The Special Ops Workout: The Elite Exercise Program Inspired by the United States Special Operations Command
Product Description
Due to recent events, all eyes have been on the American military, especially the elite Special Operations teams: Army Special Forces, Army Rangers, Navy SEALS, and Air Force Special Ops that truly are the best of the best in the military. These teams of specially trained warriors perform the most difficult, politically sensitive, and dangerous missions known to the US military. The Special Ops Workout: The Elite Exercise Program Inspired by the United States Special Operations Command gives an inside look at the intense physical preparation required to become part of one of these elite teams. The men of the Special Ops are in the best physical shape of their lives, and the combination of conditioning workouts, nutritional information, and inside looks into training and selection guidelines outlined in The Special Ops Workout show just how they get that way. Nationally known fitness expert Mike Mejia and former US Navy SEAL and fitness author Stewa… More >>
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This book is a collection of “work outs” from other books in the series. There is little new information that you can not get from previous books. Of interest is a section in the book called “Stew Smith’s Ruck Marching Tips”…This same information has been found for years in the US Army Special Forces “pre-selection” physical training guide word for word! Plagarism? Get a free Special Forces (pre selection) physical training guide from your recruiter and save money for something more useful
Does it REALLY matter that a guy can do pull ups at a regular shoulder width grip and then must do a bunch with a wide or narrow grip? I think not. Strength and conditioning specialists know that doing the same exercise from all different angles accomplishes nothing, except maybe giving yourself a case of tendonitis or bursitis. Its a medical fact that a muscle’s shape is genetically determined and that “hitting it” from different angles will not change its shape.
This book is another canned workout book, full of boring and redundant exercises that just fill up space.
I find it hard to believe that USSOCOM really does these workouts. At most this is remedial fitness stuff. The advice on rucking is nothing that great either. Im an accomplished hardcore, long range backpacker and frankly, the standard Army advice is poor in many respects.
The British SAS has far better fitness advice and their physical training evolutions and selection course are superior to anything used in USSOCOM. The SAS are extremely accomplished “walkers” who have the trained physical ability to cover ridiculous amounts of distance on foot, in extremely rugged terrain, at fast paces carrying heavy loads. Again, it doesnt matter that you can do a gazillion different abdominal exercises from all different angles or do wide grip, narrow grip and medium grip pull ups. Who cares. All that really matters is that you can do cross country rucksack marches at fast paces, in rugged terrain using land navigation techniques. And oftentimes do it in bad weather and at night. And swim well for waterborne missions and river crossings. And negotiate obstacles carrying equipment and weapons. That is real combat related fitness. Its also termed functional, combat related fitness. This supposed “USSOCOM fitness” book is just sissy stuff. It has a distinct health club/bodybuilder tone to it.
Stew Smith and GetFitnow’s first several fitness books were pretty good. But the last several they’ve published have not been too great. This is one of their books Id put in the “poor” category and recommend against purchasing.
Quite frankly, this book is just a collection of mediocre bodybuilderish workouts utilizing many redundant variations of calisthenics. And then uses “USSOCOM workout” in its title to sell it.
This book is worth buying only for Stew Smith’s workouts. I personally liked the Army stuff the most of anyting he’s done(which isn’t available in the other books). It’s basic, simple bodyweight exercise for the most part. Running, rucking, swimming, rope climbing, and lots of cals.
My complaint was with Mejia’s “SOCOM” workouts. They’re the kind of trendy stuff that Smith wisely eschews in all of his other books. The pictures are…unmotivational. (If I wanted to look like that guy, I’d buy a cookbook instead of a workout book)
If you’re tired of heading to the gym to workout, these exercise programs will give you a fresh routine you can do outside.
When I got tired of all the coughing and body fluid exchange going on at the gym, I started to develop a workout I could do outside anytime, anywhere. This book was the exact tool I needed to develop a training program appropriate for my fitness level, that I could perform anywhere and without gym equipment.
Mejia and Smith put together programs suitable for beginners to the insane! If you’re tired of packing up and driving to the gym, get this book. It will give you the freedom to walk out your front door, anytime and start working out.
I’m adding the 8-count body builder and combat drills to my workout this week!