The Navy SEAL Physical Fitness Guide - Human Performance

xiv

• Introduction List of Figures xv


• Chapter 1 Overview of Physical Fitness
  
  
  • Exercise Physiology
    
    
    • Definitions and Terminology
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Muscle Structure and Function
    
    
    • Type I Muscle Fibers
    
    
    • Type II Muscle Fibers
    
    
    • Distribution of Fiber Types
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Principles of Physical Training
    
    
    • Overload
    
    
    • Specificity of Training
    
    
    • Individual Differences
    
    
    • Detraining
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Determining Your Training Heart Rate
  
  
  • Energy Systems Used by Exercising Muscle
    
    
    • ATP-CP System for Speed Work
    
    
    • Lactic Acid and ATP-CP System for Anaerobic Work
    
    
    • Oxygen System for Aerobic Energy
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Methods of Physical Training
    
    
    • Interval Training
    
    
    • Sprint Training
    
    
    • Interval Sprints
    
    
    • Acceleration Sprints
    
    
    • Fartlek or Speed Play
    
    
    • Continuous Exercise Training
    
    
    • Repetition Running
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Conditioning and Deconditioning
  
  
  • Active Recovery
  
  
  
  


• Chapter 2 SEAL Mission-Related Physical Activities iv
  
  
  • Mission-Specific Activities
    
    
    • Small Unit Patrolling
    
    
    • High Speed Boat Operations
    
    
    • Combat Swimmer Operations
    
    
    • SDV and Dry Deck Shelter Operations
    
    
    • Urban Warfare
    
    
    • Winter Warfare Operations
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Specific Mission-Related Physical Tasks
  
  
  • Summary
  
  
  
  


• Chapter 3 Cardiorespiratory Conditioning
  
  
  • Basics Concepts of Cardiorespiratory Exercise
    
    
    • Terms Related to Conditioning
    
    
    • Determination of Work Rate
    
    
    • Factors Affecting the Training Response
    
    
    • Active Recovery
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • How to Estimate Your Maximal Aerobic Capacity
    
    
    • Bicycle Exercise Test Instructions
    
    
    • Test Procedures
    
    
    • Estimating Maximal Aerobic Capacity
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Types of Aerobic Activities and Basic Workouts
    
    
    • Outdoor Activities
    
    
    • Stationary Exercise Alternatives
    
    
    • Basic Workouts
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Other Terms for Work Rate
    
    
    • METs and Watts
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Summary
  
  
  
  


• Chapter 4 Running for Fitness
  
  
  • Running Gear
    
    
    • Running Shoes
    
    
    • Clothes
    
    
    • Other Gear Items
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Running Surfaces
  
  
  • Warm-Up
  
  
  • Cool-Down and Stretching
  
  
  • Running Gait or Form v
    
    
    • Footstrike
    
    
    • Forward Stride
    
    
    • Body Angle
    
    
    • Arm Drive
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Building Your Mileage
    
    
    • Running Frequency
    
    
    • Running Speed and Intensity
    
    
    • Training for a Marathon
    
    
    • Interval Training
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Varying Your Workouts
  
  
  • Common Running Injuries or Problems
  
  
  • Resources
  
  
  
  


• Chapter 5 Swimming for Fitness
  
  
  • Open Water Gear
    
    
    • Wet Suits
    
    
    • Hood, Gloves and Booties
    
    
    • Fins and Fin Selection
    
    
    • Face Masks
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Open Water Training
    
    
    • Water Temperature Issues
    
    
    • Special Open Water Training Issues
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Swimming Pool Gear
    
    
    • Goggles
    
    
    • Kickboard
    
    
    • Pullbuoy
    
    
    • Hand Paddles
    
    
    • Zoomers
    
    
    • Nose Clips
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Pool Training: Building Strength and Endurance
    
    
    • Warming Up
    
    
    • Basic Principles of Interval Training
    
    
    • Interval Sets - Endurance
    
    
    • Interval Sets - Strength and Power
    
    
    • Integrated Workouts
    
    
    • Underwater Training vi
    
    
    • Varying Your Workout
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Developing Stroke Skills
    
    
    • General Stroke Principles
    
    
    • The Strokes
    
    
    • Swimming Drills
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Common Problems
  
  
  
  


• Chapter 6 Strength Training
  
  
  • Weight Training Gear and Equipment
  
  
  • Strength Training Guidelines and Terms
    
    
    • Repetition Maximum or RM
    
    
    • FITT: Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type
    
    
    • Muscle Balance and Exercise Selection List
    
    
    • Determining Repetition Maximums
    
    
    • Periodization
    
    
    • Weight Lifting Techniques
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Types of Workouts
  
  
  • Warming Up
  
  
  • Cooling Down and Stretching
  
  
  • Common Problems
  
  
  • Conclusions
  
  
  • Resource
  
  
  • Acknowledgment
  
  
  
  


• Chapter 7 Flexibility
  
  
  • Flexibility Benefits
  
  
  • Definition
  
  
  • The Stretch Reflex and the Lengthening Reaction
  
  
  • Flexibility Training Methods
    
    
    • Dynamic Stretching
    
    
    • Static Stretching
    
    
    • Ballistic Stretching
    
    
    • PNF Stretching
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Warming-Up and Stretching
    
    
    • General Warm-Up
    
    
    • Activity-Specific Warm-Up vii
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Recommended Stretches
    
    
    • Dynamic Stretching
    
    
    • Static Stretching
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • A Post-Exercise Total Body Stretching Program
  
  
  • Resources
  
  
  
  


• Chapter 8 Calisthenics
  
  
  • The Muscle Strength-Endurance Continuum
  
  
  • Calisthenics in Naval Special Warfare
  
  
  • Balancing Abs and Hip Flexors and Extensors
    
    
    • Recommendations for Sit-Ups
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Recommendations for Calisthenics
    
    
    • Calisthenic Exercises
    
    
    • Modified Calisthenic Exercises
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Resources
  
  
  
  


• Chapter 9 Plyometrics
  
  
  • How Plyometrics Work
  
  
  • Preparation for Plyometric Training
    
    
    • Safety in Plyometric Training
    
    
    • Program Design and the Overload Principle
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Plyometric Training
  
  
  • Plyometric Exercises
  
  
  • Eccentric Downhill Training
  
  
  • Resources
  
  
  
  


• Chapter 10 Load-Bearing
  
  
  • Physiological and Environmental Factors
    
    
    • Body and Load Weight
    
    
    • Biomechanics of Load-Bearing
    
    
    • Load-Bearing and Walking Pace
    
    
    • Hydration Status
    
    
    • Environmental Stress
    
    
    • Sleep Loss
    
    
    • Protective Clothing
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Physical Training for Load- Bearing
    
    
    • Elements of a Load-Bearing Conditioning Program viii
    
    
    • Initiating Load Training
    
    
    • Maintaining Load-Bearing Fitness
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Optimizing Load-Bearing
  
  
  • Common Medical Conditions
  
  
  • Conclusion
  
  
  • Acknowledgments
  
  
  
  


• Chapter 11 Training for Specific Environments
  
  
  • Training in Hot Environments
    
    
    • Factors that Hinder Body Cooling in the Heat
    
    
    • Heat Acclimation
    
    
    • Heat Injuries
    
    
    • Summary for Hot Environments
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Training in Cold Environments
    
    
    • Factors that Compromise Adaptations to Cold
    
    
    • Acclimation to the Cold
    
    
    • Cold Injuries
    
    
    • Nutritional Requirements
    
    
    • Summary for a Cold Environment
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Training at Altitude
    
    
    • Acute Mountain Sickness
    
    
    • Other Factors that Hinder Performance at Altitude
    
    
    • Acclimation to Altitude
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Training in Confined Spaces
  
  
  • Deconditioning
  
  
  
  


• Chapter 12 Training and Sports Related Injuries
  
  
  • Treatments for Training-Related Injuries
    
    
    • Reduce Inflammation
    
    
    • Application of Ice
    
    
    • Range of Motion
    
    
    • Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Reconditioning for Return to Full Activity
    
    
    • Return to Mission-Related Tasks
    
    
    • General Guidelines for Returning to Physical Activity
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Types of Injuries
    
    
    • Training-Related Muscle Soreness ix
    
    
    • Contusions
    
    
    • Sprains and Strains
    
    
    • Muscle Cramps
    
    
    • Fractures
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Common Mission and Training Related Injuries
    
    
    • Swimming
    
    
    • Running and Hiking
    
    
    • Knee Sprains
    
    
    • Ankle Sprains
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Overtraining Syndrome
  
  
  • When to Seek Medical Care
  
  
  
  


• Chapter 13 Harmful Substances that Affect Performance
  
  
  • Anabolic/Androgenic Steroids
    
    
    • How do Anabolic Steroids Work?
    
    
    • How Anabolic Steroids Alter Metabolism
    
    
    • Purported Beneficial Effects of Anabolic Steroids
    
    
    • Adverse Effects of Anabolic Steroids
    
    
    • Legalities of Steroid Use
    
    
    • Medical Uses of Corticosteroids
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Other Harmful Chemicals
    
    
    • Growth Hormone
    
    
    • Clenbuterol
    
    
    • Stimulants
    
    
    • Erythropoietin
    
    
    • DHEA
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Summary
  
  
  • Resources
  
  
  
  


• Chapter 14 Other Training-Related Issues
  
  
  • Winter Warfare Training
    
    
    • Training for Skiing
    
    
    • Turns, Stops, and Technique
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • The High Mileage SEAL
  
  
  • Nutritional Ergogenic Agents
    
    
    • Nutritional Products Advertised as Ergogenic Agents
    
    
    • Summary of Ergogenic Agents x
    
    
    • Protein-Carbohydrate Supplements
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Resource
  
  
  
  


• Chapter 15 Physical Fitness and Training Recommendations
  
  
  • The SEAL Physical Fitness Program
  
  
  • A Physical Fitness Program for Confined Spaces
  
  
  • A Physical Fitness Program for Coming Off Travel
  
  
  • Elimination of “Old” Exercises
  
  
  • A Short Flexibility Program
  
  
  • The Navy SEAL Physical Readiness Test (PRT)
  
  
  • Final Comments From: RADM Smith
  
  
  • Summary
  
  
  
  


• Appendix A. Weight Lifting Techniques


• Appendix B. Common Anatomical Terms and Diagrams


• Appendix C. Foot Care for Load-Bearing


• Table 3-13. Workload Conversion Sheet


• Table 4-1. The Right Shoe for Your Foot Type


• Table 4-2. Running Surfaces: From Best to Worst


• Table 4-3. A Program to Run 40 Miles per Week


• Table 4-4. A 12 Week Marathon Training Program Starting at 40 Miles/Week
  
  
  • of Male Runners Table 4-5. Frequency of Running Injuries Reported by a Sample
  
  
  
  


• Table 4-6. Three “Principles” of Good Running Form


• Table 5-1. Recommended Fin Types


• Table 5-2. Distance, Temperature, and Protection Requirements


• Table 6-1. Free Weight and Exercise Machine Comparison


• Table 6-2. Exercise Selection List by Body Part


• Table 6-3. How to Determine Your 5RM for a Bench Press


• Table 6-4. Intensity Levels Relative to a 1RM
  
  
  • Muscular Endurance Table 6-5. An Annual Plan for Activation, Strength Development and
  
  
  • Training Routine Table 6-6. Strength Development Phase: 2-Day Circuit Weight
  
  
  
  


• Table 6-7. Muscle Endurance Phase: A 2-Day Circuit Weight Training Routine


• Table 6-8. Week 1: Circuit Training Strength Development Phase


• Table 6-9. Week 1: Circuit Training Muscle Endurance Phase


• Table 7-1. Dynamic Stretch Exercises to be Used in Physical Training


• Table 7-2. Static Stretch Exercises to be Used in Physical Training


• Table 8-1. The Strength-Endurance Continuum


• Table 8-2. Recommended Calisthenics for Physical Training


• Table 8-3. Tips for Developing a Buddy-Assisted Exercise Program


• Table 8-4. Buddy Exercise Drills


• Table 9-1. A 10-Week Plyometric Program


• Table 9-2. Plyometrics: Classified by Jump Direction and Intensity