by Joe Vennare, CMC

Training for an Event like the CMC should include workouts that are focused on strength, cardio, and race specific skills. Your main training goals should be to increase strength relative to bodyweight, cardiovascular and muscular stamina, durability, and mental toughness.

Look to include compound, functional movements like Olympic lifts.  Train under a weight-bearing load, over an extended period of time completing resisted runs, sprints, hill climbs, and stadium stairs.  Finally, train skills specific to the race including relative strength, grip strength, core strength/stability, dynamic, unilateral, and non-linear movement, transfer of force/power, and transport a load.

While training for strength, size and brute force should not be your main goal.  For a powerlifter or body builder that might be the case, but you are trying to be an athlete; an obstacle athlete.  Start with bodyweight exercises to build relative strength then move onto compound movements and athletic or functional exercises like kettlebells.

Cardio should include one longer run that is at least the distance of your race, but focus the majority of your attention on shorter, high intensity workouts that mimic the start and stop nature of an obstacle race.  Hill sprints, sled pushes, and hiking or running with a weighted vest or pack are sound choices.

Finally, do not leave out race specific skills.  The race is outdoors right?  You better be training in the cold and mud if you expect to compete.  Find a rope to practice climbing, or use hand towels wrapped around a pull-up bar to train your grip strength.  Fill 5 gallon buckets with rocks and weight and perform farmer’s carries.  Find heavy, unbalanced objects and lift/move them.

If you want to DOMINATE an obstacle course race get specific and choose/design a training protocol that is designed for obstacle athletes.

*Attention…

Yesterday Sean from the Civiliam Military Combine showed up at NLP unannounced and jumped into the ROD.

If you recall Sean joined us at the High Rock Challenge after party.

In May, Chris, Chris Neese, Gau and I drove to Camelback PA for the CMC. WOW it was the best adventure race I have done to date hands down. The CMC challenged my strength, endurance and mental toughness. The PIT, all the walls and hills were KILLER.

On September 22nd the CMC is coming to Brooklyn. To be honest I was going to blow it off because I didn’t think it would compare to the CMC in Camelback PA.

However, Sean drove over one hour to NLP. There are some NLP so called friends who live 20 minutes from NLP and consider that to far to join our community.

Sean was so fired up about the event and having NLP represent at the Brooklyn CMC that I want to put together a team of as many NLPers as possible.

I WANT TO KICK EVERYONES ASS!

And, we will PARTY PARTY PARTY after the race also.

If you want some info go to www.civilianmilitarycombine.com/events/nyc-urban-assault/

When I create the team name I will post it here and everyone can join.

I want to see everyone get involved.

Thanks,

“Commitment to Challenge as a Community”

Commitment – Challenge – Community