How to Train for an Obstacle Course Race (OCR)?

Alison Martinez
2 days ago
3 min read

AqilFitness Training Solutions guide for Spartan, Savage, and any obstacle race

If you’re Googling “how to train for an obstacle course”, here’s the truth:

Obstacle course racing is not just running. You’re running while tired, then immediately climbing, carrying, hanging, crawling, jumping, and pulling, often with muddy hands and a spiked heart rate. The athletes who do best train for the transitions: run → obstacle → run again.

This article gives you a simple, proven training framework you can follow whether you’re prepping for a Savage Race, Spartan Race, Tough Mudder, or any local OCR.

What You Need to Train for OCR

A complete obstacle course training plan has 5 pillars:

Running stamina (so you don’t gas out before obstacles)
Grip strength + hang endurance (bars, rigs, ropes)
Carries (sandbags, buckets, heavy awkward loads)
Full-body strength (pulling, pushing, legs, core)
Race-simulation workouts (combining running + obstacles under fatigue)

Spartan’s own training guidance emphasizes grip work (dead hangs, farmer carries, monkey bars) and carry training like bucket carries.

The Biggest OCR Training Mistake

Training each skill separately… but never combining them.

A lot of people can run a decent 5K and do some pull-ups - but on race day, they fail obstacles because they never practiced:

running hard then gripping
carrying heavy then climbing
moving fast while tired

Your plan must include hybrid sessions that blend conditioning with obstacle-style strength.

The 8-12 Week OCR Training Plan (Simple & Effective)

Weekly structure (4 days/week)

Day 1: Strength + Grip

Pulling strength: rows / assisted pull-ups / lat pulldown
Grip finisher: dead hangs + farmer carriesSpartan highlights dead hangs and farmer’s carries as core grip builders.

Day 2: Run Intervals + Core

Short hard intervals (ex: 30–90 seconds fast, equal recovery)
Core: planks, dead bugs, carry variations

Day 3: Carries + Legs

Sandbag/bucket carry variations
Squats/lunges/step-upsSpartan’s bucket carry guidance recommends progressively building carry strength and endurance over time.

Day 4: OCR Simulation (The Money Workout) Repeat 3–6 rounds:

400-800m run
10-20 burpees or squat jumps
30-60s dead hang or towel hang
50-100m carry (sandbag/bucket)

This is where your “race fitness” gets built.

How Much Cardio and Strength Do You Need?

If you’re new to consistent training, use established fitness guidelines as your base:

Adults generally benefit from 150 minutes/week of moderate cardio (or 75 minutes vigorous) plus 2 days of strength training.
OCR training builds on top of that with grip, carries, and hybrid workouts.

This matters because OCR performance is basically “general fitness + obstacle skill + fatigue tolerance.”

What to Train Specifically (Obstacle Skills Breakdown)

Grip strength (must-have)

Train 2-4x/week in small doses:

Dead hangs (30-60s)
Farmer carries
Monkey bars / rigs when availableSpartan specifically calls out obstacles like multi-rig, rope climb, monkey bars, and farmer’s carry as grip-dependent.

Carries (race-day game changer)

Carry training builds legs, lungs, and mental toughness:

Sandbag bear hug carry
Bucket carry
Suitcase carry (one side)Spartan’s bucket carry guide recommends mixing heavier carries and longer carries across the week.

Pulling strength (for climbs, walls, ropes)

Rows (dumbbell/cable)
Assisted pull-ups
Rope pulls (if you have access)
Eccentric pull-ups (slow lowering)

Trail/hills (if your race is outdoors)

Hill repeats
Trail runs
Stair workOCR courses punish flat-only training.

What to Do If You’re a Beginner

If you’re starting from “I haven’t trained in a while,” don’t copy an elite plan.

Start with:

3 workouts/week for 2 weeks
then move to 4 workouts/week
keep volume low, focus on consistency and recovery

Your fastest results come from staying healthy and stacking weeks.

Race Week Tips (So You Don’t Blow It)

Reduce training volume 30-50% the week of the race
Keep short easy runs + light grip work
Sleep more than you think you need
Practice fueling/hydration if your event is longer

Train for OCR in Dallas Fort Worth with AqilFitness Training Solutions

Reading training tips is helpful, but training on real obstacles is the cheat code.

At AqilFitness Training Solutions, we help OCR athletes prepare the way they’ll actually race: outdoors, under fatigue, with real grip + carry + obstacle-style training.

If you’re prepping for: