It may sound like I’m teaching you to such eggs, but to make Tough Mudder as easy as possible you need to train. Ideally, by partaking in a suitable Tough Mudder training plan.
That may sound patronizing or stating the obvious, but you’d be amazed at how many people do turn up without having trained for the race and nursing a hangover from a big night.
These people don’t know it but are going to pay big time and may, unfortunately, end up not completing the event. To help you guys achieve success, put down your drinks and snacks, focus and follow my 6 week, intense but manageable Tough Mudder training plan.
Trainer: Mr Obstacle Course, Stuart Amory
The 6-week Tough Mudder training plan explained
Firstly, if you want a breakdown of the areas of fitness you’ll need to train up to speed, you should peep my other article about 7 Tough Mudder training areas to improve
I’ve kept everything pretty simple for consistency. You’ll be doing the same plan weekly but it’ll get progressively harder in line with you getting progressively fit. It’d be boring if you could just breeze through it, right? I call this my ‘no excuses’ program.
Some of the exercises might seem really difficult, depending on your level of fitness but you can adapt them to suit.
For example, push-ups can be done with your hands on a raised platform like a bench or kitchen worktop. Vice versa if you want to make them harder, find a ledge or a chair to put your feet on so they’re raised.
You’ll notice on Wednesdays you’ll be doing some interval training. This can be done at any level of fitness with some adaptation.
If you’re fit, then you run when it says run…and I mean, run.
If you’re struggling with this then you can just go as hard as you can, but don’t use this as an excuse to go easy. This strategy can be used in the actual Tough Mudder race too. In fact, it’s a perfectly viable strategy if you’re not feeling confident in running the entire obstacle course.
Remember that Tough Mudder is best enjoyed as a social experience where everybody helps out, so try and get your teammates involved in this training plan as there’s nothing better than group motivation. You’ll bounce off of each other in training and can learn your team’s strengths and weaknesses before you tackle The Blockness Monster or Everest.
Try and keep yourself hydrated for the next 6 weeks (well, you’re doing that anyway, right?) of the Tough Mudder training plan. Get a minimum of 2 litres of water down you, daily. Even more on day’s that you’re exercising to replace fluids lost and maintain your best performance.
Finally, for your nutrition, you’ll make training and the Tough Mudder much more rewarding if you aim to cut your calories slightly so that you’re either in a calorie deficit or eat to maintain your current bodyweight. Do this by kicking the crap out of your diet and go for unrefined, more unprocessed, healthier options.
The Tough Mudder is coming and it isn’t very forgiving to a crappy diet and being out of shape. With that said, let’s get to the…
Tough Mudder Training Plan
Week 1
Monday: 30 minute walk and stretches
Tuesday: 5 Rounds – 10 Squats, 10 Press Ups – 10 Mountain Climbers – 10 Lunges. 1 minute rest
Wednesday: Run/walk – Run for 1 min/walk for 4 x 8
Thursday: Rest Day
Friday: HIIT Session 20 secs work/40 rest. Skipping, Tricep Dips, Flutter Kicks, High Knees, Bicycle Crunches x 5
Saturday: Park run or 5km at your pace. Run or walk it if required 5 miles
Sunday: Aim to cover this using Wed’s run/walk strategy or jog for 1 mile, run 3, jog 1 mile or run all.
Week 2
Monday: 15 minute walk – 5 min jog – 15 min walk and stretches. Only add jog if you feel up to it.
Tuesday: 7 Rounds – 10 Squats, 10 Press Ups – 10 Mountain Climbers – 10 Lunges. 1 minute rest
Wednesday: Run/walk – Run for 2 min/walk for 3 x 8
Thursday: Rest Day
Friday: HIIT Session. 20 secs work/40 rest. Skipping, Tricep Dips, Flutter Kicks, High Knees, Bicycle Crunches x 6
Saturday: Park run or 5km at your pace. Run/walk it if required
Sunday: 6 miles – aim to cover this using Wed’s run/walk strategy or jog for 1 mile, run 4, jog 1 mile or run the whole thing.
Week 3
Monday: 15 minute walk – 10 min jog – 15 min walk and stretches. Only add jog if you feel up to it.
Tuesday: 5 Rounds – 15 Squats, 15 Press Ups – 15 Mountain Climbers – 15 Lunges. 1 minute rest
Wednesday: Run/walk – Run for 2.5 min/walk for 2.5 x 8
Thursday: Rest Day
Friday: HIIT Session. 25 secs work/35 rest. Skipping, Tricep Dips, Flutter Kicks, High Knees, Bicycle Crunches x 5
Saturday: Park run or 5km at your pace – run/walk it if required
Sunday: 8 miles – Aim to cover this using Wed’s run/walk strategy or jog for 1 mile, run 6, jog 1 mile or run all.
Week 4
Monday: 15 minute walk – 15 min jog – 15 min walk and stretches. Only add jog if you feel up to it.
Tuesday: 7 Rounds – 15 Squats, 15 Press Ups – 15 Mountain Climbers – 15 Lunges. 1 minute rest
Wednesday: Run/walk – Run for 3 min/walk for 2 x 8
Thursday: Rest Day
Friday: HIIT Session. 25 secs work/35 rest. Skipping, Tricep Dips, Flutter Kicks, High Knees, Bicycle Crunches x 6
Saturday: Rest Day or easy park run/5km
Sunday: 10 miles – Aim to cover this using Wed’s run/walk strategy or jog for 1 mile, run 8, jog 1 mile or run all.
Week 5
Monday: 15 minute walk – 10 min jog – 15 min walk and stretches. Only add jog if you feel up to it.
Tuesday: 5 Rounds – 20 Squats, 20 Press Ups – 20 Mountain Climbers – 20 Lunges. 1 minute rest
Wednesday: Run/walk – Run for 4 min/walk for 1 x 8
Thursday: Rest Day
Friday: HIIT Session. 30 secs work/30 rest. Skipping, Tricep Dips, Flutter Kicks, High Knees, Bicycle Crunches x 5
Saturday: Park run or 5km at your pace – run/walk it if required
Sunday: 8 miles – Aim to cover this using Wed’s run/walk strategy or jog for 1 mile, run 6, jog 1 mile or run all.
Week 6
Monday: 15 minute walk – 5 min jog – 15 min walk and stretches. Only add jog if you feel up to it.
Tuesday: 7 Rounds – 10 Squats, 10 Press Ups – 10 Mountain Climbers – 10 Lunges. 1 minute rest
Wednesday: Run/walk – Run for 2 min/walk for 3 x 8
Thursday: Rest Day
Friday: Gentle 5km jog and enjoy a well earned massage – no happy endings! You’ll be too relaxed for the race tomorrow 😉
Saturday: TOUGH MUDDER and the messy after party!
Sunday: Recover from your hangover, still wearing your dirty headband, obviously.
This should get you through Tough Mudder with fond memories, instead of looking back on it and shuddering at the memory of you dragging yourself around the course, exhausted. Set yourself up to have the most fun and complete the 6 week Tough Mudder training plan.
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