Pull your weight!

Even if you have a gym membership, sometimes it can be overwhelming to navigate all the different machines. Then, once you’re on a machine, if there’s no guidance on how to use it, you can get nervous that you look like an idiot. Am I projecting here? Maybe.

Regardless of how you feel about the gym, it’s always good to know how to do some good bodyweight exercises! This way, you can get moving even if you’re snowed in, or too lazy to put gas in your car, or if the gym is NOT for you.

GIF source

Because Spartan Race is all about self improvement, they’ve shared a killer bodyweight workout plan with us that you can probably do in your dorm! Thx guys.

The plan:

(we’ll explain what these workouts mean, dw)

Day 1: Strength Workout

Day 2: Athleticism Workout

Day 3: Strength Workout

Day 4: REST

Day 5: Athleticism Workout

Day 6: Endurance Workout

Day 7: REST

The workouts:

Strength workout

The strength workout is focused on boosting your metabolism, which improves your body’s ability to burn fat for energy and build muscle. This workout will enhance your cardio fitness, and build your muscles’ endurance.

WARM-UP: Dynamic warm-up (run 15–20 min moderately)

MAIN SET (3–5 REPS)

• Bulgarian Split Squats x 10 each leg
• Box Jumps x 6
• Bear Crawl for 20 yards
• Pull-ups x 5–10
• Hollow Hold for 20 sec
• Push-ups x 10–20
• Recover 30–60 sec between exercises

COOL DOWN: Stretch

Modifications:

• Beginners: Run for 5-10 minutes, do 1-2 main sets
• Advanced: Run for 20 minutes, do 5 main sets

Athleticism workout

The athleticism workout is basically focused on intense one-minute intervals. This workout will increase your V02 max and help your body better sustain demanding exercise. Not to mention your lactate threshold will improve, which increases your ability to push through the most challenging workouts. Translation: You’ll be able to hang.

WARM-UP: Dynamic warm-up

MAIN SET

• Run 1 min at max pace (level treadmill or track)
• Rest 90 sec (beginner)
• Rest 1 min (advanced)
• Perform above x 6
• Finish with 2 sets timed burpees x 30
• 2–3 min recovery between sets
• Record your times for future reference

COOL DOWN: Stretch

Modifications:

• Beginners: Increase rest and/or decrease pace
• Advanced: Increase pace and/or decrease rest

Endurance workout

The endurance workout is basically a nice run focused on helping you recover from the other workouts you’ve done during the week, but also making sure you’re ready to keep going.

WARM-UP: Stretch well, hydrate

MAIN SET: Submaximal Run at a sustainable pace

Choose a distance (or trail) that has been challenging for you in the past and go run it. Record your time and distance and get ready to improve each week.

• Sprint: Choose a distance between 1–5 miles
• Super: Choose a distance between 3–10 miles
• Beast: Choose a distance between 6–14 miles

COOL DOWN: Jog slow, stretch

Modifications:

• Beginners: Walk or jog slowly when you feel like you need to. Your time is less important than actually finishing is!
• Advanced: Choose a trail or timed distance you have completed recently and try to beat your time!