So, you’ve taken the toughest step – making a commitment to yourself and signing up for a race – and now all you need to do is get to the start line. To be properly prepared for the demands of the Super, you’ll need to be proficient in running at least 6 miles, climbing and descending on uneven terrain, pushing, pulling, crawling, and having rock-solid core strength. Luckily, we’ve programmed an eight-week Spartan Super Training plan to get you race ready and feeling confident when you arrive on race day, even if you’re starting from square one.
Throughout the next eight weeks, we’ll help you grow stronger and more confident in your Spartan functional skills through a variety of workouts geared toward building full-body strength, cardiovascular endurance, and enough muscular endurance to keep you motoring over the most intimidating climbs. By the end of this program, not only will you be prepared to tackle any Spartan Super race, but you will be stronger and healthier to continue along the journey of building your strongest self.
Related: The Official Four-Week Spartan Sprint Training Plan
Spartan Super Race Training Plan Overview
How the Spartan Super Race Training Plan Works
Week one will be focused on laying down the foundational work for our obstacles and your running ability: basic muscular endurance, low mileage and mainly bodyweight movements. In week two, we will build greater strength and endurance with the addition of weight and an increase in mileage and climbing. For week three, we use the same weight, but increase our sets, reps, and total time on our feet (and climbing) to build muscular endurance and power. From here until race day, we’ll continue increasing your mileage by the recommended 10% of weekly mileage per week until you can comfortably complete at least a 10K, and stay consistent with the weights to maintain strength. By week 8, you’ll be race ready and will taper your distance throughout the week to ensure you’re rested, recovered and ready to rock on race day.
The following training program is designed to push every Spartan, physically and mentally. It will be tough. You will have areas in which you will struggle or feel uncomfortable. It is through these challenges that we grow strongest. Stay consistent over the next eight weeks and prove to yourself how strong you are when you stand at the starting line. Let’s go!
The Official, 8-Week Spartan Super Training Plan
Week 1
Monday: Endurance Running
Warm-up: 10-minute easy jog with dynamic stretches
Workout: 1 mile at a steady pace
Cool down: 5-10 minute walk and stretching
Tuesday: Bodyweight Strength Training (Push and Lower)
Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretching, like t-spine rotations and marching in place
Circuit (3 rounds):
Squats: 12 reps
Push-ups: 12 reps
Lunges: 12 reps per leg
Plank up-downs: 1 minute
Tricep dips: 12 reps
Single-leg pistol squats: 12 alternating reps
5 burpees
Cool down: 10-minute walk and static stretching
Wednesday: Agility and Speed Work
Warm-up: 10-minute easy jog with dynamic stretches
Workout:
4 x 100m repeats at 80-90% effort with 2 minutes rest in between
4 x 400m repeats at 60-70% effort with 2 minutes rest in between
Cool down: 10-minute walk and static stretching
Thursday: Rest or Light Activity
Optional: Light activity like yoga, stretching, or a gentle walk
Friday: Strength Training (Pull and Core)
Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretching
Circuit (3 rounds):
Pull-ups: 10 reps (or until failure)
Supine leg lifts: 12 reps
Inverted rows: 12 reps
Kettlebell halos: 12 reps alternating sides
Dead hang: Until failure
Dumbbell wrist curls (light weight): 12 reps each side
Dumbbell farmer carry (light weight): 1 minute
Cool down: Static stretching
Saturday: Longer Run
Warm-up: 10-minute easy jog with dynamic stretches
Workout: 2 miles at a moderate pace
Cool down: 5-10 minutes of walking and stretching
Sunday: Rest
Week 2
Monday: Endurance Running with Intervals
Warm-up: 10-minute easy jog with dynamic stretches
Workout: 1 mile at a steady pace, followed by 1 mile alternating between 1 minute faster/1 minute slower intervals (if you need extra recovery at this stage, you can walk the slower intervals)
Cool down: 5-10 minutes walking and stretching
Tuesday: Strength Training (Push and Lower)
Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretching such as skipping, walking lunges, etc.
Circuit (3 rounds):
Dumbbell deadlifts (light weight): 12 reps
Dumbbell chest press (light weight): 12 reps
Single-leg unweighted deadlifts: 12 reps per leg
Dumbbell shoulder press (light weight): 12 reps
Bent-knee calf raise on leg press (light weight): 12 reps per leg
Skull crushers (light weight): 12 reps
Bear crawls: 1 minute
Cool down: Static stretching
Wednesday: Hill Sprints and Lower-Body Muscular Endurance
Warm-up: 10-minute easy jog with dynamic stretches
Workout:
8 x 30-second hill sprints at max effort with 90 seconds rest in between (walk back down)
15 minutes of Stairmaster or bleachers at a slow/walking pace
Cool down: 5-10 minutes of walking and stretching
Thursday: Rest or Light Activity
Optional: Light activity like yoga, stretching, or a gentle walk
Friday: Strength Training (Pull and Core)
Warm-up: 5-10 minutes dynamic stretching
Circuit (3 rounds):
Pull-ups: 10 reps (or until failure)
Supine leg lifts: 12 reps
Inverted rows: 12 reps
Standing single-arm kettlebell marches: 12 reps alternating sides
Dead hang: Until failure
Dumbbell wrist curls (light weight): 12 reps each side
Dead ball over-the-shoulder throws: 1 minute
Cool down: Stretching
Saturday: Long Run with Obstacles
Warm-up: 10-minute jog with dynamic stretches
Workout: 2.5 miles at a moderate pace, stopping to do 15 burpees every 0.5 miles
Cool down: 5-10 minutes of walking and stretching
Sunday: Rest
Week 3
Monday: Tempo Run
Warm-up: 10-minute easy jog with dynamic stretches
Workout: 1.5 miles at a comfortably hard pace
Cool down: 5-10 minutes of walking and stretching
Tuesday: Strength Training (Push and Lower)
Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretching
Circuit (3 rounds):
Jump squats (light weight): 12 reps
Push-ups with resistance band: 12 reps
Walking lunges (light weight): 12 reps per leg
Supine dumbbell chest press (light weight): 12 reps
Single-leg pistol squats holding kettlebell: 12 alternating reps
Tricep dips: 12 reps
5 burpees
Cool down: Stretching
Wednesday: Interval Running
Warm-up: 10-minute easy jog with dynamic stretches
Workout: 10 x 200m repeats at 75% effort with 2 minutes of rest (or 100m of walking) in between
Cool down: 5-10 minutes of walking and stretching
Thursday: Rest or Light Activity
Optional: Light activity like yoga, stretching, or a gentle walk
Friday: Strength Training (Pull and Core)
Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretching
Circuit (3 rounds):
Standing, bent-over double-arm dumbbell row (light weight): 12 reps
Med ball sit-up wall throws: 12 reps
Supine dumbbell pull-overs (light weight): 12 reps
Inchworms: 12 reps
Dumbbell shoulder shrugs (light weight): 12 reps
Monkey bars (or dead hang): 1 minute
5 burpees
Cool down: Stretching
Saturday: Long and Steady Run
Warm-up: 10 minutes easy jog with dynamic stretches
Workout: 3 miles total running at a moderate, steady pace
Cool down: 5-10 minutes of walking and stretching
Sunday: Rest
Week 4
Monday: Fartlek Running
Warm-up: 10-minute easy jog with dynamic stretches
Workout: 2 miles total, consisting of 1 minute fast/2 minutes slow intervals
Cool down: 5-10 minutes of walking and stretching
Tuesday: Strength Training (Push and Lower)
Warm-up: 5-10 minutes dynamic stretching
Circuit (3 rounds):
Squat to overhead dumbbell press (light weight): 12 reps
Dumbbell chest press (light weight): 12 reps
Single-leg deadlifts with kettlebell: 12 reps per leg
Dumbbell shoulder press (light weight): 12 reps
Bent-knee calf raise on leg press (light weight): 12 reps per leg
Tricep dips: 12 reps
Bear crawls: 1 minute
Cool down: Stretching
Wednesday: Obstacle Course Simulation
Warm-up: 10-minute easy jog with dynamic stretches
Workout: Run 1 mile, do 15 burpees, run 400m, bear crawl for 1 minute, run 400m, do 15 burpees, run 400m, bear crawl for 1 minute, run 400m
If you have access to a climbing rope, climb to the top 3 times.
Cool down: 5-10 minutes walking and stretching
Thursday: Rest or Light Activity
Optional: Light activity like yoga, stretching, or a gentle walk
Friday: Strength Training (Pull and Core)
Warm-up: 5-10 minutes dynamic stretching
Circuit (3 rounds):
Pull-ups: 10 reps (or until failure)
Supine leg lifts: 12 reps
Inverted rows: 12 reps
Standing single-arm kettlebell marches: 12 reps alternating sides
Dead hang: Until failure
Dumbbell wrist curls (light weight): 12 reps each side
Dead ball over-the-shoulder throws: 1 minute
Cool down: Stretching
Saturday: Long Run
Warm-up: 10-minute jog with dynamic stretches
Workout: 3 miles at a moderate pace
Cool down: 5-10 minutes of walking and stretching
