How to Taper for the Ruckus

You may be able to get away with procrastinating for high school exams, college finals or that big project you have to present to the company.  But when it comes to training for a  mud run or obstacle course, it’s important to not put off your training!  You simply can’t wait until the week before the competition or race to kick your training into high gear; in fact, you should be doing just the opposite.

What is taper?  

Following weeks of proper preparation, we suggest taking the seven days before your Ruckus run to practice what is known as tapering.  This means that instead of pushing your body to the limit right before race day, you should reduce the distance and volume you run to allow for optimum performance come race day. 

What are the benefits of tapering?

Tapering has not only physical, but mental advantages as well.  The final week spent tapering leads to improved muscle glycogen stores, expanded blood plasma and repaired connective tissue.  All of these things need “taper time” to build back up after intense training.  In addition, the week of relaxed training builds mental confidence for the impending race.

Big, fancy scientific terms aside, tapering is so effective because training usually involves working your body and mind to exhaustion daily, and not allowing time for full recovery.  We want to make sure that before taking on our challenging obstacles (especially all you with eyes set on the competitive Champions Heat), you are at the peak of your abilities.  You’ll need all the strength you can get!

How should I taper for the Ruckus? 

We suggest the following tapering plan for all of our serious Ruckus runners out there: 

• Six and five days before competition, reduce your training distance and volume to 75%.
• Four and three days prior, work at 50% of your training level.
• On your last day of training, two days before Ruckus, take it easy at 25%. 

You will then want to completely take off the day prior to competition in order to give your body ample recovery time.  Then, come the next morning, you will be ready to have all of that training pay off.

For our future Boston Ruckus runners, your week of tapering will begin June 9, so make sure to continue your training, and the results will speak for themselves!  

We’re Goin’ Bananas for these 5 Monkey Bar Workouts

When it comes to our Ruckus obstacle course, don’t play around about playing around! We take having fun while staying fit seriously, which is why we’ve designed one of the most engaging, entertaining and challenging mud run courses in the nation.

One thing that makes our course so unique is our Gorilla Bars, which are monkey bars all grown up! Although the Gorilla Bars are one of the most popular features of our obstacle course, people often comment about how it’s also one of the most difficult parts of Ruckus run.

Crossing the Gorilla Bars requires a lot of upper body and abdominal strength, and it’s best to train for the day you encounter them. But what’s the best way to train to tackle the Gorilla Bars?  Just head to your local playground! Next time you’re near a playground, head for the monkey bars and go bananas with these 5 monkey bar workouts:  

1. The Hold

Odds are that at some point in your life, you and some friends have had a competition to see who can hold themselves up the longest on the monkey bars. This is excellent training for Ruckus Gorilla Bars! All you need to do is hold your head above the bars for as long as you can. Try making a new record to brag about.

2. The Dip

Dips are a great, albeit challenging training exercise. Cross your legs at the ankle, hoist yourself up until your arms are straight, then slowly lower yourself down and repeat. You’ll find that the slower you go, the more you feel the burn. If you do multiple reps, you’ll definitely be preparing yourself for Ruckus domination.

3. Legs to Chest

Remember—monkey bar exercises aren’t just for your arms!  They’re for your core too.  While holding onto the monkey bars in a parallel position, slowly draw your knees toward your chest and back, repeating as necessary. This is perhaps one of the most challenging monkey bar exercises around, but with repeated reps, you’ll be ready for Gorilla Bars in no time!

4. The Spread Eagle

Starting with your legs dangling down toward the ground, slowly raise them up into a spread eagle position, lifting them as high as you can go or until parallel with the ground. A real leg and abdomen burner!

5. The Good Ol’ Pull-up

The pull-up is one of the most tried-and-true, time-tested exercises for training for the Gorilla Bars. See how many reps you can do, and within no time you will start to feel your arms getting stronger.  Don’t be frustrated if you can do only 1 or 2 at first.  Pull-ups take time to master.  Try to increase by 1 pull-up every week or so. 

With these awesome monkey bar exercises, you’ll have an edge over the competition in no time! And with all this training under your belt, odds are you have a higher chance of making it into the Champion’s Heat of Ruckus. We can’t wait to see you there!

We’re Boston-bound next!  Sign up for Ruckus Boston to test your mud run abilities.  Sign up here!

The Big Running Question: Should I Train Through Injury?

Injuries.  They happen.  But they come with the territory of exercising and maintaining a physically fit lifestyle.  Participating in Ruckus could very cause a small injury or two, but what happens if you get injured before Ruckus...or any other running event for that matter? 

An injury can just be a setback and not a reason to give up on your training.  Sure, Ruckus is a race, so you are running (at your own pace!), but that doesn’t mean the only worthwhile training is jogging.  If you suffer an injury leading up to your 2013 Ruckus event, here are some ways you can continue preparation for your fun in the mud.

Trying Biking

Many are convinced that biking is the best training option for injured runners.  The best part about biking is that you have the option of using a stationary bike or riding on a trail in the fresh air.  Your legs are still the primary recipients of the strength training, and like running workouts, you have the option of doing intervals or a pedaling at long, steady pace.

Water Works

Constant pounding from running on grass or concrete can take a toll on a runner’s calves and shins.  If you are sore from this, try doing some pool exercises.  Running in the water offers resistance for strength building without the wear and tear on your legs.  Swimming laps is also a great cardio work out and strengthens the upper- and lower-body.  Plus, you might be swimming in some mud, so you want to master that breaststroke!

Efficient Elliptical

One of the most common machines at your local gym, the elliptical is a great alternative to running.  The motion closely mimics your running form, but does not require any impact.  Another advantage of the elliptical is that you can choose to work harder on your legs or arms, as both are used to power the machine. 

Pain, Pain Row Away

Few people have access to an actual in-water rowing machine, but the machine at your gym will do just fine.  This is a fantastic exercise for building muscle in the quadriceps and hips, which will be very helpful when attacking Ruckus’ climbing walls, cargo nets and numerous other obstacles.  However, this machine is often used incorrectly, so either study the proper form or ask a trainer for some pointers.

Stair Strength

Much like Sisyphus having to roll a boulder up a never-ending hill, the Stairmaster can be depressing.  But if you can look past its monotony and challenges, you’ll realize how good of a workout stair climbing can be, especially when nursing an injury.  Runners tend to have strong hamstrings, but the muscles targeted on the stairs are the quadriceps and hip flexor, which will lead to better muscle balance. 

So if you think your injury is holding you back from being a RuckStar, think again.  Try these running substitutes and find the one that works best for you, and you’ll be ready come race day!

5 Surprising Activities That Will Help You Train for a Mud Run

Our Ruckus mud run includes just a little bit of everything, and you will use just about every muscle in your body to finish the race.  In order to properly prepare, we suggest your training includes several activities that mimic the challenging obstacles throughout the course.  Some of these activities may, in fact, surprise you! 

1. Rock Climbing

When taking on the course’s Barricade Boulevard and Gr8 Walls of Ruckus, you’ll want to have that extra upper-body strength developed from one of our favorite outdoor (or indoor!) activities—rock climbing!  Of course, you don’t have to go to the closest mountain or peak and free climb like in the movies.  Many recreation centers and outdoor facilities offer climbing walls that are great practice. 

2.      Rope courses    

Both high and low rope courses are often used for both personal development and team building activities.  We love to see the same goals met on the Ruckus course (as some competitors choose to participate alone and some as a team).  Training at a rope course will come in handy for the Air Loops and Nose Bleed nets, which require you to swing from rope to rope á la Tarzan and race to the top of a daunting cargo net.

3. Hiking

This kind of training is great because it doesn’t require any special equipment (plus anyone can do it!). Just head off to your nearest trail or park and start trekking.  The constant uphill and downhill terrain is a great calf workout, perfect for the ever-changing ground on the Ruckus course.  Hiking is a fun, rewarding and cheap way to train, and you might even stumble upon your new favorite place to go and have some alone time.

4. Military Obstacle Course

For the serious competitor with eyes on the most demanding 4-mile Challenge division, a military obstacle course may be a great option for training.  Designed to train some of the most physically fit individuals, military obstacle courses offer many of the same obstacles as Ruckus.  You will be forced to climb, crawl, swing and everything in between through barriers.  The biggest difference is that at Ruckus, there won’t be a drill sergeant screaming at you to go faster (although there may be some cheering spectators!).  At Ruckus, you go at your own pace.

5. Local Playground

Playgrounds aren’t just for kids anymore.  Although sitting on a swing and pumping your legs won’t train you for a mud run, other playground activities will.  Swing across monkey bars, walk across balance beams and climb up ladders to train for obstacles like the Gorilla Bars and Normandy Spikes.  For more upper body strength, attempt some sets of dips on parallel bars or pull ups on whatever you can find. 

Instead of just running at your local park everyday (although that’s still very productive!), we suggest you consider training by doing some of these other activities.  Trust us when we say that you will be ready to shine when your mud run day comes!  

The Top 4 Biggest Mud Run Mistakes of All Time

Let’s be honest.  Your Ruckus mud run isn’t going to go 100% incident-free.  You’ll go home with a bruise or cut, need to take three showers to get fully clean, or still be sore at work or school on Monday.  But despite the bruises, cuts and sore muscles you’ll get along the way, we both know that you’ll have a blast competing in a mud run. 

And although we can’t help you avoid every slip on the mud, we can warn you about some of the biggest mistakes a mud runner can make when competing.  We hope that these 4 mistakes will help you prepare for your next mud run...and avoid any additional cuts or bruises! 

1.      Wearing the wrong shoes

Competitors participating in a mud run are guaranteed to run on all sorts of terrain ranging from grass to mud to wood.  The need for a decent pair of athletic shoes cannot be overstated.  Do not use the same pair you wear to cut the lawn just because they will get dirty.  We recommend a pair that has good traction and durability.  When shopping for your pair of running shoes, know that price is not the determining factor – just because they are expensive does not mean they’re the best for you!

2.      Jumping too aggressively

Every once and awhile, it feels just plain awesome to jump into a pile of mud at full force.  But be careful because Ruckus obstacles like the Mud Garden and Down-n-Outs have extremely shallow depths. If you jump in forcibly feet-first, your shoes may hit the bottom of the pit very quickly and you might get stuck.  From there, you will probably pull your foot clear out of your shoe trying to move (good luck getting that one back!).  Be cautious when entering the mud pits and then work up your momentum once you are established in the muddy mess (another tip is to slide face first through the pits...sometimes it’s the fastest and most effective way!). 

3.      Starting too fast

This is especially important for those brave enough to test the Champions heat, our 4-mile course.  This is the most competitive division, but it is not won in the first quarter-mile.  You will start in waves, and trust us when we say there is no reason to have a collision with another RuckStar in the first thirty seconds.  If you are looking to break records, do so after the first obstacle when runners are more spread out.  Pacing yourself is crucial!  We don’t want to have to peel you off the ground 100 yards from the finish line!

4.      Not planning ahead

Ruckus Boston may be two months away, but spots are already filling quickly!  We know that competitors like to sign up with family, friends and co-workers to compete as a team, but that only works if you all sign up in the same heat.  In order to do so, you need to get on the ball now!  Plus, it’s important to start training at least a month or two before your big race day. 

It may be important to show up to your mud run with an open mind and maybe a Band Aid or two, but we promise you won’t be disappointed!

How CrossFit Can Help You Train for a Mud Run

There are many different fitness crazes and fads that are constantly coming and going. Everybody has their own sort of routine whether it be running, pumping iron in the gym, or even utilizing the newest infomercial fitness gadget.  But which fitness routine will get you in the best possible shape for a mud run or obstacle course?  CrossFit!   

What is CrossFit? 

If you’re not familiar with CrossFit, it is most easily described as the sport of fitness. The workouts are constantly changing and challenging. CrossFit consists of many different pulling movements from a plethora of different sports and exercises to test your strength, cardiovascular system and flexibility (known as “mobility” in CrossFit lingo).  Overall, CrossFit focuses on improving an athlete’s overall level of fitness. A general CrossFit WOD (Workout of the Day) is no longer than 20 minutes. Twenty minutes may seem like a cakewalk, but the workouts are highly intense and physically exhausting. Daily WODs are available on the CrossFit website for free; all you need is the equipment.

Is CrossFit Popular? 

The intense and efficient workout program known as CrossFit has been widely adopted by people from all walks of life who have the desire to push themselves to the peak of their physical ability. In addition to over 5000 boxes (affiliate gyms), CrossFit WODs have been implemented by many fire department and first responders, law enforcement agencies, military and professional/university athletic programs.

How Serious Does Crossfit Get? 

For some CrossFitters, the WODs are just a way to stay in shape and get healthy. Then there is another level of CrossFitters known as elite level or “games” athletes.  The athletes train according to a rigorous schedule, often 2-3 times a day, in preparation of the CrossFit Games. The CrossFit Games were created in 2007 to find the “fittest athletes on earth”.  The games incorporate the mainstay movements of CrossFit along with plenty of curveballs so the athletes must be prepared for anything.

How Will Crossfit Help Me Train for a Mud Run?

Quite well, in fact.  Many of the movements in CrossFit are akin to obstacles in our course. With that in mind, it only makes sense that CrossFit is the premier way to get in Ruckus shape.

To help you prepare to dominate your next Ruckus race (or any other mud run!), we’ve broken down our obstacles to find the CrossFit movement that will be help you train: 

• Barricade Boulevard:  For this obstacle, your upper body strength will be tested.  Train by using CrossFit movements like muscle ups to help get you up and over the barricades.
• Air Loops: Swinging from rope to rope can take its toll on your forearms. Heavy kettlebell swings will give you lumberjack forearms to get you through this tough obstacle.
• Gorilla Bars: Another upper body gasser! As long as you train with a few kipping pull ups, you’ll be eating bananas at the finish line in no time.
• The Gr8 Walls of Ruckus: Yet again another obstacle to test your upper body. The Gr8 Wall of Ruckus is even higher than any of our Barricade Boulevards, but you have pegs and ropes to assist you. Train with weighted pull ups and you won’t even need the extra assistance.
• Mt. Hay: By the time you hit this monstrous climb, your upper body might be tired. Combat this by using your legs. Nothing strengthens your core and legs like CrossFit’s front squats.
• Awkward A-Frame: We don’t call it awkward for nothing!  The Awkward A-Frame will challenge your dexterity and your body as a whole. Clean and jerks will challenge you the same way while strengthening you in the process.
• Mud Garden: If you don’t explode out of the mud, you’ll get stuck. Box jumps are great for training your quick twitch explosive muscles.
• Ab Drags: You’re going to be dirty and your core will be challenged. You can’t do anything about the mud, but plank crawls will help prepare your core!
• Nose Bleed Nets:  The rope net is your ally and enemy at the same time. Becoming friends with rope climbs beforehand will keep you on their good side.
• Ranger Bars: Just as challenging as Ab Drags, only this time, you’re upside down...and on a pole.  CrossFit’s wall walks work your whole body and help with the inversion thing many people struggle with.
• Normandy Spikes: Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack should train with CrossFit pistols to avoid sharp sticks!
• Lobster Traps: Don’t think crustacean...think like a bear!
• Down-n-Outs:  Getting out is the tricky part, but overhead lunges will teach you to take long and strong strides up and out.
• Twisted Fences: The key is to jump and pull yourself over as quickly as possible.  Jumping pull ups will have you sliding down the other side with ease.
• Tirefield: This obstacle has been designed to trip you up when you’re tired. Bar-facing burpees will have you ready to get back up in case you meet the rubber.
• Mt. Ruckmore: The pièce de résistance of the Ruckus course—Mt. Ruckmore!  When you combine all the previous movements together, Mt. Ruckmore will be child's play.  Feel free to slide your chiseled body all the way down its slope and celebrate! 

CrossFit is a dynamite way to start your Ruckus training.  Combined with a few runs and jogs throughout the week, you’ll be in tip-top shape for Ruckus.  With proper training, both mentally and physically, the Ruckus course (or any other mud run for that matter) will feel like another day at the playground...only slightly muddier!  

Terrain Training: Tips for Running on Grass, Concrete, Mud and More

When training, we get to choose which terrain to run on. Oftentimes, it can be tempting to choose whichever terrain is the smoothest and flattest of our available options (i.e. our friendly concrete sidewalks). But when it comes to obstacle races, most cover a variety of terrain throughout the competition. In order to fully prepare for and enhance the potential for success, your training needs to mimic the potential terrains you will encounter during any race. So let’s break down potential terrains:

Grass

Grass has more shock absorbency than concrete or dirt, meaning that your feet take less of a pounding during your run. More shock absorbency also means less “bounce” while running, which means you won’t run as fast on grass compared to a more solid surface. Grass can be fun to run on, but it’s also important to watch out for holes or changes in terrain that can be hidden by the grass. A sprained, twisted or even broken ankle is a devastating injury around race time! 

Concrete

Concrete is far-and-away the most common surface runners choose to train on. But remember that concrete, for all its accessibility, can have detrimental effects in the long-term. Extensive research shows that extended running on concrete surfaces can lead to serious issues which impede a runner’s ability to perform at the level they desire. The hardness of the surface provides repetitive, unforgiving shocks to the foot which can affect the entire body. While concrete is certainly a viable option for training, it should be balanced out with other terrains.

Dirt

Dirt trails provide the happy middle between concrete and grass, providing just enough shock absorbency to reduce impact on the feet, while maintaining enough hardness to allow runners to keep pace. When you’re running a lot during training, it’s important to choose a surface that provides this level of “give” because long-term exposure to unforgiving surfaces will take a toll on bones, joints, tendons and muscles. Additionally, running on trails provides a way to interact with nature in an established way without having to worry about twisting ankles (dirt can’t hide holes the way grass can).

Mud

Finally, perhaps the most difficult “terrain” to run on (or in, for that matter) is mud.  Obviously, mud (like what you’ll encounter during our Down-n-Outs) is known to slow runners down tremendously.  What’s our best tip for running through mud?  Tie your shoes tight and use the power that your legs have to wade your way through murky water and slippery mud.  We recommend being cautious though—mud can trip you up pretty quickly and could lead to a mud run injury.  Be safe and have fun when it comes to running on (and through) mud—even when training! 

Training for a race, event or competition means more than running on the same surface every day until the big day arrives. Put a lot of thought into your training so you can not only preserve your body, but so you can also gain exposure to a variety of terrains. That way, you’ll be fully prepared for whatever comes your way!  

One Month Training Guide for a Mud Run

We are less than one month away from the Kansas City Ruckus mud run (and we’re expecting the 10:00am and 11:00am waves to sell out this week!)  This is an exciting and important time for everyone involved in Ruckus. While one month may seem like a while, it will go by fast! It’s important to maintain strong consistency with your training in order to achieve the mud run goal you’ve been working toward (and maybe even surpass it!).

So whether you’re a veteran runner or a first-time participant in a mud run, these helpful tips will ensure your success:

1.      Step up your training.
When runners are training for a marathon, they begin their hardest workouts a month before the big race. Training for the Ruckus, or any mud obstacle course for that matter, is no different. Begin your longest, hardest workouts now to make sure your body is totally prepared for the mud run. If you’ve been running three miles a day to train, start running four. That extra push will put you over the competitive edge.

2.      Get your gear in order.
Now is the time to take a full inventory of all your gear for the mud run. Leave nothing unaccounted for. This is important to do especially if you are ordering specific types of shoes or clothing that are only available online (this will ensure that ample time is allotted for shipping). It would be really disappointing to have a key piece of gear missing on race day. (Another helpful tip: don’t wear brand new shoes on race-day whether you’re in a mud run or a regular race.  First are foremost, you don’t want to ruin them.  And secondly, without breaking in your shoes properly, you could damage your feet with blisters and calluses.) 

3.      Beat yourself.
If you’re participating in Ruckus, odds are you love the idea of being the best version of yourself you can be. If you haven’t already been keeping track of your mile-times, pace and intervals, do so now. One month out from the mud run, track how long your runs are taking you and aim to improve by a few seconds each time. When it comes time to participate in mud run, a few seconds can make or break a runner winning a heat. MapMyRUN has excellent tools to help you track your routes, progress and times. Set out to beat yourself!

4.      Rest up.
The month before an event like Ruckus can lead to lack of sleep (perhaps you lay awake visualizing crossing the finish line!). However, research shows that lack of sleep can severely impair your physical capabilities. Sleep deprivation also takes a while to recover from, so sleeping a lot a couple of day before Ruckus won’t do you much good. Instead, reorient your life to match a healthy sleep schedule. You’ll be much better off for it in the long run – not just for Ruckus, but in general.

5.      Revel in your impending glory.
You are so close! You have taken a bold risk by stepping outside of your comfort zone and you have prepared for quite some time. Now it is time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Push through and achieve the dream you’ve been looking forward to! In a month, we’ll be applauding you as you reach the finish line. For now, we’re applauding you as you approach the starting line. Let’s do this!

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