Tough Mudder Workout Ultimate Sandbag Training Style!

Today I am pretty excited. I love sharing the innovative ideas from coaches that I consider “go to”! Troy Anderson from Alpha Kettlebell is definitely that. However, I actually got double trouble today. DVRT master trainer, Larisa Lotz, actually inspired today’s Tough Mudder workout. She wanted to send us a training video of Tough Mudder training that better represented the DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training program. This was all after our Ultimate Sandbag was featured in Self Magazine as the ideal training tool for Tough Mudder training. Seeing the passion both Troy and Larisa had for the training of the Tough Mudder tells me a few important ideas.

1. I always want to be honest and authentic with all of you! I have never done Tough Mudder and wanted only to speak on the subject if we had people that could give some real and great perspective.

2. Ultimate Sandbag Training is about using the program to address your specific fitness needs. The versatility allows you to not be stuck in some outdated form of fitness, but rather be revolutionary. That is why Troy and Larisa really outline some interesting ideas for the Tough Mudder training.

Even if you have no ambition to run a race like the Tough Mudder, I think the ideas Troy speaks about are very true to just about any goal you have for fitness!

Troy Anderson of KettlebellFatLossTraining.com on using Ultimate Sandbag Training for Tough Mudder and life’s challenges

Coach Anderson Following What He Preaches!

Sometimes our training routines get stagnant we go to the gym, we go to the garage, etc…. and we do the planned workout and we train with intensity but there something missing.

You can’t quite put a finger on it, a piece of the formula is missing.

Training is good but its just not exciting any more, if you were/are an athlete there is no ‘next game’, if you train for fat loss/aesthetics there is nothing boring and/or arduous that maintain a top end physique.

To be uncertain is to be uncomfortable, but to be certain is to be ridiculous. — Chinese Proverb

You need an injection of uncertainty, you know the challenge of the unknown will invigorate you, you need something that will rock your comfort zone.

You know having something to train your ass off for, to test yourself, your training plan, and to dust off your will to compete, will be GOOD for you.

Enter the ‘mud run’ you pick your poison, bad ass Tough Mudder, any of the hardcore spartan race variants, wicked warrior dash, or any other the other seemingly endless options available.

Now I am pretty sure that putting your money down and completing one of these races won’t be some cathartic life changing event by which the ‘code’ of your life unveils itself over a 3,8,12 mile mud run.

That said I promise it will get your butt off the the safety of the sidelines and get the butterflies going like a summer time afternoon.

So let set you up with a few guidelines to unleash your fury on the Tough Mudder or adventure race course:

1. First things first, start with setting a target finish time
2. Next I suggest wearing a ‘mud proof’ watch tracking your split times, most Tough Mudder and adventure race courses will have ‘mile markers’ to let you know how far into the course you are.

Now let’s get to some the key training areas and exercises you’ll want to include in your program:

✓ Grip Strength – there is no doubt you’ll be climbing up stuff and most likely that stuff will be slick, wet, and muddy, hence Tough Mudder!

⁃ Great Tough Mudder and adventure race exercises are any of the bear hug, shouldering, arch press, and offset exercises with the Ultimate Sandbag

✓ Continuous Power – hill sprints (make sure you are going ALL OUT) many Tough Mudder and adventure race courses will have changes in elevation and doing hill sprints is a great way to train for these as well as getting in some actual running without logging a gazillion miles.

⁃ Incorporate a couple Ultimate Sandbag exercises like clean and press or rotational lunge at the top and/or bottom and you will have a tough muddier worthy circuit.

✓ Hi Grade Power – you are probably going to have jump up on to some stuff but even more important you have to jump down into some pretty slippery slop (the whole fun of Tough Mudder!). So you’ll need to be able to create instant power as well as instant stability sticking your landing will be paramount and often overlooked in Tough Mudder and other races.

⁃ For developing these aspects shouldering, bear hug squat jumps, and all lunge variations specifically shouldered lunges and rotational lunges.

✓ Grounded Strength – You will be crawling over all kinds of stuff, your probably have to ‘back’ down a ramp or two, and what if you fall

⁃ Hands down the best training exercise for engaging your entire body in the this ‘grounded’ position are the Ultimate Sandbag dragging series: lateral bag drag, vertical power drag, bag push/pull the option are limitless and they work great for getting ‘core’ and then some ready for down and dirty action.

Hopefully this post will give you the ‘kick’ you need to put yourself out there and enter one of these Tough Mudder or adventure race events along with few keep tips to integrate into your mud run train up that will armor-coat you against most worse case scenarios and to MAXIMIZING your odds of having a ROCKIN’ experience without beating your body to a pulp or logging ton of boring miles.

So get off the sideline, get out there, get a little uncomfortable, and get to the FINISH LINE!

If you would like to get a free 2 hour workshop video showing all aspects of Tough Mudder or adventure race preparation as well seeing exactly how the Ultimate Sandbag Training can be implemented into your training, stay tuned for my program you can do anywhere. Thanks to Coach Anderson and Larisa Lotz for this fun post about how to get prepared for the Tough Mudder and adventure races. Now are YOU up to the challenge?

Tough Mudder Workout Ultimate Sandbag Training Style! is a post from: Ultimate Sandbag Training Fitness System by Josh Henkin