How to Train Specifically for Spartan Race Obstacles

The Ab Wheel (Ab Roller) is an excellent abdominal workout named after a piece of gym equipment. An Ab Roller is a wheel with two handles on each side.

You begin with both knees on the floor, holding the Ab Wheel with both hands, and you start rolling forward to reach a straight body position.

Works on: grip, forearms, upper arms, chest, shoulders, abs, upper and lower back

Help with: Bucket Brigade, Fire Jump and Rope Climb

The Army Crawl is an excellent exercise that engages the entire body and works on your balance and coordination.

Push forward using your forearms and knees. Your whole body stays close to the ground as much as possible.

Works on: abs, lower back, shoulders, hip, chest, and arms

Help with: Barbed Wire Crawl

This exercise is performed by pulling an elastic band with both hands. A resistance band is a versatile piece of gym equipment that you can use for more exercises than free weights.

Stretch your arms to bring the hands as far as possible on each side of the body. This exercise is excellent to work on your upper back and stabilizing muscles from your shoulders, while also strengthing your grip.

Works on: grip, forearms, arms, upper back, shoulders and chest

Help with: Monkey Bars, Traverse Wall, and Tyrolean Traverse

Battle Rope is a great tool to perform High-Intensity Interval Training. This type of rope is heavy and require lots of energy to move.

For this particular exercise, slam the ropes on the floor as hard as possible using your entire body. Performing this powerful exercise work on your whole body, building strength and endurance.

Works on: grip, forearms, arms, chest, abs, back and thighs

Help with: Fire jump

The Bear Crawl is the perfect full body exercise to test your stability, coordination and core strength.

It's named Bear Crawl, but I found it more suitable to call it The Bear Walk because mostly walk like a bear using your arms and legs while looking straight in front of you. Walk by alternating the combination of left hand / right foot with right hand / left foot.

Works on: legs, abs, back, and arms (full body exercise)

Help with: Barbed Wire Crawl, Cargo Net Climb, Hill Climbs, Monkey Bars, and Tyrolean Traverse

Box jumps are a powerful exercise included in most plyometric training.

It's an excellent exercise to train your entire body and work on your explosive power. Stand in front of a plyo box (jumping box), drop into a squat, rapidly extend your hip and use your arms movement to jump onto the box.

Works on: legs, abs, back, and arms (full body exercise)

Help with: Fire jump, Hills Climb, and Wall jump

The broad jump in another plyometric exercise to include in your training. It's used all the power from your lower body to jump as far as possible.

Works on: legs

Help with: Fire jump, Hills Climb, and Wall jump

The burpees are the ideal full body exercise because it works on your cardio and strength. The movement performed is a combination of squats, push-ups, and jumping.

Works on: arms, chest, back, and legs (full body exercise)

Help with: Burpee, Fire jump, Hills Climb, and Wall jump

During your next yoga session try the Crow Pose (Crane Pose). It's a balance stance where only your hands are touching the ground, and your knees are stack onto your elbow.

This exercise will strengthen your core and especially work the muscles needed for your next Spartan Race.

Works on: arms, abs, upper back and legs (full body exercise)

Help with: Inverted wall

The Dead Hand is a simple and effective exercise performed to strengthen your grip and upper body.

Grab a pull-up bar with straight arms and hold on as long as possible without touching the floor.

Works on: grip, forearms, arms, and shoulders

Help with: Monkey Bars, Wall Jump, and Olympus Wall

This powerlifting exercise is standard in all CrossFit Training. It uses a loaded barbell that you lift from the ground up to your hips.

The deadlift will mainly use the power from your legs and core to lift the barbell. You grip will also be tested during this weight exercise.

Works on: grip, back, legs, chest, arms, and forearms

Help with: Olympus Wall

Very similar to a push-up, this exercise work on your upper body strength.

Using parallel bars or Olympic rings, you start with straight arms, without touching the floor and bend the arms to lower your body.

Works on: chest, arms, and shoulders

Help with: Inverted wall

The Farmers Walk is an exercise performed by carrying weights with both hands.

It tests your grip and stabilizer muscles, as you walk with the dumbbells or kettlebells. But also, your upper back and shoulders will be engaged.

Works on: grip, forearm, arms, shoulders, and chest

Help with: Bucket Brigade, Olympus Wall, Sandbag Carry, Tractor Pull and Traverse Wall

Similar to the Farmers Carry, this weight carries exercise work on your upper body muscles and core.

Also, the legs are engaged to keep the body moving as you walk with the heavy objects. The weights can be anything that you hold with both hands (sandbag, medicine ball, buckets, lugs, etc., be creative!)

Works on: grip, forearm, arms, shoulders, chest, and legs

Help with: Bucket Brigade, Olympus Wall, Sandbag Carry, Tractor Pull and Traverse Wall

The Hollow Holds is an excellent exercise to strengthen your core by working on the abs and tighs.

To perform the hollow holds, you lay entirely on your back with arms straight over the head, and the hands touch the floor. Gradually lift the legs and shoulders from the floor to create an arc with your body.

Works on: abs and thighs

Help with: Bucket Brigade, Fire Jump, Monkey Bars, Traverse Wall, and Tyrolean Traverse

The Kettlebell Swings is a powerful exercise that works on your entire body.

Begin by holding the kettlebell with both hands and use your posterior chain to swing the kettlebell in a pendulum motion. Moving the kettlebell from between the knees to your shoulder height.

Works on: legs, abs, shoulders, chest, and grip (full body exercise)

Help with: fire jump

The Knee to Elbows is an exercise very similar to Dean Hang. It works extremely hard on the grip but also your abs.

Start by hanging from a pull-up bar and pull your knees high enough to touch the elbows.

Works on: abs, shoulders, back, grip, and arms

Help with: Inverted Wall, Rope Climb, and Tyrolean Traverse

Lunge, in general, are a great exercise to work on your legs, stability, and core strength. The Lunge With Rotation (twist) will amplify the results from this exercise.

The Lunge With Rotation is similar to the movement performed while throwing the spear during a Spartan race. Also, it requires the same core strength.

Start with the feet shoulder-width and while you hold a weight (dumbbell, kettlebell, medicine ball), and take a step forward. Lower your body until the knee almost touches the ground and finally rotate the arms and torso over the front leg.

Works on: legs and abs

Help with: Spear throw

A walking lunge is a great exercise to work on legs and abdominal muscles. Adding weight on one side only will strengthen your core while testing your stability.

Begin by standing up and holding a weight (dumbbell or kettlebell) in one hand. Step forward and lower your body until the knee almost touches the floor. Next, take a step forward by bringing your leg from the back to the front.

Works on: legs and abs

Help with: Hill Climbing and Sandbag Carry

The Mountain Climber is a powerful exercise to test your cardio and entire body strength. The movement performed, look like you are running with hands on the floor.

Start in a push-up position with your hands on the floor. Bring one knee to your chest and back into the initial place. Alternate each leg without taking your hand from the floor.

Works on: arms, forearm, chest, abs, legs, and back (full body exercises)

Help with: Cargo Net Climb, Hills Climb, Inverted Wall and Tyrolean Traverse

The Plank is a great isometric exercise that requires no movement.

Just keep a push-up position as long as possible, with your elbow on the ground. You abdominals muscles, thigs and lower back must be fully engaged to keep a straight body.

Works on: abs, back, and thigh

Help with: Bucket Brigade and Cargo Net Climb

The pull-up is the ultimate upper-body exercise. This exercise will prepare you for almost every Spartan Race obstacles.

Hanging from a horizontal bar, begin to flex your arm and bring your chin to the bar.

For an extra grip challenge, wrap a towel around the bar and lift yourself by holding tight to the hanging cloth.

If you are beginning and not ready to perform one pull-up, you can start by jumping, holding your chin above the bar and go down slowly. This exercise will train your muscles for the proper pull-up.

Works on: grips, forearms, arms, back, shoulder, and chest

Help with: Cargo Net Climb, Fire Jump, Monkey Bars, Rope Climb, Tyrolean Traverse and Wall Jump

The Scapular Pull-Up is a variation of the traditional pull-up, also call a Reverse Shrug or Straight Arm Pull-Up.

Start by getting a good grip on the bar; then without bending the arms, begin to pull your self up and away from the bar.

Works on: grips, forearms, arms, back, shoulders, and chest

Help with: Monkey Bars

Body Row is one of the best exercises to work on your upper body power.

It's also the beginners choice to train for regular pull-ups. The movement is similar to a push-up but inverted. You lay under a horizontal bar, and pull your chest as close as possible to the bar.

Works on: arms and back

Help with: Cargo Net Climb, Fire Jump, Inverted Wall, Monkey Bars, Rope Climb, Traverse Wall and Tyrolean Traverse

A workout is always satisfying when you include push-up. This simple body exercise is ideal to work on your upper body.

Train to perfect the technique, and it will also be useful to strengthen your lower back and core.

Works on: chest, shoulders, back, abs and arms

Help with: Cargo Net Climb, Fire Jump, Inverted Wall, Monkey Bars, Rope Climb, Traverse Wall and Tyrolean Traverse

The Diamond Push-Up is an excellent variation to perform when you want to work harder on your chest and arms.

This push-up is done with your hands forming a triangle shape by your indexes and thumbs.

Works on: chest and arms

Help with: Bucket Brigade

The Spider Push-Up is a complete exercise, that target your abdominal muscles while also strengthening the core and stability.

The movement is similar to a regular push-up, but you bring one knee to the side of the torso as you lower the body. Alternate each side between reps.

Works on: chest, arms, shoulders, and abs

Help with: Inverted Wall and Tyrolean Traverse

The Knee to Elbow Push-Up is very similar to the Spider Push-Up. Both push-ups work on your core strength and upper body muscles. The difference is; as you push your self from the floor, you bring one knee to the elbow.

Works on: chest, shoulder, arms, abs and lower back

Help with: Cargo Net Climb and Inverted Wall

This push-up variation engaged with slightly different muscle groups. Like the Diamond Push-Up, the Wide Stance Push-Up will mainly work on your chest and shoulders.

Get on the floor with a wider stance, and keep the position when you are almost touching the floor.

Works on: chest, shoulders, and arms

Help with: Traverse Wall

The Renegade Rows is a powerful exercise that works on your upper body strength, but also the stability and core.

Start in a push-up position with two dumbells in your hand, and lift the dumbbells to the side of your torso.

Works on: shoulder, back, and arms

Help with: Fire Jump

Running uphill and power hiking are essential exercises to perform when training for a Spartan race.

First, you need to find the hardest hill. Then start your training by running up and down. Your goal is to master this hill.

However, you can begin by power hiking (walking fast and non-stop) the mountain.

Works on: legs

Help with: Hills and climbs

When training for a Spartan Race, you need to build legs muscles and work on your endurance.

The best way to achieve this gaols is with hill intervals. Just like regular running interval; alternate running uphill and retesting (walking downhill).

This exercise builds muscle memory in your legs, and trust me, the hills will feel easier during the race.

Works on: legs

Help with: Hills and climbs

The Sorenson Holds is a specific exercise that targets your lower back.

The movement is performed on a GHD machine. The GHD is made for sit-ups and back extension exercises.

Lay flat on your stomach with your legs attached to the GHD, and you pull your self up. Try to keep a horizontal position for as long as possible.

Works on: Lower Back

Help with: Bucket Brigade

The Squat is a simple exercise, but highly useful to strengthen your legs muscles. This functional movement also works on your hips flexibility.

Start by standing up with your feets shoulder width apart. Slowly bend the knees and bring your buttocks closer to the floor and finally return to the starting position.

To prevent knee injuries, keep your knees pushing away from each other.

There's two way to perform squats; the dynamic squats and the isometric. The dynamic is when you complete a series of squats using momentum for each rep. On the other hand, you can perform isometric and deep squats. By holding the position for a longer time, it works harder on your mobility and hips flexibility.

Works on: legs

Help with: Fire Jump, Inverted Wall, and Olympus Wall

This variation of a standard squat is performed using a loaded barbell.

You hold the weights on top of your chest with bent arms and perform a series of squats. The resistance created by the load will work harder on your core strength and legs muscles.

Works on: legs and upper back

Help with: Bucket Brigade

The Supine Squats is an excellent alternative to the traditional squat. It's also a unique way to work on your technique and achieve maximal flexion, without the stress on the knee joint.

The Supine Squats is performed by laying on the back and lifting the knee to create a 90-degree angle with your legs.

Works on: legs

Help with: Inverted Wall, Fire jump and Rope climb

Another great yoga poses to work on your hips flexibility is the Warrior Pose or the Triangle Pose.

Both exercises require to stretch your entire body and hold the pose for an extended period. It builds legs endurance and works on your hips mobility, while also correcting any misalignment from the knees.

Works on: Hips flexibility and core

Help with: Tractor pull and Traverse Wall