunately, some of the training for these more advanced courses will require a bit more monetary investment beyond the races themselves. However, if your little warrior has shown promise and great joy in the kid courses, then this training will only capitalize on the foundation they have built. A small token of investment will pay dividends in encouraging your little warrior to continue their journey in OCR as well as transferring skills to any other sport they desire.
Exercises and Obstacles
As previously implied, many of the adult obstacles are nothing more than the kid versions expounded upon for an adult level. There even exists multiple obstacles specifically designed for adult courses. In the case of Spartan Races, many of the adult-specific obstacles include the likes of the Bender, the Stairway to Sparta, and the Olympus.
In any case, all of the adult obstacles challenge participants in the same foundational movements tested in the kid race. Crawling, lifting, jumping, climbing, throwing, and carrying make up the majority of the obstacles in some combination with an emphasis on upper body strength, stamina, and skill.
The following training program can be completed by any participant but is geared towards those of ages 14-18. It does include some compound lifting which is where the increase in monetary investment will come into play. Fortunately, there are numerous locations and gyms offering great prices for training to be conducted in a safe environment. Lastly, this program will also focus on teaching various techniques, tips, and tricks of how to overcome certain obstacles that may give any participant trouble.
Crawling on the Ground
Many OCR’s utilize crawling as an obstacle in their adult races. These crawls are much longer and often more difficult than the kid version. Moreover, they are often under material such as barbed wire for an extra challenge.
One of the best techniques for learning to crawl properly is to conduct the low crawl, or the military crawl, as most people would immediately imagine. Other crawls include the high crawl, which is similar to the low crawl, and the “rolling” crawl.
Crawl Types
For low crawl:
Set up a course of intervals of 5, 10, and 20 yards with start and finish markers somewhere with enough space
Start from the beginning, and on go, aim for completed the crawl as fast as possible
Complete each distance once
For high crawl:
Set up a similar course, but with intervals of 10, 20, and 40 yards
High crawl is a bit easier than a low crawl in that the warrior does not have to be fully on the ground and can have their chest up off the ground
For the “rolling” crawl:
Set up a similar course, but with intervals of only 5 and 10 yards. Also put a halfway marker so the warrior knows to switch sides they are rolling. This technique takes some time to become accustomed as it involves rolling sideways in a straight line down the course. It can be rather dizzying, but with enough practice, it can become a preferred technique by some racers.
Jump with Some Zest
The adult courses retain jumping over walls, hay bales, logs, and other off-the-ground objects but with taller heights to vault. The warrior will need to continue to develop jumping techniques with grabbing an object at the top to then pull themselves over the obstacle along with strength development.
To facilitate this, squats, cleans, jump to pull ups, and vertical jump training will be some of the better exercises to focus upon.
Jump Up
Squats 3-5 sets of 4-6 reps
Cleans 4 sets of 4 reps
Jump to Pull Up 3 sets of 15 reps
Box Jumps 3 rounds of 30 seconds
Climbing… For Adults
Climbing may be one of the more difficult skills to climb as there are multiple, varied instances of climbing obstacles that challenge more technique than strength. For instance, in the rope climb, there are two techniques primarily utilized that can conquer the obstacle despite any strength deficits. And for a wall climb, there will be varied handholds such as rock-climbing handholds, ladders, poles, pipes, etc. Grip strength plays a more vital role here in the adult race than in the kids race.
Rope Climb: J Hook Technique
This technique involves jumping up and hanging on to the rope then kicking out a preferred leg’s, let’s say right, in this case, knee to the right of the dangling rope. After kicking the knee to the right, you drive the right side of your right foot into the rope causing it to bend underneath the right foot. Next, using the left foot, kick and bring the rope over the top of the right foot where the left foot thereby plants itself on top of the rope, locking it. Practice this with a rope in a gym or even with a twisted-up towel that is long enough to get the technique down. Go for reps over time as speed will come with the repetitions.
Rope Climb: S Hook Technique
The other technique most commonly used is the S Hook technique. It is similar to the J Hook, but it is more stable in having the rope go inside the leg’s thigh and behind the calf. The rope then will go around the right foot to the right where the J Hook technique is essentially applied. Have the warrior practice this one in a similar manner as the J Hook. Whichever technique the warrior prefers, have that be practiced over the other.
Climb That Rope!
Rope Climb (with Rope or Technique Work) 10 Reps (20-30 for technique work)
Lat Pull Down 3 sets of 12 reps
Dead Hangs 3 sets of 30 seconds
Carry On
The kid race carrying ain’t got nothing on the carries in many adult races! Many times, the weight of the carry is drastically increased along with changing many times exactly what has to be carried. Some of the time, it may be a sand bag weighing anywhere from 40-60 pounds. Other times, it may be a bucket weighing anywhere from 60-75 pounds. And at other times, it could be a heavy log, heavy stone, or even a heavy water jug.
The only secret to being able to better conquer carries is to simply practice carrying heavier and heavier weights. Fortunately, for most races, there is no explicit rule as to how the objects have to be carried, so practice how you play. Encourage the warrior to find a style or technique that works for them and go from there. Keep in mind that in training, the carried weights need to be heavy. Train up to the weight used in the race, then progress beyond.
Carry a Heavy Stick
Deadlifts 3 sets of 8-12
Suitcase Carry 5 rounds of 40 yds
Rack Carry 5 rounds of 40 yds
RUN!
This may come as a shock considering this is a training program for OCR’s, but, indeed, running will need to be included in a training program to run an OCR!
The distances for adults are considerably much longer than a kids race. Most kids races have the longest distance of around 2 miles whereas most adult races start at 3.1 miles. The longest adult races go to 50k and even longer!
Thus, depending on the distance required of the event, that is the distance the run training program will need to be catered. In the below training program, it is geared towards a Spartan Sprint 5k (3.1 miles) distance.
Run It!
3 days per week
1st Day: Long run equal to event distance of 3.1 miles at race pace (this assumes the warrior has been running at least 2 miles on a consistent basis)
2nd Day: Interval Play Sprint 30s/ Walk 60s
3rd Day: Long, slow run of at least 4 miles
*This run training assumes the warrior has been running consistently and is at least 8 weeks out from the event. After this week, the distances should begin to be tapered of the long slow run to encourage recovery.
Keep in Mind
Be keen on the fact that every warrior is an individual, and that each individual will have greater success with a more individualized program rather than a general program outline. Encourage your warrior to play with their own training to see what works best for them. Encourage them to research exercises and the events they wish to participate in to find the best ways to emulate or simulate the obstacles to become familiar with them.
Overall, keep encouraging you warrior to perform to the best of their ability and always have fun!
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
Obstacle Course Training for Ages 14-18
So, your burgeoning Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) warrior and competitor has developed as much as possible under the novice training for 13-year-olds and under, and now has entered into an optimal period to kick start their training even further!
Being an older OCR warrior, your child will now more than likely be permitted to participate in the adult courses. These courses have eerily similar obstacles to the kid courses, only substantially bigger and more difficult to navigate. The adult obstacles will challenge not only your warrior’s strength, but also their stamina, speed, and skill. The kid obstacles are being left behind now. Training will still ensure enjoyment to be had, but it will also shift gears drastically to prepare them for a far more difficult and demanding event.
Unfortunately, some of the training for these more advanced courses will require a bit more monetary investment beyond the races themselves. However, if your little warrior has shown promise and great joy in the kid courses, then this training will only capitalize on the foundation they have built. A small token of investment will pay dividends in encouraging your little warrior to continue their journey in OCR as well as transferring skills to any other sport they desire.
Exercises and Obstacles
As previously implied, many of the adult obstacles are nothing more than the kid versions expounded upon for an adult level. There even exists multiple obstacles specifically designed for adult courses. In the case of Spartan Races, many of the adult-specific obstacles include the likes of the Bender, the Stairway to Sparta, and the Olympus.
In any case, all of the adult obstacles challenge participants in the same foundational movements tested in the kid race. Crawling, lifting, jumping, climbing, throwing, and carrying make up the majority of the obstacles in some combination with an emphasis on upper body strength, stamina, and skill.
The following training program can be completed by any participant but is geared towards those of ages 14-18. It does include some compound lifting which is where the increase in monetary investment will come into play. Fortunately, there are numerous locations and gyms offering great prices for training to be conducted in a safe environment. Lastly, this program will also focus on teaching various techniques, tips, and tricks of how to overcome certain obstacles that may give any participant trouble.
Crawling on the Ground
Many OCR’s utilize crawling as an obstacle in their adult races. These crawls are much longer and often more difficult than the kid version. Moreover, they are often under material such as barbed wire for an extra challenge.
One of the best techniques for learning to crawl properly is to conduct the low crawl, or the military crawl, as most people would immediately imagine. Other crawls include the high crawl, which is similar to the low crawl, and the “rolling” crawl.
Crawl Types
For low crawl:
Set up a course of intervals of 5, 10, and 20 yards with start and finish markers somewhere with enough space
Start from the beginning, and on go, aim for completed the crawl as fast as possible
Complete each distance once
For high crawl:
Set up a similar course, but with intervals of 10, 20, and 40 yards
High crawl is a bit easier than a low crawl in that the warrior does not have to be fully on the ground and can have their chest up off the ground
For the “rolling” crawl:
Set up a similar course, but with intervals of only 5 and 10 yards. Also put a halfway marker so the warrior knows to switch sides they are rolling. This technique takes some time to become accustomed as it involves rolling sideways in a straight line down the course. It can be rather dizzying, but with enough practice, it can become a preferred technique by some racers.
Jump with Some Zest
The adult courses retain jumping over walls, hay bales, logs, and other off-the-ground objects but with taller heights to vault. The warrior will need to continue to develop jumping techniques with grabbing an object at the top to then pull themselves over the obstacle along with strength development.
To facilitate this, squats, cleans, jump to pull ups, and vertical jump training will be some of the better exercises to focus upon.
Jump Up
Squats 3-5 sets of 4-6 reps
Cleans 4 sets of 4 reps
Jump to Pull Up 3 sets of 15 reps
Box Jumps 3 rounds of 30 seconds
Climbing… For Adults
Climbing may be one of the more difficult skills to climb as there are multiple, varied instances of climbing obstacles that challenge more technique than strength. For instance, in the rope climb, there are two techniques primarily utilized that can conquer the obstacle despite any strength deficits. And for a wall climb, there will be varied handholds such as rock-climbing handholds, ladders, poles, pipes, etc. Grip strength plays a more vital role here in the adult race than in the kids race.
Rope Climb: J Hook Technique
This technique involves jumping up and hanging on to the rope then kicking out a preferred leg’s, let’s say right, in this case, knee to the right of the dangling rope. After kicking the knee to the right, you drive the right side of your right foot into the rope causing it to bend underneath the right foot. Next, using the left foot, kick and bring the rope over the top of the right foot where the left foot thereby plants itself on top of the rope, locking it. Practice this with a rope in a gym or even with a twisted-up towel that is long enough to get the technique down. Go for reps over time as speed will come with the repetitions.
Rope Climb: S Hook Technique
The other technique most commonly used is the S Hook technique. It is similar to the J Hook, but it is more stable in having the rope go inside the leg’s thigh and behind the calf. The rope then will go around the right foot to the right where the J Hook technique is essentially applied. Have the warrior practice this one in a similar manner as the J Hook. Whichever technique the warrior prefers, have that be practiced over the other.
Climb That Rope!
Rope Climb (with Rope or Technique Work) 10 Reps (20-30 for technique work)
Lat Pull Down 3 sets of 12 reps
Dead Hangs 3 sets of 30 seconds
Carry On
The kid race carrying ain’t got nothing on the carries in many adult races! Many times, the weight of the carry is drastically increased along with changing many times exactly what has to be carried. Some of the time, it may be a sand bag weighing anywhere from 40-60 pounds. Other times, it may be a bucket weighing anywhere from 60-75 pounds. And at other times, it could be a heavy log, heavy stone, or even a heavy water jug.
The only secret to being able to better conquer carries is to simply practice carrying heavier and heavier weights. Fortunately, for most races, there is no explicit rule as to how the objects have to be carried, so practice how you play. Encourage the warrior to find a style or technique that works for them and go from there. Keep in mind that in training, the carried weights need to be heavy. Train up to the weight used in the race, then progress beyond.
Carry a Heavy Stick
Deadlifts 3 sets of 8-12
Suitcase Carry 5 rounds of 40 yds
Rack Carry 5 rounds of 40 yds
RUN!
This may come as a shock considering this is a training program for OCR’s, but, indeed, running will need to be included in a training program to run an OCR!
The distances for adults are considerably much longer than a kids race. Most kids races have the longest distance of around 2 miles whereas most adult races start at 3.1 miles. The longest adult races go to 50k and even longer!
Thus, depending on the distance required of the event, that is the distance the run training program will need to be catered. In the below training program, it is geared towards a Spartan Sprint 5k (3.1 miles) distance.
Run It!
3 days per week
1st Day: Long run equal to event distance of 3.1 miles at race pace (this assumes the warrior has been running at least 2 miles on a consistent basis)
2nd Day: Interval Play Sprint 30s/ Walk 60s
3rd Day: Long, slow run of at least 4 miles
*This run training assumes the warrior has been running consistently and is at least 8 weeks out from the event. After this week, the distances should begin to be tapered of the long slow run to encourage recovery.
Keep in Mind
Be keen on the fact that every warrior is an individual, and that each individual will have greater success with a more individualized program rather than a general program outline. Encourage your warrior to play with their own training to see what works best for them. Encourage them to research exercises and the events they wish to participate in to find the best ways to emulate or simulate the obstacles to become familiar with them.
Overall, keep encouraging you warrior to perform to the best of their ability and always have fun!