7 Need-to-know Hacks to Get You Spartan Race Ready... Aroo!

Pain is not something that people look for. In fact, it’s the opposite of what humanity has chased since creation. The wheel was created to make movement easier, air conditioners were made to make living a breeze, and now we have cell phones that take all the work out of communication. Be honest, when’s the last time you wrote a letter to someone other than your grandma? You probably don’t know, because letters take effort and they take "forever".

Only the crazy pursue pain, and only the crazy can truly appreciate pleasure. That’s a bold statement right?

Well think about it, if our perception of pleasure can be calculated by our comfort level now minus the least comfortable we've ever been, then the more pain you've endured the better everyday luxuries will feel. The math is there, you just have to trust me.

I believe this is why things like the Reebok Spartan Race have exploded in the past half decade. I’ll pull the blinders away now; I have a good relationship with the people at the Spartan Race, so I do have some bias for their program. However, this also gives me a score of credibility in this issue.

So you want to do a Spartan Race? Well, here are...

7 Need-to-know Hacks to get you Spartan Race Ready

1) Accept That You Will Feel Pain

No, this isn't some cliché “ we’re more hardcore than you ” statement. Most of these courses will race you up and down rock paths, over cacti, and into branches. You WILL get cut up, and you WILL lose skin cells. This isn't your 5K color run. You may get covered in some foreign substance, but it won’t be rainbow-colored dust.

2) Do Uphill Distance Training

Perhaps you've done an obstacle race in your local town. It was fun right? An obstacle every quarter to half mile that you muddled over after standing in line for 5 minutes awaiting your turn. That’s not how a Spartan race is set up. In most cases, you start by running several miles (depending on your race) before you even see an obstacle. You can feel your legs swell with lactic acid as you trot up crumbling hill paths, just begging for an obstacle to be over the ridge, only to be disappointed when there isn’t one. As a Strength & Conditioning Coach I recommend that, at least once a week, you find a nature path that is hilly and you run at least 3 miles on it.

3) Build Your Grip

Have you ever tried to pull yourself up a rope? How about one that has been greased, and then covered in muddy water? Do you know what doesn’t mix? Grease and water. They repel each other, forming a slippery mixture of “ there is no way you’re holding onto this.” You can follow this progression of exercises to improve your grip:

• (Beginner) Farmers walk x 40 yards


• (Intermediate) Pull up hold x 30-60 seconds


• (Advanced) Dead-lift x 5 reps {5 sets x 5 reps}


• (Professional) Towel Pull up hold x 30-60 seconds

4) Perfect Your Burpees

We all know what a burpee is, especially if you follow the Moose Is Loose, or if you’re one of my personal clients. The Spartan Race practically projects burpees as a rite of passage. Like a young Spartan boy surviving in the wilderness to become a man, you will do burpees before you finish the race. In fact, if you fail to complete an obstacle someone will start barking “Do 30 burpees!” Lucky for you, there will be dozens of others doing them with you.

5) Lift Weights

I don’t care if you’ve ran 3 marathons, done a triathlon, or are the current record holder for the world’s fastest mile time – you need to lift weights. During the race you will be expected to lift sand bags over your shoulder, pull ropes connected to sacks of rocks, and at some point you’ll have to help someone complete a daunting task. Doing strength based weight lifting will prepare your body for the heavy tasks that will be placed before you. Anything from CrossFit  to power based weightlifting will prepare you for what’s ahead.

6) Train Outside As Often As Possible

But outside is hot, and sticky, and full of bugs! Plus, my treadmill has a TV and a fan on it! Forget the luxuries. Remember #1? Joe De Sena, author of the book “Spartan Up” and founder of the Spartan Race, says, “Rocks, leaves, hills, trees, grass, mud – all these elements translate into uneven and challenging terrain, and ultimately pay off big in terms of workout benefits: continual balance adjustments in the ankles and knees work the smaller, supporting muscles and ligaments of your lower body as well as engaging the core.” I couldn’t have put it any better myself.

7) Learn To Crawl

In an interview I did with Joe, I asked him about his obstacles, and there was one that he was most proud of – The barbed wire crawl. He said that every race will force the competitors to crawl and roll through mud, or suffer the effects of rusty sharp metal. It’s not comfortable, and most of the gaps are too thin to squeeze through. Bear crawls, spider man crawls, and anything with the word “crawl” should be practiced.



Just imagine race day. You’re thirsty, covered in warm mud, and strands of pointed metal separate you from the sky. Everything that man has spent his life pursuing, comfort, can’t be bought for a million dollars. You have to get yourself out of this “mess.” This is where you have to embrace pain.

Did I scare you out of doing a Spartan Race? If yes, good. If no, also good. This race is a request for pain and discomfort. Lucky for you, the pain that you’ll feel from this race will enhance the joy you can take from your daily struggles.

So now it’s your choice.

Do you want to be a Spartan? AROO!

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About the author:

Drew has played sports his entire life, and he used to think he knew everything about fitness. It wasn't until he began getting his degree in Exercise Physiology that he learned the flashy magazines held little truth. Continuing his education, Drew also personal trains and helps as a strength and conditioning coach at his University. Not to be left out, he also competes as a collegiate power-lifter. Happy to help, he also founded his blog ( www.endunamoomechristoo.com ) which gives everything from technical coaching advice, to spiritual guidance all based on his faith in Jesus Christ. Liked the post, drop Drew a Tweet here.

BS in Exercise Physiology, ASEP Board Certified Exercise Physiologist

Blog:  www.endunamoomechristoo.com

Twitter: @TeamEndunamoo

Serious Fitness and Athletics, Always Focused on Christ