Training Plan for a Spartan Super
Training Plan for a Spartan Super
I did my Spartan Sprint at Fort Campbell without any training at all. I ran an afternoon heat on a rainy day and it took nearly 3 hours to accomplish the task. The mud was deep and it was EVERYWHERE. My calf muscles kept cramping up and, so did my biceps. I did not take any means of hydration nor in-race nutrition. In short, it was brutal and I finished in the bottom quartile.
When I signed up for my Spartan Super in Alabama, I made sure that I had a plan in place to eliminate some of the weak spots. I took my camelback hydration system with me. I used four Cliff Shot gel packets on the course. I ran a 10am heat. And I completed the race in 3:46:07. I was in the top 36% of my age group, 44% of all males and top 35% overall. The results were much better.
Athlinks results for R Hampton from the 2016 Spartan Super in Saraland, AL
Here is the training plan I used. I hope it helps someone else:
Week 1
“He is best who is trained in the severest school.” — Thucydides
Saturday
14 minute speed walk — out 7:30 and back 7:30. Your goal is to increase distance each time you do this exercise. Helps with sprinting speed according to research in Tim Ferris’ Four Hour Body.
30 Burpees — a staple for every Spartan race.
Monkey Bars — find a playground and work on crossing long distances with your arms.
Dips — 8 sets of 5. Or do 5 sets of 8. Any way you slice it, get in 40 reps with 2 minutes rest between sets.
Barbell military/overhead press — 3 sets of reps to failure with just the bar
Sunday
4 mile jog — try to keep it in the 9–10 minute/mile range. The goal is to build a base not to build speed. I am blessed in Tennessee to have plenty of interconnected neighborhoods with plenty of hills. Trails/grass are better than asphalt because it recruits many more supporting muscles so you don’t roll your ankle in the race. But asphalt is ok if you must. Don’t ever run on concrete.
Barbell bent over rows — 5x5 @ 95lbs w/2 minutes of rest between sets
30 burpees
Core work — 1 minute hollow hold, 1 minute plank, 1 minute each side plank, 1 minute arm/leg extensions on either side. Do minimal rest (<1 minute) between sets.
130 body squats — do these in as few sets as possible with 2 minutes rest between sets.
Simulated battle ropes — I used 10lb dumbbells for 2 minutes at a time with 1 minute of rest between sets. Do three sets.
Monday
14 minute speed walk
Bench press 1x8 @ 150lbs normal grip, 2x10 @ 140lbs wide grip, 2x10 @ 130lbs narrow grip. 2 minutes of rest between sets. If you cannot complete sets as described, do them in smaller increments but still complete all repetitions. This is drawn from the bench press protocol in Tim Ferris’ Four Hour Body.
Dumbbell lawnmower row — 3 sets of 1 minute @ 15lbs w/2 minutes rest. More of a warmup to work on form than to actually build endurance/strength.
30 burpees
Shadow boxing / heavy bag — 3 sets of 1 minute rounds with 2 minutes of rest. Do with gloves on. Remember the bag always wins. Don’t wreck your shoulders here. Goal is to build cardio intensity.
Tuesday
Flexibility
5 mile jog / hike — complete in 50 minutes or less. I was blessed to be able to do this when it was 91 degrees out. Take your hydration/nutrition with you or even move up to a weighted vest/ruck/backpack.
25 pullups and 25 chinups — do these in as few sets as possible with 2/minutes of rest between sets
30 burpees
Sandbag carry — I made my own 65–70lb sandbag using 1 1/2 bags of playground sand, 2 hefty black garbage bags duct taped shut, and a nylon laundry bag duct taped shut to hold it all together. Walk/jog with the bag for 300–400 meters.
Wednesday
30 burpees
Deadlift — 10 reps at 265lbs. No need to fully extend the torso. Get it above the knees for maximum training effect and do a controlled lower of the weight to the ground. 1–2 minutes rest between reps.
Dumbbell hammer curls and lawnmower rows — 3x8 @ 35lbs
Bear crawl — 100 meters
Bucket Brigade — 300–400 meters. Put the weight down as few times as possible and proceed at a walking pace. I use a 5 gallon bucket filled with a bag of gravel and leftover playground sand from making my sandbag. It is HEAVY. You’ll thank me later. This training made the real bucket brigade on the super very easy and helped with the log carry.
Thursday
Recovery
Friday
6 mile hike — I recommend a trail hike with 35lb-45lb pack. I did this at Long Hunter State Park near Nashville and camped out overnight to build some Spartan toughness. Go at the fastest pace you can while still avoiding any spills or ankle rolls. The more tired you become, the harder it is to keep your focus to avoid injury so be aware and take care.
Deadlifts — 50 reps @ 140lbs in sets of 13,12, 13, 12.
Barbell curls — 7 reps bottom half of motion, 7 reps top half, 7 reps all the way down and up @ 35lbs.
30 burpees
Week 2
“Embrace challenge as your favorite method of growth.” — US Navy SEAL Commander Mark Divine
Saturday
6 mile hike w/pack
30 burpees
Sandbag carry
Overhead barbell press — 5x5 @ 95lbs
Sunday
Flexibility
Monkey bars
Dips — 8x3
30 burpees
Monday
Barbell bent over rows — 5x5 @ 105lbs
Brazillian Ju-Jitsu beginner class (Find someplace and step out of your comfort zone. Most gyms have at least one free class)
Overhead press — 3 sets of reps to failure
130 body squats
30 burpees
Tuesday
7 mile jog @ 9–10 min/mile pace
Bench press — 2x8 @ 155lbs normal grip, 2x10 @ 145lbs wide grip, 2x10@135lbs narrow grip
Dumbbell lawnmower rows — 4 sets of 1 minutes of exercise w/15lb dumbbell. 2 minutes of rest between sets. Again, work on form and endurance not heavy weight.
Barbell squats — 5x5 with just the bar
Wednesday
Sandbag carry
Bucket brigade — Yes, do it immediately after completing the sandbag carry.
25 pullups and 25 chinups
Thursday
Flexibility
Deadlifts — 10 reps at 275lbs
3.5 mile jog/run — complete at 8–9 minute/mile pace
Dumbbell Hammer curls and Lawnmower rows — 3x8 @ 45lbs
Friday
Recovery
Week 3
“Pain is just weakness leaving your body.” — Army Saying
Saturday
8.5 mile jog/hike — try to complete this in 1:45:00
Sunday
Sit ups — 90 reps. Try to complete these in sets of 30.
Bucket Brigade
Bench Press — 2x8 @ 160lbs normal grip, 1x10 @ 150lbs wide grip, 2x10 @ 140lbs narrow grip.
14 minute speed walk — you should be able to do at least 1 mile in this time
Monday
Recovery
Tuesday
Recovery
Wednesday
Scott Herman’s 300 workout viewable on YouTube here. This should give you a good idea of where you are at. If it is challenging but you can complete it, you are on the right track. Floor wipers can be completed without the 135lb barbell (I do these with a heavy medicine ball).
Thursday
Recovery
Friday
Recovery
Week 4
“You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.” — William Faulkner
Saturday
10 mile jog/hike — Try to complete this in 2 hours or less.
Sunday
Recovery
Monday
Bench press 1x8 @ 165lbs normal grip, 2x10 @ 155lbs wide grip, 2x10 @ 135lbs narrow grip. 2 minutes of rest between sets.
Barbell squats — 1x5 bar alone, 1x5 bar+25, 3x5 @ 90lbs. 1-2 minutes rest between sets.
Deadlift 6 reps at 275lbs.
Flexibility — 30 minutes of stretching. I use a combination of stretches I learned in gym class, the Army, martial arts, and some yoga.
Sandbag carry
Tuesday
Walk 11 miles at normal pace. Can break this up throughout the day.
Wednesday
30 burpees
Bucket Brigade
Core — hollow hold, plank, side planks, extensions
Barbell bent over row — 5x5 @ 95lbs
Simulated battle ropes w/15lb weights — 3 sets of 1 minute w/2 minutes rest
Thursday
30 burpees
Boxing — 3 minutes heavy bag, 3 sets of 3 minute rounds of shadow boxing with only 1 minute of rest. Done with mitts on. Concentrate on keeping your guard up.
14 minute speed walk
At least one more exercise class of some type.
Friday
30 burpees
25 pullups and 25 chinups
Dumbbell hammer curls 3x8 @ 35lbs
Barbell bent over rows — 5x5 @100lbs
Barbell lawnmower rows — 3 sets of 1 minute w/15lb weight, 2 minutes rest between sets
Week 5
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” — Aristotle
Saturday
13 mile jog/hike
Sunday
Recovery
Monday
30 burpees
Dumbell curls — 4 sets of 7,7,7 with uneven weights. What that means is do something like 20lbs left hand, 30lbs right, then 30lbs left, 20lbs right, then 35lbs left, 30lbs right, 30lbs left, 35lbs right.
2x8 hanging leg lifts. If you can’t do these all the way over your head from a dead hang, modify by bringing knees to chest.
5 x 8 dips. If you cannot complete all with parallel bars, do bench dips for the remaining reps.
Flexibility
Tuesday
30 burpees
Barbell overhead press — 5x5 @ 95lbs
Deadlift — 50 reps @ 140lbs
130 body squats
Sandbag carry
Wednesday
Bucket brigade
12 mile jog/hike in 3 hours or less
Thursday
Burpee Test. Do 100 burpees as quickly as possible. If you fail to complete 100 burpees in < 13 minutes, repeat the test within 24 hours. Thank Jesse Itzler’s Living with a SEAL: 31 Days Training with the Toughest Man on the Planet. Actually thank SEAL. It was his idea.
Friday
Dumbbell hammer curls and lawnmower rows. 3x8 @ 40lbs
Barbell overhead press — 5x5 @ 100lbs
30 burpees
Week 6
“Do just once what others say you cannot do, and you will never pay attention to their limitations again.” ~ James Cook
Saturday
Recovery
Sunday
14 mile jog/run. Complete in 2:45:00 or better
Monday — Friday
Recovery
Week 7
“Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do. Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better.” — Jim Rohn
Saturday
Spartan Super — good luck!
Sunday
Sign up for your Spartan Beast
Throughout the training, I would take 40 minute sauna/hot tub sessions to build up cardio / heat endurance and follow that with cold showers for usually 3–5 minutes — though I did hop out after 1 minute on some occasions. This definitely made me immune to all of the cold water on the course.
About the Author — R Hampton is a seasoned presenter and IT Security Manager. He is a Juris Doctor, Certified Information Systems Security Professional, OSU Buckeye, and former Infantry NCO. His Myers–Briggs Type Indicator is ENTJ-T. Sorry not sorry. He lives near Nashville, TN.
Part of the Bucket Brigade in Saraland, AL