Spartan pushes you back towards the elements. We want your lungs burning with fresh air and your legs aching as they drive you up towards a remote scenic outlook on a mountaintop.

Our races include some of the most breathtakingly beautiful trails you can find. Because of this, you need to practice getting your footing where roads end and trails begin.

This week we are doing our regular Spartan conditioning, but we are going to ask you to perform your workouts outdoors and off-road.

Exhilaration is to be found outside your comfort zone.

Monday - Basic Trail Conditioning

Warm Up:

• 5-minute jog
• High Knees – 30 Seconds
• Butt Kicks – 30 Seconds
• High Kicks – 30 Seconds
• Lateral Shuffles – 30 Seconds (each side)

Main Set:

• 10-15 minutes trail running
• 15 Squats (with rock or log optional)
• 15 Push Ups
• 15 Split Squats (each leg, with rock or log optional)
• 15 Burpees Jump to rock or stump

Repeat 2-3 times.

Tuesday - Hill Work

Find a hill that will take you 30-60 seconds to climb. The steeper the better.

Warm Up:

• 5-10 minute jog in woods to hill
• High Knees – 30 Seconds
• Butt Kicks – 30 Seconds
• High Kicks – 30 Seconds
• Lateral Shuffles – 30 Seconds (each side)

Main Set:

• 1 hill run
• Recover, walk down hill
• 1 hill of lunges (lunge up hill)
• Recover, walk down hill
• 1 hill, bear crawl up
• Recover, walk down hill
• X10

Wednesday - Rugged Strength Conditioning

Warm Up:

• 5 minute jog
• High Knees – 30 Seconds
• Butt Kicks – 30 Seconds
• High Kicks – 30 Seconds
• Lateral Shuffles – 30 Seconds (each side)

Main Set:

• Log/ Boulder Squat and Press – 3×10
• Push Ups – 3×10
• Lateral Hops – 3×10 (Can be done over logs for a larger channel. Do at your own risk)
• Log/ Boulder Walking Lunges – 3×10
• Pull Ups on Tree Branch – 3×6 (Do at your own risk. Can do an inverted row on a low branch as an alternative)
• Log/ Boulder Carry – 3×10 (Walk 10 yards carrying, set boulder or log down, pick it up and walk another 10 yards)
• Plank – 3×10 (Find a log or a boulder, start in a high plank on the tool, walk down to ground, walk back up to log or boulder)
• Hanging Leg Raise from tree branch – 3×10
• Burpees – 3×10

Thursday – Rest Day

Friday – Speed Work

Today’s trail workout is an AMRAP (as many rounds as possible). Give everything you’ve got to work consistently for 20 minutes.

Find a nice straight away with a soft, smooth surface to get some speed work done.

Warm Up:

• 5-minute jog
• High Knees – 30 Seconds
• Butt Kicks – 30 Seconds
• High Kicks – 30 Seconds
• Lateral Shuffles – 30 Seconds (each side)

Main Set (20 minutes):

• 100-yard Sprint
• 10 Jump Squats
• 10 Push Ups to Shoulder Taps
• 10 Alternating Lunge Jumps (each leg)
• 10 Side Plank Leg Lifts (each side)

Saturday – Endurance

Hike. 1-3 hours. Rucking or carrying a sandbag is opitonal.

Don't focus on speed, focus on a slow and steady grind. Bring some food and practice your fueling strategies.

Sunday– Recovery 

Meditate. 

Try it out on the trails. Take a slow jog into the woods and find a quiet place.