This 12-week training program, created by Men’s Health Exercise Adviser Michael Mejia, M.S., C.S.C.S., is designed to prepare your muscles for the intense challenges of the Urbanathlon. By using this plan, you’ll build strength, endurance, and flexibility where you need it most. So whether you have to traverse a pegboard, ascend a climbing wall, or conquer a 52-story staircase, you’ll be ready to overcome any obstacle.
Phase I: 4 weeks Goal: Improve your overall conditioning base and hip mobility to prepare for hurdles.
Two days a week, perform the workout as a circuit, doing one exercise after the next—in the order shown—without resting. After you’ve completed the circuit, rest for 30 to 60 seconds. That’s one circuit. Do two circuits in weeks 1 and 2, and three circuits in weeks 3 and 4. For added variety, feel free to reverse the order of the exercise each workout. Rest at least two days between each training session.
Take a large step forward with your left leg to get into a lunge position.
Now bend down and place your left elbow against the instep of your left foot while keeping your right knee off the floor.
Pause momentarily, then lift your left hand and place it outside your left foot. From this position, push your hips to the ceiling (your back knee will straighten) and lift the toes of your left foot toward your shin.
Finally, stand up and step forward into the next lunge and repeat. That's one repetition.
Set a barbell in a squat rack, or Smith machine, about even with the tops of your thighs. *Begin by facing forward and pulling your right leg up to the side—like you're lifting your right knee towards your right armpit.
While balancing on your left leg, swivel the right leg over the bar and step down. Then do the same thing with your left leg. As soon as your left leg touches the floor, reverse the movement, and lift your leg back over to the starting position, followed by your right leg. That’s one repetition.
Secure a bar 3 to 4 feet above the floor. Lie under the bar and grab it with a shoulder-width, overhand grip. Hang at arm’s length from the bar with your body straight in a straight line from your ankles to your shoulders.
Keep your body rigid and pull your chest to the bar.
Pause, then lower yourself back to the starting position.
Kneel on all fours, your hands in line with and slightly wider than your shoulders. Straighten your left leg so that only the balls of your feet are touching the floor. Lift your right knee towards your chest so that only the balls of your feet are touching the floor. You should look almost like a sprinter that’s in the starting blocks.
Quickly switch leg positions. That’s one repetition.
Grab the bar with an overhand grip that’s just beyond shoulder-width. Stand on one leg, holding the bar at arm’s length and resting on the front of your thighs.
Slowly bend at the hips as you lower the bar just below your knee. Don’t change the angle of your knee. Keep your head and chest up and your lower back flat or slightly arched.
Lift your torso back to the starting position, keeping the bar as close to your body as possible. Complete all of the prescribed repetitions, then switch legs, and repeat.
This is done for time. Grab a pair of moderately heavy dumbbells and simply mimic a sprinter's arm movement while keeping your torso and legs stationary.
Perform as many repetitions as you can in 30 seconds.
Medicine Ball Reverse Lunge and Rotation - Launch Video
Hold a medicine ball in front of your chest with both hands, your elbows slightly bent.
Step back with your left foot until your left knee nearly touches the floor. As you lunge, rotate your torso to the right as far as you can.
Return to a standing position, and repeat by stepping back with your right leg, and rotating to your right. That’s one repetition.
Start on all fours, with your knees directly below your hips and your toes pulled toward your shins. Your hands should be directly below your shoulders.
Initiate the move by contracting your glutes and abdominals. Simultaneously raise your right arm and your left leg and hold them parallel to the floor for 2 seconds. Lower them, and repeat with the opposite arm and leg. That’s one repetition.
Phase II: 4 weeks Goal: Continue conditioning emphasis while increasing upper back and grip strength, as well as endurance
Complete this workout two days a week. Perform each pair of exercise (1A and 1B, 2A and 2B, 3A and 3B, 4A and 4B) as a superset, doing one set of the first exercise followed by one set of the second exercise before resting for 30 to 60 seconds. Do 2 to 3 sets of each exercise. After 2 weeks, add in a 1-minute Versa Climber sprint after every set.
Exercise
Repetitions
1A. Offset Pullups
5-6 (per side)
1B. Single-leg Squats
8-10
2A. Barbell Unders
8-10
2B. Low Box Upper Body Shuffle
30-60 seconds
3A. Farmer's Walk
ALAP
3B. Reverse Flys
12-15
Single-leg Calf Raises
15-20
Versa Climber Sprint
60 seconds
EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS
Offset Pullups
Grab a pullup bar with an overhand grip. Your right hand should be directly above your right shoulder, and your left hand 6 to 12 inches outside of your left shoulder. Hang at arm’s length with your ankles crossed behind you.
Pull yourself up as high as you can.
Pause, then slowly return to the starting position.
Do five to six repetitions, then repeat, adjusting your grip so that your right hand is wider than your left.
Single-Leg Squats
Stand upright on your left leg on a bench or a box that’s above knee height, your right foot hanging off the side. Hold your arms straight out in front of you for balance, and flex your right ankle so that your toes are higher than your heels.
Keep your torso as upright as possible, bend your left knee and slowly lower your body until your right heel lightly touches the floor (it shouldn’t bear any of your weight).
Pause for one second, then push yourself up. That’s one repetition. If that’s too easy, hold dumbbells in your hands as you perform the exercise.
Barbell Unders
Set a barbell in a squat rack or Smith machine at about waist level.
Next, standing perpendicular (sideways) to the barbell, take a long stride under the bar, and shift your weight towards that leg as you squat low duck under it in one movement.
Then come up to a standing position on the other side.
Reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
Low-Box Upper Body Shuffle
Using a 12-inch step or bench assume a push-up position with your right hand next to the step.
Begin by placing your right hand on the step, and then place your left hand directly on top of your right.
Next, step off the step to your left, crossing your left hand in front your right, placing it on the floor. Then step off with your right, until you’re back in pushup position again.
Repeat for 30 to 60 seconds.
Farmer’s Walks
Grab a pair of heavy dumbbells and hold them at your sides at arm’s length.
Then simply walk forward until your grip is about to give out. That’s one repetition.
Choose the heaviest weight that allows you to walk for at least 30 seconds, but no longer than 60.
Reverse Flys
Grab a pair of dumbbells with your palms turned toward each other and sit at the end of a bench. Keep your back flat, your elbows slightly bent, and lean forward at the waist as far as you can. Let the dumbbells hang at arm’s length.
Slowly raise the dumbbells as high as you can without changing the bend in your elbows.
Pause, then lower the dumbbells to the starting position. That’s one repetition.
Single-leg Calf Raise
Grab a dumbbell in your left hand and stand on a step or a block. Put your right hand on something for balance--a wall or weight stack, for instance. Cross your right foot behind your left ankle, and balance yourself on the ball of your left foot.
Lower your left heel as far as you can, pause, then lift it as high as you can.
Finish the set with your left leg, then repeat with your right (while holding the dumbbell in your right hand).
Versa Climber Sprints
Go as hard as you can for 60 seconds on the Versa Climber.
Phase III: 4 weeks Goal: Maintenance of conditioning and mobility with added strength and endurance emphasis on the hips and glutes for stairclimbing.
Complete this workout two days a week. Perform each pair of exercise (1A and 1B, 2A and 2B, 4A and 4B) as a superset, doing one set of the first exercise followed by one set of the second exercise before resting for 30 to 60 seconds. Do 2 to 3 sets of each exercise. Follow the directions below for exercise 3 (cycle intervals). In addition, you’ll now a add a third training today to your weight workout. Simply choose any 6 to 8 exercises from the previous two phases and do them as a circuit, performing one exercise after another without resting. After you complete one circuit, rest for 2 minutes, and repeat one time.
Exercise
Repetitions
1A. Barbell Stepup
12-20
1B. Swiss-ball Pass-offs
8-10
2A. Traveling Lunges
12-15
2B. Back Extensions
10-12
3. Cycle Intervals
30 x 30 x 6
4A. Seated Row to Neck
10-12
4B. Side Bridges
8-10 (per side)
EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS
Barbell Stepup
Set the barbell in a squat rack and step under it so it rests across your upper trapezius. Lift the bar off the rack and step over to a bench or step that’s 6 to 12 inches off the floor.
Stand facing the bench or step. Lift your left foot and place it firmly on the bench, push down with your left heel, and step up onto the bench. (If you’re left-handed, start with your right foot instead of your left.)
Step down with your right foot first, then your left. Finish the set with your left leg, then do the same number of repetitions starting with your right foot.
Swiss-ball Passoffs
Grab a Swiss-ball and lie flat on the floor with your legs straight and your arms straight beyond your head.
Keeping your arms and legs straight, lift your legs and crunch up until you can place the ball between your feet.
Once you've made the exchange, lower yourself until your feet are about 8 inches off the floor and your arms are straight beyond your head.
Reverse the move, placing the ball back into your hands, and lower yourself to the starting position. That's one repetition.
Traveling Lunges
Grab a pair of dumbbells and hold them at your sides. Stand with your feet hip-width apart at one end of your house or gym.
Lunge forward with your left leg, bending your knee 90 degrees. Your right knee should also bend and almost touch the floor.
Stand and bring your right foot up next to your left, then repeat with the right leg lunging forward. That’s one repetition.
Back Extensions
Position yourself in the back-extension station and hook your feet under the leg anchors. Cross your arms over your chest and lower your upper body, allowing your lower back to round, until it is just short of being perpendicular to the floor.
Raise your torso until it’s in line with your lower body. At this point you should have a slight arch in your back and your shoulder blades should be pulled together in back.
Pause for one second, then take three seconds to lower your torso back to the starting position.
Cycle Intervals
On a stationary bike, cycle at the fastest pace you can maintain for 30 seconds. Then slow down to a pace that’s about 30 to 40 percent of your full effort for 30 seconds. That’s one interval. Repeat until you’ve completed six intervals.
Seated Row to Neck
Attach a rope handle to the cable and position yourself in the machine. Grab a rope in each hand, and sit up straight.
Pull the rope to your neck by bending your arms and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Pause for two seconds, then take two seconds to return to the starting position.
Side Bridges
Lie on your right side with your knees straight. Prop your upper body up on your right elbow and forearm, which should be directly below your right shoulder. Place your left hand on your right shoulder and raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from your ankles to your shoulders.
Contract and brace your abdominals. (Imagine someone is about to punch you in the gut.)
Hold this position for 3-5 seconds.
Lower your hips back to the floor, pause one second, and then repeat. Each 3 to 5 second hold is one repetition.
