Fitness Matters

 Navy SEAL take the term "in shape" to a level most of us can only dream about Their training prepares them for the worst, whether that means staying awake for days at a time, scaling mountains, or swimming for miles. How do they do it? There's no place for special equipment or fancy choreography here. No, these guys get in shape by getting back to the basics.

The Navy SEALs, an elite fighting force, were thrust into the limelight last year with the release of G.I. Jane, which starred a buffed-out Demi Moore as the first woman to take part in SEAL training. Moore owed her new-found strength and muscles to two things: lots of hard work and certified personal trainer Scott Helvenston, the former Navy SEAL hired to put her through her paces.

You won't find the word shortcut in Helvenston's vocabulary. Considering he spent 12 years as a member of the Navy SEAL's, training in hand-to-hand combat, martial arts, weapons and underwater demolition, it's comforting to know that these defenders of our country aren't taking the easy way out.

Helvenston put together the following workout, which can be done sequentially as a strength-training session, or as an interval-training workout by adding an aerobic component. Depending on your time and location, you can take your workout outdoors to a park or recreation area or, as we did, to the beach. Explore your environment by walking or jogging for one to three minutes between exercises. Or, if your space is limited, try jumping jacks or the box jump. The key is to keep your heart rate in your training zone throughout the exercise session until you cool down.

Modifications are provided for beginner, intermediate and advanced exercisers. Exercises that are considered more difficult or higher risk are marked with an asterisk. Don't do any exercise if it feels awkward or causes joint or back pain.

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