What Are The Yard Games And How To Prepare

The Yard Games are a brand new dynamic community event that brings together individuals of all ages (16+ years) and fitness levels for a day of fun, fitness, and friendly competition. Participants engage in a series of challenging yard games designed to promote physical activity, teamwork, and community spirit. We are hoping this event will become a highlight in our community, attracting a diverse audience and creating lasting memories for all involved. 

Have you seen the worldwide Hyrox event taking over the fitness world and felt inspired to participate? The Yard Games is our local take on the popular Hyrox events, and the race course is inspired by our popular Yard classes. It takes exercises you may already be familiar with to the next level. 

Spectators are welcome to cheer on the athletes with a suggested donation made towards the Olive Tree upon your entry.

The event programme will be kept secret until competition day to keep you on your toes! But if you want to know how to prepare, here’s an idea of what to expect: 

The programme will be made up of 3 zones: 

• Zone 1: Strength
• Zone 2: Cardio 
• Zone 3: Metcon 

This event is open to Members and Non-Members; you can enter as an individual, pair, or team of 6. Our fitness team will be ‘coaches’ who will help support you around the track. We will also have refuel stations around the course, with goodies from My Protein Ball Company and Lucozade to keep you going as you compete. 

Strength

Strength workouts focus on building muscle strength and power through resistance training. These exercises utilise heavy weights and low rep ranges to challenge the muscles maximally. 

Common strength exercises include weightlifting moves like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and overhead presses. 

Cardio

Cardio workouts are any exercise that elevates your heart rate for an extended period. Cardio aims to improve heart health, burn calories, and increase endurance. Mixing steady-state cardio with high-intensity interval training is an effective way to challenge your cardiovascular system.

Common cardio exercises include running, cycling, swimming, rowing, and using cardiovascular machines like treadmills or ellipticals. 

Metcon

Metcon stands for metabolic conditioning and refers to exercises intended to boost your body’s ability to better utilise oxygen and energy substrates like carbohydrates and fats. Metcon exercises typically involve high-intensity full-body movements performed in a circuit fashion with little to no rest between sets. 

Common examples of Metcon exercises include burpees, kettlebell swings, box jumps, and battle ropes.

Getting ready for the course

If you know you excel in one particular area, focus your training for the next few months on your preferred exercise type to compete at your best. This especially works well if you’re joining as a team and you all pick a different area you’re strong at.

Looking to take on the whole course yourself? Then balance your workouts evenly, concentrating equally on strength, cardio and metcon exercises to ensure you’re ready for the Yard Games.