"Run Mountains, Do Multi-Jointed Lifts, and Carry Heavy Shit"
The question of which sport produces the best athletes is constantly debated on Internet blogs, sports talk shows, and everyday on social media threads. I have always said that out of the four major sports hockey produced the best overall athletes. Now, I'm somewhat biased in this field since I grew playing hockey and I am a huge fan of the sport and the athletes it produces. Others argue that football or basketball produce the best athletes. In some cases you could quickly agree with the argument that football produces the best athletes, seeing these monsters go after each other for four quarters of this brutal sport could quickly put to bed any argument, or the fact that the physical shape these men are in is superior to that of the average Major League Baseball picture just by looking at them. Basketball players can run up and down a court for four quarters pushing their large frames to the limits by jumping, posting up, and all while having the talent to sink a basket or slam a ball into a ten foot high net. The only drawback in my opinion is the fact that there are to many stoppages in play. They have way to much rest time if you ask me.
Now I'm not here to give you my final verdict as to which of the four major sports produces the best athletes. I'm writing this blog post to explain to you why I think that a new sport that only a small community of people know of produces the best overall athletes. Yup, if you follow me or have been friends with me for some time then you know where this is going.
The new sport of Obstacle Course Racing or OCR as we obstacle racers know it is crashing onto the fitness scene with no signs of slowing down. This is the only sport where you are required to be able carry seventy plus pound sandbags, swim through disgusting bodies of water, posses hand-eye coordination, crawl under razor sharp barbed wire, have the grip strength of a rock climber, be able to run any distance from a 5k to a half marathon or more...all up and down a mountain...in mud...in any weather condition.
You have to have stamina, endurance, strength, agility, balance, flexibility, and the mental fortitude to endure the 45 min- 4+ hours of the beating your body is about to take, oh yeah and do it all over again the following weekend, for some the next day even. All for a chance at the glory of being a podium winner at one of these events and for some maybe even a paycheck. Since this sport is still very young the money aspect is there but its not all there yet. Some sponsors have signed on and see the potential in it, there will be more coming.
In what sport are you asked to obtain all of these qualities? At an elite/pro level which sport are you not only asked to obtain these qualities but also be great at all of these? That's what this sport requires and there are many ways to get good at all of these. Some have the gift naturally while some others have to work harder than others to obtain these attributes just like any other sport. Its the way that we, as obstacle course racers train that separate us from other sports. We get out there and run countless hours up and down mountains, we spend countless hours in gym lifting weights, and we focus on carrying heavy loads. Those three components make for an elite obstacle course racers training routine. Also mix in proper nutrition, yoga, and skill specific work and you have yourself a true jack of all trades in athletic fitness. Producing a strong, fast, and flexible endurance athlete.
Weather you want to be an elite obstacle racer or your just a fun runner looking to get into your first OCR, your training should include running mountains (or simulate elevation gain ex. incline treadmill), a structured strength and conditioning program, and carrying heavy shit!! Follow these basic training rules to up your game next time you step foot on the start line of an obstacle course race:
- Run- Weather you like running or not be prepared to do some of it in an OCR. Contact a run coach or a personal trainer that specifies in obstacle course training and can supply you with a solid run program to get you ready. Try to do the bulk of your running on inclines. At first you need to break into incline training slowly. I would not suggest going from running primarily on flat ground to cranking the incline on the treadmill up to its max incline. Instead start in small incline increments. ex. start at level 3 and perform your run workouts on that level for 2 weeks then increase your level by 3 every two weeks. Also get out there and take advantage of what nature has to offer. Hiking hills and mountains is a good way to get your ankles and feet ready for the incline run program your about to start.
- Multi- Jointed movements- These movements can be body weight or weight baring. An example of a MJ movement would be deadlifts, squats, burpees or a clean and press. These are movements that are going to not only burn more calories than single jointed movements but they will also build that raw strength and power needed to lift heavy objects with ease. So start off with 2-3 days of strength and conditioning work and stick to your basic lifts in the beginning like deadlifts, squats, overhead presses, and lunges.
- Carry heavy shit: The only way to get better at sandbag carries up a black diamond ski slope is to actually carry a sandbag up a black diamond ski slope. Same goes for buckets filled with stones. The benefits of carrying awkwardly heavy objects include fat loss and conditioning, core strengthening,and grip strength to name a few. So get out there and carry that heavy ass shit up that mountain!!!
As Always Go HAM!
-Brandon Dupont
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