Fitness Regime

[Erik]

I thought I would post my latest training stuff. It's not freedive training- just fitness and strength.
Run 3 to 5 days/week: 8 to 16km
Brutal Guerilla Sprints: 3 times/week
Navy Seals Regime: 3-4 times/week

The long runs are usually at 8 to 12km/hr, depending on hills or flat roads and weather (heat slows me drastically). I did 5km in 20 minutes in a race not long ago, but that was much quicker than I would normally jog.

The Guerilla Sprints go like this: Jog for 5 minutes then stretch a bit to warm up. Sprint at 100% perceived effort for 20 seconds. Rest 15 to 45 seconds. Repeat for a total of 8 sprints, then jog home for 5 minutes. Vomit. Stretch.

The Navy Seals Regime is adapted from the actual Seals fitness prep:
5 sets of 30 pushups with a 2 minute rest between each set. 5 sets of 20 situps (real situps) with the same rest times. 5 sets of chinups with the 2 minutes breaks also. My latest #'s are 10, 8,8,8,8 chins. 7 sets of 15 full-body dips.

Basically the Seals stuff should start at lower numbers, then add reps and sets every week. Their graph goes up to 15 sets of 15 dips, etc. This is very different strength training than I've ever done and it feels good, is increasing my strength, burning fat and packing muscle on. I put an inch on my arms in 1 month, increased my reps and sets dramatically, and have much more FUNCTIONAL strength than what I used to get from HIT training. With HIT training I got very strong (for me) but mid-range strength and stamina were not there.
Cheers,
Erik Y.

[BlueIcarus]

So, would you recommend a rest from weigth training and switching to calisthenics/own body weights exercise to boost overall fitness?

How do you fit the 3 different activities in one week?

[Jason Billows]

Erik,

Sounds interesting. Where can I get more info regarding Seals training?

Is what you described the core of what they do or are there other aspects to their training?

Thanks.

Jason

[Erik]

I rest whenever i start to feel run down or get grumpy! That's usually once every 7 to 12 days or so. I work shifts and am on call, so the regime has to be flexible, and I'm old enough to know when to back off. I'll do a long run and the Seals reps in one day, then the Sprints only the next day, then a long run and Seal, then a long run and Sprints in one day, etc. On a rest day I might still do a run, plus I do some yoga nearly every day.

[Erik]

SUGGESTED STUDENT PREPARATION

The following workouts are designed for two categories of people: Category I are those future BUD/S students that have never or have not recently been on a routine PT program. Category II is designed for high school and college athletes that have had a routine PT program. Usually athletes that require a high level of cardiovascular activity are in Category II.

Swimming, running and wrestling are good examples of such sports.

WORKOUT FOR CATEGORY I

RUNNING: The majority of the physical activities you will be required to perform during your six months of training at BUD/S will involve running. The intense amount of running can lead to over stress injuries of the lower extremities in trainees who arrive not physically prepared to handle the activities. Swimming, bicycling, and lifting weights will prepare you for some of the activities at BUD/S, but ONLY running can prepare your lower extremities for the majority of the activities. You should also run in boots to prepare your legs for the everyday running in boots at BUD/S (Boots should be of a light-weight variety i.e. Bates Lights, Hi-Tec, Etc.).

The goal of the category I student is to work up to 16 miles per week of running. After you have achieved that goal, then and only then should you continue on to the category II goal of 30 miles per week. Let me remind you that category I is a nine week buildup program. Follow the workout as best you can and you will be amazed at the progress you will make.

RUNNING SCHEDULE I

WEEKS #1, 2: 2 miles/day, 8:30 pace, M/W/F (6 miles/ week)
WEEK #3: No running. High risk of stress fractures
WEEK #4: 3 miles/day, M/W/F (9 miles/wk)
WEEKS #5, 6: 2/3/4/2 miles, M/Tu/Th/F (11 miles/wk)
WEEKS #7,8: 4/4/5/3 miles, M/Tu/Th/F (16 miles/ wk)
WEEK #9: same as #7,8 (16 miles/ wk)


PHYSICAL TRAINING SCHEDULE I (Mon/Wed/Fri)
SETS OF REPETITIONS
WEEK #1: 4X15 PUSHUPS
4X20 SITUPS
3X3 PULL UPS
WEEK #2: 5X20 PUSHUPS
5X20 SITUPS
3X3 PULL UPS
WEEK #3,4: 5X25 PUSHUPS
5X25 SITUPS
3X4 PULL UPS
WEEK #5,6: 6X25 PUSHUPS
6X25 SITUPS
2X8 PULL UPS
WEEK #7,8: 6X30 PUSHUPS
6X30 SITUPS
2X10 PULL UPS
WEEK #9: 6X30 PUSHUPS
6X30 SITUPS
3X10 PULL UPS


* Note: For best results, alternate exercises. Do a set of pushups, then a set of situps, followed by a set of pull ups, immediately with no rest.

SWIMMING SCHEDULE I
(sidestroke with no fins 4-5 days a week)

WEEKS #1, 2: Swim continuously for 15 min.
WEEKS #3, 4: Swim continuously for 20 min.
WEEKS #5, 6: Swim continuously for 25 min.
WEEKS #7, 8: Swim continuously for 30 min.
WEEK #9: Swim continuously for 35 min.


* Note: If you have no access to a pool, ride a bicycle for twice as long as you would swim. If you do have access to a pool, swim every day available. Four to five days a week and 200 meters in one session is your initial workup goal. Also, you want to develop your sidestroke on both the left and the right side. Try to swim 50 meters in one minute or less.

WORKOUT FOR CATEGORY II

Category II is a more intense workout designed for those who have been involved with a routine PT schedule or those who have completed the requirements of category I. DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS WORKOUT SCHEDULE UNLESS YOU CAN COMPLETE THE WEEK #9 LEVEL OF CATEGORY I WORKOUTS.

RUNNING SCHEDULE II
(M/TulTh/F/Sa)

WEEKS #1,2: (3/5/4/5/2)miles 19 miles/week
WEEKS #3, 4: (4/5/6/4/3) miles 22 miles/week
WEEK #5: (5/5/6/4/4) miles 24 miles/week
WEEK #6: (5/6/6/6/4) miles 27 miles/week
WEEK #7: (6/6/6/6/6) miles 30 miles/week


* Note: For weeks #8-9 and beyond, it is not necessary to increase the distance of the runs; work on the speed of your 6 mile runs and try to get them down to 7:30 per mile or lower. If you wish to increase the distance of your runs, do it gradually: no more than one mile per day increase for every week beyond week #9.

PT SCHEDULE II
(Mon/Wed/Fri)

SETS OF REPETITIONS
WEEK #1, 2: 6X30 PUSHUPS
6X35 SITUPS
3X10 PULL UPS
3X20 DIPS
WEEK #3, 4: lOX20 PUSHUPS
10X25 SITUPS
4X10 PULL UPS
10X15 DIPS
WEEK #5: 15X20 PUSHUPS
15X25 SITUPS
4X12 PULLUPS
15X15 DIPS
WEEK #6: 20X20 PUSHUPS
20X25 SITUPS
5X12 PULL UPS
20X15 DIPS


These workouts are designed for long-distance muscle endurance. Muscle fatigue will gradually take a longer and longer time to develop doing high repetition workouts. For best results, alternate exercises each set, in order to rest that muscle group for a short time. The below listed workouts are provided for varying your workouts once you have met the Category I and II standards.

[Erik]

Jason, above is the document I used to base my workouts on. I can't remember where I got it....I'll try to find a URL.
Note all the swimming, which I can't be bothered to do: I'd rather run, thanks.
My belief is that if there are guys capable of doing this regimen with not much sleep, I can do some of it with a decent sleep every night. In the past I was big on recovery days plus heavy weights, but I got injured a lot plus I was more easily winded during regular activities.
Cheers,
Erik Y.

[Jon]

Erik,

Are you doing any water work at all? Do you do any of these in apena, or do you breath the whole time? Has this helped you out in freediving at all, or just overall fitness?

You also mentioned adding an inch onto your arm. Where you doing upper boady weight lifting before this?

What are you doing, type and time wise, for yoga each day? Still doing daily statics?

Thanks,

Jon

[Erik]

Here is another set I got from the forums at www.miltary.com- a little more straight forward:
Here it is the Navy Seal workout. I highly recommend it..

Week 1

Running: 2 miles, 8:30 pace, Mon/Wed/Fri
Pushups: 4 sets of 15 pushups, Mon/Wed/Fri
Situps: 4 sets of 20 situps, Mon/Wed/Fri
Pullups: 3 sets of 3 pullups, Mon/Wed/Fri
Swimming: Swim continuously for 15 min. 4-5 days/week
Week 2

Running: 2 miles, 8:30 pace, Mon/Wed/Fri
Pushups: 5 sets of 20 pushups, Mon/Wed/Fri
Situps: 5 sets of 20 situps, Mon/Wed/Fri
Pullups: 3 sets of 3 pullups, Mon/Wed/Fri
Swimming: Swim continuously for 15 min. 4-5 days/week
Week 3

Running: No running
Pushups: 5 sets of 25 pushups, Mon/Wed/Fri
Situps: 5 sets of 25 situps, Mon/Wed/Fri
Pullups: 3 sets of 4 pullups, Mon/Wed/Fri
Swimming: Swim continuously for 20 min. 4-5 days/week
Week 4

Running: 3 miles, 8:30 pace, Mon/Wed/Fri
Pushups: 5 sets of 25 pushups, Mon/Wed/Fri
Situps: 5 sets of 25 situps, Mon/Wed/Fri
Pullups: 3 sets of 4 pullups, Mon/Wed/Fri
Swimming: Swim continuously for 20 min. 4-5 days/week
Weeks 5-6

Running: 2 / 3 / 4 / 2 miles, Mo/Tu/We/Fr
Pushups: 6 sets of 25 pushups, Mon/Wed/Fri
Situps: 6 sets of 25 situps, Mon/Wed/Fri
Pullups: 2 sets of 8 pullups, Mon/Wed/Fri
Swimming: Swim continuously for 25 min. 4-5 days/week
Weeks 7-8

Running: 4 / 4 / 5 / 3 miles, Mo/Tu/We/Fr
Pushups: 6 sets of 30 pushups, Mon/Wed/Fri
Situps: 6 sets of 30 situps, Mon/Wed/Fri
Pullups: 2 sets of 10 pullups, Mon/Wed/Fri
Swimming: Swim continuously for 30 min. 4-5 days/week
Week 9

Running: 4 / 4 / 5 / 3 miles, Mo/Tu/We/Fr
Pushups: 6 sets of 30 pushups, Mon/Wed/Fri
Situps: 6 sets of 30 situps, Mon/Wed/Fri
Pullups: 3 sets of 10 pullups, Mon/Wed/Fri
Swimming: Swim continuously for 35 min. 4-5 days/week
Second 9 weeks:
Week 1 & 2

Running: 3 / 5 / 4 / 5 / 2 miles, Mo/Tu/We/Fr/Sa
Pushups: 6 sets of 30 pushups, Mon/Wed/Fri
Situps: 6 sets of 35 situps, Mon/Wed/Fri
Pullups: 3 sets of 10 pullups, Mon/Wed/Fri
Dips: 3 sets of 20 dips, Mon/Wed/Fri
Swimming: Swim continuously for 35 min. 4-5 days/week
Weeks 3-4

Running: 4 / 5 / 6 / 4 / 3 miles, Mo/Tu/We/Fr/Sa
Pushups: 10 sets of 20 pushups, Mon/Wed/Fri
Situps: 10 sets of 25 situps, Mon/Wed/Fri
Pullups: 4 sets of 10 pullups, Mon/Wed/Fri
Dips: 10 sets of 15 dips, Mon/Wed/Fri
Swimming: Swim continuously for 45 min. 4-5 days/week
Week 5

Running: 5 / 5 / 6 / 4 / 4 miles, Mo/Tu/We/Fr/Sa
Pushups: 15 sets of 20 pushups, Mon/Wed/Fri
Situps: 15 sets of 25 situps, Mon/Wed/Fri
Pullups: 4 sets of 12 pullups, Mon/Wed/Fri
Dips: 15 sets of 15 dips, Mon/Wed/Fri
Swimming: Swim continuously for 60 min. 4-5 days/week
Week 6 and beyond

Running: 5 / 6 / 6 / 6 / 4 miles, Mo/Tu/We/Fr/Sa
Pushups: 20 sets of 20 pushups, Mon/Wed/Fri
Situps: 20 sets of 25 situps, Mon/Wed/Fri
Pullups: 5 sets of 12 pullups, Mon/Wed/Fri
Dips: 20 sets of 15 dips, Mon/Wed/Fri
Swimming: Swim continuously for 75 min. 4-5 days/week

Cheers,
Erik Y.

[Erik]

Originally posted by Jon
Erik,

Are you doing any water work at all? Do you do any of these in apena, or do you breath the whole time? Has this helped you out in freediving at all, or just overall fitness?
You also mentioned adding an inch onto your arm. Where you doing upper boady weight lifting before this?
What are you doing, type and time wise, for yoga each day? Still doing daily statics?
Thanks,
Jon

Hey Jon, I'm only freediving so far this summer, no swimming.
I'm doing no apnea during any of it, and I haven't done a serious static attempt in ages.
My freediving is still as it was, so I don't really notice an improvement or decrease in ability. Now if I had a deeper lake than 30 metres, I'd be able to experiment with that
I was doing chinups, one-armed dumbell rows and bicep curls before. I could do 9, 5, and 3 chinups in a row. Now I'm doing 10, 8,8,8,8. I could do 20, 15, 10 dips before. The other day I did the 7 sets of dips and had to stop because I had to go back to work. I had more in me!
Arms were 14" before I changed to this new pattern, now they're 15"
My yoga is about 10 to 20 minutes a day. Meditation is extra.
I sometime do statics before a run to help get the hemoglobin count up, and of course I do a few before diving.
I never thought I had it in me to train like this (I'm 41 now) but there you go. I've always trained hard, but differently. This 'feels' right.
Catching anything down there Jon? I've been out spearing a few times, but nothing to report yet
Cheers,
Erik Y.

[Erik]

Jon , the yoga is just a simple Sun Salutations that I've done for years, plus some static poses. Nothing too complicated, but still does what it's supposed to do.
Cheers,
Erik Y.

[Erik]

Originally posted by BlueIcarus
So, would you recommend a rest from weigth training and switching to calisthenics/own body weights exercise to boost overall fitness?

Well, I generally TRY not to recommend anything to anybody.....I show my results and what works for me then people can take it or not. I do know that I've always looked up to the SAS/SEALS members' ability to perform, but thought it to brutal for me.
I have tried different methods of fitness training in the past. I used the Mentzer '1 set to failure' and lots of rest for a long time. I got strong but didn't ever grow that much. If I stopped running or swimming altogether (as recommended in Heavy Duty and Super Slow style training), I had very little useful energy during my work or running stairs etc. I am a slim build, and I don't think that training fits me. I don't have that 'no-neck' body and high testosterone level that makes great bodybuilders.
When I stopped all lifting and only ran, my body looked weak and felt weak. I still could get winded doing regular activities because I wasn't strong enough.
So I was looking for a middle ground to train on, where the reps are higher but one still trains to extreme exertion and to failure if necessary.
So if you're interested, give it a shot!
Cheers,
Erik Y.

[Erik]

Here's a pdf file for the sprints. If you follow it verbatim it's very difficult.
Erik Y.

[Jon]

Erik,

I hear ya' on the lake depths. I have two lakes about 3 miles form my house, but neither one is deeper than 78'- unless you stick your entire arm into the silt just to get your D-3 to read 80' like Ted did last time we were out.

The lakes are also about to go 'green' in another week or two, so we'll have to start driving to get to some water. There are some deeper spots, but they're at least a 2 hour drive away and I don't have a real good support system, yet, to train for deeper depths. I may start bumming rides out to the wrecks on LAke Michigan once our lakes green up, but they have had their own problems- record rain fall last month meant that sewage overflowed and went into the lake. You need to get out a couple of miles to hit nice water.

I had a pretty good routine goin at the gym, but it seems that my daughter or I always get sick right when I get into the groove of things and I need to lay off for a couple of weeks.

I was doing a couple of days in the gym along with a few days in the pool. During the winter I play underwater hockey, but that's done for the season. My gym training consisted of apnea treadmill followed by apnea wieght machines. I was feeling pretty good about it, but then my daughter got pneumonia and we were side-lined for two weeks.

I've also tried to get out biking, with the new Burely trailer , but as I said before, we had record rainfall last month which meant not much bike time.

All of which leads me to wanting to put in a home gym so I am not struck down by other people's schedules. Your program would be quite a bit cheaper than a home gym. The only excpetion is the running thing- old ski injury doesn't like it when I run and sometimes gives me trouble when monofining for long periods of time as well.

I've at least gotten to the pool a few times this week, now that I am sort of back on track. I switch off between that program you and Anderson came up with and some C02 tolerence stuff that I pieced together.

I haven't done too much spearing lately, although a did manage to practice with my new pole spear last night- which is a little harder than I thought it would be, but still fun. Also got out diving with my scootewr last night and had a BLAST! I flew up on so many schools of fish and even a strugeon- which are somewhat rare around here. Of cvourse, I didn't have a camera with me to capture any of it which is why it was probably one of my best dive days of the season thus far.

Jon

[Erik]

Training at home makes the program doable and convenient. At home I have a chinup bar in a doorway of our apartment and I use 2 chairs to do the dips. I also have a reclining bike and a Nordic Track full-body self-powered treadmill. This treadmill is a much harder workout than a powered one. I use the treadmill only when I really can't get outside due to weather or lack of motivation, but I haven't used it in 2 months since the weather's been ok. I do run a lot in the winter as I like the cold, but somedays my lack of 'gumption' has kept me on the treadmill.
I've been in gyms in the past, but it always seemed stupid to DRIVE somewhere to work out, plus I hate waiting around for machines.
Cheers,
Erik Y.

[JMD]

Erik,

Thanks for posting this! I've been looking for a new workout to try now that i've got some more time to devout to training. This one really appeals as we'll be doing a fair amount of traveling the next little while and finding/getting to a decent gymn might be a pain.