Top 6 visually easy obstacles from "Race of Heroes" but difficult to perform

On October 28, Russia celebrated the birthday of obstacle course racing. It was in October 2019 that they were recognized as an official sport. But their history dates back to the fall of 2013 in Russia. This year, their organizer – the League of Heroes – celebrated the 10th anniversary since the birth of the project.

Obstacle course is not an easy test, but it seems as if all the exercises are easy for experienced athletes. However, in reality it is not so at all. We talked to Alisa Petrova, a member of the Russian national team, and asked her to tell us about the seemingly easy obstacles that are very difficult to pass in practice. The athlete singled out six difficult exercises and told us about one of her least favorite ones. And the head coach of the national team Nikita Kryukov specified which muscles will work during each obstacle and how much an amateur athlete can learn the element.

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Universal Handrail + Handrail Rings

multiple winner of obstacle races in Russia and the world

“When performing it is important to be able to work the upper shoulder girdle and cortex muscles. The pelvis must be relaxed to swing freely. The abdominal and back muscles are actively engaged. At the same time, you must not sag downward in the shoulder girdle too much when you grab and hang on the bar or ring.”

Healthy shoulder joints and strong forearms are important in this exercise. You need to develop grip strength, as you need to have enough strength when hanging on one arm to keep from snapping. And also work on the mobility of the shoulder joint. To master this element an amateur athlete will need three to four weeks.

Vertical rope

The rope is familiar to all of us from gym class, but you can’t just climb it. To pass it quickly and with less loss of strength, you need to learn the technique of interception with your feet. To do this, lift your pelvis and legs as high as possible due to the muscles of the cortex, abdomen and back. Pay attention to how to safely get off the rope – first of all, you lower your pelvis, then you go over with your hands.

Important: never move your hands down the rope, you can peel the skin of your hands. And remember that when performing you need to work out the correct technique, otherwise you will waste a lot of effort and energy.

Nikita Kryukov

head coach of the Russian national steeplechase team

“It is necessary to have a strong grip. The rope can be wet, slippery, and you need to hold on to it with your hands. But you can help yourself with your feet, then part of the weight will be reduced. An amateur athlete will be able to perform the exercise immediately, already at the first session, but with the help of legs”.

Handstand – flying from bar to bar

This exercise looks easy and simple, but you need to work on your technique: how to swing, what movements you need to make with your body and arms in the flight before you grab the next bar. Grip strength is very important here, so that you can hold on when you land.

This is my least favorite exercise of all the above. I had a hard time learning it, it was scary to jump over, to let go of my hands at the same time. The body could do the exercise, but it was the fear that did the most work. Even now: if I don’t practice this obstacle often, I am very afraid to do the flight itself. The body is ready to make the movement, but fear still stops the muscles from working, the brain turns on, and I just don’t want to let go of my hands. It takes practice for the brain to get used to the fact that it is not scary. Interesting fact: I am always more afraid to do it during training than at competitions.

Nikita Kryukov: This involves the hand flexor. It is necessary to swing on the bar and at the right moment to fly to another bar. It can be scary at the moment of releasing the bar. On average, it can take an amateur athlete two to three weeks to master the element.

Vertical wall

You need to be able to push up with your foot, not from the wall to the side, and at the expense of the push to get the body on the wall itself upwards, so that you spend less strength of your arms. It is better to make a more powerful push with your legs. In addition, it is necessary to pump jumping ability, to do plyometric exercises, so that the legs have the strength to push the body up. It is also important to work on the ankle ligaments and generally strengthen the muscles of the legs. Work on your technique so that you don’t get injured.

Nikita Kryukov: It is necessary to push off with the leg and try to put the elbows behind the barrier. Then pull up the whole body so that the center of gravity falls to the other side. Pull-ups on the bar will help you master the element faster. It will take an amateur athlete one or two weeks to master the wall”.

The low maneuver

A strong body is very important here, because during the entire obstacle you need to keep your feet in the air, with your knees raised to your chest and not lowered. Arms should remain in a half-bent position all the time.

Nikita Kryukov: It is necessary to have strong abs, because you can’t touch the ground while doing this exercise. And also the work of hands in the block is important. It is necessary to perform static work in the block. Add dynamics over time. A person who is engaged in sports on a regular basis, will be able to master the handwalk in two months.

Horizontal bars

The strength of the upper shoulder girdle, arms and body is important. Feet should be kept hanging, work them when moving the arms for proper inertia. When you lift your hips, you do a small shoulder lift of the same arm and move your arm forward, keeping your elbows straight so you don’t fall down. Fix your shoulders and stretch your neck.

Nikita Kryukov: You need strong pectoral muscles, triceps and hand to perform this exercise. For some time the athlete must stay on one arm and be able to hold himself. It will take approximately three to four weeks for an amateur athlete to learn this element.

Lifehacks for beginners

For each exercise there are different tips, but, if we talk in general, strengthen the grip, forearms. Pull up more often on the bar, work out the bark muscles. Train your agility. You should be able to do a little bit of everything. If you actively attended physical education classes at school, it will be a big plus when passing the obstacle race. Many elements will be familiar to you from childhood, and this will be your advantage.

Those who have been sitting in the office, “Race of Heroes” will give new emotions and vitality. To make it more interesting and motivating, you can register for your first race. Get a taste of what obstacle races are and what they are eaten with. The nearest one will be held at the Alabino training ground in the Moscow region on December 16.