Men's Fitness - June 2000

NO WEIGHTS REQUIRED

Get leaner and stronger with this Navy SEAL-inspired training regimen, designed exclusively for Men's Fitness

How many superfit guys pass any given six-month Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (bud/s) course? You know, the seal training nutcracker that ends in a seven-day survival marathon called "Hell Week"? Well, of approximately 650 guys entering a seal cycle, only one quarter make it all the way.

Scott Helvenston—an elite graduate of the grueling seal school by the time he was 17!—agreed to give you, the Men's Fitness reader, an exclusive taste of how the tough get going. Adapted from his civilian SEAL-based program called Amphibian Athletics (located in San Diego, Calif.), Scott combines calisthenics with core body-strength training. Try Scott's regimen—which doesn't require machines and can be done at home—and within a month you'll be leaner and functionally stronger. (For more information about Scott's program, see www.sealtraining.com.)

The workout is split into two 20-minute segments, allowing you the versatility to perform them in succession for an intense 40-minute workout or to divide them into two separate parts. Helvenston also recommends 30 to 45 minutes of cardio training four times a week. "Pick a variety of things like running, swimming, kayaking or whatever else you like to do," he advises. "It'll keep you from getting bored and make it more likely you'll stick to your routine." As with all workouts, this one should be preceded by a warm-up session of light cardio and total-body stretching.

The Workout

Perform two sets of each exercise with a minute of rest in between each set. Use this minute to stretch, rest or catch your breath. After you're done, move on to the superset (with no rest between exercises) and then on to the crunches.

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