Want to research how dangerous the Tough Mudder’s Electric Shock obstacle is before getting zapped? After reading this article, you will have enough information about this obstacle to decide whether you should go for it or not. If that’s why you’re here, stay with us.
First, this Electric Shock Therapy isn’t dangerous but a challenging obstacle. No one, since its inception, has died in this obstacle. Most injuries happened from people passing out due to the shock and hitting the ground hard. The Electric Shock obstacle works just like an electric stunner – to get you down. If you get hit by the wires, you’ll get a jolt or sting or may fall in the mud due to the shock.
Currently, the Tough Mudder has two shocking electric obstacles; the “Electroshock Therapy” and “Electric Eel.” there’s still a lot more to know about this obstacle, about the voltage it carries, how it works, and the safety tips for passing this obstacle. Ready to know more…
Let’s get started.
Is Tough Mudder Electric Shock dangerous?
For a lot of people, this is the most intimidating obstacle in the Tough Mudder series. It’s not a dangerous obstacle, though. If Electric Shock Therapy were a dangerous obstacle, Tough Mudder wouldn’t have included it in the obstacle’s list.
Since the moment it was created; however, this obstacle has been extremely controversial. With that, running through a field of hanging electric wires is not an easy task.
And when you’re hearing people ahead of you in the race yelling of the jolts and stings they get. Admit it! You’ll be more terrified of the obstacle.
In this obstacle, you’ll not get shocked as if shocked by an outlet in your home, which is more dangerous – coming up to that. You’ll get a jolt, a little pain, or may fall in the mud due to the stings – nothing more than that.
You may lose control and knock yourself down upon shocking. Many people get through the field without getting any shock, in rare cases. Because the area is not heavily saturated with the live wires. They’re hanging at a distance. You may pass the obstacle without getting stung if you run faster – will come to the tips on passing this obstacle ahead.
If you have heart problems or metal inside your body, it’s recommended not to give this event a try. The organizers warn you. And if you want to join the competition, you can skip this Electric Shock obstacle as well.
Because some humans are more sensitive to electricity, they may get more hurt than others. So feel free to skip this obstacle if you think it’s not for you. There are many other obstacles to try out.
Electric shock therapy vs. Electric Eel, Which One is More Dangerous?
The Tough Mudder has many obstacles, out of which two obstacles have an electric shock. Many participants of the Tough Mudder say that obstacles other than Electric Shock are more challenging, yet people get afraid of it. The Electric Shock obstacles are not the same. They’re slightly different, which makes one more challenging than another.
The first one is Electric Shock Therapy. This obstacle has a rectangular frame in which live wires are dangling and with mud on the ground. Since you can dash through the wires in this obstacle, it’s easier than the Electric Eel obstacle. You can quickly get to the other side of the hanging wires, no matter if you get one jolt or two. But upon falling, the obstacle becomes harder.
On the other hand, you don’t have to run through the wires in the Electric Eel obstacle. Because here, the race gets tougher. You will need to crawl under the live wires to get to the other side. This is not an easy task. Creeping over your chest below the electric wires is probably harder than dashing through them.
What is Voltage of the Tough Mudder’s Electric Shock?
Well, if you hear about it, that’s more shocking than the Electric Shock Itself. The Tough Mudder
says that the Electric Shock Obstacles carry 10,000 volts of electricity. That’s right. But the question is how a human could survive this electric shock.
Many people are participating in this game, and no one has died yet. While on the other hand, a 120 – 240 volt outlet in your home could electrocute you – the reason is ahead.
Why are these 10,000 volts dangling wires safe? How it has zero risks. Let’s hear from an expert in this field – Dr. Michael S. Morse. He’s a professor at the electric department of the San Diego University. He says:
10,000 volts of electricity could be life-threatening in some instances. But a frame of wires can deliver 10,000 volts without harming you. That’s because several factors play their role in this case – Amps, current frequency, and the shock duration.
You see, a low-frequency current with a high shock duration could electrocute you even with the low voltage, just like electricity in your home. On the other hand, if the current frequency is higher with a low shock duration, like in the Electric Shock Obstacles, it causes zero to no risk, regardless of the voltage. Besides that, the current flow also plays its role here. A 10 milliampere causes a little pain. But the 50 mA could kill you.
It’s evident from the above discussion that the Electric Shock Obstacle in the Tough Mudder has low shock duration, higher current frequency, and low current flow. So the 10,000 volt of electricity with these factors at play causes a jolt or sting, or you may lose control and fall – nothing more than that. That’s why it does not hurt as it seems.
To make it more precise, the police electric stunner delivers over 100,000 volts. Yet, it only temporarily immobilizes people – no bigger risk. The same is the case with the Tough Mudder’s Electric Shock Obstacle.
Has the Tough Mudder’s Electric Shock Killed anyone yet?
No, the Tough Mudder Electric Shock Obstacles has not killed anyone yet. But, there’s one death that has occurred since the Tough Mudder race was first initiated.
Avishek Sengupta is a Towson University graduate who died at 28 in Walk the Plank obstacles. This obstacle includes jumping from a height into the water and getting to the other side. It was 20th April 2013 and at Gerrardstown, West Virginia, when he lost his life participating in this obstacle.
Safety Tips for Passing through the Tough Mudder’s Electric Shock Obstacle
So now you’ve decided to try this out at any cost. Stick to these simple tips and complete the obstacle like a pro. Then don’t leave until reading the following information for a quick and safe passing through the live hanging wires. The advice works for both Electric Shock Therapy and Electric Eel.
- Don’t overthink before getting started. The more you wait, the more down and fearful you’ll become.
- In Electric Shock Therapy, protect your face and head with your arms. If the wires shock you, they will hit your arms, not the head. So fewer chances of falling.
- Remember, when you fall, quickly get up and run. The more you stay there, the more challenging the obstacle becomes, and you may get more shocks.
- In the Electric Eel obstacle, crawl faster. Because the slower you creep, the more mudders’ screams you will hear, and hence more panic.
Conclusion:
You’ve seen that the Tough Mudder Electric Shock Obstacles are not as dangerous as it sounds. No need to call it hazardous but challenging. Other obstacles in this game are harder than the electric shocks. This is the opinion of most of the Tough Mudders’ participants.
Having said that, it is not doubted these two Electric Shocking obstacles are intimidating and painful. If you have decided to give these obstacles a try, I suggest you come mentally prepared to embrace the suck.
