Good luck finding foothold on this deceivingly tough 10' wall. Skidmarked is angled to make it nearly impossible to swing your legs up and over, so do you push-ups beforehand so your upper body strength can help you scale this beast. Don't worry, someone in Mudder Nation will give you a boost if you need a lift to conquer this classic.
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Grab a Leg
Once you make it up, have Mudder’s who are scaling this wall lift their leg up to hoist them up and over
Offer bottom Support
Keep that Mudder going, if your team member is struggling – be their support to push them up to the lip.
Offer top support
Grab an arm, a leg or simply communicate strategy. Anything helps when you have crushed the obstacle yourself.
“Didn’t think it was possible when I can up to Skidmarked, but a fellow Mudder gave me a hoist up & over!”
The inside word
Deep dive into the details of Skidmarked.
How To Conquer
Give your go at a running start to jump up and try to grab hold of this steep, angled wall to then pull yourself up and over. This is easier than it sounds, so unless you have been crushing pullups in your Tough Mudder training (good on you, if you have) – try your best at this tactic. If this doesnt work, look for a hold point (a supporting beam) or lend the knee of a fellow Mudder to hoist you up.
A HISTORY: SKIDMARKED
Often duplicated, never replicated. This slanted wall has made Mudder re-think their upper body strength for almost 10 years.
With nowhere to properly apply a firm grip to, you are going to need to get creative with your fellow Mudders on Pyramid Scheme to create a base. In order to hoist yourself up and over this angled wall, make a human pyramid with your team and use their shoulders as a ladder mechanism to successfully crush this obstacle.
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Stretch out
Lay back on the angled wall and use your body as a human ladder for others to climb up
Your fellow Mudder
Take this obstacle on with a muddy stranger or your buddy to create a plan to get up the slippery surface
Get creative
Feet stacked on another Mudder’s shoulder? Sounds like a plan to get Mudder Nation up and over the slippery wall
“Teamwork at it’s finest!”
The inside word
Deep dive into the details of Pyramid Scheme.
How To Conquer
With a lot of Tough Mudder obstacles, getting a running start and trying your best on the obstacles is sometimes the most fun. Pyramid Scheme is a perfect exmaple of this up a steep angled wall that has no grip points. 1, 2, 3…GO. If that doesn’t work, take the team approach: either you, yourself – or your teammate lay flat on their back, creating a human ladder.
A HISTORY: PYRAMID SCHEME
After taking a sabbatical in 2021, Pyramid Scheme is BACK in the tail end of 2022 with a teamwork challenge that will bring you closer to Mudder Nation.
Devil's Beard might appear like a walk in the park, but don't let this obstacle fool you. Heavy grade netting is pinned to the ground, only providing you so much room to crawl underneath to the other side. Whether its the opening of the net that you can get snagged on, or the uneven ground surface you need to crawl through - Devil's Beard might have you feeling a bit like hell.
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Get low
Crouch down, so you can move at a quicker pace under the net
Head down
Let your back take the brunt of the friction of the net and keep your arms and legs lower so they don’t get caught
Give yourself space
Try lifting the net with your arm, if you want to try and walk through crouching down
Side by Side
Go with your team member, so both of you can keep the net higher and less restrictive.
“Looked easy, but got caught up in the net a few times…my friend and I couldn’t stop laughing”
The inside word
Deep dive into the details of Devil’s Beard.
How To Conquer
Get low and use your arms as a way to hold the thick, heavy netting above you. Commence army crawling your way under or if you have the core mobility, bend you body in half and walk under, with your back taking the majority of friction on a ‘smooth’ surface so your head & arms don’t get caught.
A HISTORY: PYRAMID SCHEME
Simple, yet effective for the challenge. Devil’s Beard has been with Tough Mudder for years & makes it’s appearance on course when you least expect it.
Lean in - but not for a kiss. In order to keep yourself out of the drink, you'll need to coordinate with a fellow Mudder to maintain a semblance of balance while crossing the Widow's Peak water pit. You'll have your own slackline to plant your feet on as you shimmy across, but sharing a single line for your hands means that you'll feel every buck and blunder from your new friend.
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Plant Your Feet
Get some solid footing on the slackline before you begin your traverse.
Lend a Hand
Grasp the handhold line and be courteous – you’re sharing it for support.
Make Eye Contact
It’s the polite thing to do. Plus it’ll make communication so much easier.
“It take two to Tango, but only one to make a splash”
The inside word
Deep dive into the details of Widow’s Peak.
How To Conquer
You’ve got four things to concentrate on here: your hands, your feet, your fellow Mudder, and your core. Start with solid footing on the lower line and a firm grip on the upper line. Tighten your core to maintain stability and begin to shimmy across in unison with your counterpart in the next lane.
A HISTORY: WIDOW’S PEAK
New for 2022, Widow’s Peak builds upon the prestigious foundations of Dong Dangler and Black Widow, adding a dash of teamwork to the classic combo of slack lines and water pits.
Holding hands isn't just for lovers - it's for anyone hoping to make it through Texas Hold'em. This topsy-turvy obstacle features sharply two sharply angled platforms on a pivoting base. You'll need to grab hands with another Mudder (friend or stranger, it doesn't matter at a Tough Mudder) and shuffle in unison to keep the whole seesaw from rocking you off.
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Hold Hands
Sweaty hands are no excuse – clasp hands tightly and stay interlocked.
Do the Two Step
Moving out of sync is a fasttrack to failure. Coordinate those foot movements!
Find Your Center
No two participants are identical, so find your center of gravity before moving!
“We laughed, we cried, we fell off.”
The inside word
Deep dive into the details of Texas Hold’em.
How To Conquer
The two things to remember here are balance and trust. Choosing a partner that is roughly your height won’t hurt either. Get a good grip on each other’s hands (crosslinking helps some people), bend your elbows slightly, and plant your feet on the platforms simultaneously. Shuffle, don’t step, in coordinated movements to keep the platform (relatively) steady.
A HISTORY: TEXAS HOLD’EM
Invented in 2019, Texas Hold’em was designed to add a simple-yet-engaging shot of teamwork to the Tough Mudder course. The design was further refined in 2021 to get that famous wobble just right.
Piggyback rides are fun. Hauling your tired, muddy friend (or new acquintance) along a long stretch of trail is exquisite. Don't worry - you'll get to switch with them halfway.
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Choose your Style
Piggyback or Fireman style – that is the question. See what feels right.
Eye on the Prize
See that sign in the distance? That’s where you switch. Make haste.
Meet & Greet
Don’t know anyone? No problem. Odd numbers are as common as even numbers. It’s time to meet a new friend.
“It was the greatest, muddiest piggyback ride of my life.”
The inside word
Deep dive into the details of Hero Carry.
How To Conquer
Talk with your teammate (or random partner) about how you’d like to carry and/or be carried. Piggybacking is traditional, but the advanced fireman’s carry technique – in which you carry your partner across your back by hooking one of their arms and one of their legs with your elbows – is the key for fastmovers.
A HISTORY: HERO CARRY
The concept of carrying a companion for the sheer joy of it is surely as old as humanity itself. Our innovative team would never dream of taking credit for it.
We'd tell you to watch your step, but it'll do you no good: there's no telling where the next hole will be. Pitfall will take you across a muddy swamp, filled with hidden sinkholes. Even the most sure-footed Mudder can expect some mud on their face.
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Step Lightly
Don’t stomp through the swamp on this one. Tread carefully and feel for the holes.
Look Around
See where that guy just fell? Don’t step there.
Embrace the Mud
Face it – you’re getting muddy. Might as well laugh about it.
“Don’t be hasty. Those holes are SNEAKY.”
The inside word
Deep dive into the details of Pitfall.
How To Conquer
Move slowly here and step lightly here, because there’s not much more that you can do to prepare. The holes are deep and random, so don’t go stomping.
A HISTORY: PITFALL
Originally devised by a sneaky excavator in the early days of Tough Mudder, Pitfall introduced a simple element of surprise that’s hard to top.
Inspired by obstacles of old, Well Swung is a brand new addition in 2021. Jump out, grab hold and swing your way through the air. Imagine it's like a giant trapeze just without the grace or style. At the end of your swing, launch yourself through the air and aim for the Cow Bell - either way, you're ending up in the drink.
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
Grit
Teamwork
Strength
Fun
AIM HIGH
Keep your eye on the prize and jump upwards.
SWING TRUE
Use your forward momentum to keep a nice even swing.
FALL WITH STYLE
As ol’ Buzz Lightyear used to say.
THE DEEP END
A substantially deep body of water is waiting for you to drop into.
“There is nothing quite like the freedom of a good swing.”
The inside word
Deep dive into the details of Well Swung.
How To Conquer
Keep your eyes focused on where you need your hands to be. Jump out and up with purpose. Maintain your momentum, this is key, you don’t want to be flailing around in the breeze. Release and feel the freedom.
Obstacle Training Tips
Apart from putting in some mental reps to help in conquering your fear of heights the key to success at Well Swung is grip strength. You want to be able to hold yourself suspended with your arms above your head and allow for the transfer of momentum when you catch the bar mid-jump.
Obstacle FAQs
Q: How do you complete this obstacle?
A: The glorious ring of a Cow Bell.
A HISTORY: WELL SWUNG
Well Swung is a brand new obstacle in 2021. While it has close ties to the fan favourite King Of The Swingers it certainly is its own beast. A new take on the trapeze-like swing it was first dreamt up in 2019 as a more approachable way to get that swinging feeling. After testing in the desert and a few tweaks it is ready to hit the course this year. You ready?
This obstacle ups the ante as Mudders have to drag their muddy bodies up a pipe, and find themselves perched at the end of a 5’ drop into the cold water below. Falling gracefully isn’t really an option, so just hold your nose and take the plunge.
