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Other/Mixed Training for Spartan Sprint

Other strength modalities (e.g., Clubs), mixed strength modalities (e.g., combined kettlebell and barbell), other goals (flexibility)
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Stu

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Hi everyone, I am new to the forum here after reading S&S, ETK, Q&D and ROTK. Looks like this is a great place with a wealth of knowledge and resources sufficient to keep me busy for a long time!!

I have a Spartan Sprint coming up in 5 weeks and wanted to get some feedback on my training plan.

A little background - I'm 35, 182cm, 11%bf, resting HR 52-56. I have been training solidly for the past 2 years mainly focussing on Calisthenics (strength focus rather than skill). For the past 6 weeks I have been running S&S and I'm just about to start adding in some 32kg sets on both the swing and get up. For the past month, I have also been doing 3-4 LSS runs per week at 50-70% MHR for mixed durations of 30 - 60 mins.

With only 5 weeks remaining, I figure I should really start to focus my training a little, it's only the sprint race but regardless, I would like to do my best effort and I have a pretty strong competitive streak. Here is my plan, taken from various sources including threads and articles here on SF. Open to suggestions on tweaking based on people's experience.

I will run the following two circuits once each per week:

Circuit A (3-5) rounds
5 x Double Clean and Push Press (re clean each rep)
10 x Heavy Swings (2H)
5-8 x Explosive Pullups
1 x TGU per side
10 x Goblet Sq
60s Sandbag Carry

Grip Finisher - Hang for 30s then 1 pullup, repeat until I can't

Circuit B (3-5) rounds
5 x C&P R then L
10 x Swings R then L
10 x Towel Pullups
10 x Power Pushups
60s on Monkey Bars
60s Farmers Walk

Crawling for 3 to 5 mins

Schedule:
Mon - Circuit A
Tue - LSS fun run - 3 mile slow jog with kettlebell in rucksack. Every 7 min alternate between Swings, Burpees and Pushups
Wed - 100 Swings & 10 TGUs S&S style
Thu - Circuit B
Fri - Fast Tempo Run - 5k @ 80-85% HR
Sat - 100 Swings and 10 TGUs S&S style
Sun Rest

I will also be running 3-4 mobility sessions throughout each week.

Thoughts welcome.

Stu
 
Hi everyone, I am new to the forum here after reading S&S, ETK, Q&D and ROTK. Looks like this is a great place with a wealth of knowledge and resources sufficient to keep me busy for a long time!!

I have a Spartan Sprint coming up in 5 weeks and wanted to get some feedback on my training plan.

A little background - I'm 35, 182cm, 11%bf, resting HR 52-56. I have been training solidly for the past 2 years mainly focussing on Calisthenics (strength focus rather than skill). For the past 6 weeks I have been running S&S and I'm just about to start adding in some 32kg sets on both the swing and get up. For the past month, I have also been doing 3-4 LSS runs per week at 50-70% MHR for mixed durations of 30 - 60 mins.

With only 5 weeks remaining, I figure I should really start to focus my training a little, it's only the sprint race but regardless, I would like to do my best effort and I have a pretty strong competitive streak. Here is my plan, taken from various sources including threads and articles here on SF. Open to suggestions on tweaking based on people's experience.

I will run the following two circuits once each per week:

Circuit A (3-5) rounds
5 x Double Clean and Push Press (re clean each rep)
10 x Heavy Swings (2H)
5-8 x Explosive Pullups
1 x TGU per side
10 x Goblet Sq
60s Sandbag Carry

Grip Finisher - Hang for 30s then 1 pullup, repeat until I can't

Circuit B (3-5) rounds
5 x C&P R then L
10 x Swings R then L
10 x Towel Pullups
10 x Power Pushups
60s on Monkey Bars
60s Farmers Walk

Crawling for 3 to 5 mins

Schedule:
Mon - Circuit A
Tue - LSS fun run - 3 mile slow jog with kettlebell in rucksack. Every 7 min alternate between Swings, Burpees and Pushups
Wed - 100 Swings & 10 TGUs S&S style
Thu - Circuit B
Fri - Fast Tempo Run - 5k @ 80-85% HR
Sat - 100 Swings and 10 TGUs S&S style
Sun Rest

I will also be running 3-4 mobility sessions throughout each week.

Thoughts welcome.

Stu

Overall I think you have a pretty solid plan here. The things that usually get people in Spartan OCR is the grip stuff, and it looks like you have that covered. If it were me (and it has been in longer events) I would do a bit more running, and focus on some of the skill-centric events like rope climbing, and the good old spear throw...

I know some people that train burpees... waste of time in my opinion. Train to succeed in the obstacles so you won't have to do a single penalty burpee.

And hope it doesn't rain and have all the obstacles coated in mud and water...then all bets are off...
 
Looks like a good plan!

Do people normally taper their training and peak for an event like this? From a quick glance at the program it seems a bit short to need any carbo loading but dialing the intensity back in the last week of your training (especially the last 3 days or so) could be beneficial.
 
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Overall I think you have a pretty solid plan here. The things that usually get people in Spartan OCR is the grip stuff, and it looks like you have that covered. If it were me (and it has been in longer events) I would do a bit more running, and focus on some of the skill-centric events like rope climbing, and the good old spear throw...

Thanks for the feedback. Yes I did wonder if I should maybe have one more run in there per week. I decided against it as its only the Sprint and I can comfortably run the distance. I may look at swapping out one of the S&S sessions for another LSS run on alternate weeks.
 
Do people normally taper their training and peak for an event like this? From a quick glance at the program it seems a bit short to need any carbo loading but dialing the intensity back in the last week of your training (especially the last 3 days or so) could be beneficial.

Thanks for the feedback. I wasn't planning on doing any kind of carb loading but I did plan on cutting intensity and volume on the final week. Something like this:

Mon - LSS Run 45 mins
Tue - Circuit A (3 rounds only)
Wed - S&S
Thur - Rest
Fri - S&S
Sat - Rest
Sun - Race

Thanks
 
Looks like a good plan!

Do people normally taper their training and peak for an event like this? From a quick glance at the program it seems a bit short to need any carbo loading but dialing the intensity back in the last week of your training (especially the last 3 days or so) could be beneficial.
Some do, some don't. There are folks that do many of these a year, and that sort of precludes any form of significant tapering.
The jury is still out on carbo-loading...
 
The jury is still out on carbo-loading...

I think carbo loading has fallen out of favor to certain degree in the last ten years or so because of the way carbs bind water. The more carbon atoms in the chain of your carbohydrate of choice the more water comes with it and it just adds to your starting weight because of all the extra water, so it's a double edged sword in some respects. It's a 2:1 ratio of water to carbon with all carbs basically. Glucose shots when you're depleted seems to be the way it's done these days but mostly for endurance events.

You wouldn't want a full taper for a sprint like this either, just ease up a bit in the last few days before the race.
 
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@Stu I participated in the Spartan Sprint last year in France. From a strength perspective you're probably already strong enough to get your bodyweight through the obstacles. My knees took a beating with the numerous accents and descents on single track trails, the event was hosted in the French Alps. Focus on building on your A+A capacity as Spartan IMO is an endurance event more so than a strength one.

TLDR; S&S + Pull/Push Ups + Running/Indoor Rowing
 
@Stu I've never done a Spartan event, I come from a cycling background, so I'm no expert by any means.

When we had an event coming up we used to try to get one good hard session of training (not trying to break any records or over extend yourself though) in the week before the event on a Tuesday or Wednesday and then ease up in the last few days. So your plan sounds good, the S&S in the last few days will get you to the start of the race fresh and ready to go hard.

Good luck with it, let us all know how you go.
 
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@Stu I've never done a Spartan event, I come from a cycling background, so I'm no expert by any means.

When we had an event coming up we used to try to get one good hard session of training (not trying to break any records or over extend yourself though) in the week before the event on a Tuesday or Wednesday and then ease up in the last few days. So your plan sounds good, the S&S in the last few days will get you to the start of the race fresh and ready to go hard.

Good luck with it, let us all know how you go.
Thanks I will. Sounds like good advice.
 
@Stu I participated in the Spartan Sprint last year in France. From a strength perspective you're probably already strong enough to get your bodyweight through the obstacles. My knees took a beating with the numerous accents and descents on single track trails, the event was hosted in the French Alps. Focus on building on your A+A capacity as Spartan IMO is an endurance event more so than a strength one.

TLDR; S&S + Pull/Push Ups + Running/Indoor Rowing
Thank you. I have seen A+A mentioned quite a bit. Do you have any links where I can read more about this method. I don't recall seeing a book on this particular topic.
 
Hello,

From Joe de Sena himself, interviewed by Zach Even-Esh:
The very minimalist training for any Spartan race: running, burpees, pull ups


Kind regards,

Pet'
 
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@Stu - how did it go with the spartan race? I am considering signing up for a sprint 27th or March. I am currently on the S&S program and just started with 32 kg (3 sets, rest with 24 kg, 1 tgu 32, rest with 24 kg).

Based on your experience, what would you add? Running? Burpees?
 
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@Stu - how did it go with the spartan race? I am considering signing up for a sprint 27th or March. I am currently on the S&S program and just started with 32 kg (3 sets, rest with 24 kg, 1 tgu 32, rest with 24 kg).

Based on your experience, what would you add? Running? Burpees?
Just add a bit of LSD running to your training. Maybe 1-2 shorter runs (30-45min) during the week and 1 long run (60-90min) on weekends and some hanging.
I prepared for a spartan sprint with all sorts of training like specialized grip training, single-leg work, LSD runs, sprint sessions and other stuff...
In the end it was total overkill and the race felt super easy. As long as you are a solid runner and have good grip endurance in hanging you'll do well.
Just look at the elite from the sport. All of them are endurance runners (marathon, half-marathon, ultras etc.) and not really strong (compared to athletes from other sports). Jonathan Albon won all OCR World Championships so far and the guy looks like he never lifted a weight in his life.

2x per week running
2x per week bouldering
2-3x per week S&S
+ keeping your bodyweight low
do that and you will perform very well at most OCRs up to a certain distance.
 
@Stu I've done myself one spartan, your background and training schedule is far more than enough to accomplish a Sprint. Just some tips check the training course before start (usually they release it one day prior the race) to check how to perform on each obstacle, if you are not competing but your main goal is to finish the race try to stop before each obstacle and check how the others do it, its a good way to avoid mistakes and end up doing burpees.

People struggle a lot with the Hercules Hoist but is very easy, just use your bodyweight to pull that thing down instead of just keeping your weight down and pull with the arms.

here some vid:

gl and have fun, bring some folks with you I did it with my wife and its a very good experience.
 
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