As the training for Special Ops programs is grueling and intensive, overuse injuries tend to occur if a constant exercise routine is repeated for too long. Whether your routine consists of high mileage running, heavy weight lifting, or high repetition calisthenics (or anything else for that matter), if you do not change your routine frequently, you run the risk of injuring yourself. Frequency, intensity, and time spent doing workouts can play an equal part in both properly training you as well as over-training you. I have been using this program’s exercise plans for nearly 20 years, and it has enabled me to avoid serious injury from training and keeps me in a condition where I can train with the younger generation, those in their teens and early twenties.
I use the sun as my indicator of tougher workouts seasons. If the days are longer (like in the spring and summer) then my workouts are longer. This method of periodization enables me to retain gains made in hard workout seasons into the shorter days/shorter workouts. During the fall/winter months, I tend to slowly taper off a bit from running and find more non-impact cardio. I also add weight to my calisthenics program—some heavy, some moderate.
For instance, in my “running solstice plan” the workout cycle will bell curve to its maximum during the longest day of the year (June 20) and will decrease slowly until the shortest day of the year (December 20). When the New Year arrives and each day is getting longer, so then do the workouts until they peak in June. And the cycle continues.
As you can see, the easier parts of the workout are done in the middle of winter and the toughest parts are done in the summer. Winter workouts do not mean you do nothing—they are just less strenuous in terms of time involvement, running mileage, and repetition. The Navy SEAL Weight Training Workout is a combination of the third and fourth quarters (see this page), as it mixes calisthenics and more full-body weight exercises, along with a greater use of non-impact cardio options. It will eventually build back up to running greater distances and getting ready for longer mileage, as is required for SEAL type training.
First Quarter: Calisthenics/Cardio Workouts: The goal of this cycle is to build a foundation of moderate to high reps of calisthenics and bodyweight exercises to improve fitness testing scores, as well as to burn off some of the bulk you created during the winter weight lifting cycle. Progressing the running each week is critical to this cycle and will help prevent over-use running injuries when starting back up again. A sample of this process is the original Complete Guide to Navy SEAL Fitness Beginner/Intermediate Phases.
Second Quarter: Calisthenics/Cardio Workout (more advanced): This phase takes the last cycle and builds upon it further with more maximum effort (high rep/high mileage) cardio workouts. Typically, at the end of this cycle you will reach a peak in cardiovascular and bodyweight performance. At this point, you will be ready for a change. A sample is the Twelve Weeks to BUDS Workout of the original Complete Guide to Navy SEAL Fitness. Typically, we see our best PST results in August/September of the year just before we start to add weight training.
Note: This book is based on the following third and fourth quarters of fitness:
Third Quarter: Some Calisthenics/Some Weights/Cardio Workouts: This quarter marks your beginning to change your routine a bit. Decrease reps of calisthenics, but add weights incrementally each week to build up your strength. Cardio options grow by adding more non-impact cardio to your running routine as you taper a bit to prepare for the weight cycle.
Fourth Quarter: Nearly 100 percent Weights/Less Running/More Non-Impact Cardio: As a former football player and power lifter, I have always enjoyed this cycle and found that within 4–8 weeks, I was back to my old max weight (1 rep max) in several exercises, including bench press, power clean, and dead lifts. However, we will not be focusing on one rep max workouts, as it will be most beneficial to go moderately heavy and keep the reps at the 5–10 range. Usually weight gain will accompany this cycle and typical results are 10–15 pounds, especially if you like to watch football and eat! The legs will feel good on occasional runs after a few weeks of tapering down to more non-impact cardio.
When you push your fitness to extremes the way I have throughout my teens, 20s, 30s, and now 40s, you need to create a break from all the elements of your yearly routine. Periodization and active pursuit of recovery is required to achieve that. You may have to adjust the point in your year when you place the weights; a winter weight phase may not be right for you. For instance, you could be a cross-country runner and compete in the fall and winter. You do not want to be lifting during your season, so it is recommended that you shift everything a few months to the right and do it in the off-season. The same goes for if you are planning on going to Boot Camp during the spring. You want to be at your best in the PT/run and swim workouts, so peaking by spring in these PST events is a good way to go to Boot Camp; at which point you would be using Boot Camp as your taper. This is only one model of a periodized program, not the model, so adjust to fit your goals as necessary. Remember: fitness is a journey, not a destination. Keep changing and growing!
When I was in the SEAL teams, we actually used this type of program, as winter diving was always tough without extra bulk. We bulked up over the winter in order to handle the colder water temperatures. This style of training does have a very useful purpose tactically as well as physiologically.
The warm-up plan in the next chapter will assist you in getting started with your workouts and PSTs safely. Repeat these dynamic exercises at the end of a workout to help with post-exercise soreness as well.
Warm up the body with a short run, bike, swim, or jump rope to get the heart pumping and blood flowing through the muscles. Never do these exercises/stretches cold.
A quick and easy-to-follow dynamic stretching routine will demonstrate the way to warm up and prepare for workouts and race day. Prior to working out, take 3–4 minutes and get warmed up with the leg movements in the next chapter.
