I've been putting together a spreadsheet of basically what I did to get in shape the last 3 years. Well I've done a lot more recently, but the spreadsheet reflects my first year pretty well. I've found it's pretty good prep for the Tough Mudder challenge specifically. I'm not selling anything other than common sense, and I wish more people would realize you don't need to buy anything or rely on external forces to make yourself healthy, stronger and happier.
You Are The Gym
You don't need fucking weights. You don't need a fucking gym membership (drop into the rec center for a pool). You just need the commitment to yourself, some good running shoes (I swear by Vibrams, I will never run in anything else again, this running schedule is pretty good for transitioning to them if you'd like), and a place for hanging/pull ups. Monkeybars and soccer goal posts on kid playgrounds are perfect for this, if you don't have a good place in your house/office.
For reference, when I started ~3 years ago, I could not do 10 pushups in a row, and I was running 11+ minute miles and getting extremely winded. Today I can do about 70 pushups over a few minutes, and I'm running sub 7 minute miles pretty regularly. I don't even bring water running less than 6ish miles. I don't feel like I've worked all that hard to get here, other than being consistent. I feel healthier and stronger than I've ever been in my life.
DISCLAIMER: You are responsible for your own body. I am not a personal trainer, I assume no liability if you follow this schedule and hurt yourself. Don't be dumb, if something hurts get it fixed or stop doing what makes it hurt. Listen to your body and adjust for your own situation.
Without further ado:
Ryan's Magical Fitness Spreadsheet for Tough Mudder Training for my Buddies
And accompanying explanations and thoughts...
For reference, when I started ~3 years ago, I could not do 10 pushups in a row, and I was running 11+ minute miles and getting extremely winded. Today I can do about 70 pushups over a few minutes, and I'm running sub 7 minute miles pretty regularly. I don't even bring water running less than 6ish miles. I don't feel like I've worked all that hard to get here, other than being consistent. I feel healthier and stronger than I've ever been in my life.
DISCLAIMER: You are responsible for your own body. I am not a personal trainer, I assume no liability if you follow this schedule and hurt yourself. Don't be dumb, if something hurts get it fixed or stop doing what makes it hurt. Listen to your body and adjust for your own situation.
Without further ado:
Ryan's Magical Fitness Spreadsheet for Tough Mudder Training for my Buddies
And accompanying explanations and thoughts...
Spreadsheet Key
PCP = Pushups, Crunches, Pull-ups. Active motion exercises. You can add variance to these, as long as you're doing the same idea of form. For example, a pushup could be narrow, on your fists, diamond shape hands, one leg up, etc. Crunches can be traditional crunches, leg lifts, scissor kicks, etc. Pull-ups you can change grips, forward, backward, sideways.The numbers listed are daily totals of each kind of movement. Break them up however you need to but get the total done within that 24 hours (e.g. do 1 pushup every couple of minutes if you have to, to get to 10; or just bust out 2 sets of 5 or 1 set of 10).
PBJ = Planks, Boats, Jangles. Static hold exercises. Like a PBJ sandwich just holds itself together.
Plank is holding your body straight in a push up position. A boat is like a plank for your abs. Just like in yoga, sit on your butt, legs raised in front of you with feet off the floor, arms loose to the side, back at 45 degrees, making a boat shape and hold while balancing on your butt. Jangles just means hanging by your arms, like at the bottom of a pull up. I used Jangles because it makes a better acronym.
The numbers listed are daily totals of seconds to hold each kind of static hold. Again, break them up however you need to to do the totals within a single day.
HOS = Horse stance, Obliques, Slow ups. Supplemental exercises. Horse stance is simply standing in a squat with your knees wide, toes pointing out, balanced vertically, as low as you can go and holding it. Slow ups are pull ups, but done as slowly and smoothly as you can force yourself to do, both up and down. Obliques are sideways situps.
Numbers listed are daily totals, break them up as needed (horse is seconds to hold in horse stance).
If a calendar day lists PCP, do the PCP totals for that day. If it lists PBJ, do those. HOS, same. If you have questions on proper technique for any of these, lmgtfy.com or ask some exercisey/crossfitty friends or see a PT for a day.
If a calendar day lists "Miles xX", run that many miles. You don't have to run fast. You do have to not walk. To work on your lung capacity for altitude, sing while you run. I mean sing, not mouth or lipsync. Sing really fucking loud. Doesn't matter if you're off key, turn your earbuds up so you can't hear yourself. Enjoy that other people you run by will think you are batshit insane and have a story to tell their friends.
If a calendar day lists "Swim x lengths" go swim that many lengths in a normal sized pool, any stroke. Try to make a length underwater for lung capacity.
The numbers listed are daily totals of seconds to hold each kind of static hold. Again, break them up however you need to to do the totals within a single day.
HOS = Horse stance, Obliques, Slow ups. Supplemental exercises. Horse stance is simply standing in a squat with your knees wide, toes pointing out, balanced vertically, as low as you can go and holding it. Slow ups are pull ups, but done as slowly and smoothly as you can force yourself to do, both up and down. Obliques are sideways situps.
Numbers listed are daily totals, break them up as needed (horse is seconds to hold in horse stance).
If a calendar day lists PCP, do the PCP totals for that day. If it lists PBJ, do those. HOS, same. If you have questions on proper technique for any of these, lmgtfy.com or ask some exercisey/crossfitty friends or see a PT for a day.
If a calendar day lists "Miles xX", run that many miles. You don't have to run fast. You do have to not walk. To work on your lung capacity for altitude, sing while you run. I mean sing, not mouth or lipsync. Sing really fucking loud. Doesn't matter if you're off key, turn your earbuds up so you can't hear yourself. Enjoy that other people you run by will think you are batshit insane and have a story to tell their friends.
If a calendar day lists "Swim x lengths" go swim that many lengths in a normal sized pool, any stroke. Try to make a length underwater for lung capacity.
Don't Eat Crap All The Time
I mostly just tried to cut out processed foods (esp. anything with high fructose corn syrup) and soda where possible, and eat lots of different stuff on a weekly basis. The single best thing you can do is replace any consistent soda intake (yes even diet soda) with water. It's not that hard, get over it.I still indulge in Krispy Kreme donuts, root beer floats and delicious junk whenever I feel like it. Just make sure it's not habitual and that your indulgences are equally balanced with lots of fresh veggies, fruits and meats and all of the things.
Diet wise, don't fucking calorie count, don't subscribe to any rigid diet unless your doctor tells you too. You'll just stress yourself out and create lots of ways to fail and feel bad about yourself. Don't buy expensive supplements other than maybe a daily multivitamin. Fresh food is generally cheaper and has more benefit of nutrient synergies that supplements don't. In fact, many supplements have been proven to go right through you with little benefit at all.
Drink lots of water. Gatorade is shit, you don't need it. Powerade is even worse. Almost all sports drinks are totally unnecessary unless you are a pro athlete competing at a top 1% level. Water, bananas, pretzels for hydration replenishment. And I hate bananas, but they are so cheap and easy to eat and they look funny.
Drink some booze now and again, don't cut it out. It does wonders for muscle and psychological relaxation. And booze is proven to make you more likely to have sex, which is also great for getting in shape in so many ways!
Philosophichalousness
Stick to this, and I guarantee the Tough Mudder will be not much of a challenge. It's an extremely gradual progression over 40ish weeks. Rearrange what things to do on what days to fit your schedule because real life is real. The key is doing something literally every single day.Equally as important, learn to be still, don't be restless all the time. If you're restless, you're not resting... thus the word. Meditation or doing things that put you in a meditative state can really help your body recover from physical training. For example, take a quick nap after masturbating at work.
Also read Born to Run.
We've all got one life and one body to live it in. Use it well and discover its limits, before it's in a wheelchair and diapers. Don't do any of this for anyone else. Do this for yourself, and you'll surprise yourself constantly with what you are capable of. Start today.
