Train180 is a functional fitness facility located in Nashua, NH.
Its owned by certified personal trainer, fellow Spahten, and OCR enthusiast Dave Hooper. They are also an official training facility for the #racelocal Grand Prix.
Train180 opened way back in the early years of OCR in 2011, and is located in an old mill and factory section of the city. Though a little hard to find, it’s an ideal space for his setup. According to Dave, “‘Train180’ comes from the idea of taking someone’s fitness in a completely different direction from what they have been accustomed to. A 180 degree turn if you will. Getting them off machines, out of their comfort zone, and into something new.” This philosophy is apparent as soon as you walk in, as there is only a small section of cardio machines and free weights, and the majority of the large space is open and full of functional equipment and obstacles… an OCR addict’s playground!
At Train180 you can find almost all of the most common obstacles, including 3 different walls, monkey bars, tarzan swings, tire drag and hoists, sloshpipes, traverse wall, rope climbs, heavy jump ropes and heavy carries. They did a great job utilizing the space and features of the old factory, which added a nice, rugged feel to the facility. Train180 offers personal and group training, open gym time (with or without a supplied workout), and a few OCR specific classes. They also put on a timed course inside their facility, and in nicer weather incorporate nearby trails.
Along with a fellow Spahten, I attended their Saturday, 10:30am OCR class. After a quick warmup, we were set up at different obstacles to begin a rotation. With most stations having duplicate obstacles there wasn’t much back up, despite a pretty good turnout. Our workout consisted of most of the obstacles mentioned along with a few more. Where the workout really shined was in its setup. After completing every third obstacle we were forced to tackle a wall, and interspersed throughout were cardio intensive obstacles, including treadmill, jumprope, and stairs. This is a great way to structure a workout, as it closely mimics the race conditions of cardio-obstacle-cardio.
Consistent workouts like this should help to improve times for short distance races, per the principle of specificity. Meaning if you want to get better at racing, then at least part of your training should closely mimic, or even match, the specifics of what you are training for (i.e. run to get better at running). To maximize the benefit of this workout, however, does require at least minimal proficiency at the obstacles. Too much time spent on obstacles you aren’t ready for can sabotage the workout. Fortunately, of the obstacles we worked that day, only really the wall, monkey bars, traverse wall and rope climb required much specific skill, which still left about 10 other obstacles and exercises; more than enough to get in a great, effective workout. Perfect for simulating race conditions and getting in practice time on obstacles.
Train180 is an awesome OCR facility with great options for us enthusiasts, including OCR classes, trail runs, mock races and personal training. Perfect for an everyday facility for those who live nearby or just a day trip for those who don’t. Dave is also kind enough to hook up fellow New England Spahtens with a discount! (more information)
