Skip to content
  • SPARTAN TRAIL
  • DEKA
  • PEAK
  • LA RUTA
  • M20
  • HIGHLANDER
  • COMBAT
  • SPARTAN
HOW MUDDER READY ARE YOU? TAKE THE QUIZ AND FIND OUT
PRIME DAY SALE: SAVE 25%. USE CODE: PRIME SAVE NOW
2025/07/12 00:00:00
HOW MUDDER READY ARE YOU? TAKE THE QUIZ AND FIND OUT
PRIME DAY SALE: SAVE 25%. USE CODE: PRIME SAVE NOW
2025/07/12 00:00:00
Tough Mudder Logo
Find An Event
  • Find an Event
  • What is Tough Mudder
    • About Tough Mudder
    • Tough Mudder 5K
    • Tough Mudder 15K
    • Endurance Events
    • Kids by Spartan
  • Mudder Ready Quiz
  • Obstacles
  • Mudder Passes
    • Season Passes
  • Group Packages
  • Charity Partnerships
  • Programmes
    • Innovation Lab
    • Volunteer & Run Free
    • Adaptive Athlete Programme
    • Train With Us
    • Become an Ambassador
    • Discounts
  • Mudder Legion Rewards
  • Gear
  • Photos & Endurance Results
    • Photos
    • Endurance Results
    • Endurance Hub
  • Learn More
    • Blog
    • Share Your Story
    • FAQ
    • Get In Touch
  • OUR BRANDS
    • Spartan Trail
    • Deka
    • Peak
    • Highlander
    • Combat
    • Spartan
      • M2O
      • La Ruta
Fitness

How training like an American Footballer can help you on course

Author: Tough Mudder February 13, 2023
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Watched the Super Bowl game over the weekend? Feeling inspired to work out and get your body moving? Just like American Football, Tough Mudder can be an explosive sport.

Explosiveness is the ability to produce maximum force in minimal time. It is critical for quick movements such as sprinting, jumping, running, jogging, hopping, leaping, diving, the list goes on.

Although Tough Mudder is filled with fun obstacles and lots of mud, there is also an element of running, jogging or walking as you move between obstacles. Planning on walking the whole thing? You’re going to want to warm up after a dip in Arctic Enema – The Rebirth and a jog is the best way to get the blood moving again.

So it’s time to get your head in the game and follow this workout plan to help you get on track.

Upper Body Strength Workout

  • Bench Press (4 sets of 10, last set to failure)
  • Incline Dumbbell Bench Press (3 sets of 8)
  • Military Press (3 sets of 8-10)
  • Shrugs (3 sets of 20)
  • Cable Crossover (3 sets of 6-8)
  • Dumbbell Fly (3 sets of 8)
  • Alternating Dumbell Curls (3 sets of 8-10)
  • Tricep Dip (3 sets of 10)
  • Skullcrushers (3 sets of 6-8)

Lower Body Strength Workout

Do all lower body workouts for 3 sets with 10-12 reps.

  • Squats
  • Deadlifts (Every other week switch from straight leg and regular / conventional type)
  • Lying Leg Curls
  • Lunges
  • Calf Raises

Speed & Agility Functional Workout

Do 3 sets of each to concentrate on high intensity sprints.

  • 10m Sprints
  • 25m Sprints

Follow up your sprint workout with one longer distance sprint.

  • 400m Sprint x 1

Agility Work

Agility Ladder – push up – sprint: Run the agility ladder (outside to inside each box, end with 5 push ups, then pop up to sprint 10m)  Do this 5 times.

Functional workout to improve vertical jump

  • Jump and reach – While standing, squat down and jump to reach something above you.

Steady State Cardio

This is the second lightest workout of your week so keep your heart rate up and do some steady state cardio.  You will focus on your conditioning by doing steady state cardio for 30-60 minutes.

Full Body Explosive Strength

  • Power Cleans
  • Box Jumps
  • Snatches
  • Medicine Ball Throw Situps (against a wall / net or with a friend x20 )
  • Push-up to Box Jump (x10)
  • Incline weighted situps (x15)

What are you waiting for?

Get up, get moving and book a Tough Mudder run now.

Check out all our 2023 dates here.


You might like

  • three inspired women
    Fitness

    3 Badass Workouts Inspired By 3 Badass Women

  • Fitness

    13 Power Tips To Upgrade Your Fitness

  • two men grip strength hold
    Fitness

    3 Tips For Building Grip Strength

  • Adventure

    Make a Trip of World’s Toughest Mudder 2025 as the Notoriously Tough Event Debuts in the UK

Our Partners

SUBSCRIBE FOR NEWS & EVENT UPDATES

    This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

    By signing up you consent to the terms detailed here and agree to receive personalised commercial communications from Tough Mudder by email.

    • Connect
      • Partnership Enquiries
      • Licensing Opportunities
      • Media Requests
      • Contact Us
    • Explore
      • Charity Partnerships
      • Group Packages
      • Endurance Results
      • 100X Hall of Fame
      • Community Guidelines
      • Become an Ambassador
    • About
      • What is Tough Mudder?
      • TM in the News
      • Join Our Team
      • Promotional Terms and Conditions
      • Legal & Privacy Policies
      • FAQ
    • Follow Us
      Select Region
      • United Kingdom
      • US & Canada
      • Germany
      • France

        Left Arrow Created with Sketch.
        Right Arrow Created with Sketch.