The ultimate obstacle course workouts

An obstacle course is a series of challenging physical obstacles that an individual or team must navigate, usually while being timed. These include running, jumping, crawling, swimming, and balancing elements while testing speed, endurance, and agility.

Benjamin Zabinga, a fitness coach, says there are several types of obstacles course trainings such as the military obstacle course, commercial, inflatable, and indoor. The military course is usually used while recruiting military officers so as to familiarise the recruits with physical combat skills, build team work, and evaluate problem-solving skills when faced with various challenging situations. “It is also used in their physical training lessons,” Zabinga explains.

Inflatable obstacle
The inflatable obstacle course involves wading through loose movable structures, crawling under the net, and climbing over a wall, among others. “This helps test one’s speed and endurance,” he says.
The indoor obstacle course uses different gym equipment or it can be an outdoor obstacle course which is more like the inflatable obstacle course with setups such as running through muddy water, crawling through the mud, and rope climbing.

The commercial course, on the other hand, involves companies organising obstacle courses due to the hype from programmes such as ninja warriors. “These companies can also organise obstacle course training at their facilities as a way of attracting people to get acquainted with the new workout adventures,” he says.

Heart benefits
With these rigorous exercises, there is no doubt that your heart will benefit. “More blood will be pumped and with time, your heart will get stronger with better blood fluidity,” Elly Muhereza, a fitness coach, says adding that with a stronger and healthier heart, heart-related diseases will be averted.

Stress
With all the exercises done, stress has no room in your life. “It might seem far from true but your emotional stability will be realised through these exercises. In case of a disturbing situation, at the course grounds, you will redirect the negative energy to achieve your goal and the stress will wear out,” Muhereza says.

Getting in shape
If you need to lose weight or get leaner, there is no other exercise than obstacle training. That is because with every obstacle, constant running and intense force is applied leading to calorie and fat burning.
Improved coordination
According to Zabinga, as the races are going on, every participant is doing their best not to fall lest they are left behind. This calls for proper coordination using all body parts, senses, and muscles so that you are ahead of the rest. All these must correspond with your brain communication. In due course, your balance and coordination will improve greatly.

Stronger bones
Apart from getting exposure to sunlight hence getting Vitamin D which is good for bone density, these high impact exercises foster an increase in bone mass. “This is because the body is preparing for future intense workouts,” Muhereza says adding that since these courses rely on teamwork and cooperation, with time, you will make friends and get better problem solving techniques.

Background
With a history of heavy military influence, many obstacles are similar to those used in military training. But other obstacles are unique to obstacle racing and test endurance, strength, speed, mobility, and mental toughness. Races vary in both distance and challenge level, combining trail running, road running, and cross-country running.[email protected]