The “Obstacle Race Training Plan – Short Distance” is the first plan in our 3-Plan, Obstacle Course Race Packet and is specifically designed to prepare an athlete for a 3-5 Mile Obstacle Course Race with 20-25 Obstacles. This is an intense, 7 week, 5 day/week training plan concurrently trains strength (lower body, upper body pressing & pulling, core, grip), multi-modal work capacity, running speed and endurance, and overall stamina. It is designed to be completed the 7 weeks directly before your short distance obstacle race. Week 7 in the plan is an unload/taper week.
This is the Version 2 of Obstacle Race Training Plan – Short Distance, updated in December 2019.
Obstacle Race Fitness Demands
Strength
This training plan deploys a bodyweight strength assessment and follow-on progressions based on the individual athlete’s assessment results. In this way the plan automatically “scales” to the individual athlete’s incoming fitness. Subsequent re-assessments in the plan ensure the athlete continues to be pushed as his/her fitness improves.
Work Capacity
This plan deploys multiple 20-minute, multi-modal work capacity events to sport-specifically prepare the athlete for the combination of obstacles and running which are the primary fitness demands of obstacle course races. These events combine a loaded exercise, some type of loaded carry (sandbag, dumbbells), grip strength, and running.
Running Speed & Endurance
Running Speed is trained via multiple 1.5-mile running assessments and follow-on threshold 800m repeats. Running endurance is trained via a weekly 3-5 mile aerobic base run at an easy pace.
Stamina
Overall stamina is trained via end of week, long, 60-90 minute “mini-events” which combine multi-modal work capacity events and unloaded running. These “mini events” are specifically designed to train the athlete for the volume and fitness demands of the actual obstacle race. Grip strength is a fundamental component of obstacle course races and many of the mini-event circuits include loaded runs, rope climbs or other means to build grip strength and grip strength endurance.
Weekly Schedule
- Monday: Strength, Work Capacity (20-minute event)
- Tuesday: 1.5 Mile Run Assessment or 800m Repeats
- Wednesday: Strength, Work Capacity (20-minute event)
- Thursday: 3-5 Mile Recovery Run at an Easy Pace
- Friday: 60-90 Minute Multi-Modal “Mini-Event”
Required Equipment
- Stopwatch with repeating countdown interval timer (smartphone will work)
- 40# Sandbag (women) or 60# Sandbag (men)
- Pair of 15# dumbbells (women) or 25# dumbbells (men)
- 16-18″ Step, box or bench for Step Ups
- 20″ Plyo Box for Box Jumps
- Pull Up Bar
- Rope for Rope Climbs (ideal … if not there is a pull up substitution for rope climbs)
- Pull Up Bar
- Foam Roller
Common Questions
How Long will the sessions take?
Gym-Based training sessions should take 45-60 minutes. Mini-Events will push to 90 minutes.
What if I miss a day?
Begin where you left off when you return to training. This program is progressed – each session builds upon the prior session – so don’t skip a session or skip around. Follow the training sessions in order, regardless.
What does “3/5x Pull Ups” mean? How about “40/60# Sandbag”?
3/5x Pull Ups = women do 3x, men do 5x
40/60# Sandbag = women use a 40-pound backpack, men use a 60-pound backpack.
I don’t have time in my workday to complete the Mini Events on Friday. May I complete them Saturday instead?
Yes – but take Friday off as total rest.
Where do I find unfamiliar exercises?
See our Exercise Library HERE. The Run/Ruck Calculator is listed as an exercise.
What about nutrition?
See our Nutritional Guidelines HERE.
Can I see sample training?
Yes. Click the “Sample Training” tab to see the entire first week of programming.
How do I access the plan?
Access is online, via username and password. You can log in either through our website or through our app (Mtn Tactical Fitness) available for IOS and Android.
Can I print out sessions to take to the gym?
Yes – you can print a week of programming at a time.
More Questions? Email: coach@mtntactical.com
- Stopwatch with repeating countdown interval timer (smartphone will work)
- 40# Sandbag (women) or 60# Sandbag (men)
- Pair of 15# dumbbells (women) or 25# dumbbells (men)
- 16-18" Step, box or bench for Step Ups
- 20" Plyo Box for Box Jumps
- Pull Up Bar
- Rope for Rope Climbs (ideal ... if not there is a pull up substitution for rope climbs)
- Pull Up Bar
- Foam Roller
Below is the First Week from this Training Plan:
MONDAY
SESSION 1
Obj: Strength Assessment, Work Capacity
Warm Up:
3 Rounds
1x Pull Up
5x Burpees
Training:
(1) Max Rep In-Place Lunges in 90 Seconds
*** Rest 3 Minutes
(2) Max Rep Pull Ups (no time limit)
*** Rest 3 Minutes
(3) Max Rep Burpees in 60 Seconds
RECORD SCORES
(4) 20 Minute AMRAP (As Many Rounds as Possible)
3x Sandbag Getups @ 40/60#
6x 40-Foot Shuttle with Sandbag
6x Situps
(5) 2 Rounds
Foam Roll Low Back
******************************
TUESDAY
SESSION 2
Obj: Endurance Assessment - Running
Warm Up:
4 Rounds
10x Squats
10x Push Ups
Run 100m
Training:
(1) Run 1.5 Miles for Time
RECORD FINISH TIME
******************************
WEDNESDAY
SESSION 3
Obj: Strength, Work Capacity
Warm Up:
3 Rounds
1x Pull Up
5x Burpees
USE ASSESSMENT RESULTS FROM SESSION 1 TO CALCULATES REPS FOR PART (1) BELOW
Training:
(1) 5 Round Grind ...
30% Max Rep In-Place Lunges
Max Dead Hang from Pull Up Bar
30% Max Rep Burpees
So, if you scored 30x In-Place Lunges, and 23x Burpees on SESSION 1 ...
30 x .3 = 9
23 x .3 = 6.9 or 7 (round up)
Your reps for Part (1) would be:
9x In Place Lunges
Max Dead Hang from Pull Up Bar
7x Burpees
"Grind" = worth through the exercises in this circuit steadily, not frantically, for the prescribed time or number of rounds
Max Dead Hang from Pull Up Bar - Exactly like it sounds - grab onto the pull up bar with both hands, and dead hang as long as possible - this is grip training. Stop when one or both hands come off the bar.
(2) 20 Minute AMRAP (As Many Rounds as Possible)
3x Renegade Man Makers @ 15/25#
Run 100m with Dumbbells
5x EOs
(3) 2 Rounds
Foam Roll Low Back
******************************
THURSDAY
SESSION 4
Obj: Endurance - Aerobic Base
Training:
(1) Run 3 Miles at an Easy Pace
"Easy" = you can speak in full sentences while running
(2) Foam Roll Legs, Low Back
******************************
FRIDAY
SESSION 5
Obj: 60 Minute Mini-Event
Training:
(1) 60 Minute AMRAP (As Many Rounds as Possible)
5x Renegade Man Makers @ 15/25#
Run 100m with dumbbells (down 50m, back 50m)
5x Sandbag Clean @ 40/60#
Run 100m with Sandbag (down 50m, back 50m)
Run 400m Unloaded
(3) 2 Rounds
Comments:
You can either complete this session from a gym or garage gym, or take the equipment (dumbbells, sandbag) outside to a track, park, etc.
1) Mission Direct
Gym numbers mean nothing. All that matters is mission performance.
To this end, MTI's fitness solutions and programming are not boxed in by convention, tradition, orthodoxy, public opinion or any other artificial constraint driven by inside or outside forces.
We begin with the raw fitness demands of the mission and build a fitness solution which directly prepares the athlete for those demands.
2) Fitness Solutions Built from the Ground Up
MTI's programming is not "re-tread" bodybuilding, football, CrossFit, kettlebell, strength or general fitness programming. We've built our fitness programming for mountain and tactical athletes from the ground up.
The Fluid Periodization methodology we deploy to concurrently train multiple fitness attributes is completely original and has continued to evolve and improve over the years.
Our mid-section training methodology, Chassis Integrity, is also original, as is our endurance programming, 7 strength training progressions, tactical agility, and work capacity programming.
Our mountain sports pre-season training plans, tactical PFT, selection, school, course, and fitness improvement training plans across military, LE and Fire Rescue are MTI-developed, tested and athlete-proven.
Over the years hundreds of athletes and coaches have taken our advanced programming and unit fitness leader programming courses and MTI is widely recognized within the mountain and tactical professions and fitness media as a thought leader in fitness programming for military and tactical athletes.
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→ Research: MTI begins program design with extensive research of the fitness demands of the mission, sport or event, identifies the exercises and progressions which sport-specifically meet those demands, chose end-of-cycle goals, and program backward to design the training plan.
→ Deploy & Assess: We deploy the training plan "Lab Rats" at our Wyoming facility. Training session and cycle issues are identified and fixed as we work through the training plan. Post cycle we assess the programming's effectiveness and efficiency. We keep the stuff that works, and fix or toss the stuff that doesn't.
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Over the past decade, MTI has partnered with hundreds of athletes throughout their individual mountain and tactical careers, and provided fitness solutions as they face new mountain objectives, tactical schools, selections, PFTs and deployments, and came back from injury.
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Our work is not limited to US Athletes.
We've developed selection-specific training plans for Canadian, UK, Australian and German Special Forces Selections and worked with individual military personnel from Scandinavia, South, and Central America.
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On the mountain side, Alpinists from Japan to Slovakia have consulted with MTI and used MTI's programming to prepare for mountain objectives.
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This focus on “mission direct” solutions, enhancements and improvements drives our work and research and extends beyond fitness solutions to include training, leadership, gear, team culture, and safety.
Fitness is just one area of our work.
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Our work on defining what it means to be a Quiet Professional has had penetrating influence and driven healthy conversations with both mountain and tactical professionals.
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Since 2007 we've taken and answered dozens of questions weekly from mountain and tactical athletes. We've saved these individual Q&A's and now thousands are archived on our site.
We're not salesmen, and our answers are noted for their directness, honesty, and clarity. Our stuff isn't for everyone. If we can help, we'll let you know. If we can't, we'll let you know that, too.
- Rob Shaul, Founder
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How is MTI programming different than CrossFit?
This is a common question. Read our answer HERE.
You have a lot of competitors. Why should I choose MTI?
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If you add new plans or update existing plans after I subscribe will I have access to them?
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What Equipment is Required?
Click the "Required Equipment" tab to find out what equipment is required for the specific plan you are interested in.
Where do I find unfamiliar exercises?
See our Exercise Library HERE. The Run and Ruck Calculators are listed as exercises.
What about nutrition?
See our Nutritional Guidelines HERE.
Can I see sample training?
Click the “Sample Training” tab to see the entire first week of programming. You are encouraged to do it before purchasing.
What if I have more questions?
Email rob@mtntactical.com