SEAL Physical Training Manual

Chapter 10 Aerobics Physical Training

Aerobics is a traditional physical training program for seals because it requires no special equipment and can be trained anytime, anywhere.Aerobics can improve the flexibility, strength, endurance, and explosiveness of the human body (see Chapter 1 for specific definitions, and will not repeat them here).This chapter discusses the functions of aerobics and specific training programs for special forces.

How to develop muscle strength and endurance
Muscle strength and muscular endurance are closely related and can promote each other and improve together.Muscle strength refers to the ability of the maximum contraction to generate force when repeating an action, against resistance or load; while muscle endurance refers to the ability of continuous muscle contraction to generate force for a period of time, that is, the ability to resist fatigue.Improving muscle strength will improve muscular endurance.If the repetition max (RM) is increased, then the number of repetitions performed for maximal strength exercises will increase with greater resistance.

Low repetition (6-12) training is used to develop strength quality, while high repetition (greater than 12) training is used to develop endurance. When performing such training, the resistance load should be increased and the number of repetitions should be reduced.

A set of exercises refers to the number of repetitions performed on a unit weight.

Endurance can be developed by increasing the number of repetitions per set.For example, a trainer can only do 10-12 sit-ups with correct posture in the first group. After training, he can do 15 in each group. At this time, he is developing endurance quality.Table 8-1 summarizes the classification table of endurance quality training, and lists the specific programs for training endurance at all levels.Note that strength training and short-term training will not improve aerobic capacity because increasing load will not stimulate the aerobic/endurance system.Conversely, long-term training with a lower load can improve aerobic metabolism, but the effect of improving strength quality is also the worst.In general, longer-duration exercise requires more stamina.Corresponding training programs should be formulated according to specific combat needs and strength and endurance training guidelines.

Aerobics is often used to improve the flexibility of the body, but it can also be used to improve strength qualities.First of all, it depends on the trainer's own physical condition and the level of the maximum repetition value.If his rep max is low (less than 10-12), strength can be improved through aerobics.If his maximum repetition value is high (greater than 10-12), he can improve his endurance through aerobics.For example: you can only do 9 pull-ups at the beginning, and at this time you are exercising strength; with further training, you can do 12 pull-ups, and then you will do endurance training.

Of course, you can also carry out strength training through improved aerobics.The specific method is as follows:
Increase the load (do pull-ups, or do pull-ups with a weight on your back);

Ask your peers to help you perform resistance training (such as mechanical leg extension training with the assistance of your peers);
Perform unilateral body exercises (such as single-leg squats, single-leg calf raises);

Variations of exercises (such as chin ups);
Superset training/pyramid training.

In the absence of fitness equipment, the above methods are quite effective strength training methods.

The second section of naval special forces aerobics physical training
Muscular strength and muscular endurance are the basic elements of special forces combat capabilities.Some military tasks require better muscle strength, and longer-duration combat tasks also require better endurance (such as carrying heavy weapons on patrol, carrying equipment for climbing, swimming, carrying the wounded, etc.).

The goal of the SEAL physical training program is to improve overall muscular quality (eg, strength, endurance, power).Better muscle strength quality is the foundation of endurance and explosive power, which can not only improve combat ability, but also reduce the risk of injury.Therefore, as described in Chapter 6 of this book, SEALs perform strength training at least twice a week (low reps 2-10, weekly high loads for each muscle group).The traditional aerobics training method is to train 12 to 2 times a week to ensure muscle endurance.If there is an urgent task, they will also use plyometrics training methods to improve explosive power (see Chapter 3 for details).

In the military physical training program for special operations, the lack of training equipment and insufficient nutrition often cause the physical fitness of SEAL members to decline and fail to meet combat requirements.In this case, aerobics training is an excellent training method because it requires less training equipment and can be trained anytime, anywhere.Moreover, you can also improve aerobics and carry out strength training according to your needs.

The physical training plan of the SEAL team should have strong flexibility to meet various training needs and improve the corresponding physical fitness.

After the battle, the SEALs may need 1-4 weeks to restore their physical strength to the pre-war level and adapt to daily physical training.Sufficient recovery of physical strength can help improve combat capabilities, and excessive training should be avoided to reduce the risk of injury.Soldiers returning to the base (after surgery or after war) should gradually adapt to daily physical training. It is not that more training is better, and excessive training will lead to unnecessary injuries.Too many repetitions can cause training injuries, or worsen them.

Physical training should aim to improve aerobic metabolism, muscle strength, endurance, explosive power, and flexibility, not to surpass others.

Competitive physical training sometimes uses explosive training or pyramid training, but this is a huge challenge for the trainer, and if it is not well controlled, it will lead to injury.When SEALs use this method, they should maximize their strengths and avoid weaknesses, and try their best to avoid damage.

Calisthenics workouts usually include a "hold position" movement that lasts 1-2 seconds.When doing pull-ups, parallel bar extensions, push-ups and other exercises, this movement technique is usually used to increase the difficulty and reduce the boring feeling.For example, when doing pull-ups, lift your chin up to the bar and hold for 1-2 seconds before dropping back down.However, this book does not recommend this hold action.

In the middle of training, continuing to maintain contraction pressure on joints, tendons, ligaments and other parts can easily lead to training injuries and aggravate existing injuries.

It is recommended to slow down the training rhythm (such as lifting the body for 10 seconds and lowering the body for 10 seconds) to improve strength, increase difficulty, and reduce boredom.

Section [-] muscle balance training method
Many exercises that specifically target the abs actually work the hip flexors (the muscles that control the movement of the hips and legs toward the chest), which can sometimes lead to overtraining of the hip flexors, ab muscles Not exercising enough.Although the strength of the hip flexors and abdominal muscles has played an important role in improving combat capabilities, overtraining of the hip flexors will not only lead to back injuries and other problems, but also cause spinal deformation and lumbar disc herniation.Many experts believe that overtraining the hip flexors is to blame for lower back pain among SEALs.Hip flexor strength training is important, but it must be balanced with the abs, while maintaining a balance between the hip flexors and hip extensors (the muscles that control the movement of the legs away from the chest) .

Balance your abs with hip flexors, hip flexors, and hip extensors.

Therefore, first of all, the training items for each muscle group must be clearly defined, and these exercises should be included in the physical training plan.Aerobics training programs should also include flexibility training and stretching to avoid muscle clumping (see Chapter 7 for details).

Some supine leg raises (lying leg raises—see exercise on page 146, alternating leg swings, toe circles) can effectively work the hip flexors.The upper body and upper abs work hard to stabilize the pelvis during these exercises, so it's best to do them first.Otherwise, exercising the abdominal muscles first will cause exhaustion of the upper body and upper abdominal muscles, which is not conducive to stabilizing the pelvis.Here are some tips for exercising your abs:
Identify which moves really work your abs and which work your hip flexors;

Reduce the number of exercises for the hip flexors, preferably twice a week, and the amount of training each time should not be too large;
Increase the movement training that can effectively exercise the abdominal muscles, and perform abdominal muscle training every day.If you feel abdominal muscle pain, you should reduce the dose as appropriate;
Increased hip extensor exercises (e.g., superman stretch, donkey kick);

Navy Seal military physical training should be added to flexibility training, including stretching exercises for hip extensors, abdominal muscles, and biceps femoris;

The training techniques described below should be mastered.

Getting the technique right is critical when using calisthenics for total body fitness training.

During the training process, if the target muscle group is not strong enough to fully exert force, other muscles will take its place. As a result, muscles that should not be exercised are exercised, which is prone to injury.For example, some gymnastics are too difficult. Because the hip flexors are stronger than the abdominal muscles, when the lower abdominal muscles cannot fully exert their strength, they give way to the hip flexors, resulting in gastroptosis and lower back pain.Therefore, when building muscle, the key is to master the correct technique.

When working your hip flexors, here are some great suggestions for reducing stress on your lower back:

Keep one foot on the deck to minimize stress on the lower back and spine.Many exercises call for both feet to be off the deck, and the modified movement places one foot on the back to help support the body (see Figures 8-1 and 8-2 for details).

Place one hand on the base of the spine, making sure the spine is naturally extended, not curved.

Lift your head, shake your shoulders slightly, and keep your spine straight.

Before working your abs, work your hip flexors first.

Another way to reduce stress on the lower back: Add a 5-centimeter thick towel or ab pad at the end of the spine.According to anatomical kinematics, the range of motion of the abdominal muscles is from 30° in the stretched state to 75°-90° in the bent state, as shown in Figure 8-3.Therefore, the range of abdominal muscle training on the plane is only half of the physiological range of abdominal muscle movement.In other words, training your abs on the floor, on a deck, or on a gym mat is ideally only half as effective.The best way to exercise the abdominal muscles is to perform full physiological range exercises, which can be practiced with a lumbar pad (towel) at the lower end of the spine, as shown in Figure 8-4.

Due to limited flexibility, the initial training should start at 15° in the stretched state, and gradually increase the difficulty, stretching to 30° for practice.The towel is the most practical lumbar pad, because the training angle can be adjusted at any time according to the needs.

Crunches Training Guide
In recent years, many modified sit-up training methods have been developed.Because sit-ups are a basic training exercise for SEALs, it is necessary to explain the correct technique here.

When doing sit-ups, the best posture is to lie on your back on the flat ground, with your thighs at 45° to the ground, your feet flat on the ground, shoulder-width apart, and your legs can be slightly tilted outward; if you hold your head with your hands, pay attention When getting up, do not squeeze the neck hard, just hold the head gently with your fingers.When training, pay attention to the posture of the arms and keep the elbows behind the neck at all times; the key action is to use the abdominal muscles to lift the body, not the head; pay attention to keep the eyes looking up, which helps to reduce the pressure on the neck and is conducive to Play the role of the abdominal muscles; do not get up until the abdominal muscles are fully stretched; press the upper body as hard as possible to fully exercise the internal oblique muscles and hip flexors, see Figure 8-5 for details.

The first time you do sit-ups according to the above requirements, the number of times must not be too many, because sit-ups with correct posture require more strength.Most of your previous postures may be incorrect, and finishing one is equivalent to completing half a sit-up.

When doing sit-ups, focus on quality over quantity.

The same principles of muscular strength endurance training apply to abdominal exercises.Sit-ups can exercise both muscular endurance and muscle strength, and the training goal can be changed by changing the number of repetitions.The angle can be adjusted by adding a padded towel (abdominal muscle pad). When starting the exercise, it is advisable to stretch the abdominal muscles by 15° (see Figure 8-3).If you want to build muscle strength, you may want to exercise with the abdominal muscles stretched at 30°. If you can do more than 15 at a time, you can increase the intensity of sit-ups by changing arms, weights, or doing incline sit-ups. difficulty.Figure 8-6 illustrates a common practice for sit-ups.When doing sit-ups, the arms are in the following positions:
Put your arms at your sides, with your hands on your knees;
arms folded across the chest;

put your head in your hands;

Cross your arms overhead; for added resistance, you can also train with weights.

If in order to improve muscle strength, the number of repetitions in each group should be less than 15 times, and the quality of muscle strength can be improved by increasing resistance.Once your muscle strength improves, you can move on to muscular endurance training.When training muscle endurance through sit-ups, if it is a weight-bearing exercise, the number of repetitions in each group should be controlled at 15-50 times.These principles apply to all crunches in all positions (leg push-ups, twisted sit-ups, etc.).

Section [-] Aerobics Physical Training Guide
It is recommended to perform flexibility gymnastics training twice a week, and attention should be done separately, and gymnastics training cannot be performed for two consecutive days.Flexibility gymnastics can be used for both endurance training and strength training.Flexibility exercises should be alternated with other muscle-strengthening exercises, strength training, and aerobic exercises.After the special physical training of a certain part of the body, static stretching exercises should be carried out; after the training, in order to maintain the temperature of the muscles, it is not recommended to quickly reduce the exercise intensity, let alone stop the exercise immediately; the exercise intensity should be gradually reduced, and appropriate relaxation should be done sports.

After 30 minutes of physical training, you should choose 8 to 1 flexibility gymnastics movements from Chart 1-3 to relax your muscles. After 1 hour of physical training, you should choose 3 to 6 movements to relax your muscles.Pay attention to maintaining the balance of the muscles in the front and rear of the body, such as the balance of the abdominal muscles and hip flexors, the balance of quadriceps and biceps femoris, and the balance of hip flexors and hip extensors.The rest time for relaxation in the middle should be determined according to the intensity of physical training.

1.flexible gymnastics technique

2.modified flexibility gymnastics technique

In physical training, aerobics can be used for strength training. The commonly used methods are increased resistance, peer-assisted training, and weight-bearing.Many experts recommend peer assistance for the following reasons:
Convenient, you can train anywhere without using a fitness machine;
Guaranteed strength training at the base;
Enhance the tacit understanding between partners.

Peer-assisted training can be performed according to the amount of resistance that the partner can provide, and different strength training can be performed.Daily aerobics training can continuously improve the endurance quality of muscles.The number of repetitions in each set determines the type of training, with strength training between 4 and 10 repetitions and endurance training with more than 10 repetitions.According to the specific physical training goal, the partner can control the number of repetitions by adjusting the resistance to achieve the training goal.For best results, be careful to slow down when doing this type of training.Table 8-2 presents some training suggestions, and Table 8-3 describes various peer-assisted exercises.

(End of this chapter)