Ninja Warrior Training: Jump Hang
Well-Trained Warrior's Evan Dollard shares the best method to train for the Jump Hang Kai, including developing your upper body and core strength.
Ninja Warrior Training: The Warped Wall
Evan "Rocket" Dollard shows us how to prepare for and beat one of the most well-known American Ninja Warrior obstacles: The Warped Wall!
Ninja Warrior Training: Quintuple Steps
Ninja Warrior superstar Evan Dollard shows us how to take on the American Ninja Warrior Quintuple Steps - a maddeningly simple yet difficult obstacle that takes out so many ninjas before they even get started on the course!
Death Race? WTF is That?
Death Race is different than any other event; it emulates life. The event is completely designed to break people physically and even more so mentally while every other event is designed for you to finish. Those races have aid stations, directions, volunteers giving you a pat on the back and cheering you on and hand-holding the entire time. Death Race is a full-on mind-fuck from the beginning to the end. We don't tell you when the race is going to start, when it will end, how long it will be, what to wear, bring, eat, shit, sleep… we have designed it to be just like life; there are no set answers and you have no idea what you're doing until you get there. Death Race starts the minute you sign up, months before the event; the uncertainty will consume you, enrage you and get in your head to knock you off your game. Death Race will piss you off weeks before the gun goes off. Everything is today and perfect in today's society, but man has been walking this planet for hundreds of thousands of years before we had drive-thrus and hand sanitizer. Society today has no idea how to react to the adversity like any of our ancestors faced throughout history, each day you fought to survive and life was never perfect. It throws a monkey-wrench into our lives when we have to face challenges that we don't expect; losing a job is not comparable to the hardships every other human had to endure for us to get to this point.
How Do I Create My Own Mud Run or OCR?
Organizing and starting your own event takes a lot of work - so you'd better be ready. We have some tips and plenty of things to consider if you're looking to step up and put on an event of your own.
Your First Mud Run or OCR: Beginner’s Questions Answered
Thinking about or signed up for your first mud run or obstacle race? Congratulations!! Committing to doing it really is the hardest part. We know that you might have some questions before (and after) the race, so we've tried to lay out a few answers here for you.
Women-only Events… No Dudes Allowed!
99% of Mud Runs & OCR's are designed to accommodate men and women of all ages, size & fitness levels; high school wrestlers are in the same heat as 50 year-old housewives, athletes and fitness models rub elbows with the dorky guy from your IT department and Tiffany from HR. The inclusiveness is sometimes part of what makes these events great, but at the same time there is surely a need to break some accomplished athletes into different waves - say, the "elite" start times and make room for all the normal guys and gals to compete with others on their same level. Sometimes, you can make something really special through the simple math of "addition by subtraction". Yep, I said it - cut the guys out of the equation and you have an even more enjoyable event for women the world over to enjoy. Are these "easy races fit for the girls?" Not necessarily - but they are created specifically for women (usually by women) and are exciting, challenging, and fun events that growing like wildfire in the world of Mud Runs & OCR's!
Spartan Race? Tough Mudder? Warrior Dash? Hero Rush? My Local 5K Mud Run? What gives?
Each event is unique - even if they share a lot of the same obstacles! Every different event has its own personality, given to it by the race director, volunteers and the overall "vibe" of the event. Some are great, some notsomuch... it happens. I've read hundreds of different reviews for the same event where some participants had a great time and others hated it! Don't let that deter you, each event has a bit of fun, adventure and excitement and if you enjoy it for what it is, you'll most likely have a great time - they are a chance to challenge your strength, agility and physical ability over daunting obstacles (sometimes mud, water & fire!) over a 5k to 12-mile distance. Here are a couple distinctions between "the big three"
Running 101?
Running is a commitment of time, physical and mental energy, but it's far more important than a simple pastime to pick up. A fitness and running regimen is an investment that you make in yourself, and the potential dividends are many: a healthier, happier life; a sense of accomplishment by reaching your goals; the fortitude that comes from learning from mistakes and fighting through setbacks to keep your goals in sight. There will be many ups and downs during your running career, and you’ll learn valuable lessons from each victory and many more from any failures and stumbles along the way to hit your goals. Some training sessions will feel like a trip to the dentist while others will feel like a day at the spa. To adopt a runner’s mentality means to embrace the good with the bad and keep an open mind to all the things you'll learn along the way. I personally never envisioned becoming a runner. I cherish all the memories I’ve made “on the run” and look forward to the experiences I’ve yet to have.
Ready for Alpha Warrior? PROVE IT!
Ultimate Obstacle Race Training author Brett Stewart was invited to be one of the crash test dummies - er, "elite athlete course consultants" - for an impressive new offering to the world of obstacle racing. What he found behind the doors of that San Antonio warehouse may just change the future of adventure challenge events forever!
