Tackle any obstacle life can throw at you, from a foot race to hand-to-hand combat, with a total-body training routine. Utilize your core and upper and lower body for a complete work-out routine. Stretch, push and pull yourself to new levels of fitness with the Navy SEAL workout combining running, calisthenics and a "never say die" mentality.
Stretching
U.S. Navy SEAL Mark De Lisle recommends stretching before, after and during your workout. Perform stretches slowly, holding each stretch for at least 15 seconds and refrain from making bouncing motions.
Upper-body stretching includes the triceps stretch, shoulder stretch and the swimmer stretch.
The triceps stretch is performed by reaching your right hand behind your neck and pulling your right elbow with your left hand toward your head. Switch arms and repeat.
Perform the shoulder stretch by positioning your right arm across your chest and grab your right shoulder with your left hand, pulling your right arm toward your chest. Switch arms and repeat.
The swimmer stretch involves the chest and anterior deltoids. Raise your right hand, bending your elbow at 90 degrees, with your palm facing forward. Lower your left hand, also bending the elbow at 90 degrees with your palm facing behind you. Pull both hands behind you at the same time to feel a tightness in your chest. Reverse the arms and repeat.
Lower-body stretches include the thigh stretch, the butterfly stretch and the hamstring stretch.
Perform the thigh stretch by standing up straight and grabbing your right foot with your right hand and pulling your right foot toward your buttocks. Switch legs and repeat.
Target your groin with the butterfly stretch by sitting down and bringing the soles of your feet together and pulling your heels close to your crotch. Grab your ankles and press down on your knees with your elbows.
The hamstring stretch is performed sitting down with the feet spread wide apart. Grab your right ankle with your left hand and pull your chest to your knee. switch legs and repeat.
Upper Body
Pull-ups, push-ups and dips constitute the SEAL upper-body workout and should be performed five days a week. The upper-body routine utilizes the pyramid system of ascending and descending sets with 15 seconds of rest between each set, except for dips, which are performed in four sets of at least five repetitions.
For example you will perform one pull-up then rest for 15 seconds, followed by two pull-ups then rest for 15 seconds followed by three pull-ups then rest for 15 seconds. Once you reach the peak of your pyramid, or maximum number of reps allotted, you will work your way back down in reverse order back to your initial number of reps.
The pull-up pyramid is as follows: 1-2-3-2-1. Complete one pyramid for each of the four pull-up variations including regular-grip, reverse-grip, close-grip and behind-the-neck.
The push-up pyramid is: 2-4-6-4-2. Complete one pyramid for each of the four push-up variations including standard, diamond-hand, wide-angle and dive-bomber.
Lower Body
Hand-to-knee squats, one-legged squats, and calf raises are used by SEALS to build lower-body strength without using weights. As with the upper body, perform the lower body routine five days a week. Perform 10 repetitions of hand-to-knee-squats and one-legged squats on each leg and maximum repetitions for calf raises.
Hand-to-knee squats are performed by standing up straight, feet shoulder width apart, and hands at the sides. Bend your knees, keeping a straight back until your hands reach reach past your knees, and return to starting position.
One-legged squats are performed by standing up and reaching out with your hands in front of you. Descend on one leg, bringing your thigh parallel to the floor while holding your free leg out in front of you and off the floor. Keep your shin perpendicular to the ground to prevent extending your the knee forward of your toes. Push yourself back to starting position. Switch legs and repeat.
Standing on an elevated surface such as a curb with your heels hanging off, lift yourself up to your tip-toes and back down so your heels are below the your toes for one calf raise.
Core
U.S. Navy SEALS incorporate many core exercises into their training, including crunches, leg-lifts, flutter-kicks, scissor-kicks and knee-bends.
Leg-lifts are performed lying down with the palms under the buttocks and feet together. Raise your heels 6 inches off the ground and lift to the height of three feet for one repetition. Complete all core exercises five days a week.
Flutter-kicks are performed in the same manner as leg-lifts, the only difference being that you raise one leg while you lower the other, creating a swimming-kick motion. Scissor-kicks mimic flutter-kicks except that your legs move horizontally instead of vertically. Flutter and scissor kicks are performed to a four count for one repetition.
Perform knee-bends sit on the floor, leaning slightly back with your palms on the floor and your legs straight out in front of you. Raise your feet 6 inches off the ground, keeping your heels together and bring your knees to your chest for one repetition. Perform maximum repetitions of each exercise.
Cardio
The amphibious Navy SEALS operate on both land and sea, and thus combine running and swimming for cardiovascular training. Navy SEAL Mark De Lisle recommends a combined routine of three miles of running Monday, Wednesday and Friday and 1,200 yards of swimming Tuesday and Thursday.
References
- 'The Navy SEAL Workout"; Mark De Lisle, U.S. Navy SEAL; 1998
- "The U.S.Navy SEAL Guide TO Fitness And Nutrition"; Patricia A. Duester, P.h.D., Anita Singh, P.h.D., Pierre A. Pelletier, ENS, MC, USNR; 2007
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