In my almost 19 years in the fitness industry, there have been a lot of training modalities introduced even way before I started. From the traditional weightlifting, body-building and aerobic exercises to the more recent HIIT, pilates, yoga, nirvana, functional training, and a select fusion of some of these modalities. All these are geared to help people find the specific exercise that suits them.
It is important to note that fitness and sports cannot exist without each other. Basketball, volleyball and soccer are the most common sports all over. Then came the Crossfit games in 2005, ultimate frisbee, beach handball and beach volleyball, flag football, and other team sports. These games are now rising to gain momentum and its starting to get ranking among the popular sports.
But the most current craze in the world of sports is OCR or OBSTACLE COURSE RACING. The Spartan Race was founded by Joe De Sena in 2007. It held its first event in 2010 in Vermont with just roughly 500 participants. In barely 9 years the recently concluded Spartan Race LIMA, Batangas had over 4,000 participants making it the fastest growing endurance sports today. The Spartan Race is held in different states in the US, in several Asian countries, Australia, Greece and Sweden.
Spartan Race in the Philippines is scheduled on several dates throughout the year. The next upcoming race is on July in Cebu and the final race on October in Pampanga. It has several categories (Sprint, Super, Beast, Kids and Hurricane Heat). This allows people of different fitness levels to choose the race they can manage to complete.
In this regard, endurance races like Spartan, Tough Mudder and the like are optional platforms to encourage the young and old, and even the differently abled to keep on moving. Overcoming each of the obstacles situated along the race course is an achievement for any ordinary individual. You don’t have to be an athlete to join this sport. This made me realize even more that there is no impossible challenge to a man who keeps on ‘being human’ and not just existing like every ‘human being.’ Everything in OCR is basic fundamental movement. Anyone can join. Even PWDs crossed the finish line. In the most recent race, a visually-impaired man received his Spartan medal along with two other amputees. I hope this serves as an eye-opener for sedentary people who remain to exist but do not live. Movement is life. Imagine life without movement. It is unthinkable.
I am not writing this article merely to promote OCR. Rather, I am presenting an alternative to the usual. Obesity is one of the most common problems in children, adolescents and even young adults today. I would like to believe that the only antidote for obesity is constant physical exertion. Nowadays, kids of the technological age are more comfortable on the couch with their tablets, phones and other gadgets to amuse them. They hardly exert any effort because only their thumbs and eyes are moving. The responsibility of the parents is to really engage the entire family into physical activities. The human body is designed to move. With all the sports events out there, there is no reason not to try any of these challenging but enjoyable activities. Spartan Race also has the Kids Race wherein children as young as 4 years old can already join. It is a good way for them to be involved in OCR because it is only a short distance with doable obstacles specially structured for their age.
So if you are still searching for a sport to try, consider an Obstacle Course Race. Here you will run, walk, crawl, swim, carry load and jump through the fire (literally) at the end. And if you should fail to do an obstacle, the penalty is only 30 burpees anyway. Hooaah!
