OCR Intervals
& The OCR Interval Generator.
One of the key workouts Stijn does to get in peak shape for his OCR and Spartan Race goals are OCR intervals. These are blocks consisting of running, obstacles, carries, and target practice. The blocks are adapted for the needs of the upcoming race: before a Spartan Race the carries and spear throw are emphasised, while the workouts that prepared Stijn to win his fourth OCR European title were focused more on hard multi-rigs. The length of the blocks varies depending on the goal of the session and the phase in the training cycle. Usually, Stijn builds up from about 30 minutes of total volume to close to an hour of quality work. The concept is simple, the result is significant.
Building an OCR interval workout is simultaneously simple and complex. The simplicity lies in ‘just imitating the race‘. The complexity is in doing that with what you have, and in a way that allows for progression over time. The concept of the OCR Interval Generator is to take the thinking away from building your workout, so you can focus on the perfect execution. Input the type of event you are preparing for, the equipment available, and the desired duration and number of repetitions. The workout instructions will be created in an instant.
An Example Workout.
This is one of the sessions Stijn used in advance of the Spartan Race Beast World Championships. A demanding course in the desert, with many carries, some easy to medium difficulty obstacles, and a crucial spear throw.
Run 600m
Spear throw
4 obstacles in 100m loop
Sandbag carry 250m
Spear throw
Run 600m
Repeat 4-5 times
OCR Interval Generator
Balance & Walls
Rigs
Other Obstacles
Carries
Get After It.
Try to do between 20 to 60 minutes of total interval volume for a good workout, depending on your race goals. My personal favorite? Four to five intervals of 10-14 minutes with 2 minutes rest. Generate a few intervals so you can switch it up every repetition!
A quick explanation of the OCR Generator. Fill in the desired interval length, the workout generated is approximately this duration. Differences from the inputted duration can occur due to running time between obstacles, difficulty of obstacles, and transition speeds. Select obstacles that are available at your training facility. You can add your own custom obstacles too. By first selecting an obstacle, and then clicking on the star (the checkbox gets empty again), that obstacle is favorited. This means it is always included in the workout. If you are working on a weakness (e.g. the Spear Throw), favorite it to ensure you practice it a lot. Lastly, you can select the OCR-type. This changes the style of the interval, with, for example, more carries or more rigs. Be sure to select enough obstacles for your desired interval length. Do not have sufficient equipment? No problem. Think outside of the box and add exercises like ‘burpees’, ‘squat jumps’, ‘pull-ups’. The OCR Generator will include those as replacement for real obstacles.