Scaling walls, crawling through mud, climbing ropes, and sprinting across rugged terrain. Obstacle course racing is one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States, and it’s gaining popularity around the world. The sport is grueling, demanding, and intensely satisfying if you prepare, train, and know what to expect. Only The Essentials of Obstacle Race Training can ensure you will be ready. Authored by David Magida, founder of Elevate Interval Fitness and member of the Spartan Race pro team, and Melissa Rodriguez, former contributing editor for Mud & Obstacle magazine, this in-depth guide breaks down the events, obstacles, common difficulties, and strategies for negotiating all challenges. Most important, it presents the tools and the plan to prepare—physically and mentally—for the unforgettable adventure that awaits. Inside you’ll find 100 of the most effective exercises for grip strength, mobility, balance, power, strength, and endurance as well as 28 workouts you can immediately start to use. You’ll also find advice on conquering course challenges, preventing injuries, and selecting events and mental strategies for focusing, concentrating, and overcoming fear. Through experience and expertise, Magida and Rodriguez have created the most complete, accessible, and effective guide to the sport. Whether you’re competing for your first or your hundredth event, preparation and confidence are key. With The Essentials of Obstacle Race Training, you’ll conquer every challenge.

The beauty of obstacle course racing is that it gets you out of your everyday routine and lets you experience life. If you are stuck in a cubicle or trapped in an urban jungle—congested traffic and crowds are your daily obstacles. Running an obstacle course race gives you the chance to get back to nature—to roll in it, get dirty, and tap into your primal self so you can experience life—in the raw, unedited and real. Margaret Schlachter, the creator of Dirt In Your Skirt blog, is one the foremost competitors in obstacle course racing today. She put together this simple guide to make your obstacle race experience everything it's supposed to be—a test of your true self. She describes first-hand her personal training methods in learning to climb a rope, scale a wall, flip a tire, throw a spear, and carry a sandbag. More importantly, she provides guidance on how to get yourself mentally and spiritually prepared for the big day—and how to dig deep within yourself during a race to find the last ounce of strength to carry you across that finish line. Every weekend thousands of competitors run obstacle races all over the world. Winning or losing is secondary. More important for them is the ability to meet the physical and mental challenges and achieve personal success by completing the race. Obstacle Race Training is an invaluable resource that enables each and every competitor to experience the maximum level of success that they are capable of.

A complete guide to training for and competing in obstacle course races: workouts, nutrition, equipment, techniques, and mental preparation.

An introduction to Spartan Races (races meant to challenge, to push, to intimidate, to test) from one of the "founding few" and creators, Joe De Sena.

It’s no secret that if you plan to run in the toughest endurance races, you need to physically prepare for the extreme demands you will be subjecting your body to. But successful runners will be quick to note that physical preparation is only part of the equation. You need to be mentally strong to withstand, and overcome, the challenges of this grueling sport. That’s where Mental Training for Ultrarunning comes in. Sport psychology consultant Addie Bracy has coached and provided mental performance consulting to elite athletes in many sports, and she herself has been a competitive distance runner for more than two decades. In Mental Training for Ultrarunning, she combines her firsthand coaching and running experience, along with profiles of ultrarunners who’ve experienced the highs and lows of the sport, to explain what you need to know and practice in order to cross that finish line. In this book, you will learn tools and techniques to help you prepare for and overcome some of the biggest mental and emotional challenges you may encounter in ultrarunning. You’ll find more than 35 practical activities that will guide you in taking an introspective look at your own potential roadblocks so you can develop and strengthen the skills you need to run with confidence. Whether you’re training for your first ultra or looking to compete at a higher level, Mental Training for Ultrarunning will prepare you for the good, the bad, and the worst experiences you might encounter on the trail, road, or track. With expert guidance from athletes who have seen it all, you’ll learn how to train your mind and anticipate all the variables that could keep you from achieving your ultimate running goals.

From the best-selling author of Spartan Up! a complete 30-day workout and diet plan to help you reach peak performance Joe De Sena designed the Spartan races to test overall conditioning: strength, flexibility, endurance, and speed. His signature take-no-prisoners approach to achieving physical and mental fitness has taken the endurance world by storm and inspired millions. Now in Spartan Fit!, De Sena breaks down that approach and gives readers the tools they need to conquer the course — and life, including: • A 30-day workout and diet plan to prepare for the Spartan Sprint — or to just get you in shape • Full-body workouts requiring no gym, no weights • How to build on one race to the next • Inspiring, motivating stories of Spartans A complete Spartan training guide, Spartan Fit! will arm readers with the strength, knowledge, and grit to never question their potential again.

“10-Minute Toughness is a solid mental training program. In fact I feel it is the best of its kind. . . . [It's] what the title says: ten minutes a day that connects your talents and abilities to the outcome you're seeking. As a retired NFL player looking forward, I can see as many applications for the toughness Jason Selk's program brought out of me in the business world as there were on the football field.” --Jeff Wilkins, Former NFL Pro Bowl Kicker “The mental side of the game is extremely important. 10-Minute Toughness helps the players develop the mental toughness needed for success; it really makes a difference.” --Walt Jocketty, General Manager of the 2006 World Champion St. Louis Cardinals “Jason Selk has spent a tremendous amount of time and energy developing effective mental-training programs and coaches workshops. He is truly committed to helping individuals and teams to perform at their very best, when it really counts.” --Peter Vidmar, Olympic Gold Medalist Mental training is a must for high performance both on the field and off. But simply hoping for mental toughness isn't going to build any mind muscles. You need a proven routine of daily exercises to get you where you want to go. 10-Minute Toughness is your personal coach for boosting brainpower and achieving a competitive edge in whatever game you play. With quickness and ease, you'll learn how to master your own mind and psych out your opponents using personalized techniques from one of America's most successful sport psychology consultants. Like no other program available, the 10-Minute Toughness (10-MT) routine gets you ready for the competition in just ten minutes a day.