With just over two weeks to go until race day, Mudderella Whistler is fast approaching. The adventure race goes down at Blackcomb Mountain on September 24, which means Mudderellas everywhere are gearing up for roughly 10 kilometres of muddy trails and trying obstacles.

The folks at Mudderella headquarters know that it's probably not a good idea to jump headfirst into the race without a little preparation, which is why they've developed a six-part workout program designed to help you take on the challenge. (We covered the first three workouts in this post last week.) Each workout is divided up into either one or two circuits. These body weight exercises won't require any fancy props; just some strong will and determination. Tag along with Mudderella trainer Miriam Wasmun as she goes through each exercise in the corresponding videos.

Workout Four: Getting There

Warm up for this workout with a five-minute jog. Then move into the circuits.

Circuit one starts with a the plank squat push-out. Start in the plank position and then push your hips back towards your ankles, as though you're playing a game of leap frog. Then return your hips back to the plank position. Repeat this exercise 12 to 15 times before moving on to the hip press. Start lying on your back with your knees bent and you heels close to your behind. Squeeze your glutes and press your hips off the ground, lifting your pelvis toward the sky. Do 12 to 15 reps.

Next, finish the circuit off with dips to kicks. Start in a reverse table-top position on all fours (as if you're about to do a crab walk), with your fingertips pointing to your heels and your hips as high off the gound as you can get them. To begin the exercise, gradually lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows. Kick one leg straight up in the air and touch it with the opposite hand, before returning to all fours. Switch legs, and be sure to repeat on each side at least 12 times. After you've done each exercise once, repeat the entire circuit two more times. 

Follow up with circuit two, which begins with squat jacks, a combination of squats and jumping jacks. Start with your feet side-by-side in a squat position with your hands behind your head. Staying in a squat position with your knees and ankles in line, jump up and land with your feet far apart. Jump again and return to the starting position with your feet side-by-side. Repeat this exercise 12 to 15 times.

Follow with side planks T's, a variation on the plank. To set up, start in the side plank position with one hand on the ground and the other in the air, making a 'T'. Be sure to stagger your feet for better support. Take the outside arm and reach underneath your elevated hip, trying to wrap it around the centre of your body and folding yourself as you go, before returning to the starting position with your arms extended again in a 'T' shape. Do 12 to 15 reps on each side.

Next, work on agility and balance with ice skaters. Start standing on one leg with your knee bent, chest out, and your shoulders back, chambering the other leg. Pushing laterally off your standing leg, land firmly on the foot that was chambered, and continue, moving side to side for 12 to 15 reps.

Finish up circuit two with narrow grip push-ups. This variation on the standard push-up requires your hands to be much closer together. Modify this exercise by performing it with an incline, placing your hands on the edge of a bench. Run through 12 to 15 reps before repeating the entire circuit two more times. 

Workout Five: Super Pumped

Like workout four, it's a good idea to warm up for this exercise with a five-minute jog. 

Circuit one will begin with walking lunges with arms. Start standing with your straight arms overhead. As you step into a lunge, lower your arms and bring your elbows down to make a 90-degree angle. Push your chest out and pull your arms back, working those shoulders. As you rise out of the lunge, bring your arms back up, and then down again when you step into your next lunge. Repeat 12 to 15 times.

Work on your balance next with single-leg reaching deadlifts. Start standing on one leg, with the opposite arm raised up above your head and the other hand on your hip. Bend forward at the hips and extend your bent leg out behind you, until your extended arm and leg are in the same line. Your body should look like a giant 'T'. Do 12 to 15 reps of this exercise on each side.

This exercise is like step-ups for your arms, and will require some sort of elevated platform like a bench or a set of stairs. For arm stirs, start in a plank position, placing yourself in front of a bench so that you are facing it. Lift one hand up off the ground and onto the bench, and follow with the other hand, before lowering yourself back to the ground. Repeat 12 to 15 times. After you've done each exercise once, repeat the entire circuit two more times. 

The second circuit of this workout starts with lateral step-ups. Find a set of stairs or a bench and stand next to it with your side facing the bench. With the leg that is closest to the bench, step up, bringing the other knee up to your chest. Step back down and repeat 12 to 15 times, before switching to the other side.

Next, move on to lateral table top plank walks. Start in a plank position and then bend your knees in toward the chest to create more of a table-top position. Take three wide lateral steps using the same-side arm and leg, before going in the other direction and using the opposite-side arm and leg. Do 12 to 15 reps on each side.

Follow with downward dog push-ups. Start in downward dog, and move your hands close together, forming a triangle with the tips of your thumbs and index fingers. Gradually bend your elbows and lower your head down so that the crown of your head touches the triangle you've created with your fingers, and then push yourself back up into downward dog. Repeat 12 to 15 times.

Finish off with bodyweight rows. Wrap a workout strap around a beam or lamp post and then wrap the ends of the strap around each of your hands. Make sure that the strap is elevated; shoulder level or higher is ideal. Plant your feet firmly on the ground at the edge of the post, and, holding the straps, lean back so that your arms are fully extended and your spine is straight. Keeping your elbows close to your sides, pull your weight up using the straps while squeezing your shoulder blades together. Return back to the starting position and repeat 12 to 15 times, before repeating the entire circuit two more times.

Workout Six: Mudderella

The final workout in this series is all about getting your heart rate up. Instead of counting reps, do each exercise for 30 seconds. Rest for 15 seconds and then move onto the next one. 

First, rocket jumps will have you starting in a deep squat position. Jump up as high as you can, and repeat, doing as many as you can in 30 seconds.

After a 15-second rest, follow with cross climbers. The only difference between this exercise and the classic mountain climber exercise is that you'll bring your knee across your body to the opposite side.

Next, start in a plank position for the up/down plank exercise. Lower yourself from your hands to your elbows, and the raise yourself back up again, moving one hand at a time.

After 30 seconds, rest for 15, and then move on to step-up hops. Starting in a lunge position, jump off your front leg and bring your back knee to your chest, before returning to the lunge position. (Remember to switch sides!)

After, revisit dips to kicks from workout four: start in a table top position on all fours, with your fingertips pointing to your heels and your hips as high off the gound as you can get them. Lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows, and then kick one leg straight up in the air and touch it with the opposite hand, before returning to all fours.

Finally, find a bench for bench hop-overs. Grab onto both sides of the bench, with your legs on one side. With your hands steady, jump your legs from one side to the other, and back. Once you've done the entire circuit once, repeat it four more times.

Follow this link for a detailed look at these exercises. Check out our first series of workouts and other information about the race in the Straight's Mudderella Whistler guide! 

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