Sure, you could just show up on race day and go for it, but your team will only progress as fast as its slowest member. Below are 10 tips to get you to the finish line in good form, so there are no sorry references to you as the weakest link.
Your advisors:
Andy Thom, six-time Tough Mudder veteran
Alex Patterson, Tough Mudder’s emcee and chief marketing officer
Jim Nix, your Tough Mudder coach
10. Avoid cotton
“You’re gonna be wet, you’re going to be fully submerged at some point, and it’s going to be cold,” Thom says. Stay away from cotton, which will soak up the water and mud, dragging you down and keeping you chilled. Instead, opt for materials that wick away moisture, like Dri-FIT or COOLMAX, and fit closely to the body to reduce chafing. That said, there is no dress code, and costumes are encouraged, so if you want to go shirtless or wear a tutu, do it. Just remember to bring a change of clothes so you can enjoy the post-event party dry and warm.
9. Run
“If you lack the cardio aspect of conditioning, you’re gonna struggle,” says Nix. There’s no rule against walking, but if you want to finish strong, you’ll have to train to run. The events incorporate 10 to 12 miles of running up and down mountains, across mud, and through obstacles—i.e. not in a straight line. Tough Mudder says you should be able to run five miles, Nix recommends working up to eight, and Thom recommends 10. The first half of our 12-week training plan will focus on tuning in your cardio.
8. Wear gloves
“A good pair of gloves with open tips so the water drains out of them will help you grab onto things when you’re wet and doing the obstacles,” says Patterson. Weight lifting or cycling gloves will protect your hands and improve your grip on obstacles like monkey bars or rope climbs. Several competitors swear by Mad Grip gloves with the fingertips cut off.
7. Enlist friends
“Most importantly, get yourself a crew of awesome friends—people who are gonna laugh when they fall, and get back up,” Patterson says. Put your team together early. That way, you can help each other through workouts. The typical team size is between five and 10 people. If you can’t convince anyone to join you, don’t fret. “If you’re alone, you’ll end up joining a team at the first obstacle,” says Patterson. “People who didn’t know each other before they started have made lifelong friends from having done a Tough Mudder together.”
6. Train outside
Tough Mudder requires functional strength to lift yourself over walls, carry a log, or slither under barbed wire. Create muscle memory by imitating these movements outdoors with plyometric exercises. “Don’t sit at the air-conditioned or heated gym and do bench presses and curls,” Thom says. “Mimic obstacles. Go to your local playground and climb around on the monkey bars. Get out in the fresh air, run up a hill, or climb a freaking tree.”
5. Get wet
It will be cold. Don’t let event day be the first time you face the mind-numbing shock of plunging into icy liquid. “Train in the elements as much as possible,” Nix says. That includes training outside on cold mornings and in the rain. Or you could do what Thom did in his now infamous Tough Mudder training video (below), and start your workout by dumping a bucket of cold water over your head.
4. Wear old, grippy shoes
“Wear an old pair of sneakers, especially a pair that has trail treads,” Patterson says. Pick a pair that isn’t completely beat, but that you don’t mind getting permanently stained.
3. Fundraise
Every registered Tough Mudder gets a fundraising page to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project, a non-profit organization that provides services to injured service members to help them transition between active duty and civilian life. If you raise more than $150, you’ll get a $25 discount on your registration fee. To date, Mudders have raised over $2.3 million for the organization.
2. Embrace the insanity
Conquering the unknown is part of what bonds Tough Mudders together, and every race has one mystery obstacle that you can’t prepare for by looking at the course map. You will fall, you’ll look ridiculous, and at some point, you’ll probably be scared. Enjoy it. People will be watching. “After the race, we’ll grab a beer, and stand and laugh as people come through Electroshock Therapy,” Thom says.
1. Don’t stress
If for some reason you don’t want to complete an obstacle (ex: you can’t swim, and the obstacle requires jumping off of a platform into a pond), it’s OK. You can run around if need be. Just know that to qualify for the World’s Toughest Mudder, a 24-hour challenge in which competitors complete as many loops of a Tough Mudder course as possible, you should be able to do all of the obstacles.
Comments
I just did my first Tough Mudder and the experience was amazing. Im not in elite shape but i killed the course in 2.5 hours with a team and coulda made sub 2hrs alone. its a comraderie experience and more about overcoming fears. if youve never been on a military obstacle course this is a pretty awesome experience. BTW Thom IS in elite shape and you shouldnt be intimitaded by his ability. Kudos to him and all the fantastic skills he has mastered but if you can handle a fourth of what he does your out front for a Tough Mudder. Ive done some amazing things in the Army over 5yrs and the Tough Mudders distance and variety made it the most satisfying training experience ive had. Outside of blowing stuff up and sending 2000 high calibur rounds down range.
Flag ThisI just did my first Tough Mudder and the experience was amazing. Im not in elite shape but i killed the course in 2.5 hours with a team and coulda made sub 2hrs alone. its a comraderie experience and more about overcoming fears. if youve never been on a military obstacle course this is a pretty awesome experience. BTW Thom IS in elite shape and you shouldnt be intimitaded by his ability. Kudos to him and all the fantastic skills he has mastered but if you can handle a fourth of what he does your out front for a Tough Mudder. Ive done some amazing things in the Army over 5yrs and the Tough Mudders distance and variety made it the most satisfying training experience ive had. Outside of blowing stuff up and sending 2000 high calibur rounds down range.
Flag ThisI completed my 1st TM Dec.4th in Dade City, FL and it was great. Our team wasn't rushing but still completed it in 3h 20m. I agree with the running part, I could do what TM suggested (5mi Min.) and did alright but need more for next time. I also need to work more on Upper body strength. These all seem to be great tips :-)
Flag ThisI am training right now for the tough mudder in Vancouver BC in June. I have early onset Parkinson's Disease and have been training for six weeks now. I have cut my meds in half and feel awesome. I can't wait to complete the course and tell all my nonParky friend how I can kick their guts in the dirt. The tough mudder has changed my life already and I haven't even done one yet. jer
Flag ThisFirst Tough Mudder was NorCal at Squaw, September 2011. MAN would it have made a difference if I had read this beforehand! I personally recommend AGAINST just showing up and doing it without much though; unless you are a SEAL or something, you're going to regret being woefully unprepared, lol.
Flag ThisI'm not an elite athlete...have done some sprint tri's and a couple marathons. I'll be 50 in January, and am thinking about doing this is Dec. Tampa, 2012. Also, starting CrossFit in January. All I've seen is young military men...any 50 year old females???
Flag ThisIf you've ran Marathons, you shouldn't have a problem with Tough Mudder. Its more fun that a marathon.
Flag ThisPreparing for my first Tough Mudder Warrior Run as a 45 year old mom and Police Officer. I hate running but love the challenges, can't wait. Been a consistent jogger all my life but no long runs and only 5k s now and again for good causes. Run just a few times a week and try to get one long one in one of those 3 (this week will be a 7 mile). Ready for the challenge I think and raising money for fallen officer families in PA is my motivation. A little late in life to be doing this craziness but had my daughter over 40 so pushing a jogging stroller up hills is conditioning in and of itself not to mention the push ups and pull ups. KSEA323 you aren't alone...you can do it! My warrior run is in PA in April...eeks :)
Flag ThisI am a 48 year old female, and training for my first Tough Mudder. I have run one marathon, 6 halfs and did the Warrior Dash. So Fun! How often do you get to play in the mud at my age! My husband thinks I am nuts. My kids are cheering me on! Maybe it's a mid-life crisis?! Not worried about the running - but need to really work on upper body strengh. Actually, that is making me nervous. Also, any diet suggestions? Some training sites have said to kick up protein intake. What about training supplements? I wouldn't mind increasing my lean muscle mass, and ridding a few lbs. My TM is in April.
Flag ThisI have my first TM coming up in a month and a half. I felt like going to the gym 5 days a week wasn't enough. I just started the Insanity workout. Will this along with some running sprinkled in be enough for a first time mudder?
Flag ThisI have my first TM coming up in a month and a half. I felt like going to the gym 5 days a week wasn't enough. I just started the Insanity workout. Will this along with some running sprinkled in be enough for a first time mudder?
Flag ThisPullups, progressing to muscle ups, deadlifts, progressing to deadlifts with a pull at the end (progress from this to superset with kettlebell swings if you're feeling silly), squats, progressing to front squat with a press, pushups, progressing to one handers or pushup with dumbell row at end of movement, torture twists and woodchops for your core and always end each workout with 7 turkish getups on each hand. Do this three times a week with rest in between and weekends. Always leave the gym feeling stronger than when you arrived otherwise tone it down!Otherwise fatigue will just compund and you probably won't make any real gain in strength. Then slowly introduce running starting for the first few weeks with 400m repeats, then increase to actual distance runs. Stretch after EVERYTHING and one session a week solely for stretching every part of your body. No silly machines, good eating, REST, static stretches after each session, dynamic stretch before each, you'll be an animal after three or four months. "Just Bi's and Tri's today fellas?"...... no thanks, I'll just be a superhuman athlete with supreme mobility and endurance.
Flag ThisPullups, progressing to muscle ups, deadlifts, progressing to deadlifts with a pull at the end (progress from this to superset with kettlebell swings if you're feeling silly), squats, progressing to front squat with a press, pushups, progressing to one handers or pushup with dumbell row at end of movement, torture twists and woodchops for your core and always end each workout with 7 turkish getups on each hand. Do this three times a week with rest in between and weekends. Always leave the gym feeling stronger than when you arrived otherwise tone it down!Otherwise fatigue will just compund and you probably won't make any real gain in strength. Then slowly introduce running starting for the first few weeks with 400m repeats, then increase to actual distance runs. Stretch after EVERYTHING and one session a week solely for stretching every part of your body. No silly machines, good eating, REST, static stretches after each session, dynamic stretch before each, you'll be an animal after three or four months. "Just Bi's and Tri's today fellas?"...... no thanks, I'll just be a superhuman athlete with supreme mobility and endurance.
Flag ThisGreat tips and advice, be sure to check out ToughestMudder.com for more great advice on Tough Mudder
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