Obstacle courses and races have a long and storied history. It’s not just about “being the fastest,” but about having the mental fortitude to suffer before reaching your goal. But every obstacle course includes the staples. These are the time honored traditions of the obstacle course. Here are 5 obstacles at an obstacle course you should train for.
Disclaimer: Please be careful with trying any ways describing in practicing for an obstacle course. You do this at your own risk!
Balance Beam
This one is everyone’s favorite obstacle. It’s a balance and exhaustion test. Don’t let its length fool you, when you’re on a balance beam after running a mile and swimming a quarter of a mile through mud, you’ll be challenging every part of your body to stay on that thing.
To practice the balance beam without having to walk on one, walk along the curb of a sidewalk. Stay on the paint. Just be cautious of oncoming traffic, or stick to a residential area.
The Sand Bag Carry
Wrap your arms around a sandbag and carry it. Or sling it over your shoulder. This seems easier than it looks, but it ain’t a walk in the park. Depending on how you’re carrying it, certain muscle groups will be under more strain than others.
To practice, just grab something like a sandbag. A bag of rice, a large bag of flour, or a bag of pet food can work in a pinch (just be careful not to manhandle it too much. Those bags aren’t designed to be abused). Watch your center of gravity while you’re carrying it. Hold it too far forward and the muscles in your lower back are under strain, and carry it too far back you’re going to hurt your core muscles. Try it over your shoulder.
Farmer’s Walk aka Farmer’s Carry
The farmer’s walk is exactly like it sounds: walk like a farmer carrying a bunch of heavy materials in both hands. Talk about something that makes an obstacle course that much harder. Sure, you expect to climb things during an obstacle course, but carry things? Not so much. This one will make you wish you’d worked out those forearms some more.
To practice, grab two same weight objects with handles. Make sure that you don’t overload those muscles. Use your core to balance yourself and make sure to not hunch your back. This takes pressure off your shoulders and arms to maintain your stability. When you’re ready, get progressively heavier.
The Cargo Net Climb
Featured in every movie that includes a boot camp, the cargo net climb is a standard on any obstacle course for a reason. This is the quintessential "obstacles at an obstacle course." The net swings, the grips are always awkward, and the holes are never where you want them to be.
To practice this, I would recommend finding a place that has them. The best thing I can imagine to train you to get up the cargo net is rock climbing. The only difference is that the rock doesn’t swing. So get in some balance beam training to get a sense of balance.
The Monkey Bars
A favorite pastime of recess, the monkey bars are still a favorite (and personally, one of mine). The monkey bars are a test of strength and a test of mobility. It’s easier to move across the bars if you know how to use your momentum, so getting in tune with your body is crucial to making it less grueling than it otherwise used to be.
Want to practice? Hit the park. There are still a ton of monkey bars at the park. Also do some hand-exercises, we which detailed here. If you’re unable to find monkey bars, find a super sturdy tree branch and do a light swing. Make sure you’re hanging and swinging near the trunk. Never ever swing from a tree branch that is far from the center. You will break the branch. And you will fall. You’re doing this at your own risk. And the risk of gravity and physics. Thank you gravity and physics.
Here are five obstacles you’ll most definitely encounter at an obstacle course. Don’t forget: it’s not too much of an obstacle to leave us a comment below or like us on Facebook.
Have fun running the course!
