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ForEliteAtheletes to FunRunners
9
1
What is BMF and what does it do?
Founded in 1999, British Military Fitness (BMF)
is the UK’s undisputed leader in outdoor fitness.
Welcoming people of all fitness levels who want
to get fit but struggle to find the motivation, BMF
combines inspiring group exercise led by real,
military-trained professionals to deliver life-changing
results with serious fun guaranteed.
2
What’s a typical BMF class like?
There’s no such thing as a typical class - each
one is different. You’ll be guaranteed a full-body
workout, designed to improve your stamina, speed,
strength and agility through a mix of exercises and
activities. Instructors and members are a friendly
bunch and are always keen to welcome a new face.
We make sure that each individual works to their
own level of fitness within the group. It’s a real skill,
but our instructors have year’s worth of experience.
3
What makes it so useful for OCR training?
The classes involve sprints and body weight
exercises done intensively over an hour, which
replicates what you might experience during a race.
We have our own OCR team, The British Military
Fitness Race Team who are one of the best in the
country so it’s safe to say we put our money where
our mouth is!
We’ve caught up with the British
Military Fitness Race Team to find out
more about their training
Freya Martin – 1st Female, Major Series South.
1
How long have you been doing Obstacle Course
Racing and what got you into it?
I got into OCR in
September 2014. I was previously a triathlete but
I found that I couldn’t commit the time required to
train for three disciplines with a new daughter. My
husband was looking into OCR as a new outlet for
retail and suggested we try it, I have been hooked
ever since.
2
What is it that you love about Obstacle Course
Racing?
OCR is still relatively new so it hasn’t yet
become so competitive to have lost its friendly spirit.
In what other sport would someone offer to help
you if it meant losing valuable seconds themselves?
The other thing I love is how well it targets the whole
body, I have become a much better all round athlete
as a result of OCR.
3
What are your personal goals?
To podium at a
world or European championships and at a race in
the Toughest series.
4
What would be your number one Top Tip?
OCRs
require many aspects of fitness, and mixing up your
training will help to ensure the whole body gets
attention. Include a mixture of running and strength
and conditioning in your training plan. Circuit
training such as British Military Fitness is an ideal
way of incorporating the strength and conditioning
suggestions, which is why it complements OCR so
well.
Ross MacDonald – 1st Male, Major Series South.
1
How long have you been doing obstacle course
racing and what got you into it?
I started doing
obstacle-course races (OCR) in 2008 when I took
on Men’s Health Survival of the Fittest in Cardiff. Up
until this point I had been participating in triathlon,
running and cycling events. I soon found out that
events like Survival of the Fittest and Tough Mudder
were only touching on what OCR would soon
become.
2
How often do you train with BMF?
I train once
or twice a week and find it invaluable for injury
prevention and to build leg strength. If I miss a
couple of sessions I notice it immediately in my
races.
3
What is it that you love about obstacle course
racing?
OCR brings a lot of people together from
different backgrounds. Everyone has their own
story, their own aim and their own reason for racing
but ultimately, everyone is racing to have fun and
push themselves. I love the community spirit, but I
also love how competitive the races can be. Every
event is different which means those that are better
runners might be faster on one course (Major
Series), but will not necessarily be the fastest over
an obstacle-heavy course (such as Toughest).
4
What are your personal goals?
I would like to
keep improving my technique on the upper-body
obstacles so that I place higher at events such as
Toughest. Hopefully I will place top-20 at the World
OCR Championships, which are being held in
Canada in October.
RACE: SERIES
British Military Fitness
British Military Fitness are the official training partner for The Major Series.
Let’s hear why they make the perfect match for OCR training.
british
military
fitness.com
