Spartan Race Training: Week 8
Thus far we've handled skills - burpees, running, grip strength, and bodyweight manipulation. These prepare you for Spartan Race specific movements, but you can't coast on skill alone.
Note: Relentless Fitness is running a mock Spartan Race workout at Steve's Club (10-minutes from Center City) this Saturday, 10/31 @10:00am. Details here – join the fun!
Go, go, go! You've been doing nothing but going. Burpee'ing, crushing skills, progressing your volume, and being a general Spartan beast.
Slow down this week. Take stock of yourself. What are you feeling? Is your back hurting? Is your hammy tight? Is your arch bugging you?
Preemptive self care is paramount when you are training hard. The other option is dealing with a more serious injury after it happens.
If you think the above means no workouts, keep dreaming. This is not an excuse to break training. Your task this week is two-fold:
Channel your inner Superman/Superwoman for Halloween and knock out this sequence courtesy of "Super Trainer" Ross MacKinnon.
Play one of the card games from last week's training program.
Now let's take care of you.
Spartan Self Care Strategies:
Picture Me Rollin: Pull out the foam roller and lacrosse ball and get busy. Dig into those tight areas and work them out. Find points of discomfort and move slowly and thoroughly through them. Implement a rolling regimen these next 3 weeks. Need more specifics? Try this go-to mobility regimen for runners.
Pamper Yourself: Turn to a pro, break the bank, and get a deep tissue massage. Our go-to is Judy Moon and Associates on Washington Square Park.
Fuel with Food: Rebuilding your body after intense training requires the fuel to do it. Eat clean and eat enough. Due to the increased fueling demands, if you consistently under-eat your body fights back with wicked cravings.
Drop the Drinks: If there was ever a time to reduce the booze, this is it. Show discipline now, and you can make up for lost time at our Spartan Race after party.
Sleep Like a Log: Improve your sleep duration by prioritizing an earlier bedtime. Sleep is the most anabolic substance on the planet, according to Austin, Texas mega-trainer Keith Norris.
Take a Salt Bath: Relax your muscles and mind in a local float tank facility like Halcyon Floats or make a home bath with Epsom salt.
Get Warm and Stay Warm: Take a hard look at your warm-up practices. A simple warm-up recommendation is a 5-15 minute jog (or other cardio effort) followed by inchworms, hip openers, push-ups, air squats, lateral lunges, single leg hamstring stretches, and jumping jacks (10 of each).
Your final strategy – Self Care State of Mind – deserves its own paragraph. It's all about your mental approach. Be diverse and have more gears than just "destroy the world pedal to the metal". Sometimes you take 1 step back to take 2 leaps forward. Do this and you train happier, train healthier, and stay in the game for the long haul.
It's go time. Put several of the above into action and circle back next week for Spartan Week 9!
Roger Dickerman is co-owner of Relentless Fitness.
Every Thursday leading up to the Spartan Race on November 14, Roger will be submitting exclusive posts to Philly.com specifically tailored to get you ready for the obstacle course at Citizen's Bank Park. If you'd like to become part of the team, or just want to help donate to the nonprofit they're supporting (Steve's Club), you can get more information here.
Our Team Relentless philosophy is simple: Think bigger on behalf of yourself and others. No matter what route you choose – whether it's solely using these Philly.com workouts to better your health, training and racing alongside Relentless, or funding a Steve's Club teenager – it's all good. Get involved, and stay relentless!
Read more Sports Doc for Sports Medicine and Fitness.