Women's Fitness Blog

If you’re looking for information on training for a Spartan, from a real person who is not experienced, nor is an expert, but did complete one, you’ve come to the right place!

There are several different kinds of obstacle course races, including Spartans, Tough Mudders, etc.

I chose to complete a Spartan because my adult daughter signed up for one with a friend of hers, who is a very experienced Spartan competitor.

I used to be able to easily run 6-10 miles and used to run that weekly. However, I haven’t been running as much since the pandemic. In 2022, I did run 5-6 miles maybe 3 times, cold without training, so I felt that I could run the distance of 10k (6 miles)

To train for the Spartan, I did go out **once** to make sure I could run the required miles. (-;

I practiced hangs and farmer’s carries overhead and hanging.

I continued working out on my regular split (Push-Pull-Legs) with an emphasis for increasing how heavy I lift for 1-2 rep max. Below is my official training plan that I followed to get ready for the Spartan.

My Goal was to Increase Weight Weekly

Pull Up /Chin Up

Pull (=back, palms away) / (Chin=biceps and back, palms face you, supposedly easier)

Current Max: 5 assisted

Goal: Complete Athlean X Pull Up Plan = 3 Pull Ups in 22 days

Bench Press

Current: 105 x 4 / 95 X 8

Goal: Intermed 107/ Adv 153

Deads

Current: Sumo 185 x 2 / 170×5 / 115×10

Current: RDL 185×1 / 165 x 5 / 115×10

Goal int/adv: 190-258

Military / Vertical Press

Current: 75 x 2

70 x 5 / 45×8-10

Goal int/adv: 75-103

Squats (Back Squat)

Current: 150×5 / 115 x 10 / 125 x 8

Goal int/adv: 160-222

Rows

Current: 45 x 6 / 40×12 /

Goal int/adv: 73-106

Curls

Current: 20×12/ 30×5

Goal int/adv: 30-47

I started a pull up plan – because I can’t do a pull up. Still can’t. But, if I had been more committed to following this pull up plan, which was courtesy of Athlean X, it is likely that I would have done better. Perhaps I would have even been able to do a pull up!

22 Days to 3 Pull Ups

Testing Day

• Inverted Rows to Failure: 11 high / 7 low
• Hang with Hollow Body: 32 seconds

Non-Testing Day 1

• Chair Assisted Pull Up – Chair As Spot: Goal: ½ as many inverted rows as done on test day
• Inverted Rows: Goal Test Day # + 40%

Non-Testing Day 2

• Eccentric Pull Up with chair behind you, strt with chin over bar. Goal: Do half as many as # inverted rows. Rest Pause OK
• Inverted Rows # +50%

Non-Testing Day 3

• Hollow Rock: Don’t let legs / head hit the floor. Track time spent
• Inverted Rows # + 60%

Repeat Through Day 20

Day 21

• Repeat Test Day

Day 22

• Test How Many Pull Ups You Can Do

Things I should have done additionally to train for the Spartan Super: I should have practiced more plyometrics and I should have practiced hoisting myself with my leg over my head as leverage to pull myself. And I should have practiced pull ups / grip strength on wide diameter bars.

In spite of my not super dedicated training commitment, I did complete the Spartan and did most of the obstacles, but there were many that I simply could not do or even attempt due to my lack of upper body strength / grip strength / fear of dying! (-;

Check out my YouTube Page for Information on How You Can Do It!

Let’s talk about the muscle groups that comprise the legs:

If I didn’t have such naturally big legs, this wouldn’t freaking matter. But I do. And I want them to look more toned and not flabby, so I gotta build the muscles!

Glut – 3 muscles –glut maximus big and hip extension; medius side, minimus top. (glut medius – adduction of hip-  stand next to a wall and lean but/ relax butt away from wall and then contract the opposite butt cheek toward the wall 20 x AND if that’s too easy, push against ball against wall to drive across). Glut medius on cable machine with ankle attachment on all 4s, swing leg away from cable machine- kick to your side. Then stand up and keep cable on leg and do fire hydrant – kick leg out). Lunges deep; kneel or stand and pull rope cable through middle of legs, glut bridge with back on ground and feet on bench and a plate. Kneeling good morning on smith machine with knees bout a foot behind bar. Banded side step with band on ankle – glut medius and minimus – shelf area of butt. Wide stance goblet squat. Abduction machine lean forward – change position per Erin Stern – makes it harder – hits all 3 muscles – point toes, lean back, extend legs, rotate pelvis forward – only 50 lbs instead of whole stack – 25 reps. Banded cable squat – put band on just below knees, straight bar on cable machine, set it to your body weight and lean back and do squat, push thru heels up and back, wide stance toes point out. Cable machine single leg abduction lead with heel, you’ll need to hold on to machine, builds shelf of bootie –  is a good finisher.

Calves 2 muscles – knee straight, knee bent-  all calves do is point toes. Nordic curl starting position, but sit into calves and then launch out into angle forward – onto physio ball if necessary. 2 get a single step and put toe on it, straight knees, lean forward and g hold on to something and put DB in 1 hand and do calf raises, then repeat with toes out and then toes in, and toes straight.

Hamstrings – biceps femoris = outside and inside semi tendinosus on medial and also semimembrinosus 

Quadriceps – 4 (knee extension and 1 of them hip flexion?)– Rectus Femoris (front of thigh, covers the vastus intermedius), Vastus Lateralis (outer thigh, targeted with narrower stance, is a large, naturally strong muscle and best worked on isolation machines), Vastus Medialis (short, just above knee works to stabilize knee when landing), Vastus Intermedius (can’t see is under another muscle – the rectus femoris)

Back squat Machine

Front Squat Machine

Hack Squat Machine (45 degree back toward ground squat machine)– vastus lateralis or can use BB behind calves and do DL movement

Leg Press Machine (upside down, legs in air back toward ground machine) – thighs in general, outer thigh,

BB Squat (BB behind neck on traps)– gen thigh, inner thigh

Leg Press Upside down Squat machine – gen thigh and inner thigh

BB lunge – gen thigh, outer thigh Vastus Lateralis, Inner thigh

DB lunge –  Vastus Lateralis

Front BB squat  – outer thigh

Courtesy of and Inspired by “Athlean X”‘s total leg program:

BB Squat warm up and then work up slowly a few reps to get ready 5 rep max is goal to start. 5, 5, 10, 25

3 min rest and decompress spine

BB glut raise / Hip thrust on box or on specialized machine called Glut Ham Raise Machine – looks like a machine for Nordic Curl – I think its by the chin up machine and ab machines at Roseville Cal Fit. 4 x 25, 10, 5, 5

DB Bulgarian hi / low split squat –  alternate quad vs glut ham focus by changing how you bend. 1 foot on raised bench behind you, and then lean forward into almost a DL with DBs. If you bend forward a little bit and then drop straight down, this activates quads; but if you drop down on next set into sprinter lunge position – really flexing / bending both knees this activates glutes / quads 2 x 10-12

Do same exercise jumping / plyo with body weight only 1 x failure each leg

Lunge with DB and elastic band grabbing knee and connected in front of bod to something into full extension. Lock out is not bad. It is important. 2-3 of 10-12 ea leg

DB goblet side lunge. / lateral lunge on slick surface sliding – resist and activate adductors to drive self up. 2 x 10-12vea leg

Side steps R then L, 2 R, 2L, up to 10 with elastic band for abductors

Ladies let’s talk about splits or training routines, especially with regard to areas we are very concerned about looking good, such as our butts, or glutes.  First of all, when you lift weights, the goal is to damage the muscle fibers so that they rebuild in a different shape that is stronger. Accordingly, your muscles develop or grow when you rest them, not when you work them out. I see ladies in the gym working only their glutes day after day after day. This is not a good way to grow and develop your muscles. I see men do this same thing when they work their chest and biceps. Some research I’ve found says that your muscles can get away with 48 hours of rest, some research says 6-7 days.

Back to developing my weight training split / weight training schedule. Everyone has different reasons for becoming more fit. I want to look good and be strong. I noticed that the front of my legs looked a lot better, but that the back of my legs looked jiggly still. I also became aware due to the comments of an, er, hater, that my ass had been shrunk. Indeed, at that point in my weight loss journey, I’d lost probably 17 lbs but around 4 inches from my butt. I was worried, so I started doing a second leg day with mostly glut and hamstring exercises.

Posterior Legs Workout Plan for Women, beginner:

3 sets of 10 repetitions each:

Box Step Ups with Dumbbells

Leg Press Machine, single leg, turned sideways, pressing from the heel

Glut Machine / Kick Back Machine

Goblet Squats – weighted with a single dumbbell

Leg Lunges or Pulse Lunges with Perfect Form, Deep Bend, Knee to Ground

Do 1 other leg exercise of your choice so that you perform a total of 6 exercises, total, minimum.

Posterior Legs Workout Plan for Women, Intermediate:

Same as above, plus:

*Add dumbbells to the lunges as you are able, as long as you can maintain correct form

*Add a hip circle elastic band to your legs when you do the leg press machine. You will probably have to go down in weight and use 2 legs.

Prone Hamstring Curl Machine (try to flex your foot and flatten or round your back by tilting your pelvis forward to activate hams)

Glut Raise – either on leg curl machine, on the ground with a barbell, or against a bench with a barbell

Advanced Leg Workout Plan for Posterior Legs:

Same as above, plus:

Kettle Bell Swings incorporated almost into a goblet squat and hip thrust

Dead Lift on Smith Machine on a step with or without a riser. Good warm up compound movement.

Bulgarian Split Squat on Smith Machine – Barbell on Shoulders Lunge on Step with or without a riser. Allows for deeper weighted lunge or Alternating back lunge on Smith Machine with a high knee

Back hyperextension on Smith Machine with a Bench and a plate

Dumbbell RDL with dumbbells at sides of legs

Good Morning with Barbell on Traps

Single Leg Glut Bridge / Glut Raise on Ground instead of other Glut Raise

Nordic Curl on mat – ground level fall

My Newest Leg Day Routine: What about Vastus Lateralis?

Focus on Ham/ Glu, Quads, Calves and Now: Adductors or Inner Thighs

Wider Stance / Sumo Stance on exercises you are already doing – do not let knees come bend in- you’ll tear a ligament. Keep knees open wide.

Side leg lunges / aka Lateral Lunge

Squat Jumps onto box or on ground with BBs with wider stance

Deficit Sumo DL with single BB on riser so you can go lower

Hip band on ankles side walk

In and Out squat jumps into Sumo Squat Hold

Scissor Kicks on Floor

Wide Stance Sumo Goblet Squat

Jump Squat with DBs

Single Leg Romanian DL with 1 leg kicked back straight and DBs.

My split stays in pretty much the same order, but things might be done on different days of the week from week to week because my days off change from week to week. I have 1 rest day each week, which also varies, due to my changing work schedule. My rest day is typically the 1^st day that I am off from work, as I work nights and I use that day to try to flip my body back to being a daytime person.

Day 1: Legs 2 

Day 2: Biceps (Pull Day) (Can be swapped with back)

Off from Work during this time, and my rest day is this day

Day 3: Legs Thurs Eve with my personal trainer

Day 3: Shoulders (Push – except the rear deltoids are Pull)

Day 5: Back (Pull)

Day 6: Chest and Triceps (Push)

Trail Run alternating Wed and Thurs, always on 1^st AM off from work after being off the night prior.

*Abs Grips Forearms

My 2020 Back Day Routine!

Oblique side bends

Pull up assist machine – palms face away with thumbs not in use to activate lats more than biceps. Wider arms is better to activate back and remove biceps.

DLs

Y raise

BB Row or Plate Row

DB reverse fly?

Lat pulldown? Cable pulldown? Cable flat straight bar push down? Trap Horizontal row? Wide grip Cable pull down? Vertical Trap pull down? Bent over lat raise- seated or standing?

Bent over row – lawnmower – back single arm

Lat machine overhead press

Back machine

Glut back hyperextension on bench with Smith machine or on machine 

Cable Face Pull Rope

Ab ideas: On shoulder day, do the standing DB ab exercise *

Russian twist

Bicycles

Crescents

Cable crunch pull down *