You've done the Couch-to-5K thing, you've dabbled in 10Ks, and you've even completed a half-marathon or two (or 10). You're comfortable running short and long distances—but you've never wiggled your way beneath a barbed wire mid-race, and you definitely haven't climbed a wall or rope on your way to the finish line. 

Enter the Spartan Race—the ultimate challenge for the runner or athlete looking to push the limits juuuuust a little (OK, a lot) further. Spartan Races are one of many obstacle-style races designed to get fitness fiends and thrill-seekers seriously sweaty and definitely dirty, and it's no surprise they've taken the world by storm over the past few years.

And since completing a Spartan Race is unlike any other kind of workout, training for one should be approached accordingly. In other words, running your favorite flat three-mile loop every other day isn't quite going to cut it if you want to train and race like a Spartan. 

Signed up and ready to kick your training into high gear? Start with these Spartan-specific moves, recommended by Kevin Donoghue, a Spartan Race elite athlete, Spartan SGX coach, and head trainer for the Daily Burn Spartan program. While Donoghue was nice enough to demo these moves for us in the dead of winter, snow training isn't required! 

Oh, and no barbed wire necessary—yet.

Perform each exercise for one minute, and repeat the entire circuit three times.

1. Reverse Lunge Carry

How to do it: Standing tall, place weight in both hands, slightly above your right shoulder. Maintaining that position, step back with your right leg until your knee is just above the ground. Pushing off your left leg, return to the starting position. Raise the weight overhead, extending your arms until straight. Repeat on the other side.

Why you need it: "This exercise challenges your balance, preparing the legs and glutes for climbing hills and uneven footing," says Donoghue. "It also strengthens the arms for heavy shoulder carries while developing core stability."

2. Modified Deadlift

How to do it: Stand tall with your head and shoulders back, feet hips-width distance apart. Gripping with your fingers, place a weight in front of your thighs, then bend at the knees, pushing your glutes back until your hands reach knee level. Stand back up and repeat. 

Why you need it: A portion of a Spartan Race may require you to do a bucket carry—and that's where this move comes in handy. "The modified deadlift strengthens the lower back, hamstrings, glutes, and hip flexors," says Donoghue. "It's also an opportunity to work on grip strength, which is vital for a variety of other obstacles."

Related: 7 Simple Exercises That Show Results After One Workout

3. Asymmetrical Squat

How to do it: Place a weight of choice in your right hand, palm facing up. Stand with legs a little wider than shoulder-width apart, then pivot your right foot 90 degrees out, keeping the heel lined up with the left foot. Squat down until your glutes are even with your knees. Stand back up and repeat on the other side. 

Why you need it: "With so much diverse terrain along the course, it's important to train the body at different angles," says Donogue. "This exercise supports that by changing body level with different foot positioning. This becomes extremely valuable when climbing and descending rocky terrain, high barbwire, and tunnels." Plus, adding weight in your hands creates a greater load on the core and upper body—perfect preparation for all those funky hand positions you can expect along the way. 

Mix up your workout with these fun squat variations: 

preview for 15 Dance-Inspired Squats That'll Make You Shake Your Booty

4. Staggered Pushup

How to do it: Lower into a pushup position with your hands directly underneath your shoulders. Move your right hand one hand-length forward and your left hand one hand-length backward, then lower your chest down until it's just above the ground. Push back up, switch hand positions, and repeat. To make it easier, place your knees on the ground. To make it harder, raise one foot off the ground. 

Why you need it: This move is important for building chest, shoulder, triceps, and core strength—"and you'll need that for all those burpees," says Donoghue. "Not to mention the barbed wire crawl..."

Related: 7 Reasons Your Arms Aren't Changing No Matter How Much You Work Out

5. Army Crawl

How to do it: Begin in a forearm plank with your elbows directly underneath your shoulders. Place your right elbow forward and your left elbow back, then place your left leg forward, keeping your right leg back. Begin to crawl and move forward, alternating between your left arm and right leg and right arm and left leg. 

Why you need it: "Nothing screams, 'I'm ready for the barbed wire!' more than the army crawl," says Donoghue. This exercise is designed to work all the muscles needed when you're maneuvering over and around mud, water, snow, rocks, and whatever else Mother Nature throws your way on race day.

6. V-Up Rope Climb

How to do it: Lie flat on your back with your legs extended. Raise your right leg as far as possible, then "climb your leg" with your right hand and then your left, pulling your upper body toward your right foot. Gently lower down, then repeat on the other side.

Why you need it: The rope climb isn't just about pulling using the muscles in your arms and back. It also requires lots of abdominal and hip flexor strength in order to raise your legs into the proper position to secure your feet to the rope. "The overwhelming majority of people need to use their legs to climb," says Donoghue. "So this exercise is a must."

7. Wood Choppers

How to do it: Standing tall, raise your right arm above your head and slightly behind you as you raise your right leg slightly in front of you. Bending only at the waist, lower your right arm in front of you as far as you can, while simultaneously raising your right leg behind you as far as you can. Return to standing, then repeat on the other side. 

Why you need it: Balancing on uneven, often slippery terrain and obstacles demands you have serious balance. "Without putting you at risk, this is a fantastic exercise to develop that balance," says Donoghue. Bonus: You'll also be stretching and strengthening your hamstrings and lower back along the way. (Kick-start your new, healthy routine with Women's Health's 12-Week Total-Body Transformation!)

8. Front-Loaded Walking Lunge

How to do it: Stand up straight with feet shoulder-width distance apart. Cradle the weight with both arms up against your chest. Maintaining an upright posture, step forward with your right leg and lower as far as possible without touching your back knee to the ground. Drive forward and up with your right leg, and bring your left leg even with your right. Switch sides and repeat. 

Why you need it: "Climbing up all those mountain trails is going to take some serious leg drive," says Donoghue. "Nothing mimics that glutes-driving effort better than walking lunges." Not only does this exercise prepare your legs for chewing up those hills, he says, it's also ideal for preparing your back and arms for the bucket carry. 

9. Single-Arm Row

How to do it: Stand with feet shoulder-width distance apart, and grab a weight in your right hand, arm extended toward the ground. Bend the upper body and arms forward to 45 degrees, keeping the back straight and the chest square to the ground. Pull the weight up until it's above your hip, then lower and repeat on the opposite side. 

Why you need it: This pulling exercise targets the back and biceps, which are essential for developing the strength you'll need to get across the monkey bars or climb the rope, rigs, and walls. "Because we perform it one arm at a time, it'll force you to really engage your core, glutes, and grip," says Donoghue. 

Related: The Dangers of a Mud Run

10. Star Jump

How to do it: Stand with feet shoulder-width distance apart. Squat down and, as quickly as possible, jump up and forward, driving your arms forward. In mid-air, spread your arms and legs out as wide as possible, then quickly tuck them back in as you prepare to land. Land in the same shoulder-width stand you started in—and land soft, says Donoghue, absorbing the landing with bent knees and "silent like a ninja." Step back to the starting position and repeat. 

Why you need it: "To conquer a Spartan Race, you'll need to navigate up over ditches, puddles, and hay bales," says Donoghue. "Power and explosiveness are mandatory." This exercise trains you for both while also developing kinesthetic awareness. Plus, says Donoghue, "It looks awesome."