Training for a Tough Mudder

[Ozchuck]

Orgasmatronical

Ozchuck

I think your best shot is developing the ability to do 5 pullups.

The fastest way I've seen women develop the ability to go from 0-many pullups is to try to avoid the assist machine.

pull a bench over to the bar at your gym and use it to jump up into the top of the pullup position and do a slow negative allll the way down, as in, use your muscles to slow the rate of descent as much as possible.

do this 5 times, and then go on with whatever other stuff you had planned (except for any kind of pulling on anything). come back 2 days later and do it all again. if you feel like at the bottom you can pull yourself up, give it a shot and see what happens.

Work the negatives until you can do one at least. then you can probably have a play around with sets and reps however you feel comfortable.

True. I work at a gym so after hours I could set up a little training area to try negatives. Thanks for the tip. smile

I have almost exactly 6 months to get my butt in gear.

Honestly the strength based obstacles in these things are the hardest part, most people can run for miles, its just a matter of how long it takes smile If you can do 5 pullups, you'll be okay on the monkey bars and walls and stuff, while other people will be falling off or not making it up.

[Orgasmatronical]

Ozchuck

Orgasmatronical

Ozchuck

I think your best shot is developing the ability to do 5 pullups.

The fastest way I've seen women develop the ability to go from 0-many pullups is to try to avoid the assist machine.

pull a bench over to the bar at your gym and use it to jump up into the top of the pullup position and do a slow negative allll the way down, as in, use your muscles to slow the rate of descent as much as possible.

do this 5 times, and then go on with whatever other stuff you had planned (except for any kind of pulling on anything). come back 2 days later and do it all again. if you feel like at the bottom you can pull yourself up, give it a shot and see what happens.

Work the negatives until you can do one at least. then you can probably have a play around with sets and reps however you feel comfortable.

True. I work at a gym so after hours I could set up a little training area to try negatives. Thanks for the tip. smile

I have almost exactly 6 months to get my butt in gear.

Honestly the strength based obstacles in these things are the hardest part, most people can run for miles, its just a matter of how long it takes smile If you can do 5 pullups, you'll be okay on the monkey bars and walls and stuff, while other people will be falling off or not making it up.

That's what I'm most nervous about. lol I have the upper body strength of a T-Rex so I have a lot of work ahead of me. I'm not too worried about the running aspect since between now and the Tough Mudder I have 2 half marathons that I'll be completing.


I should figure out what kind of exercise I should do to help get to the point where I don't just drop off the bar when trying to do negatives. I can't even do sissy pull ups. lol But my legs are strong as hell so I guess that would be good for the hills...

[Ozchuck]

Orgasmatronical

Ozchuck

Orgasmatronical

Ozchuck

I think your best shot is developing the ability to do 5 pullups.

The fastest way I've seen women develop the ability to go from 0-many pullups is to try to avoid the assist machine.

pull a bench over to the bar at your gym and use it to jump up into the top of the pullup position and do a slow negative allll the way down, as in, use your muscles to slow the rate of descent as much as possible.

do this 5 times, and then go on with whatever other stuff you had planned (except for any kind of pulling on anything). come back 2 days later and do it all again. if you feel like at the bottom you can pull yourself up, give it a shot and see what happens.

Work the negatives until you can do one at least. then you can probably have a play around with sets and reps however you feel comfortable.

True. I work at a gym so after hours I could set up a little training area to try negatives. Thanks for the tip. smile

I have almost exactly 6 months to get my butt in gear.

Honestly the strength based obstacles in these things are the hardest part, most people can run for miles, its just a matter of how long it takes smile If you can do 5 pullups, you'll be okay on the monkey bars and walls and stuff, while other people will be falling off or not making it up.

That's what I'm most nervous about. lol I have the upper body strength of a T-Rex so I have a lot of work ahead of me. I'm not too worried about the running aspect since between now and the Tough Mudder I have 2 half marathons that I'll be completing.


I should figure out what kind of exercise I should do to help get to the point where I don't just drop off the bar when trying to do negatives. I can't even do sissy pull ups. lol But my legs are strong as hell so I guess that would be good for the hills...

Oh! I'm sorry I completely forgot about grip! Do you have problems hanging onto a bar for the duration of a negative?

I recommend farmers walks for all things grip-related. fortunately farmers walks are pretty simple, just get the biggest dumbbells you can walk with for about 20m, do a lap of the gym, dump them, and do them again 5 minutes later. do as much until your forearms are no longer cooperating with you, then move onto other things and dont do them again for a few days.

Try them for a few weeks in conjunction with your best attempts at negative chins/pullups and see how you go. come back and hassle me for something else if it doesnt work.

[Orgasmatronical]

Ozchuck

Orgasmatronical

Ozchuck

Orgasmatronical

Ozchuck

I think your best shot is developing the ability to do 5 pullups.

The fastest way I've seen women develop the ability to go from 0-many pullups is to try to avoid the assist machine.

pull a bench over to the bar at your gym and use it to jump up into the top of the pullup position and do a slow negative allll the way down, as in, use your muscles to slow the rate of descent as much as possible.

do this 5 times, and then go on with whatever other stuff you had planned (except for any kind of pulling on anything). come back 2 days later and do it all again. if you feel like at the bottom you can pull yourself up, give it a shot and see what happens.

Work the negatives until you can do one at least. then you can probably have a play around with sets and reps however you feel comfortable.

True. I work at a gym so after hours I could set up a little training area to try negatives. Thanks for the tip. smile

I have almost exactly 6 months to get my butt in gear.

Honestly the strength based obstacles in these things are the hardest part, most people can run for miles, its just a matter of how long it takes smile If you can do 5 pullups, you'll be okay on the monkey bars and walls and stuff, while other people will be falling off or not making it up.

That's what I'm most nervous about. lol I have the upper body strength of a T-Rex so I have a lot of work ahead of me. I'm not too worried about the running aspect since between now and the Tough Mudder I have 2 half marathons that I'll be completing.


I should figure out what kind of exercise I should do to help get to the point where I don't just drop off the bar when trying to do negatives. I can't even do sissy pull ups. lol But my legs are strong as hell so I guess that would be good for the hills...

Oh! I'm sorry I completely forgot about grip! Do you have problems hanging onto a bar for the duration of a negative?

I recommend farmers walks for all things grip-related. fortunately farmers walks are pretty simple, just get the biggest dumbbells you can walk with for about 20m, do a lap of the gym, dump them, and do them again 5 minutes later. do as much until your forearms are no longer cooperating with you, then move onto other things and dont do them again for a few days.

Try them for a few weeks in conjunction with your best attempts at negative chins/pullups and see how you go. come back and hassle me for something else if it doesnt work.

Thanks! I've never even heard of those so that's incredibly helpful.

And yeah it probably is grip related. I was never able to hang on to bars for every long, even when I would do a set of assisted pull ups I would have gross blisters all over my hands and they would act like I have arthritis. I think I just need to condition my hands to get used to that position.

[Pivitol]

I can't give you advice, except to say that sometimes (oftentimes I think) these runs have recommended workouts. But I just wanted to stop in to say, that is AMAZING! One day maybe I'll do a tough mudder but it's out of my reach at the moment.

[Orgasmatronical]

Pivitol

I can't give you advice, except to say that sometimes (oftentimes I think) these runs have recommended workouts. But I just wanted to stop in to say, that is AMAZING! One day maybe I'll do a tough mudder but it's out of my reach at the moment.

Thanks. smile and it's never out of your reach if you want it bad enough.

[Euphoric Ghost]

For grip, do a lot of reps for dumbbell rows, or shrugs.
Rows will also help your lats and biceps
Shrugs for traps

[hajja the butt]

I don't really know, sorry, but I just wanted to say good luck on the tough mudder.

I want to do one when i'm 18, so hopefully I can continue my workouts and be in good enough shape for it.

[Orgasmatronical]

Thanks, Euphoric Ghost! I'm thinking when I get the chance I will hire a personal trainer for a few days a week.

Habba- Thanks! I'm sure you can do it, too!

[Aavistus Siivet]

If you can read this, PM me; I will give you 1k.

I was actually just about to post the same thread! XP

Mine's in October but I still have a long way to go.
Right now, I'm doing cardio kickboxing 4x a week, strength training the other two days and swim for an hour or two whenever I can. Only seriously started a couple of weeks ago (actually started back in March but was sick for two weeks and that threw me back a couple of months). Two friends and I want to run with the bulls in August (a state side event) but I think I'd druther take on two tough mudders and a woman warrior race than the bulls.

Anyways, where is your tough mudder if you don't mind me asking?