Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 Review – Does it Work?

 

Conquering a Tough Mudder obstacle mud race was on my bucket list and I had the honor to complete the challenge with my rockstar sister, Julie! We pushed hard and completed the challenge!

 

 

 

Although I worked hard to prepare for the 10+ mile rigorous Tough Mudder course, I had to create my own hybrid program combining lean mass gain focus with athletic power, flexibility and endurance, plus short and long distance run intervals. At that time I wished I had a Tough Mudder or mud race-specific training program. It did not exist… until now!

 

Whether you are already signed up to take on a Tough Mudder obstacle course challenge or you just want to get into Tough Mudder-shape — strong, lean, and incredibly fit — you’ve come to the right place because T-Minus 30 was designed just for you. Tough Mudder T-Minus 30, previously on OpenFit and now on Beachbody on Demand/BODi, is a training breakthrough program from four-time Tough Mudder X champion, Hunter McIntyre. The 30 days are designed to help improve your strength, endurance, speed, and mobility to conquer the Tough Mudder 5K or Tough Mudder Classic while EARNING the body to prove it. While T-Minus 30 is an intermediate-to-advanced-level program, Hunter has included a modifier (a member of the cast doing an easier version of each move), so a beginner can do it and get incredible results and progress very quickly. It is a 30-day training program with a workout schedule of five days of training per week and one day of mobility. You only need a pair of dumbbells. A chin-up bar and exercise mat are optional.

 

The primary workouts in Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 focus on building total-body strength, cardio endurance, and functional mobility. The schedule is designed to progressively push you a little further each week to help make sure you’re in peak condition after 30 days. This program is truly unique in that it is comprehensive and can be customized depending on your goal — whether you’re taking on a Tough Mudder 5K or Classic, or just doing the program to get in great shape. Hunter is a legend in the world of obstacle course racing — and he knows exactly how to master a Tough Mudder course. He’s taken his expertise and created specialized routines focused on getting you to the finish line. The bonus chin-up and pull-up routines deliver the kind of upper-body and grip-strength training that can help you conquer the obstacles on the course and carve a lean, athletic physique. 

 

Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 also follows a Taper Week program that outlines what to eat and how to exercise on the last week before your event, to help you maintain your gains and help you feel fresh and rested when you get to the starting line. In addition, Hunter shares his inside tips for hydration, fuel, proper footwear, and even what clothes to bring along on the big day. There’s also a workshop that preps you for the five key Tough Mudder obstacles — Everest 2.0, Funky Monkey – The Revolution, Block-Ness Monster, Kiss of Mud, and Berlin Walls — plus, you also get Hunter’s pro tips on how to CRUSH them. Put it all together and you’ve got the ultimate Tough Mudder training program. Do it for 30 days, and you can not only lose weight, look great, and be ready to hit the course running, you can be in the best shape of your life.

 

 

 

Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 is only available as a streaming option on Beachbody On Demand (many great options to get started today!)

 

 

My goal with this detailed Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 Review is to both try the program AND create perspective for you to make a decision on leveraging Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 for your health and fitness goals. I am personally excited to do this program since it incorporates weights plus athletic training challenges to build performance proficiency tailored for Tough Mudder-style obstacles, which is a unique and fun approach. Let’s do this! Be sure to join my PRIVATE SUPPORT TEAM for daily motivation and accountability, the slight edge, for your success. Check out my TESTIMONIALS! Click the JOIN TEAM RAGE button below with any questions to get started with TEAM RAGE!

 

Again, given that I am a Science guy, I will leverage heart rate analysis for each workout to draw conclusions and comparisons including the data in my perspective. This approach is similar to my popular reviews for P90X3, Insanity Max:30, Hammer & Chisel, 22 Minute Hard Corps, Body Beast, Country Heat, Core De Force, Shaun Week, Shift Shop, LIIFT4, Transform :20, 6 Weeks of THE WORK, 10 Rounds, 645, and LIIFT MORE. I have a Polar H7 Bluetooth enabled heart rate monitor (chest strap) synced to my iPhone using the free Polar Beat Mobile App and Polar Flow. Warmup and cooldown time is typically included in the heart rate analysis. Add additional time to stretch if needed. 

 

Nutrition is CRITICAL for getting the results you want with this program and the targets are aligned with the LIIFT MORE clean eating system (Nutrition + Portion Fix recommended) based on your stats and goals (see LIIFT MORE nutrition guide, oh, and “rewards” are built in!). My supplements include Beachbody Performance Advanced Stack of ENERGIZE pre-workout, HYDRATE during workout, and RECOVER post-workout with Shakeology and Beachbar snacks. 

 

 

The Workouts

Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 Bonus Workouts

Pull-Up Routine

Chin-Up Routine

Mudder Mobility

Sheriff Abs

 

Week 1

Extreme Conditioning 1.0

Dumbbell Endurance 1.0

Athletic Training Day 1.0

Dynamic Dumbbells 1.0

Mudder Ground Strength 1.0

 

Week 2

Extreme Conditioning 2.0

Dumbbell Endurance 2.0

Athletic Training Day 2.0

Dynamic Dumbbells 2.0

Mudder Ground Strength 2.0

 

Week 3

Extreme Conditioning 3.0

Dumbbell Endurance 3.0

Athletic Training Day 3.0

Dynamic Dumbbells 3.0

Mudder Ground Strength 3.0

 

Week 4

Total Body Challenge

The 300 Challenge

Obstacle Day Challenge

Reps Win Races

Burpee Challenge

 

 

The Data Analysis Summary

This program is much better than I expected, to be honest. It was first released years ago with the OpenFit streaming platform, which is owned by the Beachbody parent company. In other words, OpenFit, owned by Beachbody Leadership, was in direct competition with the Team Beachbody Coaches. This was certainly not a popular move amongst the Coach network at the time, although I can appreciate the mission of Beachbody to try to reach more people with health and fitness solutions. I was very much interested in trying Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 when it was released, but I had no plans to invest in the OpenFit streaming membership access for two primary reasons; 1) I already have Beachbody on Demand (BOD), and, 2) BOD is the platform my Coach business leverages to help others. Beachbody merged the OpenFit content into BOD in 2022 to enhance the value of the online portfolio so the opportunity finally presented to complete the Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 program. I was excited for the review given my background in mud and obstacle races. I was also interested to see how the quality and challenge of the OpenFit Tough Mudder offering compared to other popular Beachbody programs. I hope you enjoy my Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 review! 

 

PROS of Tough Mudder T-Minus 30

• First off, this program is awesome. This program is NOT just for people getting ready for a Tough Mudder or other obstacle race. The quality and program design are consistent with other leading Beachbody programs even though Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 was launched with OpenFit. I was concerned that perhaps the production quality would be compromised, not knowing the OpenFit budget relative to the Beachbody giant. I am pleased to report this program is well done, from my perspective. It is most similar to Shift Shop and Insanity Asylum, for me.
• T-Minus 30 is really fun and challenging. The program is only one month in duration, which is reasonable for anyone preparing for mud and obstacle races. The movements in the workouts are aligned with the key strengths needed to complete Tough Mudder challenges including a lot of shoulder work, grip development and ground strength (e.g., crawling under barbed wire in the mud).
• Hunter is a great trainer. He is an accomplished Tough Mudder Champion so it it nice to see he is also talented at leading workouts with proper cue techniques. Hunter also shares more about how each move helps promote success in Tough Mudder challenges. I wouldn’t be opposed to doing more programs from Hunter. His style is most similar to Joel Freeman with Beachbody.
• There are several workout calendars depending on your goals including 5K Calendar, 10K or 15K Calendar, Get Fit Calendar, and Taper Week. This allows a lot of flexibility in your scheduling based on your objectives. The calendars even incorporate run training opportunities and pull-ups/chin-ups!
• The Challenge Week is amazing. It is tough and you will push your limits. Like any of the Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 workouts, you get out what you put in. Meaning, effective dumbbell selection while challenging your pace in movement frequency with proper form are critical. I used 25-lb dumbbells for the entire program EXCEPT “Reps Win Races” and the later circuits of “The 300 Challenge”. Given that you do not always drop the weights between sets I needed to drop down to 20-lb dumbbells. The Burpee Challenge was a great way to finish up the program. Sweat everywhere!
• The extra pull-up and chin-up routines are fantastic. It is refreshing to see pull-ups as an option in this program since many programs avoid pull-ups. You can add these routines each week in the 10K/15K Calendar, for example. The Pull-Up and Chin-Up Routines are solid and you are challenged to increase reps each week you press play on these workouts during the program. 
• This program comes with many extras that help you succeed at your mud race training. I do like the range of run training provided if selected such as short interval runs, long run, and recovery run. The nutrition recommendations are excellent and you can align with the proven, balanced Beachbody nutrition plans.

 

CONS of Tough Mudder T-Minus 30

• I have mentioned this now for the past few years of my detailed workout reviews for Beachbody programs, but the lack of music built-in to the actual workouts bothers me. I understand the transition years ago to trainer-recommended Spotify playlists for BOD workouts, but I personally prefer the music built into the program. I would like to at least see an option for this feature. The music in the Body Beast workouts still inspires me and you don’t have to balance music volume level with understanding clear trainer cues. I think the Spotify approach is lazy, but likely saves the company a lot of time and investment. 
• Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 is not a mass gain program, but I do believe there are benefits to have more advanced weight training in preparation for the Tough Mudder or other race based on my experience. I had success in my personal Tough Mudder Prep incorporating Body Beast. As such, I created a hybrid schedule of Body Beast with Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 for those interested in more weighted focus. By the way, the leg and shoulder volume in T-Minus 30 is high compared to other muscle groups. My hybrid adds more chest, back and arms focus for a more balanced lean mass gain approach.
• I would like to see more mobility, flexibility and stretch options with the program given the demands it places on your body and need for mobility in mud races. Mudder Mobility is a great session, although feels rushed at times. Mudder Ground Strength does add more mobility challenges. With that said, there are countless options on BOD for lower and upper recovery work and yoga. I do like Sheriff Abs for Mudder-specific core work.
• Hunter and the cast are in peak phenomenal shape. It would be great to have cast options with a range of body types, goals and fitness levels to better relate to a broad audience. This program could benefit so many people. There is a modifier cast member for movements, which is good.
• The Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 workout calendars are one month. That is, 30 days, which represents the “T-Minus 30” designation. With that said, we all know you are best served to begin Tough Mudder or other competitive race prep well before one month in advance. You could do this program the last month before your race, especially with the taper week and nutritional guidance. But, it would have been nice to have 2- and 3-month calendar options and more unique workouts. Overall though, I do appreciate the shorter program since more people are likely to graduate and it IS very effective!

 

 

Overall, I HIGHLY recommend Tough Mudder T-Minus 30! 

 

Moving on to my final analysis, the table below demonstrates the VERY detailed results from comprehensive heart rate analysis for all primary 24 workouts for Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 including the bonus routines (click to expand for easier reading). The data includes calories burned, average heart rate, max heart rate, time in each of 5 workout zones plus the percentage of time in max zones 4 and 5. Normalized calories are also shown (calories/workout time). The data is sorted by week for the program since there are 4 weeks of unique workouts. I added the abs and pull-up/chin-up bonus workouts at the end of the table. The subsequent graph also summarizes the workouts with regard to heart rate analysis (calories burned, average heart rate).

 

 

 

I feel really good about the data set and the regression analysis below indicates a very strong correlation to the data set for normalized calories and heart rates, which is a good sign (very close to perfect correlation R2 = 1). Although not shown in graphical format, max heart rates vs. average heart rates for all 24 Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 workouts also provides a good fit at y = 1.1125x + 18.447 (R2 = 0.85295).

 

 

You can see from the data set that Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 provides a range of intermediate to advanced level workouts that challenge in different ways. (By the way, I know that you are not actually “burning” calories, ha, it is just a term like “expenditure”.) Based on my data I get an average calorie burn of 240 cals/workout over the 24 Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 workouts with average workout time approx. 27 min. Some of the highest calorie burns were achieved with the dumbbell workouts such as Dynamic Dumbbells. These were tough especially when you are instructed not to drop the weights between sets to enhance time under tension and grip strength. There is a general progression of higher normalized calorie burns as you move from Week 1 to Week 4, Challenge Week. The program does get more challenging each week. The average % of workout in the upper zones 4/5 and average normalized calories are lower relative to the highest intensity Beachbody HIIT programs, although The Burpee Challenge in Week 4 approaches Insanity Max:30 intensity with elevated heart rates throughout at normalized 12.4 cals/min.

 

Check out the comparison below to some key performance indicators relative to other top Beachbody programs P90X3, Insanity Max:30, Hammer & Chisel, 22 Minute Hard Corps, Body Beast, Country Heat, Core De Force, Shaun Week, Shift Shop, LIIFT4, Transform :20, 6 Weeks of The Work, 10 Rounds, 645, and LIIFT MORE (click to expand for easier reading). Numbers shown are averages of all 16 Insanity Max:30 workouts, all 20 P90X3 workouts, all 19 Hammer and Chisel, all 13 22 Minute Hard Corps workouts, all 15 Body Beast workouts, 11 Country Heat workouts, all 14 Core De Force, all 7 Shaun Week workouts, all 11 Shift Shop workouts, all 34 LIIFT4 workouts (excluding B4 LIIFT4), all 51 Transform :20 workouts, all 33 10 Rounds workouts, all 90 645 workouts, and all 52 LIIFT MORE workouts relative to all 24 Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 workouts. Workout times generally average in the 30-35 minute range for most of the programs compared to 27-min for Tough Mudder T-Minus 30.

 

 

The data comparing Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 to other Beachbody programs is very interesting, and perhaps not surprising considering it is more of an athletic challenge and cardio endurance type program. The comparison results indicate the Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 heart rate data comes in around Beachbody’s other performance-based programs including Core De Force and Shift Shop while in the range of Body Beast and LIIFT4 data. With that said, my Beachbody program comparison is a high level exercise and not always indicative of relative difficulty since these reviews have been performed over time. More specifically, the summary data in the table was generated over a time span of 8+ years when I had varied fitness levels and many other factors that may have contributed to the results. In addition, some programs have more lower impact workouts that may depress the average heart rate data sets including yoga, stretch, recovery and mobility. Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 is no joke and the design quality of the program is comparable to other leading Beachbody workouts.

 

So, Does Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 Work?

 

YES! As I always say, I am not going to lie, most if not all of these programs will work if you follow them, especially the nutrition guide and discipline. I know this from my personal experience as well as the experience of thousands on my Team across the World 13+ years as a Team Beachbody Coach. I can confirm Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 is a great program for mud and obstacle race prep, and even just for those interested in a fun new challenge to promote their health and fitness. Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 is ANOTHER tool in the toolbox for achieving your health and fitness goals. I hope you enjoy my Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 Review and be sure to reach out to me to get connected to the broad reach of TEAM RAGE and my personal coaching support !!

 

Favorite Workouts: Total Body Challenge, The Burpee Challenge, Obstacle Day Challenge, Pull-Up Routine, Chin-up Routine, Mudder Ground Strength 3.0

Least Favorite Workouts: None, I actually liked all of the workouts

Hardest Workouts (for me): The Burpee Challenge, Reps Win Races

Easiest Workouts (for me): Extreme Conditioning (all weeks)

 

Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 is only available as a streaming option on Beachbody On Demand (many great options to get started today!)

 

 

The Reviews

 

Pull-Up Routine

 

Circuit 1 – Wide front pull-up ladder of 2, 4, 6 and 8 reps followed by 2, 4, 6 and 8 reps. Limited rest between rounds.

Circuit 2 – Core reps with straight leg raise at 3 rounds x 20 sec each

Add reps each time you do this pull-up routine on the schedule, if possible. For example, first round of the pull-up circuit at 4 reps vs. 2 reps. I was able to hit all of the reps unassisted for the pull-up workout so I will double the reps each set next time and watch how that impacts my heart rate data. 

 

 

Chin-Up Routine

 

Circuit 1 – Chin-up ladder of 2, 4, 6 and 8 reps followed by 2, 4, 6 and 8 reps. Limited rest between rounds.

Circuit 2 – Alternating switch hands at 3 rounds x 20 sec each (major grip strength challenge)

Circuit 3 – 50 invisible pull-ups (no weight or bar), 50 invisible push-ups and then 50 invisible body rows

Add reps each time you do this pull-up routine on the schedule, if possible. For example, first round of the pull-up circuit at 4 reps vs. 2 reps. Circuit 3 is a great way to finish up. I was able to hit all of the chin-ups in the routine during the review and will add more reps next time!

 

 

Mudder Mobility

 

Mudder Mobility was awesome with some yoga, flexibility and stretch movements. Moves are approx. 30-sec each including boat pose, scissor kicks, rocking baby, lying spinal twist, downward dog, upward dog, downward dog, lying scorpion stretch, child’s pose with reach, cat-cow, rotating hip stretch, hip flexor stretch, tricep stretch, toe stretch, hamstring stretch, prayer pose and forward fold. Great stretch, mobility and recovery routine. I will be doing this one for years to come.

 

 

Sheriff Abs

 

Circuit 1 – Moves appox. 30-sec each including boulder shoulders, plank knee to elbow, v-hold, heel highs, side v-ups, v sit-ups, ab climbers and mountain climbers. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

This core workout is a rocker! There are no breaks between moves within the circuit with only a short water break between rounds. There is significant time under tension employed by not dropping to your knees between plank movements, which is especially tough on the shoulders! There are also iso-holds when the core is engaged (e.g., plank knee to elbow and side v-ups).

 

 

Extreme Conditioning 1.0

 

Circuit 1 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including bodyweight squat, rear lunge, forward lunge, side lunge, mudder miles, push-ups, bodyweight squat, rear lunge other side, forward lunge other side, and side lunge other side. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

Circuit 2 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including crab dips, crab taps, elbow side plank (tough!), plank knee to elbow, grincee’s (push-up to press-up stand), mountain climbers, elbow side plank other side, plank knee to elbow other side, grincee’s, and superman hops. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

Extreme 1.0 is a strong body weight HIIT workout. I had a good sweat going and felt great at the end. I imagine it will get tough in the later weeks. 

 

 

Dumbbell Endurance 1.0

 

Circuit 1 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including racked squat, bent-over row, push-up on weights, ground pull-ups, Romanian butt builder (i.e., dumbbell deadlifts), and push press. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

Circuit 2 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including 1-arm crunch, split-leg-1-arm press, kneeling front raise, 1-arm crunch other side, split-leg-1-arm press other side, and kneeling front raise other side. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

The workout finishes up with a burnout series consisting of 3 rounds of 2 moves at 30-sec each of mudder makers and racked squat. 

Try not to put weight down between sets to enhance grip strength build. Push press is really tough. There is some iso focus on certain moves. I used 25-lb dumbbells and that was plenty. This workout was a rocker by the end. I was exhausted and sweat dripping. I am wondering how how tough the 3.0 version will be. Ha. The challenge is definitely aligned with the weight you select. Good stuff.

 

 

Athletic Training Day 1.0

 

Circuit 1 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including sprinter reaches, sky highs (plyo), twisty climbers, pike hops, burpees, and crunch reaches. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

Circuit 2 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including plank flagpoles, boulder shoulders, stairway to heaven (upright mountain climbers), plyo lunges, and “dab” abs. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

There are many iso-holds in this routine. Great workout overall! Reminds me of some Max:30 and Asylum mostly. Fun workout and good exercise for only 25 min. I am enjoying the change-of-pace with Tough Mudder!

 

 

Dynamic Dumbbells 1.0

 

Circuit 1 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including rear lunge, split-leg press (same leg forward as lunge), split-leg row (same leg forward again), single-leg chest press, reverse crunch, single-leg chest press other leg, rear lunge other side, split-leg press other side, split-leg row other side, and Romanian butt builder. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

Circuit 2 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including kneeling get-up, suitcase deadlift, kneeling get-up other side, and suitcase deadlift other side. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

The workout finishes up with the Circuit 3 burnout series consisting of 3 rounds of 3 moves at 30-sec each of renegade row, high pulls, and racked squat. Try not to put weight down between sets to enhance grip strength build. I used 25-lb dumbbells throughout the workout. The burnout series had very little break between moves and sets. The first circuit is never-ending and the third circuit is killer. My average heart rate was high for me. This felt like Max:30 with weights in many respects. Good stuff. Looking forward to Mudder Ground Strength 1.0 tomorrow and it looks like iso- and core plus other challenges.

 

 

Mudder Ground Strength 1.0

 

Circuit 1 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including bear reaches, bear crawl, tabletop kick-outs, crab dips, crab taps, crab reaches, mountain climbers, boulder shoulders, and roll-ups. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

Circuit 2 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including squat taps, side lunge, shoulder floats, side lunge other side, and 4-count bodybuilder (down-out-in-up). This circuit is repeated for two total rounds. Pick up the pace second round.

This is a challenging workout that is highly relevant to the obstacles found in Tough Mudder and other races. I can see Hunter will build on these moves in later weeks to enhance difficulty and promote mudder-focused endurance.

 

 

Extreme Conditioning 2.0

 

Circuit 1 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including bodyweight squat, forward lunge with reach, paddle lunge, rear crossover lunge, mudder miles, alternating push-up to side plank, bodyweight squat, forward lunge with reach other side, paddle lunge other side, and rear crossover lunge other side. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

Circuit 2 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including crab thrusters, alternating crab taps, elbow side plank (tough!), plank knee to elbow, plyo grincee’s, mountain climbers, elbow side plank other side, plank knee to elbow other side, plyo grincee’s, and double superman hops. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

There are extra iso-holds and enhanced move difficulty progression vs. Week 1 (e.g., plyo grincee’s and double superman hops). Overall, 2.0 is more challenging and even had some hints of Mudder Mobility. Fun and engaging workout!

 

 

Dumbbell Endurance 2.0

 

Circuit 1 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including racked squat, renegade row, skull crashers, heel highs, Romanian butt builders, and strict press. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

Circuit 2 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including bicep curls, rear lunge thrusters, kneeling swings (power move!), and crunch press. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

The workout finishes up with a burnout series consisting of 3 rounds of 2 moves at 30-sec each of mudder makers and racked squat with heel raise. 

Try not to put weight down between sets to enhance grip strength build. My grip was on fire in the rear lunge thrusters Circuit 2 after the biceps curls. I used 25-lb dumbbells throughout the workout. More challenging strict press version in Wk 2 vs. push press Wk 1. More iso-focus in Week 2, where the iso duration is held longer. 

 

 

Athletic Training Day 2.0

 

Circuit 1 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including lateral squat hops, sprinter hops, mountain climbers, pike hops, burpees, and ab climbers. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

Circuit 2 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including plank flagpoles, donkey dogs, “dab” abs, donkey dogs other side, and plyo lunges. This circuit is repeated for THREE total rounds.

In the Week 2 version, there are longer iso-holds and an extra round in circuit 2. The heart rate data is similar to Week 1 with the exception of a slightly higher calorie burn, as expected.

 

 

Dynamic Dumbbells 2.0

 

Circuit 1 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including single-leg butt builder, hamjammers (challenging!), racked side lunge, clean and jerk, single-leg butt builder other side, hamjammers other side, racked side lunge other side, chest press with 45 degree leg, heel highs, and glute bridge chest press. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

Circuit 2 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including 1-arm curl and press, split lunge 1-arm row, 1-arm curl and press other side, and split lunge 1-arm row other side. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

The workout finishes up with the Circuit 3 burnout series consisting of 3 rounds of 3 moves at 30-sec each of renegade row, high pulls, and racked squat thrusters. Try not to put weight down between sets to enhance grip strength build. Used 25-lb dumbbells throughout the workout. 

These dumbbell workouts are the toughest for me, no doubt. Shoulders were on fire today and my grip was failing by the end since you don’t always put the weights down between moves. Rocker. The circuit 1 rounds are long with many moves. This workout leverages more single leg moves for more balance, strength and stability. There are more power moves and a lot of shoulder work. The hamjammers work the lower body hamstrings and upper body at the same time. Circuit 2 exercise of 1-arm curl press to the next move split lunge is tough without releasing the weight. An added bonus for this workout include slow count reps for burn plus iso hold combinations.

 

 

Mudder Ground Strength 2.0

 

Circuit 1 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including bear reaches, bear crawl, barbwire divers, side v-ups, spiderman push-ups, mini-me’s (lunges), and mudder miles. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

Circuit 2 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including puddle jumps, rear crossover lunge, roll-ups, rear crossover lunge other side, and 6-count bodybuilders. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds. Pick up the pace second round.

The barbwire divers are similar to P90X while puddle jumps are comparable to Insanity Asylum Vol 1 agility ladder jumps. The 6-count bodybuilders progress from the 4-count version in Wk 1. Overall, great workout. I really like this program and it will definitely help you prepare for mud/obstacle races. A lot of iso push-ups today and challenging moves. It was a fun workout. T-30 program is now half way done!

 

 

Extreme Conditioning 3.0

 

Circuit 1 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including squat kick, forward lunge with reach, paddle lunge, rear crossover lunge, mudder miles, barbwire divers, burpees, forward lunge with reach other side, paddle lunge other side, and rear crossover lunge other side. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

Circuit 2 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including tri hards (push-up just with tricep), elbow plank twisters, linebacker hops, mudder miles, rear lunge kick, puddle hoppers, rear lunge kick other side, mudder miles, pike-ups, and Russian twists. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

Tough moves in Circuit 2 such as tri hards, which are a great move to blast the triceps and elbow plank twisters to hit the core. Another great workout and I had a good sweat going. I am enjoying this program, although I will be excited to get back to Body Beast in a couple of weeks after 3 months off. I will create a hybrid of Body Beast and Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 to get the best of both worlds!

 

 

Dumbbell Endurance 3.0

 

Circuit 1 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including racked mini-me’s, renegade row with tricep kickbacks, spiderman push-ups on weights, skull crushers with 45 degree leg, Romanian butt builder with heel lift, and push press. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

Circuit 2 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including dumbbell swings, kissing press, 21 bicep curls (7 bottom, 7 top, 7 full), and bent-over row with tricep kickback. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

The workout finishes up with a burnout series consisting of 3 rounds of 2 moves at 30-sec each of dumbbell mudder makers with heel lift and dumbbell thrusters. Try not to put weight down between sets to enhance grip strength build. I used 25-lb dumbbells throughout the workout. 

Renegade row with tricep kickback was tough and my hand grip was fatigued in Circuit 1 after the spiderman push-ups on weights. Heart rate spiked with cardio push press in the Circuit 1 rounds. Circuit 2 focused on many power endurance moves. Overall, this is a tough workout with the 25s for me and my heart rate spiked in the 180s for DB thrusters. A lot of shoulder work in this program. Good stuff and it was nice to hit the biceps/triceps today!

 

 

Athletic Training Day 3.0

 

Circuit 1 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including rotational squat hops, sprinter hops, wall jumps, push-up pike-ups, burpees, and ab climbers. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

Circuit 2 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including push-up flagpoles, donkey dogs, Russian v’s, donkey dogs other side, and plyo lunges. This circuit is repeated for THREE total rounds.

Push-up pike-ups are a great plyo movement for the entire upper body. The iso holds with core engaged for the ab climbers and push-up flagpoles certainly enhanced the challenge in Week 3!

 

 

Dynamic Dumbbells 3.0

 

Circuit 1 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including single-leg butt builder, split-leg curl, racked side lunge, clean and press, single-leg butt builder other side, split-leg curl other side, racked side lunge other side, chest press with 45 degree leg, straight-arm hold with scissor kick, and glute bridge chest press (fly version round 2). This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

Circuit 2 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including 1-arm hammer curl, 1-arm snatch, 1-arm hammer curl other side, 1-arm snatch other side. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

The workout finishes up with the Circuit 3 burnout series consisting of 3 rounds of 3 moves at 30-sec each of dumbbell swings, standing skull crusher, and dumbbell thrusters. Try not to put weight down between sets to enhance grip strength build. Used 25-lb dumbbells throughout the workout. 

The iso holds in racked side lunge work the entire body. Circuit 2 is power bodybuilding focus (awesome stuff)! Circuit 3 had my heart rate ramped most. Overall, this program really does enhance your grip, which is the point to better take on some of the difficult Tough Mudder obstacles.

 

 

Mudder Ground Strength 3.0

 

Circuit 1 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including elbow plank twisters, mountain climbers, wide-leg sit-ups, gorilla shuffles, surfboarders, diamond and dud push-ups, side v-ups each side, rolling get ups, and mudder miles. This circuit is repeated for two total rounds.

Circuit 2 – Moves approx. 30-sec each including puddle jumps, hurdle squats, wall hops, plank heel reaches (similar to bound dog P90X3), and burpees. This circuit is repeated for THREE total rounds.

Diamond and dud push-ups are a brutal plyo-based move. The rolling get ups are a great total body challenge. This was a good workout to finish up Week 3. I spiked heart rate mid 180s on the burpees and hit 17 reps last round. Challenging!

 

 

Total Body Challenge

 

This workout consists of a circuit of 3 moves approx. 30-sec each repeated for 4 total rounds each circuit. That is, there are 3 circuits x 4 rounds each = 12 total rounds. The movements include plyo lunges, push-ups, and mudder miles. There is a lot of eccentric work and iso-holds with numerous variations to the moves. 

Wow, fantastic workout. SOOOO many push-ups! I hit all reps unassisted in all circuits and rounds (3 circuits x 4 rounds each @ 30-sec each for 3 moves/round with only short breaks between circuits). My chest was on FIRE. Good stuff!

 

 

The 300 Challenge

 

This workout involves a circuit of 4 movements 10 reps each repeated for 3 rounds each circuit. That is, there are 3 circuits x 3 rounds each = 9 total rounds. Circuits 1-3 include high pulls, strict presses, racked squats, and bicep curls for 3 rounds WITHOUT putting the weight down between sets. This is actually 360 total reps unless I am missing something! I used 25-lb dumbbells to start and then needed to move to 20-lb dumbbells for the first time in the entire program. You don’t put down weight between sets so there is a lot of time under tension.

There are iso holds and other difficult variations. Man. Not what I was expecting, at all. What a rocker. Very limited breaks and you hold the weights for most of the work. Talk about developing grip strength! Awesome stuff. Killer total body workout in only 20-min or so.

 

 

Obstacle Day Challenge

 

This workout is 1 circuit of 5 rounds of movements without breaks to simulate an obstacle course including mudder miles, muddy buddies, mountain climbers, puddle jumps, and stairway to heaven. That is, 20 min or so active work with total body weight moves with no break the entire time. I actually did very well and didn’t find this workout very difficult. My cardio strength and endurance is really high now after LIIFT MORE and T-30 programs. Felt good.

 

 

Reps Win Races

 

This workout has 1 circuit of 3 moves that are repeated for 9 total rounds. The first round is 6 reps each move and then each successive round you add a rep for each move. By the end you are doing 14 reps per move. So, 9 total rounds with 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 reps each move per round. The exercises include dumbbell thrusters, dumbbell swings, and renegade rows. I used 25-lb dumbbells, but learned from my 300 Challenge experience and moved to 20-lb dumbbells quickly during the workout since you don’t put down the weights much with limited rest. This workout has serious volume and time under tension. It was tough. Bring on graduation with the Burpee Challenge!

 

 

Burpee Challenge

 

The final workout is THE hardest workout of the entire Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 program! There are 3 Circuits x 6 rounds of 30-sec burpees followed by 15-sec of rest each set for 18 total rounds of burpees. I finished the Burpee Challenge, which was borderline insane. Some of the rounds used different push-up variations and interval timing. I was able to hit 53 reps circuit 1, 43 reps circuit 2 and 50 reps circuit 3. This is a lot of burpees in less than 20 min. My heart rate was in the upper workout zones for the entire workout excluding warmup/cooldown. What a challenge! These are the HIGHEST heart rates I achieved for the entire program, and the data approaches Insanity Max:30 heart rate data.

My Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 review is DONE! What an amazing program. I highly recommend the program. Reach out to me if you have any questions or want to talk about the best programs or hybrids for your ultimate goals!