OCR Underground

Is This Your Weakest Link In Your Training?

Is This Your Weakest Link In Your Training? Many are surprised by what I tell them their weakest link is in their training plan. Hi I hope you are doing great. There are many pieces that make up…

The Right Way To Strength Train

The Right Way To Strength Train I'm willing to bet you are already strength training. But you may have not considered all of these. Hi I didn't always love strength training. Growing…

The Best Way To Train For An OCR

The Best Way To Train For An OCR Episode 109 Is Now Available Hi I hope you are doing great. It has been a while but I finally had time to sit down and record a new podcast episode. I…

Attention fitness pros and therapist. Join us this weekend at SDPT for the FMS Level 1/2 Combo Course. Learn to screen client/patients movement for better program design decision making.

FMS 1 (FMS1 Online Included)⁠
The FMS certification is for professionals who work in the fitness, healthcare, and performance industry. In FMS Level 1, focus on movement principles and how they play into the importance of setting a movement baseline with the Functional Movement Screen. Learn with your peers in an interactive setting how to administer the screen and use the results as a feedback loop to set your clients, patients, and athletes up to meet their goals for movement health and lifelong vitality. ⁠
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FMS 2 (FMS2 Online Included)⁠
Take your knowledge from FMS Level 1 and take a deep dive into how to utilize the movement screen results to guide your decisions for corrective exercise programming and design. ⁠
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This course is very interactive with plenty of time allocated for practical experience, group discussions, and case studies.⁠

https://www.functionalmovement.com/events/4107/register

OCR's Greatest Competition

OCR's Greatest Competition Hi Happy Tuesday. I hope you have some fun plans for the week ahead. I got back from Phoeni last week after watching Uconn win back to back NCAA…

Earn Your Mark at the next DEKA MILE hosted at

One of Socals fastest courses to help you set a new PR.

Register through the link in our bio.

Try this technique to spice up your training.

Try this technique to spice up your training. Hi I hope you are having a great week. These last few days of no college basketball have felt like an eternity. I am e cited for the games to start up…

Final Reminder

Final Reminder Hi I know I have sent a few more emails than normal, but this is your final reminder about my Ultra Beast Training plan promotion. Sign up today and…

Final Chance to get a FREE Spartan Race code with the purchase of my new Ultra Beast training plan.

I will send you a free race code good for any US race and any distance, including the ultra when you sign up. The race code expires 1/31 though so this deal is only good until tomorrow.

Check out the ultra beast link in my bio and don’t miss this offer.

Can you believe this DNF rate?

Can you believe this DNF rate? Hey When you ask why someone does a Spartan Race, many of the answers we hear are, because it would be challenging to complete. I think it is similar…

How to set up your training plan for 2024

How to set up your training plan for 2024 Hi I hope you are having a great week so far. I am getting e cited for my first Spartan Race of the year in Socal this weekend. I feel prepared and e…

Want a free race code to use for you next Ultra Beast in 2024?

I am putting the finishing touches on updating my best selling online program the Ultra Beast Training Plan.

I am just about finished but I running a presale promo until the end of the month. If you sign up now you will get $50 off the program PLUS if you are one of the first 20 people to sign up you get a free Spartan Race code. The code is good for any US based Open heat race in 2024. The only catch is you have to sign up for your race by 1/31.

If you are thinking about taking in the Ultra this year I highly recommend you follow a plan to prepare your body. Whether this is your first or not this program will make sure you have everything you need to take it on.

In this program you will receive:
✅ 4 month of done for you training
✅ Progressive running plan to prepare you for the distance.
✅ Strength program to make you more durable.
✅ Tactical workouts to prep for race day.
✅ Ultra Nutrition Guide
✅ Mental Training strategies
✅ Online support to help you along the way.

Plus your race entry is on me.

Ready to be one of the first 20 and start your Ultra training?

Go to the link in my bio and click on the Ultra Training Program.

Get Your Next Spartan Ultra For Free

Get Your Next Spartan Ultra For Free Your Ne t Ultra Beast On Me Hi Yep, you read that right. I had mentioned that I had been working on updating one of my most downloaded programs. This…

This was a tough one but I love these kinds of workouts. I try to get one day a week of intervals in. Recently I’ve been doing longer duration intervals anywhere from 2-4 minutes. They can get tough so sometimes I need a little motivation.

The goal of intervals is not just to be hard but to hit a high intensity with adequate output. For example I can do a ton of hill sprints and it will be hard and my heart rate will be elevated. But at a certain point I’m not getting much out of it anymore.

So instead I try and set boundaries to hit each interval. Once I can’t hit a certain pace or distance my workout is done. It comes to the point when you have to decide if another 1 or two reps are doing more harm than good.

It’s similar to lifting. You might be able to get that last rep but did you throw all form out just to get the lift? I’ve seen it too many times when people get hurt trying to get one too many reps when in reality I don’t know that it is necessary.

In this workout I was doing hill sprints. It took me 1:50 to get to the top. I set the boundary that I would run as many as I could as long as I finished each sprint in under 2 minutes.

Of course you will slow some each interval but there should be a limit. My 5th sprint took 2:05. So that was it for me. I cooled down and took a cold plunge.

I’m sure some will argue that you need to push your limits but I think we can be smart about it. This was a tough workout for me. Could I have done a few more? Of course. But would it really have helped me get closer to my goal or would it out me at more risk? I will never know for sure but I’d rather leave some in the tank during training to unload it all in a race.

I’d love to hear if you agree or disagree with this thought process.

Posted • Attention fitness professionals.

SDPT is hosting the Level 1 & 2 Functional Movement Screen certifications on 4/27 & 4/28.

Learn how and why to use the movements screen in your training plus the essentials in corrective exercise to improve movement and get better results for clients.

To learn more and register click the link in our bio.

My current running program

My current running program Hi I hope you had a great holiday season and New Year. It is time to hit the ground running for 2024. I have some big plans for this year including an…

The Truth About Ice Baths

The Truth About Ice Baths Hey, I hope you are having a great week. The weather is starting to cool down now as we head into the holiday season. Being in Southern California, it…

How To Train for Hybrid Competitions

How To Train for Hybrid Competitions Episode 105 Available Now Hi There is no question that we are seeing a huge surge in hybrid OCR events. Between events like DEKA and HYROX you are…

2 Key Elements to Make You More Mentally Tough

2 Key Elements to Make You More Mentally Tough Episode 104 Now AvailableHi For your listening pleasure I just released my latest podcast episode. In this one I share a research study looking at how…

4 Ways To Train For OCR

4 Ways To Train For OCR Smarter OCR TrainingHi Well, the kids are back in school now. It has been a hectic end of summer with last minute trips and now back to the grind. I…

Simple guide to ice baths

Simple guide to ice baths Hi If you have been following me for a while through my podcast or emails, you know how much I like to stress the importance of recovery. Ice baths…

Make Your Body More Resilient

Make Your Body More Resilient Hi Happy Monday! I hope you are off to a great start to the week. I was up in LA on Saturday at the IDEA Fitness and Nutrition E po helping out at the…

Avoiding a DNF with a simple mindset shift.

Avoiding a DNF with a simple mindset shift. Hi I hope you are having a great day. This past weekend we had about 80 competitors in our DEKA MILE event at my studio. Normally you can count of…

It’s been a while but today I was able to lead the Obstacle Specialist course at Big Bear.

It was a great group out there and they crushed it. Excited to see how this weekend goes.

Good luck if you are racing this weekend. This is a tough course. The set up is definitely challenging. But this is why we train for it.

How to prep for races at altitude

How to prep for races at altitude New Podcast Episode Hi I hope you are having a great week. This week I released my latest podcast and have some great info you may want to check out.

No it didn’t smell.

This is a glimpse of part of my warm up routine during a run. I picked this up years ago after reading the book The Oxygen Advantage.

Let me start by stressing this isn’t the way to start breath hold drills but is something you can build up to with training.

Two important benefits of breath hold drills while running or walking include and increase in CO2 tolerance which will improve aerobic efficiency and a contraction of the spleen to release more red blood cells.

Here is how I do it. I start with an easy 2-3 minute run to get to a steady heart rate. Then a normal inhale through the nose and exhale through the nose. At the end of the exhale I start the breath hold. I try to make it 20-30 steps but I hold until a strong hunger for air. Then I take 15 normal breaths. I will do this for 3-5 rounds and then get into my run.

It is tough to do but feels awesome when you get this in before a run. Again don’t start with this but if you never do any breath hold training start with simple breath holds after and exhale until a low to moderate hunger for air. You will see how quickly you can increase your breath hold time.

If you haven’t read the Oxygen Advantage I highly recommend it.

3 Steps To Improve Mobility

3 Steps To Improve Mobility Betting Programming, Mobility, & Essential Amino AcidsHi I can't believe how the time has flown by, but I just realized my 100th podcast episode. 100…

The Essentials For OCR Training

The Essentials For OCR Training The Essentials For OCR Training Hi This is a question I get all the time. How should you train for an OCR? Depending on your current level there are a…

Deka Strong test run before the event this Sunday. Felt pretty good with a 16:20 run. Hoping to get under 15 minutes on Sunday.

You going to join us? Links in my bio to register. I’m always looking for a head to head challenge.

It’s a question I get all the time and hard to answer in a short post. In fact I wrote an entire book on the topic.

But for those looking to get started I wanted to simplify it as much as possible to help you get started on the right track.

One of the things I love about OCR is that you must be efficient at many things in order to be successful.

Here are my 4 areas that need to be addressed for any race.

1. Become A Better Runner.

This took me a while to accept but running will most likely be the biggest obstacle you face. The best OCR athletes are really strong runners. There is no way around it.

To become a better runner you need to maximize aerobic capacity and improve maintaining velocities at a higher percent of your VO2 max. Accomplish this with lower intensity runs and higher intensity threshold training.

2. Get Strong.

Strength training will help you become more resilient, improve running economy, and make sure you have the necessary capacity to conquer obstacles. Build general strength with big movements like squatting, lunging, hinging, pushing, and pulling. Build general strength first then obstacle specific strength.

3. Build Grip Strength

This should be included with strength training, but it is important enough to have its own category. A strong grip is required for many obstacles. Train the different types of grip (crush, support, pinch) in different should positions (at your side, in front, and overhead)

4. Develop Obstacle Specific Skill

This is last for a reason. Instead of jumping right into the obstacles. Work on the previous things to build a strong foundation first. When you are ready you can add training on obstacles. Since most won’t have access to obstacles work on the movements skills used in most races. This includes crawling, carrying, climbing, and hanging.

This should be a great start to any training plan.

For a more in depth look at each you can check my latest blog post in my profile.