Arctic Enema 2.0

A nerve-wracking update to Tough Mudder’s signature ice bath obstacle, Arctic Enema 2.0 forces Mudders down a short slide, under a chain-link fence, and into freezing cold ice water. Once submerged, Mudders must boost themselves and fellow Mudders over a wood partition in the middle of the vessel before emerging victorious.

Obstacle History

History: Introduced at TM Austin in 2011, the first version of Arctic Enema, then called ‘Chernobyl Jacuzzi,’ was simply a hole in the ground filled with ice. Subsequent designs transferred the ice bath to a Dumpster and added a partition to force full submersion. In 2015, Arctic Enema is getting its biggest upgrade yet, with a confined slide into the Dumpster and a physical challenge immediately after. Like a fine wine, this one keeps getting better with age.

Suggested Training

Mental:
Cold showers – 15 minutes, 3x weekly
Jog in the ocean (chest deep) – 10 minutes, 2x weekly
Hold your breath – 30 seconds, inhale quickly, hold again for 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times.

Physical:
Lateral Step Ups – Perform 10 reps with each leg. Rest for 90 seconds. Perform 3 rounds.
Squats – Perform 15 reps. Rest for 1 minute. Repeat for 3 rounds.
Sprints – Sprint 100 meters. Rest 2 minutes. Repeat 6 times.

Tough Mudder Tips

The last thing you want to do is hesitate here. Just take a deep breath and pitch yourself down the slide. Take a quick second breath when you pop up and quickly climb over the partition. Move quickly and don’t stop moving – the faster you are, the better off you’ll be.