Navy SEAL Phase 1 EBOOK

 Hello – I am Stew Smith, a former Navy Lieutenant (SEAL) who graduated from the United States Naval Academy and Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training.  I have been personally training, testing, and writing workout books and ebooks that prepare people to ace fitness tests for over 25 years now.  People from all levels of fitness use my products to lose weight, prepare for basic training, as well as advanced level athletes who are training for Special Ops.           
I also founded Heroes of Tomorrow Fitness – an online fitness resource for people seeking Military or Law Enforcement / Firefighting professions.  We actually train young men and women for free locally who wish to serve our country and communities.   Your purchases help us and our team of volunteer trainers prepare tomorrow’s military, police, and fire fighters to physically do their job. We actually see over 5,000 young men and women each year.

I work with the Tactical Strength and Conditioning program of the National Strength and Conditioning Association and I am a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS).  I also have over 800 articles on Military.com Fitness Forum focusing on a variety of fitness, nutritional, and tactical issues military members face throughout their career.

 Let these workouts assist you in becoming a better conditioned tactical athlete.   The following list is the published books/eBooks I have written focusing on specific training programs.  All books and manuals are fitness related and have a multi-week training program to help you prepare for any test, training program, or just lose weight and get fit for duty.  Basically - anything that requires a fitness test to enter, StewSmithFitness.com has the answer

FREE Videos in this Book

 In this product, there are free downloadable video offers that demonstrate exercises and show techniques in motion.  If you purchased the book version, just email me and we will get the videos links to you to view.

Navy SEAL / SWCC / EOD / Diver PST Clinic Video

 © Stew Smith MMXVIII - All rights reserved. 

 Any part of this book may NOT be reproduced without the permission of the author.  Any unauthorized transmission electronic or printed is prohibited.

Introduction

This book is designed for those who are not quite ready to tackle the Complete Guide to Navy SEAL Fitness – meaning you cannot reach the minimum standards of the Navy SEAL PST.  Since, the road to becoming a SEAL is long and challenging, you really want to be able to exceed the minimum standards.  This program is for young men who can barely meet the minimum Standards on the Physical Screening Test and takes you to a level where you can handle the 12 week workout and ACE the PST.

In some cases, it may actually be harder to enter SEAL training than to graduate from SEAL training.  It regularly takes some individuals nearly two years of rigorous training, as in this program before you are physically ready for BUD/S.  Candidates with a variety of sports in their history may take less time to prepare for BUDS as their conditioning is typically sustained at a high level.  However, most of the ones who fail BUD/S are those who “thought” they were in shape but really were not.  If you can score the following on the BUD/S Physical Fitness Test (PFT) you will have an 85% chance to graduate:

                        500 yd Swim – under 9:00
                         Pushups in 2:00 – 100+
                          Situps in 2:00 – 100+
                          Pullups – 20+

                          1.5 mile run – under 9:00

These are not minimum standards to get into BUD/S.  These are proven standards of a majority of the graduates when they arrive at BUD/S.  It does not mean you will graduate if you can reach these standards, in fact, many BUD/S students with scores better than these have quit.  After you reach these scores, it all becomes mental toughness that will help you graduate.  That is an un-measurable element of the BUDS student.  However, one common denominator between most of the graduates who have this mental toughness is they were also in great shape and had a history of team sports in high school and/or college.

Here are the Top Ten Things You Should Know Before BUDS:

1. Arrive fit! Not just able to do the minimum scores but these recommend PFT scores: (Recommended to be able to do this prior to talking to a recruiter by Stew Smith - not the Navy)

                        500 yds swim                under 9:00

                        Pushups                       100 in 2:00

                        Situps                           100 in 2:00

                        Pullups             20

                        1.5 mile run                   under 9:00

If you need letters of recommendation from SEALs, most SEALs will not endorse you unless you can achieve the above numbers.  Do one of Stew Smith’s books or online downloads two to three times and I guarantee you will be able to hit these scores.  Sometimes it takes a solid year of training.

2. Run in boots and swim with fins! At least 3-4 months prior to arriving at BUD/s get the legs used to swimming with fins and running in boots.  They issue Bates 924s and UDT or Rocket Fins at BUD/S.

3. Officers at BUD/s: Go there ready to lead and get to know your men.  Start the team building necessary to complete BUD/s.  You can’t do everything by yourself, so learn to delegate but do not be to good to scrub the floors either.  Be motivated and push the guys to succeed.  Always lead from the front.

4. Enlisted at BUD/S: Be motivated and ready to work as a team.  Follow orders but provide constant feedback so your team can be better at overcoming obstacles that you will face.  Never be late!

5. BUD/S is six months long! Prepare for the long term, not the short term.  Too many people lose focus early on their training and quit.  It would be similar to training for a 10K race and running a Marathon by accident.  You have to be mentally focused on running the Marathon - in this case a six month “marathon”.  It is also extremely long if you are not prepared for the verbal harassment from the instructors either.  That goes for the officers too.  Do not get your feathers ruffled because an E-5 instructor is making you roll around in the sand.

6. Weekly physical tests: The four mile timed runs are weekly and occur on the beach - hard packed sand next to the water line.  They are tough, but not bad if you prepare properly. The 2 mile ocean swims are not bad either if you are used to swimming with fins when you arrive.  The obstacle course will get you to if you are not used to climbing ropes and doing pullups.  Upperbody strength is tested to the max with this test.

7. Eating at BUD/S: You get three great meals a day at BUD/S, usually more than you can eat.  During Hellweek, you get four meals a day - every six hours!  The trick to making it through Hellweek is just make it to the next meal.  Break up the week into several six hour blocks of time.  It is one way of creating light at the end of the tunnel.  Running to chow is one of the worst events of the day, but occasionally you get to walk a portion of the distance if time is on your side.  This typically adds 4-6 miles of running to your day

8. Flutterkicks: This seems to be a tough exercise for many.  Practice 4 count flutterkicks with your ab workouts and shoot for sets of at least 100.  There maybe a day you have to do 1000 flutterkicks.  By the way - that takes 45 minutes!

9. Wet and Sandy: Jumping into the ocean then rolling around in the sand is a standard form of punishment for the class at BUD/S.  It is cold and not comfortable, so you just have to prepare yourself for getting wet and sandy everyday at BUD/S.  Get used to the water either in your pool or open ocean.  The water temp should be in the 60-70 degree zone for ideal Southern CA conditions.   On days that you do not get wet and sandy, it will be the same feeling as getting off early at work on a three day weekend!

10. Go to BUD/S to compete not to merely survive. This is the biggest difference in those who graduate and those who do not.  You should be in the type of shape that will allow you to win or be in the top 10% of the class in every event.  If you hit my standards on the BUDS PFT – you will be in the top ten percent of your class and surprised when you get there to how many on day one can barely pass the PFT.  These are proven standards of a majority of the graduates when they arrive at BUDS.  It does not mean you will graduate if you can reach these standards, in fact, many BUDS students with scores better than these have quit.  After you reach these scores, it all becomes mental toughness that will help you graduate.  That is an un-measurable element of the BUDS student.  However, one common denominator between most of the graduates who have this mental toughness is they were also in great shape and did not mind being yelled at by the instructors. IN fact, finding humor in what happens to you daily is one of the best ways to get through the daily grind.

Everyone at BUD/S will have their nemesis or weakness.  For those who are great swimmers – they are usually poor runners.  For those with great upperbody strength they are usually not so great at running.  Big guys over 200 pounds usually have a difficult time with running and the obstacle course, whereas little guys who wrestled in the past do not, but they typically are not great swimmers.  Every now and then you will find one person who is great at all the events, but usually even he has to suck one of the events and push himself harder to win.

The road to becoming a SEAL is long and challenging.  In some cases, it may actually be harder to enter SEAL training than to graduate from SEAL training.  It regularly takes an individual nearly two years of rigorous training as in this program before he is physically ready for BUDS.  Most of the ones who fail BUDS are those who “thought” they were in shape but really were not.

Officers and Enlisted

The Navy SEALs do not need officers as much as enlisted personnel, so naturally it will be tougher to become an SEAL officer.  The most unusual aspect of SEAL training is that the officers and enlisted participate in the same training.  This is very rare not only in the Navy, but in the entire military.  Perhaps, this is one reason for the closeness of the SEAL units.  It creates an environment of mutual respect and you start to build your reputation for the rest of your career the first day of BUDS.

Medical Requirements

Before you can enter the SEAL program you must meet the following general requirements:

EYESIGHT:  Your eyesight may be no worse than 20/40 in one eye and 20/70 in the other, and it must be correctable to 20/20 with no color blindness. You may have a waiver if vision is 20/70 in one eye and 20/100 in the other, correctable to 20/20.  A waiver is also needed for people who get PRK surgery prior to enlisting.

ACADEMIC TESTS:  The required ASVAB score is: VE + AR = 104, MC = 50. You may be eligible for a waiver (up to 5 points).  Waivers are handled on a case-by- case basis.

PHYSICAL TESTS:  The BUD/s Physical Fitness Test (PFT)

500yd CSS / breaststroke swim  (10:00 rest)                                                                            

Max pushups  in 2:00   (2:00 rest)                       

Max situps in 2:00        (2:00 rest)                                  

Max pullups                    (10:00 rest)                            

1.5 mile run                                          

US CITIZEN:  The program is only open to men, and you must be a U.S. citizen for security-clearance requirements.

You can enter into the SEAL program right out of high school at the age of 18 or you can go to college or work and still enlist into the SEAL program up to the age of 28.  There are age waivers, but they are few and far between and are handled on a case by case basis by the Commanding Officer of BUD/S and the SEAL Community Manager.

Many college graduates enlist instead of entering as an officer mainly due to the large number of officer candidates who apply and the small number who get accepted.  The Navy needs more enlisted men than officers in the SEAL Teams.  Last numbers were one out of every eight apply get accepted in the officer program.

Another reason why it is challenging to become an officer right out of college is due to the number of college graduates in the enlisted ranks who also place requests for Officer Candidate School.  The Navy has a choice of selecting a SEAL veteran enlisted with a college degree or a 22 year old college kid with little experience.  That is why many select to enlist right out of college instead of becoming an officer immediately.  

You can enlist either the conventional way or via the SEAL Challenge Contract.  When you enlist in the U.S. Navy under the SEAL Challenge contract, you must sign a contract that states you are giving a certain number of years in return for guaranteed orders to BUDS – IF you pass the BUDS PFT.   When you enlist under the SEAL Challenge contract, you are guaranteed orders to BUD/S as long as you are qualified and pass a PT screen test in Boot Camp.   Everyone who volunteers to take the BUD/S screening test is allowed to take the test at Bootcamp - SEAL challenge enlisted or the conventional enlisted

There are advantages to signing the SEAL Challenge Contract.  By signing, you are enlisting with the intent of becoming a SEAL. This means that you don't have to worry about getting orders to BUD/S as long as you pass the PT screen test in Boot Camp. This also means that you get four chances to pass the PT screen test at Great Lakes.  

If you enlist under any other contract, you are not guaranteed a billet at BUD/S and may have to go to the fleet and complete a minimum tour of duty (which is two years) before requesting an in service transfer to Naval Special Warfare - BUD/S. You can volunteer at Boot Camp and you may get orders to BUD/S, but it's not guaranteed.

  The SEAL Challenge:

Once you have successfully taken the ASVAB, selected your RATE, and gotten yourself into peak physical condition, you are ready to sign your SEAL Challenge Contract and enlist in the United States Navy.  You can always refer to the NavySEALs.com message boards if you have any questions about what your recruiter is telling you.  Sometimes the Navy recruiters do not know what the SEALs do and may not test you physically before you go to Bootcamp.  Showing up at Bootcamp out of shape and unable to pass the BUD/s PFT will nullify your orders to BUD/s and you will spend the next 4 years in the Fleet.  You can get yourself in shape and lateral transfer after two years.

The most important thing is to stay in top physical shape. You will get four opportunities during boot camp to pass the physical screening test. If you wish to attend BUD/S, you MUST pass the test. The screen test will be given by Navy SEALs at Boot Camp. The SEALs can be found in the Dive Motivator's office at the pool. They will give a Special Warfare brief during your first week at Bootcamp.

 After Bootcamp, you are bound for BUD/S after BUD/S Prep. You must be in peak physical condition when you arrive at BUD/s.  The good news is that there is a pre-conditioning phase at now to help you get into better shape after Bootcamp. 

Before you walk into your local recruiter’s office, ensure you can ace the PST and have read the previous sections: SEAL Challenge contract, ASVAB, and SEAL source rates. Print out the SEAL Challenge contract which can be downloaded from www.navyseal.mil and take it with you to talk to your local recruiter.   Once again, there are a few recruiters that may not be 100% knowledgeable of the SEAL Challenge program. Now, the SEAL Team Mentors at NavySEALs.com can help you.  Visit the Mentor forum.

 PACKAGE SUBMISSION PROCESS

If you are in the Navy and wish to change jobs and become a SEAL, the requirements for submitting a BUD/S training application package are as follows:

Submit through your chain of command a "Special Request Chit" requesting BUD/S training. Then see your Command Career Counselor to begin the process outlined below.

 Submit to SPECWAR/Diver Assignment a "Personnel Action Request" (Form 1306/7). Include the following with your request:

- A certified copy of your ASVAB test scores
- Your physical screening test results
- Pressure and oxygen tolerance test results (if completed)
-Your completed diving physical
- (Form SF88 - SF93)
- Your medical record documenting that all immunizations are up to date
- A certified copy of your last performance evaluation report

- Make a copy of your entire package and keep the copy in a safe place.

- Mail your package to the address below.

SPECWAR/Diver Assignment
BUPERS PERS401D1
5720 Integrity Drive
Millington, TN 38055-0000
Phone: (901) 874-3622
DSN: 882-3622

You may be an officer or enlisted in another branch of service.  There are a few inter-service transfers a year and they are handled on a case by case basis.  Many times you have to serve your enlistment with the Marines or Army, get discharged from the service and reapply to the Navy.  Most of the times, you do not have to do Bootcamp over again.  Your best start on this process is to contact the above number of the SpecWar Detailer in Tennessee.

If you are ready to make that all-important decision and enlist, see your local recruiter. If you want to be a SEAL or Special Warfare Combatant Craft Crewmember (SWCC), make sure you enlist under the SEAL Challenge contract.  Ask your recruiter about this program.

RECRUITERS:

SEAL Recruiter West Coast
Naval Special Warfare
2446 Trident Way
San Diego, CA 92155-5494
Com. (619) 437-2049 /
(619) 437-5009
DSN 577-2049 / 5009
FAX: Com. (619) 437-2018
DSN 577-2018

SEAL Recruiter East Coast
NSWC DET Little Creek
1340 Helicopter Rd.
Norfolk, VA 23521-2945
Com. (757) 363-4128
DSN 864-4128

SEAL Detailer
SPECWAR/Diver Assignment
BUPERS PERS401D1
5720 Integrity Drive
Millington, TN 38055-0000
Com. (901) 874-3622
DSN 882-3622

Dive Motivators (SEAL)
BLDG 1405
Recruit Training Command
Great Lakes, IL 60088
Com. (847) 688-4643
DSN 792-4643

Points of Contact

Toll-free Info Line: 1-888-USN-SEAL

For more detailed information about the Navy SEALs contact:

Public Affairs Office
Naval Special Warfare Command
Naval Amphibious Base Coronado
San Diego, CA 92155-5037
(619) 437-3920

   
                   For updated information visit the official recruiting pages at

www.sealswcc.com

 Conclusion  - BUD/S is an intense 6 month long basic training for SEALs.  You must be prepared for the course physically, but also mentally.  I believe through tough physical preparation, the mind will grow strong as well.  The body must be well equipped to adapt to certain stresses such as cold water, miserable discomfort from sand and being wet for days, and the instructors yelling at you having you do painful things.  Some of these include fireman’s carries, bear crawls, low crawl, hundreds of pushups day after day.   The stretching plan below is critical to your well-being and injury prevention at BUD/S.  Not only should you learn these for your pre-BUD/S training, but you should incorporate these stretches into your weekends and after-work hours while a BUD/S student.

Pictures of Exercises Located in separate location on Members Only EBOOK page. 

__________________________________________________________

Frequently asked questions

What should I do the week before my SEAL Screening Test?

1. Four days away from the PFT, your workouts should start tapering. This means you should take it easy and do not push yourself to failure. Easier runs at 7-8:00 mile pace if your goal is 14:00 run, pushups and situps should be limited to 30-60 seconds of timed events so you do not hit muscle failure. Do knee pushups or crunches just to keep the joints lose and stretch well to remain limber.
2. Three days away from the PFT should be a day off of exercise. Eat foods that are low in fat, higher in protein, and high in complex carbohydrates. Personally, green leafy salad or spinach with lean chicken or tuna fish are great examples of the types of food to help you have more energy. Of course, these foods should be part of your normal weekly diet anyway for best physical results. Drinking water to stay super-hydrated will help you regulate your body temperature during the PST as well as other muscular-skeletal benefits.
3. Two days from the PFT should be a light 1-2 mile run. This should be followed by twenty minutes of stretching from head to toe. Pushups and situps should be performed at goal pace for 1-2 sets of 30-60 seconds. Learn your pace and know it for the test. Knowing your pace will help you get rid of the anxiety prior to PFT. See PFT Anxiety article at www.stewsmith.com/sitemap.htm
4. One day prior to the PFT should be a day off. Take a light walk, run or bike for 15-20 minutes with an equal amount of time spent of stretching. The night prior to the test should be spent relaxing and eating foods high in protein and carbohydrates such as pastas, green leafy lettuce, spinach, fish, chicken, lean meats. Lay off high fat foods. Drink water all day long.
5. Have a breakfast of normal foods such as water, cereals, yogurt, fruit, and juice. Foods higher in carbohydrates like apples, bananas, and carrots are great snacks to add glycogen to your muscles and give you that extra kick in the PST. When you push yourself to muscle failure and maximum effort you will expend the glucose you consumed, so make sure you eat these one hour prior to the PFT.

PFT Anxiety - Channel the Nervous Energy Prior to Physical Fitness Tests

Anxiety is prevalent in our world. It occurs at home, work, social situations, playing sports, and test-taking. Academic testing anxiety is very similar to physical test-taking anxiety. I know before taking a chemistry test at the Naval Academy, I felt the same when I took the Navy SEAL PST. Those symptoms were: headaches, nausea, feeling too hot or too cold, etc. The adrenaline flows through your body prior to any of these events and can adversely affect your performance.

The PST anxiety-removing techniques are as follows:

Be well prepared for the test. Fitness is a daily habit that needs to be developed 4-6 times a week.

1. Test yourself. Take the PFT once a week. It is the stopwatch that causes most of your anxiety, so train with the stopwatch when doing pushups, situps, running etc...
2. Maintain healthy lifestyle. Eat more fruits and vegetables than fast foods, sleep regular hours, drink more water, and exercise 4-6 times per week.
3. PFT taking meals. On the evening prior to the PFT, drink water, eat more fruits and vegetables as in salad, and lean forms of protein like fish and chicken. Pasta is a pre-race favorite among runners and swimmers also. On the morning of the test, eat fruits like apples, bananas, or baby carrots - all high on the glycemic index and provide blood sugar for immediate energy.
4. Test the way you train. Do not do something for the first time on test taking day like eat a protein bar or energy drink. Find out what works for you during your practice tests.
5. Relax. Take deep breaths before the stop watch starts and think positively.
6. Treat yourself. Give yourself a reward IF you reach your training goals.
7. Once you arrive to your test well prepared, the PFT becomes "just another workout" and the only anxiety you will get is a healthy dose of adrenaline that enables you to compete with your counterparts. This healthy dose is similar to competing in a 10K race.

These tips will help you but they will not be fully beneficial if you do not practice these pre-workout methods during the weeks prior to your PFT. You will be better off however if you were unable to prepare for the PFT if you follow the above tips. Good luck in your next PFT! Let me know if I can help you at stew@stewsmith.com.

Changes in the SEAL, EOD, SWCC,
Diver Community

Recently, the Navy changed the way SEAL Teams as well as SEAL recruits do business.  Now, SEAL enlisted personnel no longer have to select SEAL Source ratings (ie BM, RM, GM etc) and learn a job that they will not practice as SEAL operators.  Now, the Special Warfare community has its own rating source code.

To be a member of Naval Special Warfare / Operations community, you now have four choices.  SEAL, EOD, SWCC, or Diver.  Below are the four steps required to becoming a member of the Navy Special Warfare / Operations.

STEP 1: CHOOSE A SEAL SOURCE RATING

All Naval Special Warfare / Naval Special Operations careers have individual source ratings.

• SEAL: (SO)
• SWCC: (SB)
• EOD: (EOD)
• Diver: (ND)

STEP 2: TRAINING (for SEAL Candidates only)

• Bootcamp – (8 weeks - Great Lakes)
• Pre-BUDS – (6 weeks – Great Lakes)
• BUD/S Indoctrination: (5 weeks — Coronado, CA)
• BUD/S Phase I: Physical conditioning (2 months Coronado CA)
• BUD/S Phase II: Diving (2 months — Coronado, CA)
• BUD/S Phase III: Weapons, demolitions and tactics (2 months)
• Parachute Jump School: (1 month — Ft. Benning, GA)
• Advanced Sea, Air and Land Training: (5 months — Coronado, CA)

STEP 3: ADVANCED TRAINING/PLACEMENT

• Graduation and Receive Naval Special Warfare Classification — Opportunities for Advanced Training.
• Report to First SEAL Team or SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) Team
• Individual Specialty Training (6 months).
• Unit Level Training while assigned to a SEAL platoon or SDV task unit (6 months).
• Task Group Level Training (6 months).

STEP 4: DEPLOYMENT AND COMBAT OPERATIONS

A typical SEAL mission could involve insertion into an objective by parachute, submarine, helicopter, high-speed boat, foot patrol or by a combat swimmer insertion. SEALs are also capable of operating a variety of high-tech, specialized equipment. Most deployments last 6 to 8 months.

HOW THIS BOOK SERIES WILL HELP YOU:  These Navy SEAL Four Phase Fitness plans will prepare you physically for the above four steps of one of the most challenging training programs in the military.  Some say that SEAL training is 10% physical and 90% mental.  What does that mean actually?  It does not mean that you will be studying more than PT, running and swimming. It does mean that you will become physically past your point of exhaustion, then YOU have to dig deep within yourself and let your body perform even though you have nothing left in you.  This is where 90% mental comes into play.  You have to mentally will yourself past this point of exhaustion so you finish the mission at hand.  It truly is a test of Mind Over Matter.  As you know “if you don’t mind – it doesn’t matter.”

To properly prepare for BUDS, you do not need to lift heavy weights in the gym, do martial arts for hours a day, soak your body in freezing water, or sleep in the back yard in the winter.  All you need to do to prepare for the rigors of high repetition PT, miles of running, swimming with fins, and obstacles courses is use this book, climb some rope a few times a week, and swim, take showers or baths in water that is 60-70 degrees Farenheit.  No need to soak in ice.  Water in Southern California ranges about 50-70 degrees year round. 

Becoming SCUBA qualified prior to BUDS is not a bad idea.  Using a regulator for the first time during second phase can be a bit imtimidating.  You will have to learn dive physics and dive medicine, so an understanding of math and the science of diving will be beneficial to any SEAL recruit.  See a PADI or NAUI Scuba School near you, though it is not a necessity.

Injury Prevention

Typically, if you take off for more than 2-3 months from a regular running routine, chances are when you start again you will start off “where you left off” and actually over-train.  Basically, you are running too far, too soon.  It takes time to build up to a rigorous amount of running (4-6 miles day – 4-5 times a week), even if you used to run this far in the Fall of last year. 

There is a link I refer many people to who complain of leg injuries.  I have had many of these injuries, BUT since I am not a doctor, I like for people to be better informed through the information prepared by www.drpribut.com. Dr. Steven Pribut is a doctor who enjoys running and has a site designed to help describe, prevent, and self-treat the most common running injuries. Click the links below to see what Dr. Pribut has to say about running and injury prevention.  The types of injures most common to new runners and I receive questions on are the following:

Shin Spints                   Heel Injuries – Plantar Fasciitis

ITB Syndrome               Runner’s Knee              Achilles Tendonitis

If you are an avid runner, chances are you have experienced at least one of these injuries.  In fact, according to Runner’s World, over 50% of all runners get injured every year.

Now, in the spring, after a winter layoff, OR if you are wishing to start running for the first time, I would recommend the following “step up program”.

• Stretch using the stretches in this book for a week first to loosen up stiff joints and connective tissue.
• Choose non-impact aerobic activity like biking, elliptical gliding, rowing or swimming to do when injuries are first felt. It is never a bad idea to cross-train in any of these activities every other day in place a running.
• Warm up properly and then stretch. Run nice and easy for about 5-10 minutes then stretch once you are warm and the muscles and joints a more pliable.  Never stretch “cold”.  See stretches listed on the free Six Week Running Program page at www.stewsmith.com
• Replace running shoes often. I go through shoes about every 2-3 months and ONLY run in my running shoes.  Do not walk in your running shoes since you walk differently than you run.  You do get what you pay for too.  There are a number of types of shoes out there that range from $80-$120 for the better brands, however, you can save $20-30 by going online at retailers such as: http://www.bodynsolesports.com - this site also has information of gait analysis and the importance of orthotics (shoe inserts) to help prevent injuries.

I hope these links can help you prevent some of the common injuries, however, it is always recommended to see a doctor if you are in pain.  Two of the running rules I use is:  “If it hurts to run – stop running” and “If it hurts to walk – DO NOT run and go to a doctor.”

Myofascia release – Learn this term and get a foam roller for yourself.  See Foam Roller Article / Video

Prepare for the Transition of PFTs

The Physical Fitness Test in any branch of service is the same. You need a strategy. For most PFTs, you have to do a series of upper body exercises first (usually pushups, situps, or pullups) then run for 1.5, 2, or 3 miles depending on the service branch.

After you perform maximum repetition sets with your upper body muscles, your heart has forced blood to the arms, shoulders, and torso leaving you very “pumped up”. Running like this can be difficult because the heart has to now pump the blood from your arms and torso down to your legs and, of course, oxygenate the blood repetitively.

When blood is “stuck” in the upper body as it is after a maximum repetition PT test, your heart works harder than normal to get the blood back to where it is needed (next exercise event). This can throw off your known pace that you have trained to maintain for your run. Your breathing is more rapid, your heartbeat is therefore more rapid, your arms swing is more stiff than fluid and relaxed, and your legs are burning for oxygenated blood. This will leave many to say at the end of the run, “I felt OK after the first two laps, but the first half mile about killed me.”

Here is the answer to the problem:

After you perform the PT test, take the time in between the upper body exercises to stretch the arms, chest, shoulders, stomach and lower back. Then run for about 2-3 minutes at an easy pace to get the blood down toward your legs. Finally, take about 3-5 minutes to stretch your legs. Keep shaking the arms, throughout the time in between the PT and run, to loosen up.

This will help you feel better at the start of your timed run and you will avoid feelings of breathlessness at your target pace. See the other running articles in the StewSmith.com Article Archive for ideas on increasing your speed and setting your goal pace.

Fitness Performance Nutrition Tips

When to eat and what to eat are constant questions that affect your fitness performance, weight loss / gain goals, as well as overall health.  I was recently challenged with a question by email that asked, “What should I eat/drink before, during, and after my workout?  My goal is to perform better in my running, swimming, PT test and following spec ops training.”  The answer will vary depending on your goal, but understanding After, Before, During (ABD’s) of Workout Nutrition will better help all groups reach their fitness goals.  I saw the” ABD’s of Recovery Nutrition” at a recent Mid-Atlantic NSCA Regional conference given by Paul Moore, MS, RD, CSCS of Fitness4 Pros and thought it was a brilliant way to discuss nutrition throughout the training cycle.

This understanding of what foods / drinks work best for performance gains requires a constant search for the individual.  Here are some suggestions that will help you figure out WHAT to eat, WHEN to eat, as it all depends on your individual likes / dislikes and goals.

For the Performance Fitness Goal:  If you are preparing to ace a fitness test, compete in a race, or another athletic event, sports nutrition is vital to your performance.  You have to experiment with immediate energy of carbohydrates of fruits, juices, sports drinks, protein and fat sources to find what works best for you.  Keep track of what and how much you ate and drank, and how you slept that night on your best performance days.  Often these in combination will set you on an optimal performance path. Repeating those optimal performance days is obviously your goal to make it through tough training programs and fitness entrance testing.  You may even be exercising for more than one session per day and for several hours a day.  If so, you really need to eat / hydrate well and usually larger quantities of quality food will help you recover from the multiple workouts per day.  For instance:

AFTER WORKOUT:  This could be a few of your regularly scheduled meals depending upon the time of day you choose to work out.  The fitness performance group needs to immediately focus on carbohydrate replacement as well as protein consumption for both glycogen stores and muscle repair / growth for the next workout respectively.  Find what carbohydrates and proteins work best for you but I would make sure that these meals are not only a post workout meal but also a PRE-workout meal for the next workout later in the day or early the following day.  Supplements tend to come into play during the post workout nutrition game.  I am not personally into supplementing daily other than some omega 3 and 6 capsules and some multi-vitamins rich in all the B vitamins especially.  For a quick fix and in replacement of food in a pinch, I will take some whey protein powder with some chocolate milk.  See list below of quality carbs / protein sources that work great as post workout meal ideas.

BEFORE WORKOUT:  If you are training for long, tough training programs coupled with a high intensity effort for testing your maximums in calisthenics, miles of running, and hundreds of yards of swimming, you need to eat a majority of carbohydrates no less than 45-60 minutes prior to exercise sessions.  Choose low fiber, low fat, low/medium on the glycemic index for immediate and sustainable carbohydrate energy.  I personally like baby carrots, bananas, and apples for performance testing pre-workout snacks.  In fact, many of my weekly 4 mile timed beach runs and 2 mile ocean swims at SEAL training were preceded with these fruits / vegetables.  I often joke that baby carrots and apples helped me get through SEAL training.

DURING WORKOUT:  Unless you are working out for extended periods of time to get used to 8-10 hours of training at Special Operations School, food intake during normal 1-2 hour workouts is not needed.  However, during high intensity training off and on throughout the day, you should be eating a higher carbohydrate diet but mixed with some light protein snacks as well.  The carbs are there to fuel you through the rest of the workout day and the protein comes in to assist with added calories but to also help you recover when the day/long workout is complete.  Consider this an endurance athlete approach to training.  You need to be able to sustain high repetitions of body weight movements, some strength /power for moving heavier team building objects, and endurance as well as the calories to handle many miles of running, rucking, or swimming.

Great ideas are:

Carbohydrate Options:  Multi grain breads and pastas, cereals, vegetables (romaine lettuce, broccoli, asparagus, carrots), fruits, (tomatoes, strawberries, apples, berries, oranges, grapes, and bananas ) make great carbohydrates for energy.  However, if you need to add some calories for either weight gain or weight maintenance due to high calorie burn rates, add in a limited amount of post meal milk shakes, or a great mix of both carbs / protein is chocolate milk.

Protein Options:  Meats, fish, chicken, eggs, nuts, almonds, beans, milk, milk shakes with additional whey protein powder (optional), peanut butter.  I personally eat brown rice and lima beans in between workouts during snack time, or have a few servings with a main course of meat or fish for a good balance of plant and animal protein.

Fat Options:  Fish, nuts, olive oils, omega 3 fortified products (milk, margarine, peanut butter).  Typically, I get most of these fats from nuts and fish, but I also supplement the omega 3 fatty acids most important to longevity / healthy recovery.

The ABD’s of HYDRATION:  Not only does the performance group need to super hydrate due to hard workouts especially during excessively sweaty workouts, but you need to add electrolytes (sodium potassium, magnesium, calcium as well.  So foods / drinks rich in many of these elements are essential to your recovery from significant water / electrolyte loss.  Personally, if I can wring out my shirt after a workout, I will add more of these “salts” into my post exercise diet.  Sure you can add sports drinks but stay away from the “energy” drinks that are loaded with caffeine as these are not what you need.  Sports drinks with sodium, potassium, carbohydrates (sugar) are your best bet for hydration during and after hard sweaty exercise.   But bananas and water are also sufficient in most cases.  Here are some ideas for hydration:

• After Workouts - One of my favorite post exercise snacks is a can of chicken noodle soup (Campbells Noodle O’s) as it is loaded with potassium, sodium, carbs, protein as well.  In fact it has about 3-4 times the potassium of a banana and about 5-6 times the potassium of Gatorade.  If you are not sweating much nor in arid environment, water will be enough to hydrate you.
• Before workouts, do not drink too much if you are doing significant running as the bouncing will potentially cause cramping.
• During workouts, sip water or carbohydrate / electrolyte mix every 10-15 minutes to maintain high intensity performance training. 
• A ballpark equation for daily consumption of liquids for highly active person is: 

50-75% body weight in lbs = oz per day of H₂O

Finding the right mix of carbohydrates, protein, fats, electrolytes and water all depend on your age, sex, weight, activity level, and goals.  Every day you have a killer good workout / test scores and feel great afterwards, make a note of everything you did that day.  Very often it is the formula that works best for you and your fitness performance goals.

Closing Remarks

Thanks for choosing a profession of serving your country.  It is an honorable profession that requires commitment to stay fit and healthy so you can best perform your duties, to stay alive, and keep others alive.

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GOOD LUCK

Good luck with the program and remember to consult your physician first before starting any program if you have not exercised in several months or years.  If you need help with any fitness related questions please feel free to email me.

Contact us at stew@stewsmith.com if you need to ask questions about training, this specific workout, or you would like to attend our local workouts, make bulk purchases, or considering online coaching.