Of all the fitness programs in the world, the very best programs are probably those that are used to train the world’s most elite soldiers. After all, these individuals have a need for performance that is well above that of the average person.
When any military designs their training program, they are not just trying to produce results; rather, they are trying to produce optimal results. At the same time, the average soldier probably doesn’t receive the best training that they have to offer. Therefore, we will be basing this report entirely on the training methods of the U.S. Army Special Forces and the Navy Seals.
Make Sure You Understand What You Are About To Do
If you want to adopt this kind of training program, you should understand that it is not for the faint of heart. These are hardcore fitness programs that are designed to push the human body to its limits, and then break those limits when possible. This is not the kind of program that will suit a weekend workout enthusiast.
Regardless of your age or health, you might want to consult a doctor before beginning a serious and intense routine of physical training. If you have issues with your heart or lungs, you could easily hurt yourself with this kind of training. When doing this kind of training, you should:
- Start your day with a warm-up followed by a short workout
- Adopt a very lean and high-protein diet
- Work out for 5 days out of every week, doing burnouts on day 5
- Try to push every workout as hard as you can without inflicting injury
- Set a firmly regimented schedule and stick to it
- Maintain a serious and disciplined attitude
U.S. Army Special Forces Fitness Training
Army Special Forces (AKA “Green Berets”) are some of the most highly trained soldiers in the world. They are known to be highly secretive about their missions, but some of their physical training methods have been published.
Most of their training is in the field of unconventional warfare, which includes a lot of skills. Their physical fitness program is simply a more stringent version of the U.S. Army’s normal fitness program.
Exercises that are included in this fitness program include:
- Leg Raises
- Side and back bridges
- Quadraplex
- Weight machine exercises of various kinds
- Heel raises
- Squats
- Push-ups
- Squat-jumps
Now that you know the types of exercises to include, you can go about creating a specific program for yourself. However, if you really want to do things correctly, you need to follow the same training principles that are followed by the Green Berets.
This training method seeks to integrate physical and mental development in a single cohesive whole. This study, conducted on SF recruits, shows that their success or failure is normally determined by their mental toughness.
You might also get some good ideas by consulting an outline of the Army Combat Fitness Test. One of the more important parts of this test is a two-mile run, so make sure you’re serious when you take on this workout!
U.S. Navy Seals Fitness Training
The Navy Seals, who require no introduction, have one of the most grueling physical fitness programs in the world. It culminates in a solid week of particularly intense training known as “hell week.” However, most of those training methods involve team efforts and/or special situations.
We can get the information we need by looking here. You may notice that this is an official Navy manual, and yet the methods outlined are very simple. In fact, one of the most important principles of Seal training is to “keep it simple.”
Some of the exercises included in a workout like this would be:
- Push-ups
- Sit-ups
- Pull-ups
- Lots of running
- Lots of swimming
- Cycling
- Rowing
More significantly, Seal training programs make use of variations in the training intervals. Sometimes, you might use long sessions of activity interspersed with short rest periods, or you might try shorter intervals with even shorter rest periods. The above-cited manual will give you a lot of insight into the ways in which you variate intervals to obtain better results.
There also seems to be a heavy emphasis on jump training in the Navy Seal program. Jump training, sometimes called plyometrics, is a great way to get a highly intense workout in a short time. Whether using trampolines or the bare ground, anyone seeking to emulate the Seal routine should do plenty of jumping.
The Seals also have a helpful acronym when it comes to dealing with overtraining injuries. Just remember; when you don’t feel nice, get out the RICE:
- R- rest
- I- ice
- C- stretching
- E- exercise
It may seem like a contradiction exists here because rest and exercise are usually considered to be opposites. However, the idea is to rest while still maintaining a small degree of physical activity. Some people refer to this principle as “active recovery.”
Conclusion: Putting It All Together
When you take all this information and put it together, there are many different ways in which you can mix and match the exercises and ideas. Whether you choose to adopt methods from the Special Forces, the Seals, or any other type of soldier, there is no need to limit yourself to one source of knowledge.
Above all, the important thing is to undertake this sort of workout program with a sense of discipline and urgency. Always move with a purpose and train like a person who doesn’t have time to mess around. Properly adopted, these methods can allow you to get the superior results for which these elite troops are known, and without having to kill anyone! Follow us on Facebook if you have enjoyed this article. That’s an order, you maggot! Now hit the deck and get to work!
The post How Can I Train Like A Military Soldier? appeared first on Gaspari Nutrition.