The 7 Best Spartan Training Programs to Take on in 2023
It doesn’t matter where you are with your fitness — a complete beginner or a seasoned elite — our coaches' Spartan training programs are the best in the business.
Whether you want to crush a Spartan race, a Tough Mudder, a DEKA event, or just get fitter, we have all the programs to set you up for success.
After a quick review of the 12 Spartan bodyweight exercise standards and the 30 Spartan functional exercise standards, pick from one of the following Spartan training programs that best fit your fitness goals and ambitions and commit to it.
Related: The 2023 Spartan Race Schedule: Dates, Details, Venues, and More
The Best Spartan Training Programs to Commit to in 2023
1. The 30-Day Unbreakable Training Program
On January 1, with the help of four highly-respected Spartan coaches, we launched the official 30-Day Unbreakable Training program to prepare you for any event: a Spartan Race, a Tough Mudder, a DEKA event — you name it. Consider this your official plan of attack.
If you’re a first-time racer, this program will guide you to building the base of endurance, strength, power, and agility needed to overcome obstacles and get to that finish line. And if you’re an existing racer looking to improve your finishing times, our coaches have included a few tips to push you a little harder, which will translate on race day.
The official 30-Day Unbreakable Training program is simple, effective, and will push you harder as you progress from week to week.
Related: This Training Team Will Help You Run Your Best and Fastest Race Ever
When you’re training for any Unbreakable event, you want a mix of cardio workouts each week, in addition to strength training. Within this program, each week’s structure will be three to four days of cross training, which includes strength and conditioning, endurance, athleticism, speed, agility, and quickness (SAQ), along with three days of cardio that consist of one day of recovery-type cardio, one day of long, slow-distance (LSD) cardio, and one or two days of speed work/compromised running.
Get started with the 30-Day Unbreakable Training Program now.
2. The 30-Day Don't Quit Training Program
The 30-Day Unbreakable Training program has been started by thousands of Spartans since its release on January 1. To keep the momentum going, Spartan Coaches Olga Torres, Joe Bala, Yeniz Parton, and Christian Bizzotto have teamed up on an additional 30 days of training.
You can expect to see a continuation of the well-rounded training that’s in the Unbreakable Training plan, but with increased volume and higher difficulty. This 30-day block is perfect for ramping up your training to the next level.
Get started with the 30-Day Don’t Quit Training Program now.
3. Spartan Boss Joe De Sena's Spartan Beast Training Program
There’s no one better to prepare you for a Spartan race, a Tough Mudder, or a DEKA event than Spartan founder and CEO Joe De Sena. Sure, there’s plenty of highly-qualified coaches and trainers out there that can get you battle-ready, but Joe is the OG. He built the damn thing.
Here’s the bad news: He’s not always available to get your ass in shape in person (Wouldn’t that be pretty cool, though?), as he's often busy running a global brand after surviving two of the most difficult years caused by COVID-19. The good news is, if you get him on a light day, he might respond to your email and send you this blueprint to success if you ask (or, you can just get it right here).
This 12-week template is ripped directly from Joe’s outbox after responding to a Spartan in need of a get-fit-quick plan. Now, it’s here for the taking as well.
Get started with Joe’s Beast Training Program now.
4. The Spartan Ninja Training Program
Grant Mccartney — known as the Island Ninja — really does live up to his name.
He’s a seven-time American Ninja Warrior, German Ninja Warrior Grand Champion, a Spartan Games competitor, and he even holds a Guinness Book of World Records title for the most consecutive flying bar jumps (which is 15, by the way). He’s also completed a handful of Spartan races and consistently makes the obstacles look like a walk in the park.
Mccartney grew up a runner, and has spent plenty of time tearing up the trails with close friend and fellow Spartan Games competitor, Hunter McIntyre. Plus, Mccartney can hang with some of the fittest athletes out there, whether it’s in his new home gym — which is outfitted with the best premium equipment for obstacle prep from Titan Fitness — at a hometown favorite gym of his, Skyline CrossFit, or on the road with fellow popular creators like The Buttery Bros.
Related: 3 Ways to Impress Your Friends With Insane Obstacle Skills
The Island Ninja is always training for something new (and potentially even unorthodox or non-traditional, such as last year’s underwater swim in the middle of Alaska for a campaign with Ten Thousand). There’s plenty a Spartan can learn from such a beast.
In this program, Mccartney shares a seven-day blueprint that he designed with friend, athlete, and coach Ryan Kucish from Skyline CrossFit to get you fitter and more obstacle course race-ready than ever. Plus, he provides a series of ninja tips to improve your obstacle proficiency.
Get started with the Spartan Ninja Training Program now.
5. The 4-Week Run Long, Stay Strong Training Program
Spartan coach Trevor Franklin has completed a Spartan Sprint, a Super, a Beast, a DEKA FIT event, a 50K Ultra, and he has even attempted a Death Race. He can seemingly run forever — and quite quickly, too — but he also appears to have this unique ability to hold onto slabs of rock-solid muscle at the same time, which is no easy task. His secret? A comprehensive training program with just the right amount of strength training blended with running and paired with a hearty meal plan.
If you’ve been looking for tips to create a hybrid-based meal plan template that supports your body as you run long (and fast) while still lifting heavy, here they are. Combine these two high-performance plans and you’ll be smoking your friends (or outlasting them) on race day in no time.
Get started with the Run Long, Stay Strong Training Program now.
6. The 28-Day RUN FASTER Training Program
It’s quite possible that strength isn’t an issue for you, and that the trials you face on the course are more of an endurance struggle. If that’s the case, focus your efforts on the 28-DAY RUN FASTER Spartan training program. This program includes threshold runs, long runs, hill sprints, strength, HIIT, and yoga to get you shaving minutes off of your finish time.
Related: Your Pre-Sprint Checklist: 7 Crucial Steps to Maximize Your Speed
Whether you’re working on a Spartan Sprint, a Stadion, a Super, a Beast, a Tough Mudder race , or a DEKA event, this will build your endurance engine. Start seeing improvement in your distance runs by following along with the 28-DAY RUN FASTER program.
Get started with the 28-Day RUN FASTER Program now.
7. The 1-MILE SPEED Program With Chris Hinshaw
Sprinting, which you’ll have to do to improve your mile time, increases something called neuroadaptation, which teaches your brain to send the signal to your feet to move faster.
“That ultimately drives a higher level of efficiency," Chris Hinshaw, a top endurance coach who has worked with more than 30 CrossFit Games champions, says. "If you can move fast, then — when you move slow — you can move with better quality.”
Translation: A faster 1-mile sprint time will translate to improvements in longer domains, too. Plus, it’s fun to beat your Spartan training partner or friend in a 1-mile sprint.
Get started with Hinshaw’s 1-MILE SPEED program now.
