After the 1000th complaint about our muddy courses, we decided to just blast runners with a fire hose while they climb up an enclosed tube.
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Look Forward
Keep climbing, Mudder – water will be rushing down on top of yous so to avoid water in your eyes keep a forward glance VS looking up.
Get a grip
With the water rushing on top of your, take your time scaling up the wet ladder for a firm hold so you don’t fall.
Tight Squeeze
Tuck your shoulders in as you climb in the small space
“Wet & wild!”
The inside word
Deep dive into the details of Augustus Gloop.
How To Conquer
Think think & don’t look up. Climb the ladder ensuring both your hands and footing have a firm grip on each ladder section. Keep your hands on the ladder close to your chest, since the tunnel you have to scale is on the smaller side. File under: wet & wild.
A HISTORY: AUGUSTUS GLOOP
After taking a sabbatical in 2021, Augustus Gloop is BACK in the tail end of 2022 with a wet & wild climb Mudders love to brag about.
These 8' walls have a bit of a hangover - and now it's your problem to deal with.
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Grab a Leg
Once you make it up, have Mudder’s who are scaling this wall lift their leg up to hoist them up and over
Offer bottom Support
Keep that Mudder going, if your team member is struggling – be their support to push them up to the lip.
Offer top support
Grab an arm, a leg or simply communicate strategy. Anything helps when you have crushed the obstacle yourself.
“Didn’t think it was possible when I can up to Skidmarked, but a fellow Mudder gave me a hoist up & over!”
The inside word
Deep dive into the details of Skidmarked.
How To Conquer
Give your go at a running start to jump up and try to grab hold of this steep, angled wall to then pull yourself up and over. This is easier than it sounds, so unless you have been crushing pullups in your Tough Mudder training (good on you, if you have) – try your best at this tactic. If this doesnt work, look for a hold point (a supporting beam) or lend the knee of a fellow Mudder to hoist you up.
A HISTORY: SKIDMARKED
Often duplicated, never replicated. This slanted wall has made Mudder re-think their upper body strength for almost 10 years.
Support sustainable fishing by getting yourself caught in a smotheringly heavy net instead.
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Get low
Crouch down, so you can move at a quicker pace under the net
Head down
Let your back take the brunt of the friction of the net and keep your arms and legs lower so they don’t get caught
Give yourself space
Try lifting the net with your arm, if you want to try and walk through crouching down
Side by Side
Go with your team member, so both of you can keep the net higher and less restrictive.
“Looked easy, but got caught up in the net a few times…my friend and I couldn’t stop laughing”
The inside word
Deep dive into the details of Devil’s Beard.
How To Conquer
Get low and use your arms as a way to hold the thick, heavy netting above you. Commence army crawling your way under or if you have the core mobility, bend you body in half and walk under, with your back taking the majority of friction on a ‘smooth’ surface so your head & arms don’t get caught.
A HISTORY: DEVIL’S BEARD
Simple, yet effective for the challenge. Devil’s Beard has been with Tough Mudder for years & makes it’s appearance on course when you least expect it.
We've given you 14" of space between the ground and the barbed wire. The choice between mud and blood is yours.
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Army Crawl
Use your knees and elbows to get you across to the other side
Low Ceiling
With only so much clearance, make sure to keep you head low to avoid the gnarly barbed wire
Wet & Wild
Uneven surfaces lurk below the muddy madness
Low & Slow
Take your time to avoid getting pricked
“There is no getting out from this obstacle clean!”
The inside word
Deep dive into the details of Arctic Enema.
How To Conquer
Pause to reflect on your first move and channel your inner commando crawl. Get on your hands and knees and aim to get as low into the mud as possible. Perform a forward motion army style crawl keeping your head low, to avoid the barbed wire. Surfaced will be uneven below the wet, muddy surface – so expect the unexpected.
A HISTORY: KISS OF MUD
Anywhere we can get away with throwing barbed wire into the mix, that obstacle becomes an instant classic. Kiss of Mud is known for not holding back and leaving Mudders crawling out from the obstacle covered head to toe in the muck.
All the muscles in the world won't soften the blow of 10,000 volts.
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
START FAST
Just start running and don’t stop.
WATCH YOUR FEET
Wet sloppy mud that makes you slip and the electricity worse.
SLOPPY MUD
Obstacles dotted among the wires to trip you up.
10,000 VOLTS
That’s right. You will feel it.
“What the hell just happened?”
The inside word
Deep dive into the details of Electroshock Therapy.
How To Conquer
Don’t overthink it – there may well be a correlation between the time spent procrastinating and the number of shocks… Psych up (a battle cry may help) and charge straight into the belly of the beast. Run like hell, cover your face and remember to get back up quickly if you do go down.
Obstacle Training Tips
There are not many recommended ways to train for this obstacle. However, keeping your feet is very important. So work on your balance and stability when moving over uneven ground. Working on your footwork, agility and ability to change direction quickly will all be beneficial. But in the end, just close your eyes and run.
Obstacle FAQs
Q: What does it feel like?
A: Being hit in the head by an angry ghost.
A HISTORY: ELECTROSHOCK THERAPY
Perhaps Tough Mudder’s most controversial obstacle, this simple structure remains largely unchanged from its inception and earliest days on course. A field of wires dangling from a rectangular frame, clicking as 10,000 volts crackle through them. Over the years mud, trenches, rows of hay and even a grandstand have been added to enhance the spectacle. A right of passage for most participants and favourite amongst spectators who enjoy watching the carnage.
A puddle of mud is an inconvenience. A series of 10' deep, rolling mud mountains is a privilege.
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
TEAMWORK
You’ll need to grab a muddy hand to get through this one.
DEEP TRENCHES
From knee to waist deep, these watery pits will be waiting.
MUD MOUNDS
So steep and so slippery. Almost impossible to scale alone.
GET DIRTY
You will be covered. Truly covered, in mud.
“The dirtiest experience my friends and I have had in years”
The inside word
Deep dive into the details of Mud Mile.
How To Conquer
It’s time to get dirty. Really dirty. Grab your friends and be ready to get utterly covered in the soft sloppy stuff. There is no alternative but to slip into the mud and work your way through. Grab hold of all those sloppy helping hands to haul yourself up and over mounds of mud.
Obstacle Training Tips
There is not much you can do in the gym to get prepped for an obstacle like this. Your training time is going to be much better served to convince a bunch of your friends to be right there alongside you, down and dirty, in the trenches.
Obstacle FAQs
Q: How dirty do you really get?
A: There will be mud in certain places for weeks…
A HISTORY: MUD MILE
Mud has been an integral part of Tough Mudder since the first event in 2010. From a simple, non-lined excavation, filled with cold water and straw, the experience developed and the focus shifted to real muddy mud. As it evolved it became more about its positive attributes – slides, awesome photos, helping hands, and outrageous fun reminiscent of childhood. With this aim in mind, Mud Mile evolved into what we see today.
Run fast, jump high, and reach for a helping hand over this greased 13' quarterpipe.
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
CURVED SURFACE
Just like a half-pipe only bigger.
HELPING HANDS
Many Mudders waiting to haul you up to the top.
CURVED LIP
This means the only thing to grab a hold of is another Mudder.
THE RUN UP
Make sure you hit top speed at the right time.
“Just look for those helping hands. Your team will get you over the summit.”
The inside word
Deep dive into the details of Everest.
How To Conquer
Just like the real thing, to reach the summit of Everest you require planning, deep breaths and the help of a team. Take a running start and keep your feet moving as you head up the vertical section – run up it, not at it. Lock your eyes onto an outstretched hand and leap towards it. Finally, allow the team of Mudders to haul you up and over.
Obstacle Training Tips
While it might seem like strength is a key part of hauling yourself up and over the summit, you will have help. The key is to make sure you get the running start right. Working on both your running and lower-body explosiveness will give you the best chance of hitting the incline just right. Keep your eyes on the prize and those legs pumping.
Obstacle FAQs
Q: How will I know when to jump for the hands?
A: When you think you have run far enough. Take a couple more steps.
A HISTORY: EVEREST
Originally a bit shorter than what you see on course today, Everest has stood the test of time. First introduced to the course in 2010, while it has seen changes to structure and materials, the design, premise and enjoyment of this obstacle have stayed the same since the beginning. A true legend.
Take a dunk in this 4-degree ice pit. Glass will never be safe again.
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
SLIDE OR DUNK
Depending on the course designers, you will either dunk yourself or be dunked to enter.
TONNES OF ICE
Over 8 tonnes of ice will keep you nice and cool.
THE SECOND BAFFLE
Once you emerge, you must again submerge. Nasty.
THE EXIT
After what feels like years you will wade your way up and out of the ice chest.
“It’s like the worst brain freeze you’ve ever had, but for your body.”
The inside word
Deep dive into the details of Arctic Enema.
How To Conquer
Focus and a clear mind. Making it through Arctic Enema is all about understanding that your body will feel shocked from the cold and focusing on your movements through the icy bath. There is no need to panic, once you re-surface from the first dunk, take a breath, plunge under the second baffle and keep your feet moving. You will be out the other side in no time.
Obstacle Training Tips
This obstacle is entirely mental, so it won’t matter how many chin-ups you can do or how far you can run. Everyone will react differently to the sub-zero temperature. While you cannot prepare physically, you can train your mind to stay clear and focused when under duress. Other than that, maybe throw a couple of ice-cubes in your next bath.
Obstacle FAQs
Q: How cold is it really?
A: Cold. Very, very cold.
A HISTORY: ARCTIC ENEMA
What started as a variety of ice-based obstacles slowly morphed into Arctic Enema (Hot Shots anyone?). At first, you just had to climb in and wade through the ice. However, as the years progressed those nerds in the obstacle innovation lab started to add more ways to ensure that you had to submerge your whole body as many times as possible. Now it really lives up to its name.
