It's the beginning of a new year and everyone is making the same resolution: lose weight and be healthier. A lot of people won't accomplish this goal, but the problem lies more in the resolution itself and not a lack of determination. In the business world there is an acronym called SMART that explains how goals should be: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. Well folks, "losing weight" and "being healthier" isn't a very smart goal under that criteria. Here's another idea for you: make a resolution to sign up for, train for and participate in a Mud Run this year.
Each Mud Race is different, but in every one you will go through a course that has a series of obstacles like mud, cargo nets and hurdles. Some races work very hard on their hardcore, boot camp image and even go so far as to have people dodge live wires that deliver a low intensity shock. But more and more events are catering to the average person who is just looking for a fun way to get out and get some exercise. New mud run themes have emerged that are much more inviting: think foam and squirt guns! These events are typically about three miles.
And before you write it off as something you can't do because of your weight, I have four things to tell you: 1) You don't have to do it tomorrow. 2) You can skip any obstacle that makes you feel unsafe. 3) Plenty of people walk the whole way. 4) Other people your size have done it.
The worst that can happen is you spend a Saturday out walking a three-mile course with lots of crazy, muddy (and supportive) people to entertain you and you decide you'd rather skip most of the obstacles. The best that can happen is you find the motivation to train for your goals and come race day you far surpass what you thought you could do. And yes you will likely lose plenty of weight in the process.
So why exactly is training for a mud run such an awesome tool for losing weight? Well to begin with an obstacle course race is a very glamorous and exciting goal. They have names like "Tough Mudder" and "Spartan", so you can't help but feel hardcore, tell your friends, and want to commit to being ready for it. But even more than the image, mud runs promote endurance and strength. People who are trying to lose weight tend to focus too much on long and monotonous low-intensity workouts on the stationary bike or the treadmill. It's hard to stick with and takes too long to see results.
Mud Run training balances these cardio sessions with strength-building activities to prepare you to conquer the obstacles you will face. You jump start your weight loss when you train both aerobically and anaerobically, because not only do you burn fat during your exercise, you also amp up your metabolism due to the intensity of your strength-building workouts. So even when you are sleeping, you will burn more calories due to the muscle tissue you developed.
Obstacle course training really does attack fat from more than one angle, and the alternating focus on cardio and weight training give you a workout routine you can stick to. Make a smart resolution that you will want to keep and that will actually get you the results that you want this year.
Each Mud Race is different, but in every one you will go through a course that has a series of obstacles like mud, cargo nets and hurdles. Some races work very hard on their hardcore, boot camp image and even go so far as to have people dodge live wires that deliver a low intensity shock. But more and more events are catering to the average person who is just looking for a fun way to get out and get some exercise. New mud run themes have emerged that are much more inviting: think foam and squirt guns! These events are typically about three miles.
And before you write it off as something you can't do because of your weight, I have four things to tell you: 1) You don't have to do it tomorrow. 2) You can skip any obstacle that makes you feel unsafe. 3) Plenty of people walk the whole way. 4) Other people your size have done it.
The worst that can happen is you spend a Saturday out walking a three-mile course with lots of crazy, muddy (and supportive) people to entertain you and you decide you'd rather skip most of the obstacles. The best that can happen is you find the motivation to train for your goals and come race day you far surpass what you thought you could do. And yes you will likely lose plenty of weight in the process.
So why exactly is training for a mud run such an awesome tool for losing weight? Well to begin with an obstacle course race is a very glamorous and exciting goal. They have names like "Tough Mudder" and "Spartan", so you can't help but feel hardcore, tell your friends, and want to commit to being ready for it. But even more than the image, mud runs promote endurance and strength. People who are trying to lose weight tend to focus too much on long and monotonous low-intensity workouts on the stationary bike or the treadmill. It's hard to stick with and takes too long to see results.
Mud Run training balances these cardio sessions with strength-building activities to prepare you to conquer the obstacles you will face. You jump start your weight loss when you train both aerobically and anaerobically, because not only do you burn fat during your exercise, you also amp up your metabolism due to the intensity of your strength-building workouts. So even when you are sleeping, you will burn more calories due to the muscle tissue you developed.
Obstacle course training really does attack fat from more than one angle, and the alternating focus on cardio and weight training give you a workout routine you can stick to. Make a smart resolution that you will want to keep and that will actually get you the results that you want this year.
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To see a calendar of mud runs near you, look at Obstacle Race Calendar 2013 . You can also find detailed workout schedules to help you get get ready in Obstacle Course Ebook
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