Obstacle Course Race Training Ideas

There are so many great race events out there involving obstacles. There are fun ones, tough ones, long ones, extreme ones...it seems like there's something for everyone. What everyone needs to know is that these races will challenge you, so you'd better prepare!

Overall 'fitness' may not be enough. Obstacle courses will challenge muscles that you may not be used to using, and test your endurance in ways that you haven't been tested. To prepare effectively, get the body used to cardiovascular output while using your muscles. Crawling, pulling, pushing, and running are all components that you're likely to face. If you have the luxury of access to climbing cargo nets, scaling walls, and borrowing through pipes, then use it! If not, then the following obstacle course training ideas will help to get you physically prepared to take on your race, and mentally prepared to know what you can expect.

Ultimate Bootcamper Diane crawling under barbed wire

Train for Crawling

You may be familiar with Bear Crawls, Spider Crawls, Crab Walks...all sorts of ways to build strength while moving across the ground. Get down on all fours and, keeping your hips low to the ground, 'walk' a distance of 20-50 yards, depending on your fitness ability. Repeat 2-3 times.

Pulling out All the Stops
Find a pull-up bar or chin-up bar, and haul yourself up off the ground. Varying your hand positions will help to broaden the base of muscle strength; face palms away for a set, then towards you for a set. Aim to get to the point of being able to complete a set in the double digits, and repeat it 3 times. If you don't have access to a bar, use the Lat-Pull machine or weight stack at the gym. You can also add in some back flies: take a weight in each hand (dumbbell, can of beans, etc), bend forward from the hips until your back is parallel with the ground and your arms are hanging towards the ground, and slowly lift your arms out to the side (skyward), and lower back down. Aim to bring the shoulder blades around your spine, and keep your neck relaxed.

Pushing for Chest Strength
Most pushing motions require chest strength, including crawling on all fours. Push-ups are an extremely effective way to train, so get plenty of them into your workout immediately. Mix it up - hands close and below your shoulders, hands wide, outside your shoulders, decline with your feet on a bench, incline with your hands on a bench. Aim for 3-4 sets, with 15-20 reps in each set.

Running for Obstacle Course Races
The thing about running during an obstacle race is that you don't just ...well...get to run. You have to make it through/over/under obstacles too! So - in between all of the sets above, run. Mix the running up; choose a short distance and run it fast, or a little slower over a longer distance. Mix lower body exercises in there to increase leg strength and stamina; lunges, squats, and step-ups are all terrific ways to strengthen your lower body. Here's an example of a set you might try:

12 Push-ups;

Bear Crawl 20 yards;

Sprint 100 yards;

12 Back Flies;

10 Squats;

Run back to your start point, and repeat.

Core strength is vital to a strong gait, so be sure to add in ab exercises whenever possible. Holding a 30-60 second plank is a great way to hit a lot of muscle groups at once - core, upper, and lower body.

This type of workout can commonly be found at Ultimate Bootcamp's outdoor fitness programs, where a four-week span will also give you the momentum you're looking for to improve and grow. Whether you're looking to complete your first obstacle race, or you're aiming to smoke your previous best time, having the guidance of an expert Trainer in a results-driven environment is what you can expect, in the one-hour boot camp workouts.

As with any workout, be sure to warm up and stretch first. Your Number 1 goal on race day is to be healthy and injury-free. Jog or run for about 8-10 minutes, and stretch all of the muscles you're planning on using that day. Take the time to do so; your body will thank you!

Have fun out there!

You Don't Have To Be a Triathlete to Complete Your First Triathlon!

Is the word “Triathlon” something that makes you feel suddenly not part of a conversation? Is it something that you’d love to do, but don’t have the time, fitness, or knowledge? How about the fact that maybe – just maybe – you don’t see yourself as someone who could possibly participate in – and finish! – a triathlon…? Well, believe me – there’s not a competitive triathlete, or marathon runner out there who didn’t think those very same things once. In fact, if you've experienced a fitness regime like Ultimate Bootcamp, you know anything is possible.

Finding the Time to Train
As with many other things in life, including fitness, time is of the essence. How you choose to use your time is up to you, and it’s probably that very choice that separates you from doing many things you think you could never do. Let’s add up the number of hours you watch TV each week, or play video games, or even read.  If you gave that time – even just some of it – to triathlon training, you’d be at the start line in no time! Let’s break it down a little more.

What kind of Triathlon is good for beginners?
An ideal place to start is a sprint triathlon. Most of these races total about 14 or 15 miles. A ¼ or ½ mile swim, a 10 or 12 mile bike, and about a 5k run. If you spend time at each one of these sports every week, you can get there. If you were to spend just 30-40 minutes swimming, biking, and running every week, you’d still have time on your hands! 30 minutes! If you were to replace just one daily activity with training, or even just get out of bed a half-hour earlier, you would have found the time.

Make a Triathlon Training Schedule
Treating your training like an actual appointment is an approach that works for many people. If it’s in your calendar, and you promise to keep that appointment with yourself, you’ll succeed. Joining a running club or triathlon group is one great way to have that 'task' in your calendar. And – once you get used to having all that fabulous new fitness in your life, you’ll begin to build upon it – lengthening the amount of time per day, or increasing the numbers of days per week, until you hardly recognize yourself! Improved health, higher levels of fitness, weight loss, a cool new conversation piece…the benefits are endless!

Advice for Triathletes
What you don’t want to do is commit to doing a triathlon, but not complete the training properly. Your body needs to adjust to the various demands being put on it by swimming, biking, and running. Your joints need to adapt, your muscles need to learn to recover, and you need to be able to gauge and test your ability and new-found skills.

So let’s give this a shot, shall we? Doesn’t 2012 look like a really perfect year for you, and your new hobby? Even if you do just one triathlon, and never do another one again, you’ll still have done a triathlon! So what are you waiting for? Get online to sites like active.com, find a race in your area in the next 3-6 months, and sign up. Then…all you have to do is train. Piece of cake! We’ll be right here, with all the tools you’ll need to reach the start line. See you there!

How to Become a Bootcamp Instructor - A Guide to Fitness Training Certifications

by Jill Tomich, LWMC

It's not uncommon for someone who finds the enjoyment, adrenaline and  passion for exercise to find themselves asking the question:  "I wonder what it takes to become a trainer or coach?"

If this is you, then you've already taken the first step towards the fitness industry by expressing your curiosity and desire.  And why not? The benefits of becoming a personal trainer, boot camp instructor or Group Exercise Teacher are vast.  The world of fitness is inherently filled with positive, encouraging people;  Fitness Trainers get satisfaction out of helping others; and it's a flexible industry with many different career paths - even if only part time. In fact, here at Ultimate Bootcamp many instructors work only 2 hours per week, leaving them with plenty of time for full-time jobs, family and friends.

Whether you're looking to capitalize on your motivational talents part-time or are ready to go "all in", finding the proper fitness training certification is essential.

[From Weymouth to Westborough, Norwood to Newton, Woburn to Wakefield and everywhere in between, Ultimate Bootcamp is looking for superstar trainers to join our team in 2011. Do you have what it takes?]

Group Fitness Certification vs Personal Training Certification
The number of fitness certifications available can be overwhelming.  Since teaching a boot camp workout requires the skills of BOTH a group fitness instructor AND personal trainer, either fitness certification is suitable.  You'll gain valuable information from either.

On a whole, Group Fitness Certifications tend to be less science based and provide a solid foundation if you're just venturing into the fitness arena. To build upon your knowledge, Personal Training Certifications provide a more in-depth look at how the human body functions and how to build a safe, effective fitness program that will get clients results.

Fitness Certification Guide
Here, I've listed some of the best fitness certifications that will help cultivate the skills and knowledge necessary to become a boot camp trainer.  There are other great certifications and college courses that require more of your resources (both time and money), but these certifications - combined with practical training from a senior boot camp instructor - will get you on the right track.

Most certifications require proof of CPR before sitting for the exams and after passing, Continuing Education Credits to keep your certification in good standing. Be sure to review each website for the most up to date and complete information.

AFAA - Aerobics and Fitness Association of American
http://www.afaa.com/
Most notably known for their Primary Group Exercise Certification, AFAA also offers Kickboxing and Step certifications.  Their tests, held about once a month in the Boston area, typically consist of an entire day of test review in addition to the interactive and written exam ($299 for the package).  In addition, at-home study materials ($109) are available to help you prepare for the exam. Be on the lookout for their APEX training certification weekends where certifications only cost $99!

ACE - American Council on Exercise
http://www.acefitness.org/
This non-profit organization not only provides Group Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer certifications, but they also perform public community outreach and fitness trend research. The flexibility of their computer based testing ($249) options means in New England you can take the test almost any day you'd like. Written exams ($200) are also available less frequently. Their free Study Coach Program sends you email reminders about your home-study progress (they recommend 3 months of study) and they offer a wide array of study material packages. ($200-$579) Other advanced certifications are available from ACE.

ACSM - Amercian College of Sports Medicine
http://www.acsm.org/
ACSM's Personal Trainer Certification is backed by a community of scientist providing valuable research that sets the health standards for the entire fitness industry. The Personal Trainer Exam ($279 ) is just the first step in many other clinical and special population certifications you can acquire. Because the information tested on is in-depth and technical, ACSM provides in-person workshops, an online learning portal and extensive home study materials ($40-$140). Only computer-based testing ($279) is available.

NASM - National Academy of Sports Medicine
http://www.nasm.org/
NASM is popular amongst Personal Trainers who work with athletes because of their advanced certifications which focus on sports performance and injury prevention. Their Personal Trainer Certification packages range from the basic exam ($549) to a premier package ($799) which includes study guides, mp3s, videos, online learning and live workshops. With the learning tools NASM makes available, it makes processing the intensively technical information a lot easier and much quicker. After all, if you don't take the test within 180 days of purchasing your certification package, they require you to pay a retesting fee in order to get certified. With testing centers throughout Massachusetts, it's easy to schedule your test date.

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Do you have what it takes to become an Ultimate Bootcamp Fitness Trainer? Click here to find out

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Jill Tomich is co-founder of Greater Boston's Ultimate Bootcamp and is a certified Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultant and Fitness Trainer. In her spare time, she also runs a bridal fitness and diet website at www.bombshell-bride.com.