Adventure Races are becoming increasingly popular to the general public, and I for one think this is AWESOME! It shows that:1. People are becoming increasingly hard core.
2. The term "Eat Clean, Train Dirty" really begins to show its true meaning.
3. You guys are disgusting.
It's important when training for an event that you do as much functional training as possible (mimicking the movement you will be utilizing the day of the workout), in addition to working on overall conditioning. It's important to cross-train, meaning switch it up during a weekly training schedule, and always include some muscle recovery time (yoga will change your life! Do it.) Adventure Races involve a lot of movements that use fast-twitch muscle fibres- think fast, explosive power movements- therefore you need to push your training to burn at your lactic acid threshold.
What does this mean?
You need to train HARD, FAST, and in SPRINT INTERVALS! This will help you immensely on the day of the race and keep you from wanting to die. Well, mostly.
Met Con Blue is an example of a crazy amazing Adventure Race! It is Canada's Extreme Mountain Adventure Race- a 5km run (66% uphill), in which you will encounter 13 grueling obstacles, 1400 punishing feet of incline, rocky creeks, hills, mud, snow, ice pools, fire, smoke, aliens and Bluefoot!
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| I... really don't know if I can. Bluefoot?! |
p.s. did I mention that Trish Stratus, my new bff, will be there?
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| SOLD. |
You will complete each exercise 5 TIMES IN A ROW for 30 seconds on, 15 seconds off. Give yourself a 45 second break in between each exercise! GOOD LUCK, adventurer!
Equalizer Chin Up Switches
You can use the Equalizer OR a Squat Rack for these chin ups- start underhand and complete the first half of a chin up. While at the top, switch to overhand and complete one chin up. Repeat, switching from overhand to underhand and vise versa.
Double Froggers with Asymmetrical Push Ups
Begin in plank position with your hands set wider than shoulder-width, and asymmetrical (one hand higher than the other). Jump your feet to either side of your hands and drop your bum down to the ground, then back to plank. Switch position of your hands and complete one push up.
Weighted Jumping Lunges
Using a medicine ball, dumbbell, or weight, start with your feet in a split squat position and bend your front knee so that your knee is in line with your ankle. Keeping the weight high, jump up as high as you can, switching legs. Repeat.
Rotating Jammers
Use a weighted barbell or a Smith Machine bar to complete this exercise- you want a bar with more weight in the middle than the end, if possible (at least 25 lbs.). Drop the bar over your shoulder as you fall into a squat. Using your obliques/core/shoulders, push the bar forward and sink into a squat on the other side. You want to choose a weighted bar that you are truly pushing!
Box/Stair Jumps
Using a box or a set of stairs, begin in a squat position. Jump directly up onto the box or stair and immediately jump around on the box/stair and jump down, landing in a squat. Jump to turn back to face the box/stair, and repeat!
Heavy Bag Hits
Most gyms will have a heavy bag for member use- this will utilize your core, oblique, and arm strength. Begin by straddling the bag. You will contact the bag with your inner forearms as fast as you can!
Bar Drags
Use the same weighted bar that you used for the jammers. Drag the bar across the room by moving backwards until you can move no longer, and drop the bar. Move to the other side of the bar and drag the bar back across the room. Repeat.
Don't forget to enter to win a race registration to Met Con Blue! All you have to do is Share this workout on Facebook or Twitter and Like Met Con Blue on Facebook. Leave me a comment letting me know that you did! Good luck!
