5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent! Well Presented and clear, July 12 2004
This review is from: The Complete Guide to Navy Seal Fitness (Paperback)
Stewart Smith does an incredible job in this book by getting right down to the bone of what all the readers are looking for: getting into excellent shape. This is a no B.S. book on how to get fit. There is no doubt about. So many other excercise books throw numbers and science your way, but Smith lays it all out on the table for you plain and simple. It is meticulously planned and easy to follow. All of the workouts are pre-written and easy to understand. As a former University of Maryland football player, I can truly say I have tried a lot of techniques to get into peak physical condition. However, this book is by far the best guide to working out that I have ever laid my hands on. Get it, work hard, and you'll feel better than ever before.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
A good book for remedial fitness, Dec 14 2003
This review is from: The Complete Guide to Navy Seal Fitness (Paperback)
This book is pretty good. It provides a structured, periodized workout with a built in taper (rest period) at the end. Its oriented for someone who is already in good shape and is very motivated, probably a SEAL hopeful or triathlete or Masters swimmer wanting an aggressive workout. Its not a beginners workout.
This book I would still categorize as being for remedial fitness. For Army Ranger/Special Forces candidates, this book is probably not the best one to follow as it contains absolutely no rucksack marching. Which in my opinion is a major lapse for a supposedly gung ho SOF type workout. Heavy long distance rucksack training builds a different kind of fitness that is functional, real world and military oriented.
This book will help you do better on your formal military PT test. Such as the SEAL PT test, the USMC PFT or the Army PFT. It will probably help you get thru BUD/S training if you are a SEAL hopeful, as BUD/S contains little heavy rucksack training like Ranger and Special Forces training.
For Army SOF aspirees, I would not recommend this book due to the total lack of rucksack training.
If you are a beginner or out of shape this book will be too tough for you, Id recommend the other "getfitnow" book titled "The Navy SEAL workout" or just get a copy of the BUD/S warning order and follow that for six months to get in shape. Then do this book.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Great For What It Is, Dec 12 2003
This review is from: The Complete Guide to Navy Seal Fitness (Paperback)
This books is intended to be a preparation for those who wish to attend Navy SEAL selection. It contains workouts that are specifically intended to prepare the reader for SEAL selection. However, these workouts are equally beneficial to the general public as demonstrated by the physical fitness of Navy SEALS. The workouts contain running and swimming, as well as high intensity/volume callisthenic workouts which cover the entire body. The workouts will not likely build large mass, but instead will build practical strength, and definition
In short though, this book is a general layout of tried and tested workouts used in preparing for Navy SEAL selection. However, it will not provide the personalized tailoring and scientific backing that many modern workout books do provide. An excellent selection though if you want a tough pre-designed workout, that will develop strength, tone, and cardiovascular fitness, without needing any weights.
What this book has:
- INTENSE! Pre-designed 12 week workout, which is intended (if it can be completed exactly as written) to prepare the reader for SEAL selection
- A 4 week workout plan designed to build the reader up to the more intense 12 week plan
- Workouts made up of calisthenics, running, and swimming
- Variation on standard callisthenic drills of pushups, pull-ups, sit-ups, and dips
- Excellent photographs, accompanied by descriptions , explaining how to perform each exercise
- Stretching techniques for the exercises
- Information on how to apply to become a SEAL
- Information on the physical fitness standards applicants need to apply to SEAL school
Example: number of pushups/ sit-ups in 2 minutes, times for running a mile, maximum pull-ups etc.
What the book is missing:
- Scientific backing of how the workouts develop the body
- Descriptions of muscles used in each exercise
Sometimes just says a description of an exercise may say "uses the back muscles"
- Personal tailoring
This book does not give any description on how to personally tailor the workout plan. Instead this books is only a standardized layout of exercises and workouts that have worked for SEAL candidates in the past.
**NOTE: The author points out the danger of performing some of the sit-up exercises. Listen to him. However, he does not mention the danger of the neck exercises, watch for these as well. You will need pull-up bars for the exercises in this book.
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