From marshmallow to tough mudder?

[MsAnnFrope]

I’m 45 and really want to get strong and fit.
I go to yoga and Pilates so I’m pretty flexible but I cannot run, feel like I have no stamina oh and I need to lose about 15kg! I have gym membership but only do classes and swim right now.

has anyone started working out/strength training (in the gym) and got to the level where they could do a tough mudder/ninja warrior type exercise?

where did you start? How long did it take?

I run, row machine and use a fitness app for strength training. I have ran for years on and off but I am not a super fast runner, more of a plodder! I try to run at least 5K twice a week, I also use the rowing machine at least once a week, more if the weather is too rubbish to run.
Last year I started really working out regularly including lots more strength training and watching what I eat and I lost about 9KG
If you want to start running I recommend C25K to get you started, not many can just run for ages without building up.
Strength training for me really made a huge difference, I do that at least 3 times a week for about 40 - 60 minutes. I use a fitness app so unlike my husband, I am not just stood lifting weights. I do a mix of using heavy weights, to doing pilates, Barre with lighter weights too.
One thing I learned last year is that food makes the most difference, if you have a bad diet exercise will only do so much.

I'm signed up for tough mudder this year and I'm absolutely petrified as I am most defiantly currently a marshmallow... 😭

I've yo-yo dieted for years with only a little success when I stuck to 1,200 calories for about 9 months and lost 2 stone but that was completely unsustainable and put it all back on, plus some.

I can't get to a gym currently, which is frustrating, but I've invested in some weights and I'm aiming for at least 3 home workouts a week. But I'm struggling to see and end goal in time for tough mudder without the gym! 😭

I agree with pp though, what you eat really does make it or break it I think, and I need to really focus on my food.

Best of luck with it all OP!

Thanks for the tips @Monkeybutt1 i think I’m going to have to bite the bullet and C25K. Do you mind me asking what strength work you are doing with weights? I’m doing pilates and barre but want to do more in the gym itself. It’s a really well equipped gym so I should use it!

@friyay123 I’ve promised the kids I’ll be able to do our local ninja warrior with them by next Christmas. Less scary than tough mudder! I need to look at my diet too. I eat when I’m bored and my work is boring me at the moment so that definitely is a good starting point.

Not done tough mudder, but started weight training and bootcamps a few years ago. After a couple of months I climbed a mountain with teen DC and got to the summit an hour after they did and the base 2 hours after they did. The following year we climbed a mountain and I easily kept pace with them, so I got a lot fitter in 12 months.

I am not part of a gym, we do have a small one at home with weights etc which my husband uses. I just go in to use the rowing machine.
I use an app called Fiton and I follow videos on there using my hand weights. Some just involve standard weight lifting, bicep curls etc and some are body weight exercises, some are a mix. I tend to do what I feel like that day. Consistency is key, I work out most days but am very lucky that I WFH and don't need to do a school run so can usually fit it in on my lunch. I actually enjoy exercising after seeing the benefits and there aren't many days where I think I can't be bothered. I allow myself the weekends off from exercise if I want but more often than not will do something as I do feel better afterwards. I also relax my food on a weekend and I do drink alcohol on a weekend too. No doubt this will have slowed my weightloss down but it has meant it is sustainable and easier to stick to.

I’ve done Spartan and a couple of other OCR, being able to run is definitely a plus, but some do walk, or walk/run between obstacles. The biggest skill you’ll probably need is upper body strength and the ability to lift your own body weight up over and over. weight training will help with this but if your gym or local parks etc have a functional fitness monkey bar type rig get lots of practice on this.
Grip strength is also a huge thing and good to work on.

@BedZwift this is what I'm worried about. I'm far from being able to lift my own body weight! And I've had to put running on pause due to a long term injury 🤦🏻‍♀️

I'll head to the local park and get some practice in!! 😬

Good luck! You can do this!

Definitely try the C25k. I did it with a local running group which was great for motivation.

to run those courses , they are not for the ones that give up easy, if you have already researched some of the challenges of the courses, some are omg, even i would be like, nah

The good thing about Tough mudder type events is that people are expected to help total strangers with the obstacles. You're not going to get over a 10 foot wall alone. People will assist you, and you will help others too that are struggling.

You will need to be capable of running at least 10k - the water/mud obstacles will get you wet and cold and getting back up to a slow jog will warm you back up. I've done ones in winter and seen countless people drop out with hypothermia because they are not really capable of doing the running & their temp drops too much. Obviously if you're doing a summer event that's much less of an issue but it's something to bear in mind.

The one thing aside from running training for me is indoor climbing and most especially bouldering. It helps arm/shoulder/core strength massively and the biggie is grip strength, which people don't really train much & when it comes to things like monkey bars they can't hold on. The other thing is being used to being off the ground with only you holding on and not freaking out about falling. I've seen loads of people stuck on cargo nets because the height/vulnerability of it just gets into their head. Bouldering is a really low risk way of getting used to that sort of situation and allows you to trust your feet/hands, which is so important when clinging onto a muddy wall.

Thank you for all the tips. I’m going to give in and try to like running. My gym does functional fitness which I’m doing this week to see just how weak I am. But wherever I’m at I can only get fitter right?

@friyay123 I’ve not signed up but I want to be able to go climbing with kids, go to ninja warrior etc I’m 45 this year and it feels a bit now or never!