Take on Our Spartan Training Plans to Prep You for ANY Event

BY Mike Simone

Your official guide to being ready for anything from the Spartan Coaches and the Spartan Training Division.

It doesn’t matter if you’re committing to a Spartan race, a Tough Mudder, a DEKA event, or any other Unbreakable event – consider this is your official plan of attack.

If you’re a first-time racer, our programs will guide you to building the base of endurance, strength, power, and agility needed to overcome obstacles and get to that finish line. And if you’re an existing racer looking to improve your finishing times, our coaches have included a few tips to push you a little harder, which will translate on race day.

How Our Unbreakable Training Programs Work

Our various training programs are simple, effective, and will push you harder as you progress from week to week.

Related: This Training Team Will Help You Run Your Best and Fastest Race Ever

When you’re training for any Unbreakable event, you want a mix of cardio workouts each week, in addition to strength training. Within a typical training plan, each week’s structure will be split between days of cross training, which includes strength and conditioning, endurance, athleticism, speed, agility, and quickness (SAQ), along with days of cardio that consist of different splits between recovery-type cardio, long, slow-distance (LSD) cardio, and one or two days of speed work/compromised running.

Program Directions:

  1. Commit to any Unbreakable event this year.

  2. Complete the appropriate training program.

  3. Post your progress to Instagram with the hashtag #SpartanRace.

  4. Crush your event.

Example Warm-Ups and Cooldowns

Warm-Up for Cross Training Workouts

  • Run in Place x30s

  • Heel to Toe Rocks x10

  • Ankle Rotations x5 each direction, each side

  • Calf Raises x10

  • Hip Hinge x6

  • Dynamic Quad Stretch x6 each side

  • Leg Swings Side-to-Side x6 each side

  • Leg Cradle x6 each side

  • Side Lunge x6 each side

  • BW Deep Squat x6

  • World's Greatest Stretch x6 each side

  • Shoulder Corkscrew x6 each side

  • Y, T, W, L x6

  • Neck Stretch (30 sec)

  • Wrist Mobility

  • Body Taps: Shoulders, hips, knees, ankles (3 rounds)

Warm-Up for CRE/Conditioning Workouts

  • 10-min full-body stretching, jogging, walking, etc.

Cooldown (end of the day)

  • 5-10 min of mobility, breath work, meditation, and/or journaling

A Free Week of Workouts to Get You Started

A Training Week with Coach Olga Torres

Day 1: Cross Training

WORKOUT: 35-min full body

SAQ Ladder: 3 rounds

  1. In, in, out, out

  2. Lat in, in, out, out

  3. Scissors

3 rounds; 30s on/30s off

  1. Rear-loaded bear

  2. Air Squats

  3. Bodyweight/Resistance Band Overhead Press

  4. Rest 1 min

  5. Bear ISO Hold

  6. Wall Sit

  7. Low Plank

  8. Rest 1 min

  9. Bear Callouts

  10. Hip Hinge

  11. Side Plank

Day 2: CRE/Conditioning

WORKOUT:

  • Beginner: 1-min walk/1-min run for 30 min

  • Intermediate: 1-min tempo/1-min jog/walk (can be adapted to ski erg, bike, or rower)

Day 3: Cross Training

WORKOUT: 35-min full-body

SAQ Ladder: 3 rounds each

  1. Hop Scotch

  2. Hip Switch

  3. Snake

3 rounds: 30s on/30s off

  1. Pendulum Lunge

  2. Lateral Ape

  3. Rest 1 min

  4. Alt Hand-Staggered Push-Up

  5. Crab Toe Touch

  6. Superman Hold

  7. Rest 1 min

  8. Jump Squats

  9. Side-Lying Tricep Press

  10. Lemon Squeezers

Day 4: Active Recovery

  • 30-min jog/walk/bike; good stretch

Day 5: Cross Training

WORKOUT: 35-min full-body

SAQ Ladder: 3 rounds each

  1. Cross in Front

  2. Cross Behind

  3. Two-Step

3 rounds: 30s on/30s off

  1. Bear Toe Touches

  2. MB Lateral Steps

  3. Max Dead Hang

  4. Rest 1 min

  5. Eccentric Pull-Ups

  6. Burpees

  7. BW/Resistance Band Wood Chop

  8. Rest 1 min

  9. Alligator/Spiderman Crawl

  10. Farmer Carry

  11. Speed Skaters

Day 6: LSD Cardio

Perform your cardio of choice (running, ski erg, bike, rower) at a conversational pace for 40-45 min.

Day 7: Active Recovery

Perform stretching, yoga, 3 rounds of 10-min guided breathing, and do a cold plunge or take a cold shower for 3 min.

COMMIT TO AN EVENT AND THEN CHOOSE YOUR TRAINING PLAN NOW!

RACE TRAINING PLANS

Mike Simone is a writer, producer, certified trainer, and creator of humanfitproject. He’s also the former executive digital director of Men’s Fitness magazine and has worked with brands such as Mens Journal, Men’s Health, Muscle & Fitness, Women’s Running, and Equinox. Follow him on Twitter @Mike Simone and @humanfitproject.