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Spartan Up!: A Take-No-Prisoners Guide to Overcoming Obstacles and Achieving Peak Performance in Life
Since 2006 more than one million people have participated in Spartan Races around the world. In 2014 there will be a race every other day in 15 countries on five continents. What do these Spartans know that you don’t? They know that we all have a fire burning within us to prove ourselves. Joe De Sena has captured that invincible Spartan spirit in his manifesto for bold living, SPARTAN UP! A Take-No-Prisoners Guide to Overcoming Obstacles and Achieving Peak Performance in Life (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; May 13, 2014; $24).
De Sena’s prescription for life’s insurmountable obstacles is to get off the couch and crush them through hard work and force of will. A legend in the ultramarathon community, he created Spartan Race, extreme obstacle races where no one knows what to expect, but to finish is to be transformed. Spartan Race drives participants to their very limit to learn what they are capable of and to set a new frame of reference; one they can draw upon in the face of life’s harshest challenges. Everyday disappointments and setbacks seem small when you’ve been to the other side of hell and made it back as a victor.
In SPARTAN UP! De Sena paints a picture of how he created the Spartan way of life, beginning with an unexpected challenge by a friend that got him back into shape through endurance racing. After that first race, De Sena completed more than 50 ultramarathons (in conditions ranging from -30 to 120 degrees) and 14 Ironman events, including the 135-mile Badwater ultramarathon, the 140.6 Lake Placid Ironman, and a 100-mile Vermont trail run—in a single week. The harder the race the more he loved it; he was hooked.
SPARTAN UP! is more than an insider’s view of the world of obstacle racing, it’s a manual for the Spartan way of life, including :
• Finding the will to succeed: The first half of a race you run with your legs; the second half you run with your mind. Turn your pain into an outboard motor to drive you forward.
• Tossing your cookies: The Cookie Test can teach you how to overcome the need for immediate gratification and help you prosper in the long term.
• Changing your frame of reference: Reset your inner default as an antidote to dissatisfaction and the insatiable need for “more.”
• Getting Spartan fit: Survival of the Fittest means training outside the gym for strength, endurance and flexibility throughout the entire body—and don’t forget those burpees!
• Moving mountains: Whether metaphorical mountains or the ones on which Spartans race, what you think are your limits can be a mere starting point for transformation.
Age, gender, and physical ability are no barrier and finishers become entirely new people, without limitations, living life to the fullest. That’s why the Spartans say: “You’ll know at the finish line.”
JOE DE SENA is a cofounder of Spartan Race, which began as an obstacle race based on the extreme spirit of the legendary Death Race, and has become a multi-million dollar global lifestyle company in less than 10 years. It was voted Outside magazine’s Best Obstacle Race. In one year’s time he competed in the Raid International Ukatak in Canada; the IditaSport in Alaska; the Odyssey Adventure Race and the OAR Beast of the East, both in Virginia; the Raid the North Extreme in Newfoundland, the Adrenaline Rush in Ireland and the Discovery Channel World Championships in Switzerland. He resides in Vermont with his family. For more information, please visit www.spartanupthebook.com.
De Sena’s prescription for life’s insurmountable obstacles is to get off the couch and crush them through hard work and force of will. A legend in the ultramarathon community, he created Spartan Race, extreme obstacle races where no one knows what to expect, but to finish is to be transformed. Spartan Race drives participants to their very limit to learn what they are capable of and to set a new frame of reference; one they can draw upon in the face of life’s harshest challenges. Everyday disappointments and setbacks seem small when you’ve been to the other side of hell and made it back as a victor.
In SPARTAN UP! De Sena paints a picture of how he created the Spartan way of life, beginning with an unexpected challenge by a friend that got him back into shape through endurance racing. After that first race, De Sena completed more than 50 ultramarathons (in conditions ranging from -30 to 120 degrees) and 14 Ironman events, including the 135-mile Badwater ultramarathon, the 140.6 Lake Placid Ironman, and a 100-mile Vermont trail run—in a single week. The harder the race the more he loved it; he was hooked.
SPARTAN UP! is more than an insider’s view of the world of obstacle racing, it’s a manual for the Spartan way of life, including :
• Finding the will to succeed: The first half of a race you run with your legs; the second half you run with your mind. Turn your pain into an outboard motor to drive you forward.
• Tossing your cookies: The Cookie Test can teach you how to overcome the need for immediate gratification and help you prosper in the long term.
• Changing your frame of reference: Reset your inner default as an antidote to dissatisfaction and the insatiable need for “more.”
• Getting Spartan fit: Survival of the Fittest means training outside the gym for strength, endurance and flexibility throughout the entire body—and don’t forget those burpees!
• Moving mountains: Whether metaphorical mountains or the ones on which Spartans race, what you think are your limits can be a mere starting point for transformation.
Age, gender, and physical ability are no barrier and finishers become entirely new people, without limitations, living life to the fullest. That’s why the Spartans say: “You’ll know at the finish line.”
JOE DE SENA is a cofounder of Spartan Race, which began as an obstacle race based on the extreme spirit of the legendary Death Race, and has become a multi-million dollar global lifestyle company in less than 10 years. It was voted Outside magazine’s Best Obstacle Race. In one year’s time he competed in the Raid International Ukatak in Canada; the IditaSport in Alaska; the Odyssey Adventure Race and the OAR Beast of the East, both in Virginia; the Raid the North Extreme in Newfoundland, the Adrenaline Rush in Ireland and the Discovery Channel World Championships in Switzerland. He resides in Vermont with his family. For more information, please visit www.spartanupthebook.com.
195 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2014
227 people are currently reading
2150 people want to read
About the author
Joe De Sena
19 books68 followersJOE DE SENA is a cofounder of Spartan Race, which began as an obstacle race based on the extreme spirit of the legendary Death Race, and has become a multi-million dollar global lifestyle company in less than 10 years. It was voted Outside magazine’s Best Obstacle Race. In one year’s time he competed in the Raid International Ukatak in Canada; the IditaSport in Alaska; the Odyssey Adventure Race and the OAR Beast of the East, both in Virginia; the Raid the North Extreme in Newfoundland, the Adrenaline Rush in Ireland and the Discovery Channel World Championships in Switzerland. He resides in Vermont with his family. For more information, please visit www.spartanupthebook.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 257 reviews
July 12, 2014
I love Spartan Racing. I’ve done three so far, and I’m registered for two more. So this book is kind of preaching to the choir. I think Spartan Racers might enjoy it. I think those who are interested in running their first Spartan Race might be motivated by it.
But I’m not sure what the purpose of the book is. Is it to motivate people to run Spartan Races? Is it to build the Spartan brand? Is it Joe De Sena’s ego? It’s probably all three, which is why it seems so loosely constructed to me. I admire Joe De Sena a great deal, but this book seemed like a testosterone-boosted coach’s locker room pep talk in ten chapters. It’s an okay read if you get it free when you register for a Spartan Race. But purely as a motivational/self-help book, I can think of many more that are better, more insightful reads.
I give the book two-and-a-half stars. But I give Spartan Racing five stars. If you haven’t run one, you should.
But I’m not sure what the purpose of the book is. Is it to motivate people to run Spartan Races? Is it to build the Spartan brand? Is it Joe De Sena’s ego? It’s probably all three, which is why it seems so loosely constructed to me. I admire Joe De Sena a great deal, but this book seemed like a testosterone-boosted coach’s locker room pep talk in ten chapters. It’s an okay read if you get it free when you register for a Spartan Race. But purely as a motivational/self-help book, I can think of many more that are better, more insightful reads.
I give the book two-and-a-half stars. But I give Spartan Racing five stars. If you haven’t run one, you should.
August 14, 2014
I'm sure this book could help some people, but I couldn't get past the terrible writing. It's just really, really bad. Terrible sentence structure, non-sequiturs everywhere, fragments, and weird random anecdotes that just make zero sense.
I was excited to get a glimpse into the Spartan lifestyle, but I saw absolutely no "guide" whatsoever in this book. It was just a bunch of stories about this guy and how cool he is.
Not impressed. Read 3/4ths, skimmed the rest, closed the book feeling cheated and sickened by the whole thing. Yuck.
I was excited to get a glimpse into the Spartan lifestyle, but I saw absolutely no "guide" whatsoever in this book. It was just a bunch of stories about this guy and how cool he is.
Not impressed. Read 3/4ths, skimmed the rest, closed the book feeling cheated and sickened by the whole thing. Yuck.
September 1, 2017
A solid " I liked it"
Part of me thinks Sena could have done himself a favor by more clearly spelling out the analogy between his stories about particular Spartan racers and overcoming challenges in work, life, and relationships, to make the book more accessible and appealing. But this is exactly like the wrestlers arriving at his training camp with no idea of what they about to do, and, even while they were doing it, no idea of how it would help them. Seno doesn't intend to be accessible or appealing. He doesn't even care if you understand. He just cares that you start and commit and keep going even when you think you can't go on.
Side note: the CEO of Spartan Race Australia came to NZ this year. Rumor has it he also scouted potential Spartan Race locations for 2018. Spartan Races tried to get off the ground here in 2014 and 2015, but the races were canceled. Here's hoping it works this time. I will totally commit to finishing the Sprint.
Part of me thinks Sena could have done himself a favor by more clearly spelling out the analogy between his stories about particular Spartan racers and overcoming challenges in work, life, and relationships, to make the book more accessible and appealing. But this is exactly like the wrestlers arriving at his training camp with no idea of what they about to do, and, even while they were doing it, no idea of how it would help them. Seno doesn't intend to be accessible or appealing. He doesn't even care if you understand. He just cares that you start and commit and keep going even when you think you can't go on.
Side note: the CEO of Spartan Race Australia came to NZ this year. Rumor has it he also scouted potential Spartan Race locations for 2018. Spartan Races tried to get off the ground here in 2014 and 2015, but the races were canceled. Here's hoping it works this time. I will totally commit to finishing the Sprint.
June 28, 2015
1. mostly anecdotal without clear pragmatic examples to achieve fitness
2. felt like an ad for races. correction, felt like a pyramid scheme pitch for the races.
3. the whole book is full of the notion of honor, struggle, overcoming challenges, "we might die any moment and that's ok" as if dude-bro never read an actual Spartan history book, instead opting for the movie version(300)
4. the bit about his kids learning Mandarin and studying kung fu for two hours a day stuck with me... as entitled millennial privileged drivel.
5. in short obstacle running is skill intensive. this book teaches no skills.
it certainly doesn't teach the skill of avoiding necrotizing fasciitis in random mud-pools.
2. felt like an ad for races. correction, felt like a pyramid scheme pitch for the races.
3. the whole book is full of the notion of honor, struggle, overcoming challenges, "we might die any moment and that's ok" as if dude-bro never read an actual Spartan history book, instead opting for the movie version(300)
4. the bit about his kids learning Mandarin and studying kung fu for two hours a day stuck with me... as entitled millennial privileged drivel.
5. in short obstacle running is skill intensive. this book teaches no skills.
it certainly doesn't teach the skill of avoiding necrotizing fasciitis in random mud-pools.
April 1, 2016
What starts (and ends) as mostly an ad for the author's races, turns out to also be (in the author's opinion) an excellent chance to brag incessantly about how important he is and how everyone is always telling him he's such a hero and changed their lives. There are bright moments in this book, but they're far less common than they would be with just a touch less self-absorption by the author. The net result is that Joe has managed to make me want to try a Spartan Race less than I did before I read the book, if only to prevent a nickel from going into the pocket of such an egomaniac.
Even if you put all the shameless bragging aside, you are still left with an advertisement disguised as a real book combined with obvious excuses and ploys. There is actually a whole little section where he tries to explain that the legal waiver he makes racers sign (in order to protect him from being responsible for what happens on the course) is actually not at all related to legal reasons and really just all about helping you out. Seriously. Is being honest that hard? You can't just admit that you don't want to be sued? I mean, who does?
He also make the classic fitness fallacy of trying tell everyone that his form of training is the only really good one and all other forms are bad. At one point, he explains that powerlifters have "show muscles not go muscles". Since the author hasn't even bothered to understand what lifting is, can anyone take his opinion on anything else seriously? He makes similar jabs at virtually every other approach to fitness. It's one thing to argue the value of endurance (and it certainly has value) but it's something else to be dishonest and try to claim that no one else is doing anything good.
He has an ego you usually only see out of Crossfit HQ and he makes nearly all the same fundamental fitness mistakes that Glassman does, but obviously neither would be willing to not be top dog so he just started his own little cult.
The book wouldn't have lost anything essential if he'd just said that this is what he likes to do and he is healthy and lots of other people love it too and get healthier doing it. You don't have to split your time between congratulating yourself and down-talking other aspects of fitness you clearly know nothing about in order to make yours interesting. This isn't grade school.
Even if you put all the shameless bragging aside, you are still left with an advertisement disguised as a real book combined with obvious excuses and ploys. There is actually a whole little section where he tries to explain that the legal waiver he makes racers sign (in order to protect him from being responsible for what happens on the course) is actually not at all related to legal reasons and really just all about helping you out. Seriously. Is being honest that hard? You can't just admit that you don't want to be sued? I mean, who does?
He also make the classic fitness fallacy of trying tell everyone that his form of training is the only really good one and all other forms are bad. At one point, he explains that powerlifters have "show muscles not go muscles". Since the author hasn't even bothered to understand what lifting is, can anyone take his opinion on anything else seriously? He makes similar jabs at virtually every other approach to fitness. It's one thing to argue the value of endurance (and it certainly has value) but it's something else to be dishonest and try to claim that no one else is doing anything good.
He has an ego you usually only see out of Crossfit HQ and he makes nearly all the same fundamental fitness mistakes that Glassman does, but obviously neither would be willing to not be top dog so he just started his own little cult.
The book wouldn't have lost anything essential if he'd just said that this is what he likes to do and he is healthy and lots of other people love it too and get healthier doing it. You don't have to split your time between congratulating yourself and down-talking other aspects of fitness you clearly know nothing about in order to make yours interesting. This isn't grade school.
May 22, 2014
This is a terrific read with an inspiring message. Joe and his team at Spartan Race have taken the extreme/survival/ultra race culture to everyone, and the impact on sporting and the participants is huge. The book is part adventure reading, part personal journey, and all inspiration. What I like best is it's approachable inspiration. Almost any one can run a Spartan Sprint, and so many people have used the race as a way to reset their priorities, their "stress point", their lives and their happiness.
Must read. Must enjoy. Must get out there and tackle life.
March 4, 2014
Great Read about TRULY LIVING. As an Elite athlete and Spartan 300 racer, I can tell you that there is some awesome knowledge in here. Everything in life is an obstacle, and with the "Spartan Up" mindset, you can learn to overcome every one of them. Spartan Up is not just a book, it's more of a Philosophy that many Athletes live by. This is a must read for those who want to be healthy and keep it fun.
2014 Spartan Race Street Team Member
2014 Spartan Race Street Team Member
October 4, 2017
I can't quite decide whether to be inspired by this book, or horrified by it. Joe De Sena certainly doesn't have time for your excuses!!
August 19, 2014
holy pile of self-promotion, batman. don't read this book unless you're already a spartan competitor. if you're looking for any kind of motivation to get fit? not here. this is one gigantic advertisement for the runs that he hosts. all of the 4-5 star reviews are from spartan team members. i get it, if you do these events you'll feel better. was hoping for more about the process of founding this international event, or perhaps even some anecdotes of competitors. a complete waste of time. not that i have an opinion or anything.
March 4, 2014
Amazing read about the Spartan Lifestyle!
November 13, 2017
"Who is this wanker who is telling us to Spartan Up?" one might rightfully ask. Joe De Sena is no couch potato, he earned his right to tell other people to spartan up at the school of hard knocks, he completed numerous adventure races, including ones in the middle of the winter in Canada!, completed twelve Ironmans in one year, done tough ultramarathons and who knows, he might even be a Spartan descendant given the fact that he is of Italian heritage and the fact that Sicily and the South of Italy were once Greek colonies.
This book is highly inspiring for the average couch potato and for the folks like me who are a little bit more disciplined and manage to take care of their mind and bodies daily or almost daily is a good reminder for why the hell we keep on doing it.
There are a lot of good arguments in this book on why you should be the best version of yourself but my favorites are the stories. Stories about regular folks who say: Enough! and start doing something with their life. They are heroes in my opinion and it's no exaggeration, a hero is a person who goes against incredible odds and achieve something. There are wonderful stories in this book about people who are fighting a vicious cancer that enters in remission but then comes again, on and off for many years, yet they find the strength to challenge themselves and rise above their condition; people who are overweight or who have serious body limitations yet they persist in their quest and reach the finish line...if these stories don't motivate you then I don't know what can.
This book is highly inspiring for the average couch potato and for the folks like me who are a little bit more disciplined and manage to take care of their mind and bodies daily or almost daily is a good reminder for why the hell we keep on doing it.
There are a lot of good arguments in this book on why you should be the best version of yourself but my favorites are the stories. Stories about regular folks who say: Enough! and start doing something with their life. They are heroes in my opinion and it's no exaggeration, a hero is a person who goes against incredible odds and achieve something. There are wonderful stories in this book about people who are fighting a vicious cancer that enters in remission but then comes again, on and off for many years, yet they find the strength to challenge themselves and rise above their condition; people who are overweight or who have serious body limitations yet they persist in their quest and reach the finish line...if these stories don't motivate you then I don't know what can.
July 16, 2020
So someone on TikTok recommended this book, and me a dumbass, took their advice.
To summarize, this book is about testing your limits, well my limits were really tested cause I could barely finish it. Some good quotes from actually wise people, the rest just felt like a promotion for this Spartan race. Like cool dude, buy a commercial instead.
Constant examples of "So and so who accomplished this would have been a spartan" Bruh. that bitch has been dead for 200 years.
If you looking for actual good advice, hire a life coach instead.
To summarize, this book is about testing your limits, well my limits were really tested cause I could barely finish it. Some good quotes from actually wise people, the rest just felt like a promotion for this Spartan race. Like cool dude, buy a commercial instead.
Constant examples of "So and so who accomplished this would have been a spartan" Bruh. that bitch has been dead for 200 years.
If you looking for actual good advice, hire a life coach instead.
December 31, 2018
A very inspirational book with much easily understood motivational concepts. This book makes you want to do something more and be healthier than you ever thought you could. The whole thing read like a story even when there were lists involved. Some of the things he said seemed so over the top yet there was such a rational explanation for each thing that I found myself having to think twice about my previous held opinions as I read.
March 4, 2014
The book kept me turning the page one after another. Couldn't put it down. Great to get into the mind of Joe and see how I could use his principles and incorporate them into my own life.
Any time I'm working late or walking home in the cold, I realize that by changing my frame of reference these minor speed bumps are just that, minor.
Thanks Joe, for an inspirational perspective on life!
Any time I'm working late or walking home in the cold, I realize that by changing my frame of reference these minor speed bumps are just that, minor.
Thanks Joe, for an inspirational perspective on life!
September 3, 2016
Simply put, remove Spartan Race from my life and there would be an enormous void. It affects the way I eat, sleep, work and even straight-up *LIVE*.
The way I lived my life before I found it *was* Spartan Race. Now I get to have the substance behind the attitude.
Spartan Race is something every single person on the planet should experience. Simple as that.
The way I lived my life before I found it *was* Spartan Race. Now I get to have the substance behind the attitude.
Spartan Race is something every single person on the planet should experience. Simple as that.
June 26, 2018
I hovered between a two- and three star review, because this book is very repetitive, and seems more like an advertisement for Spartan Racing than an informative book on athletic pursuits. There is not much actionable information in here, not even tips on how to actually prepare for a Spartan endurance race. The main thesis seems to be for giving thumbs up to burpees and a lot of running.
However, it is entertaining reading (if you’re an athlete), includes lots of inspiring personal achievement stories, and above all is a very badass, plain spoken summary of why America is falling apart — because everyone is soft and looking for the easy way out. These are the author’s words, not mine.
It’s also a highly enthusiastic, ebullient book by someone whose passion for what he does shines forth on every page, and that’s always something. It’s focused on how making yourself tougher by taking on physical challenges is the way to salvation. These are my words, not the author’s.
I didn’t agree with every single thing in this book, but I do like the message of self discipline being the key to happiness. This is classic Spartan/Stoic philosophy and is thousands of years old, yet presented in a modern, real-life way. It’s the “live your life fully in the here and now” story, told in a somewhat different way. It’s a short, dynamic read as well. Of course, the author is obviously very impressed with himself, and the last page of the book is a coupon for a discount on your race registration fee (for races in the US only, mind you), so you need to take all this with a few grains of sand from the inside of your Spartan running shoes.
However, it is entertaining reading (if you’re an athlete), includes lots of inspiring personal achievement stories, and above all is a very badass, plain spoken summary of why America is falling apart — because everyone is soft and looking for the easy way out. These are the author’s words, not mine.
It’s also a highly enthusiastic, ebullient book by someone whose passion for what he does shines forth on every page, and that’s always something. It’s focused on how making yourself tougher by taking on physical challenges is the way to salvation. These are my words, not the author’s.
I didn’t agree with every single thing in this book, but I do like the message of self discipline being the key to happiness. This is classic Spartan/Stoic philosophy and is thousands of years old, yet presented in a modern, real-life way. It’s the “live your life fully in the here and now” story, told in a somewhat different way. It’s a short, dynamic read as well. Of course, the author is obviously very impressed with himself, and the last page of the book is a coupon for a discount on your race registration fee (for races in the US only, mind you), so you need to take all this with a few grains of sand from the inside of your Spartan running shoes.
August 14, 2017
Good book. Not sure I'll ever do one of their races but I enjoyed the book a lot.
September 3, 2020
Мотивационна книга за силата на човешкия дух, в която авторът главно хвали себе си и своята фирма (за организиране на предизвикателства) и какви успехи имат.
April 29, 2021
I am now ready to become a Spartan
February 24, 2025
Some books are meant for changing your life. This is the one that really shifts your views and standards. I definitely will do a Spartan Race in the future!
March 1, 2025
Joe talks about the origins and foundations of the Spartan Race all while sharing inspirational stories of those who have conquered their fears and expectations to complete one of these amazing events!
October 17, 2017
For obvious reasons, I’m giving this book 5 stars. For all Spartans (and non-Spartans), this is a great inspirational and motivational book. It encouraged me to continue to work hard, whether it be the gym, or my daily life. I also really like that this book can answer the question I get asked very often, “What’s the big deal with Spartan Races?” - all you have to do is read the book. You’ll know at the finish line. Aroo.
February 23, 2018
As I read this book on a flight, it wasn't lost on me that I popped a chocolate as I read the chapter on nutrition. TL;DR - this is a much too long advertisement/pyramid scheme pitch for Spartan Race, with some good stuff interspersed throughout.
While reading the first half of this book, I alternated between being pumped up and inspired to get healthy, and being annoyed with the way he ragged on modern-day society. From his organic farming, to essentially eschewing technology and modern-day progress, he seems to espouse the idea of minimalism. Which is fine. I have nothing against living more simply.
But his belief seems to be that the only things which are "hard" (which consequently are the only ones he says are rewarding) are ones that are physically demanding. He says that we are becoming too cerebral as if that is a bad thing. He talks about how we don't even know what it means to have a difficult time. It's almost as if he's the proverbial "grownup," talking about how it was "back in my day," except "my day" translates into the times back before cars.
"'The kids are screaming. The bag of groceries broke. What a horrible day! Today is a [expletive] disaster!' Disaster? We have no idea what a [expletive] disaster is" (p. 37).
He also comes across somewhat of a braggart, and kind of a tool. He talks a lot about his accomplishments, and belittles the accomplishments of others, if perhaps unintentionally. For example, he says when he completed his first Ironman, he thought, "This is easy" (p. 36).
The last 50 pages (or so) are unapologetic advertising for Spartan Race. I wish I could go back and count the number of times the term "Spartan Race" is used. For a while, I was pumped about getting off my butt and getting healthier, eating better, etc. But then the end was filled with testimonials and explanations for how to live the Spartan lifestyle by consistently signing up for Spartan races. He even says (paraphrasing here), "People ask me if I have to sign up for a Spartan Race. Can't I just do the other stuff? Well, it won't be as good."
Also, all the little lessons at the end of the chapters are uplifting stories I've heard over and over. He gives credit for #1 and #3, but the other two he writes as if they are from personal experiences. In one, he writes as coming from personal experience because he got to know a little girl named Liz, whose brother could be a blood donor for her. I saw that story in an old video when I was a kid (which was from the 70s), and also found it on Snopes. The version in his book is from a Chicken Soup for the Soul story, attributed to Dan Millman. It's a nice story, but there's no attribution, which makes me wonder what else he's taking credit for that he didn't do.
I'm glad he talks about the dark side of the Spartans. However, after talking about how they would kill the "defective" and the weak, he then says the rest of their culture made them people worth emulating. Um, nah. Maybe they had some redeeming characteristics worth emulating, but not them or their culture as a whole. Should've named your company something else.
Okay, bad stuff out of the way. Here's what I liked. I like his thoughts on focusing on what we can control and accepting what we can't. Of pushing ourselves to our limits and beyond, helping make everything else easier by comparison. I like what he says about unexpected obstacles, and how encountering them in a Spartan Race helps you practice expecting the unexpected. I liked his discussion on delayed gratification, how you reap greater rewards when you take the pain now. It really encouraged me to focus on getting things done early, not procrastinating, and going to bed early /getting out of bed when I wake up.
I especially like the advice to do the thing you hate the most (or are least looking forward to) first, to get it out of the way. I've actually tried to teach my daughters that at home, but haven't been very good at doing it myself when it comes to work. It also encourages me to get outside. To play. To have fun with my kids at the park, instead of counting down until we can go inside.
To me, the Spartan diet sounds like the word of wisdom - at least, the nutrition part, that most people don't follow. And I liked what he talked about with decision making: the rule of upside downside. I liked how he said that for a lot of decisions, you'd spend less time actually doing the thing than you're spending debating whether to do it in your head.
I felt this quote was awesome, and something worth emulating, despite how I feel about other parts of the book: "Our Everest-like highs in life are fleeting, if we are lucky enough to achieve them at all. They are time for reverence and humility, not fist pumps and chest bumps" (p. 33).
While reading the first half of this book, I alternated between being pumped up and inspired to get healthy, and being annoyed with the way he ragged on modern-day society. From his organic farming, to essentially eschewing technology and modern-day progress, he seems to espouse the idea of minimalism. Which is fine. I have nothing against living more simply.
But his belief seems to be that the only things which are "hard" (which consequently are the only ones he says are rewarding) are ones that are physically demanding. He says that we are becoming too cerebral as if that is a bad thing. He talks about how we don't even know what it means to have a difficult time. It's almost as if he's the proverbial "grownup," talking about how it was "back in my day," except "my day" translates into the times back before cars.
"'The kids are screaming. The bag of groceries broke. What a horrible day! Today is a [expletive] disaster!' Disaster? We have no idea what a [expletive] disaster is" (p. 37).
He also comes across somewhat of a braggart, and kind of a tool. He talks a lot about his accomplishments, and belittles the accomplishments of others, if perhaps unintentionally. For example, he says when he completed his first Ironman, he thought, "This is easy" (p. 36).
The last 50 pages (or so) are unapologetic advertising for Spartan Race. I wish I could go back and count the number of times the term "Spartan Race" is used. For a while, I was pumped about getting off my butt and getting healthier, eating better, etc. But then the end was filled with testimonials and explanations for how to live the Spartan lifestyle by consistently signing up for Spartan races. He even says (paraphrasing here), "People ask me if I have to sign up for a Spartan Race. Can't I just do the other stuff? Well, it won't be as good."
Also, all the little lessons at the end of the chapters are uplifting stories I've heard over and over. He gives credit for #1 and #3, but the other two he writes as if they are from personal experiences. In one, he writes as coming from personal experience because he got to know a little girl named Liz, whose brother could be a blood donor for her. I saw that story in an old video when I was a kid (which was from the 70s), and also found it on Snopes. The version in his book is from a Chicken Soup for the Soul story, attributed to Dan Millman. It's a nice story, but there's no attribution, which makes me wonder what else he's taking credit for that he didn't do.
I'm glad he talks about the dark side of the Spartans. However, after talking about how they would kill the "defective" and the weak, he then says the rest of their culture made them people worth emulating. Um, nah. Maybe they had some redeeming characteristics worth emulating, but not them or their culture as a whole. Should've named your company something else.
Okay, bad stuff out of the way. Here's what I liked. I like his thoughts on focusing on what we can control and accepting what we can't. Of pushing ourselves to our limits and beyond, helping make everything else easier by comparison. I like what he says about unexpected obstacles, and how encountering them in a Spartan Race helps you practice expecting the unexpected. I liked his discussion on delayed gratification, how you reap greater rewards when you take the pain now. It really encouraged me to focus on getting things done early, not procrastinating, and going to bed early /getting out of bed when I wake up.
I especially like the advice to do the thing you hate the most (or are least looking forward to) first, to get it out of the way. I've actually tried to teach my daughters that at home, but haven't been very good at doing it myself when it comes to work. It also encourages me to get outside. To play. To have fun with my kids at the park, instead of counting down until we can go inside.
To me, the Spartan diet sounds like the word of wisdom - at least, the nutrition part, that most people don't follow. And I liked what he talked about with decision making: the rule of upside downside. I liked how he said that for a lot of decisions, you'd spend less time actually doing the thing than you're spending debating whether to do it in your head.
I felt this quote was awesome, and something worth emulating, despite how I feel about other parts of the book: "Our Everest-like highs in life are fleeting, if we are lucky enough to achieve them at all. They are time for reverence and humility, not fist pumps and chest bumps" (p. 33).
June 9, 2014
Spartan Up! is a good read that left me feeling motivated to make less excuses and accomplish more things.
The book is a smart marketing move for Spartan Race, but it’s also a good read for anyone who’s looking for motivation. De Sena’s perspectives are extreme, but almost everyone I know would benefit from applying even a small dose of what he writes in his book to their lives.
The book uses race stories (his own adventure endurance event tales as well as those of Spartan competitors) and stories of exploration and adventure to drive home his approach in life, which he aptly calls "Spartan".
The Spartan life boils down to a handful of great principals:
1) Avoid Immediate Gratification
De Sena calls this the “Cookie Test”. The bottom line is that if you reach for the cookie (the cookie represents any immediate-gratification reward) you’re almost always cutting yourself short of some larger long-term reward. Life is better lived, according to De Sena, when you say “no” to the cookie and say “yes” to working hard to achieve bigger things.
2) Changing Your Frame of Reference
"The use of our body is a privilege, one that millions of people forget, neglect, and forfeit. Too many forget what enjoying life really means. And before they know it, carpe diem, Latin for "seize the day," turns into mea culpa. Latin for "by bad".
Racing — especially Spartan racing — pushes you to new levels of pain and discomfort. That kind of pain resets your point of reference so that smaller, ordinary discomforts seem less substantial. The harder the race, the more your frame of reference is reset. In short, by racing hard, you make daily challenges seem easier.
3) Fueling Your Body with Real Food
This chapter will be challenging for readers who are used to taking short cuts in diet and nutrition (eating pre-packaged foods or fast food, taking weight loss or muscle building supplements, etc.). De Sena supports his theories on nutrition with sobering facts on nutrition-related diseases that plague millions of Americans.
"You can't wish for a fit body. You have to go get it. You have to be willing to eat and exercise your way there."
4) Blasting Past Your Perceived Limitations (Resiliency)
"When you start an ultra-endurance event, the fact that it's going to get ugly at some point is a given. It will reach a dark place where I will think, I can't believe I am putting myself back in this position. But at some level, that's also the point. Each time I race, I'm testing myself all over again."
Spartan Up! will stay on my bookshelf as a go-to for times when I’m feeling under-motivated. De Sena’s perspectives might be a little intense for the average reader, but that’s the point: who wants to be average?
The book is a smart marketing move for Spartan Race, but it’s also a good read for anyone who’s looking for motivation. De Sena’s perspectives are extreme, but almost everyone I know would benefit from applying even a small dose of what he writes in his book to their lives.
The book uses race stories (his own adventure endurance event tales as well as those of Spartan competitors) and stories of exploration and adventure to drive home his approach in life, which he aptly calls "Spartan".
The Spartan life boils down to a handful of great principals:
1) Avoid Immediate Gratification
De Sena calls this the “Cookie Test”. The bottom line is that if you reach for the cookie (the cookie represents any immediate-gratification reward) you’re almost always cutting yourself short of some larger long-term reward. Life is better lived, according to De Sena, when you say “no” to the cookie and say “yes” to working hard to achieve bigger things.
2) Changing Your Frame of Reference
"The use of our body is a privilege, one that millions of people forget, neglect, and forfeit. Too many forget what enjoying life really means. And before they know it, carpe diem, Latin for "seize the day," turns into mea culpa. Latin for "by bad".
Racing — especially Spartan racing — pushes you to new levels of pain and discomfort. That kind of pain resets your point of reference so that smaller, ordinary discomforts seem less substantial. The harder the race, the more your frame of reference is reset. In short, by racing hard, you make daily challenges seem easier.
3) Fueling Your Body with Real Food
This chapter will be challenging for readers who are used to taking short cuts in diet and nutrition (eating pre-packaged foods or fast food, taking weight loss or muscle building supplements, etc.). De Sena supports his theories on nutrition with sobering facts on nutrition-related diseases that plague millions of Americans.
"You can't wish for a fit body. You have to go get it. You have to be willing to eat and exercise your way there."
4) Blasting Past Your Perceived Limitations (Resiliency)
"When you start an ultra-endurance event, the fact that it's going to get ugly at some point is a given. It will reach a dark place where I will think, I can't believe I am putting myself back in this position. But at some level, that's also the point. Each time I race, I'm testing myself all over again."
Spartan Up! will stay on my bookshelf as a go-to for times when I’m feeling under-motivated. De Sena’s perspectives might be a little intense for the average reader, but that’s the point: who wants to be average?
March 4, 2014
I have been participating in Spartan Races for the past 3 years and each year I come across new challenges, much like with everyday life at times. Spartan is a community, a family, and a way of life for a lot of people. I don't think I would be where I am today, driven in work, family and life, without Spartan Race. Spartan Up! is not only a book about Obstacle Course Racing, it's about living life to the fullest, embracing the obstacles that come your way and crushing those obstacles coming out the other side victorious.
Karen Feeser
2014 Street Team Member
Karen Feeser
2014 Street Team Member
August 13, 2017
Skim-read in one sitting. I got this ebook for free from the Spartan website. It's relatively short, so I figured I'd give it a quick read. I would recommend against paying for this book. I also wouldn't really recommend reading it...
The whole thing is a bunch of stories about obese individuals signing up for Spartan races and losing weight and becoming more awesome because of the race. It felt like an overly-long advertisement. I didn't really understand the point of the book.
Spartan races themselves are quite fun though :)
The whole thing is a bunch of stories about obese individuals signing up for Spartan races and losing weight and becoming more awesome because of the race. It felt like an overly-long advertisement. I didn't really understand the point of the book.
Spartan races themselves are quite fun though :)
March 5, 2014
Spartan Race had changed my life, and I truly believe it will change yours. Read this book, and be motivated to live a healthy life. Challenge yourself, and get outside your comfort zone. Sign up for a race, show up, and never ever quit! AROO!
October 31, 2017
Good for a little motivation. Nothing ground-breaking.
December 25, 2019
An inspirational book
January 1, 2018
I love Spartan Races. I got my 2X Trifecta in 2017. My concerns with them are that they seem to be getting easier/weaker compared to how they originally were (see the Death Race that isn't offered anymore). As the races get larger and larger they have to accommodate too many people.
An inverse correlation links how miserable you feel in the race, and how great you feel after it.
I like what he said about wrestling being the most fluid of sports. It's not linear like a marathon. You don't know what will happen next with your opponent. Wished I had wrestled in all four years of High School.
"No physical element embodies the unknown like mud. It sticks to us, slowing us down, trying to pull us under." The Spartan Races use mud in their courses to help condition us for the mud of our everyday life. These events are designed to challenge people to overcome breakdown.
The Death Races sound fun. I wish they still did them. I like the different themes they have like religion, betrayal, gamblers, etc. I like the idea of competing against the competitors to see who will quit first and the race keeps going until 85% have quit.
Some people stay stuck to one spot for years because they are paralyzed by fear.
We've been conditioned to think that we as a society should spend tremendous resources eliminating obstacles from our lives rather than teaching people how to surmount them.
I think it's great to train outdoors in an unpredictable environmental. The beauty of obstacle races is that it exposes your weakest link. You might be great at marathons but lack upper body strength, or strong but lack the endurance to climb hills.
I wish they still did the 12 foot greased wall. Seems like these Spartan races have gotten watered down, easier , and more political and "safe" as they've gotten larger.
He talks about giving out participation trophies but in some ways the medals they give out for the finishers are like participation trophies. But I can see that they think they aren't cuz if you don't finish you won't get one.
Disease comes from stagnation within the body. If you do 30 burpees a day and eat right, you won't get sick.
Dang he did 10,000 burpees.
Food should be fuel for your workouts, not medication for your moods. Depression is one of the most grueling cookie tests because every moment is a choice either to stay the same or seek change.
Poor food starts with poor food production.
Mountains keep the weak away from whatever lies on the other side of them.
This book referenced many terrific other books such as Blue Zones, Grit, Born to Run, and that other one I recently read about eat foods not to much mostly plants, and that other one that talked about eating a vegetarian/vegan diet. Too bad that Ghost Writer didn't help him with it or it could have flowed much better. Plus there were many unnecessary swear words.
Haha I like the quote Grit actually gets Beep done.
We can impose limits on ourselves or we can create unlimited extraordinary experiences.
The way to get through anything mentally painful is to take a little at a time.
When you know what you want you can make you're own luck.
A Spartan also doesn't mind playing with someone, even a future spouse, to have a memorable experience and gauge her reaction.
Dang his story of ripping out his hip was so nasty.
Greatness doesn't come from obsessing over trivial events of the day and checking social media accounts 20 times an hour. How can you achieve greatness of you are constantly sidetracked by trivial pursuits? Develop a strong mind and resist temptation and distractions. Elon Musk didn't get to where he is by doing that beep. I like how Joe is creating something great and better for mankind like Elon is.
Yes he quoted the Beep of the Rings when Gandalf says " all we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us." I love that.
An inverse correlation links how miserable you feel in the race, and how great you feel after it.
I like what he said about wrestling being the most fluid of sports. It's not linear like a marathon. You don't know what will happen next with your opponent. Wished I had wrestled in all four years of High School.
"No physical element embodies the unknown like mud. It sticks to us, slowing us down, trying to pull us under." The Spartan Races use mud in their courses to help condition us for the mud of our everyday life. These events are designed to challenge people to overcome breakdown.
The Death Races sound fun. I wish they still did them. I like the different themes they have like religion, betrayal, gamblers, etc. I like the idea of competing against the competitors to see who will quit first and the race keeps going until 85% have quit.
Some people stay stuck to one spot for years because they are paralyzed by fear.
We've been conditioned to think that we as a society should spend tremendous resources eliminating obstacles from our lives rather than teaching people how to surmount them.
I think it's great to train outdoors in an unpredictable environmental. The beauty of obstacle races is that it exposes your weakest link. You might be great at marathons but lack upper body strength, or strong but lack the endurance to climb hills.
I wish they still did the 12 foot greased wall. Seems like these Spartan races have gotten watered down, easier , and more political and "safe" as they've gotten larger.
He talks about giving out participation trophies but in some ways the medals they give out for the finishers are like participation trophies. But I can see that they think they aren't cuz if you don't finish you won't get one.
Disease comes from stagnation within the body. If you do 30 burpees a day and eat right, you won't get sick.
Dang he did 10,000 burpees.
Food should be fuel for your workouts, not medication for your moods. Depression is one of the most grueling cookie tests because every moment is a choice either to stay the same or seek change.
Poor food starts with poor food production.
Mountains keep the weak away from whatever lies on the other side of them.
This book referenced many terrific other books such as Blue Zones, Grit, Born to Run, and that other one I recently read about eat foods not to much mostly plants, and that other one that talked about eating a vegetarian/vegan diet. Too bad that Ghost Writer didn't help him with it or it could have flowed much better. Plus there were many unnecessary swear words.
Haha I like the quote Grit actually gets Beep done.
We can impose limits on ourselves or we can create unlimited extraordinary experiences.
The way to get through anything mentally painful is to take a little at a time.
When you know what you want you can make you're own luck.
A Spartan also doesn't mind playing with someone, even a future spouse, to have a memorable experience and gauge her reaction.
Dang his story of ripping out his hip was so nasty.
Greatness doesn't come from obsessing over trivial events of the day and checking social media accounts 20 times an hour. How can you achieve greatness of you are constantly sidetracked by trivial pursuits? Develop a strong mind and resist temptation and distractions. Elon Musk didn't get to where he is by doing that beep. I like how Joe is creating something great and better for mankind like Elon is.
Yes he quoted the Beep of the Rings when Gandalf says " all we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us." I love that.
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