Customer Reviews

The Complete Guide to Navy Seal Fitness, Third Edition (Includes DVD): Updated for Today's Warrior Elite

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
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This is perhaps the finest workout manual ever produced. I always have liked the idea of using callesthenics to get in shape beacause not only is it a little safer than weightlifting, but it can be done anywhere with no expensive gym membership or equipment. Before I would use the CJ CArracci dvd's, which dont get me wrong are an excellent workout too. But this is so much more complete. He breaks it down to 12 weekly workouts, that are different everyday and change weekly, progressively getting harder while switching things up to keep the workout fresh. There's swimming, running workouts, military callesthenics, and so much more. I have never been in this good of shape before. I can swim over a mile a day, jog for 5-6 miles at a time, and do pushups all day! Factor in that this book comes with a dvd to demo the excercises all for 13 bucks, and you will have the greatest tool in any workout arsenal.

I have been using this book as my fitness guide for the past month and a half now. I am a former Marine so I know the essentials for fitness, however this book goes far beyond the standard work out. I found that I was pushing myself harder on his "intermediate" workout than on just about any other fitness program I've used.

Whether you want to become a Navy SEAL or you just want to be in the best shape of your life, follow this book...you won't be disappointed!

I've read over this book and I love it. Unlike other Navy Seals book, it doesn't insult you. It encourages you to try out new stuff and to keep doing them. I personally love the section about swimming. I've been swimming sidestroke and freestyle for quite a while in preparations for my 5k run-swim-run this summer. I also plan to do a 13.1 miles run while will help out greatly. I really want to try the rope climbing exercise. However, I'm having trouble locating a rope to climb. I saw some ropes at Little Creek but I don't know if people can just use them whenever.

Overall, the book is very neat. It shows you pictures and instructions on how to do the proper sets. The book even has a "plan" in the back. It goes over everything from stretches, pushups, pull ups, swimming, running, and rope climbing. It's all very clear and very good.

I personally don't know if this book will prepare you for actual training for special operations. I do know that they are fun to do and the author is fairly nice about it. He doesn't insult you and he goes about to encourage you by knowing that not everyone who reads the book will be "SEAL material."

Another book I recommend is U.S. Navy SEAL Guide to Fitness and Nutrition by U.S. Navy. It's very informative and it breaks into two sections: fitness and nutritional advice.

I haven't exercised for more than ten years, yet here I am, reading a book about taking exercise to the extreme. What's wrong with me? Well I used to run four miles almost everyday, in under thirty minutes. Now I don't even know if I could walk a mile anymore. I guess what is wrong with me is that I miss those good ol' days when I was in great shape and I want to go back to those good ol' days.

The indisputably most fit people in the world are the Navy Seals. They aren't muscle-bound bodybuilders, they are a group of world-class athletes. That means they have a history of doing things that work and what they say has credibility. So if I am seeking advice, what could be better than asking Stewart for his? And his answer is this book. Therefore it shouldn't come as any surprise that Stewart's book had all the right information that I had already confirmed with independent third party sources. More importantly, it had a section for "beginners". Hoo yah! So I got the book, only to find that although Stewart has a chapter in his book for "beginners", day two of his "beginner" routine has you doing 50 pushups and 50 crunches! Being overweight and out-of-shape as I am, I could barely do 5 each. Clearly Stewart's idea of a "beginner" is not mine or most everybody else's definition of a beginner. So that section is useless to me afterall but that doesn't mean this book is useless. It is a great reference book for how to swim or run or train to pass BUD/S, especially with the included DVD to make it visually clear what he is talking about. It has great ideas on various isometric and free exercise routines to use in other fitness programs. The emphasis on stretching is right on, when the vast majority of other fitness routines leave it out. The chapter on nutrition is accurate. Just don't expect any scientific explanations for why any of these things were chosen or how they work -- you just have to accept it all by faith (and results, if you consider the track record of the Navy Seals). For explanations get a book like NATURAL HORMONAL ENHANCEMENT by Rob Faigin. For advanced practical application of those scientific principles, get this book.

I'm not going to be a Navy Seal and I have no desire to be one, but it is nice to know I can get advice from one. Stewart missed a few details in his book but was very generous and responsive to this fact when I pointed it out to him, and he sent me a link to a PDF file that covered the issue in question. I'm not going to say what the missing details were, since no one else has noticed it, and if you will never notice it, why mention it? Beside, I don't want people to take advantage of Stewart's good nature so suffice it to say that Stewart is committed to helping his target audience get all they can out of his book. I only wish I was a member of his target audience.

Bought this book for my son. He worked on his own and passed his PST, and joined the Navy SWCCC program. His SEAL mentor recommended this book and my son pretty much followed it to the letter, nutrition advice and all. His PST score improved dramatically and keep in mind he was in pretty good shape to pass it in the first place. The variation of routines was great, and it was all explained well. I've used some of the things from it, and it about 8 weeks I've gone from not being able to run 1/2 mile to running 3 miles and I am OLD. My overall level of fitness is up to. My son loaned his copy of the book to a friend to prep for Marine basic, so I'm buying my own copy of the book. You won't look like a body builder. My son has several friends who hit the weights hard, and when you look at them all together, you would definitely say my son could kick the weight lifter's tails. Hard to describe really, but it's a look of total overall fitness. Awesome book, so awesome, I'm buying two...

This product was very helpful to me. I intend to go out for BUD/S and found that this book answered alot of my questions about it. It is encouraging yet strait forward and to the point. It is well written in my opinion, easy to read and understand. I read it all the way through in the first two days I had it and still keep it on me like a bible to review often. The workouts are also thuro. They are no joke workouts and deffinately not for everyone. There are also workouts for new people or experienced to get them ready for the featured work out "12 weeks to BUD/S." It covers everything from how to improve your run time to swim time to overall physical body endurance and strength. I recomend to anyone that wants to lead a more disciplined life.

This book is a must-have not only for those preparing to join the Navy SEALs but anyone considering joining the Special Operations community in general. It gives detailed safe routines to get you from sedentary to fit and prepared for the rigors of BUD/S or any other indoc program. It also contains information on stretches, and lots of practical information from the SEAL application process through what to expect at each step of BUD/S.

If you are looking to get in shape, look no further!

Over the past 30 years I have done P90X, powerlifting, marathon running, tae kwon do, Crossfit, wrestling, 10K running, bodybuilding, etc.

This book kicks [...] and takes no prisoners.

It IS NOT hardcore weight training.

It IS an excellent strength and conditioning book that will tax even very fit people.

If you follow this routine, you WILL be pushed to the max.

Bodyweight exercises, abs, swimming, running, and stretching are the core of the program.

If you want to get in shape, eat clean, watch your calories and workout with the SEALs.

Have fun and good luck!

I signed up for the SEAL Adventure Challenge and Training Academy in 2007. I kept reading through the prep material and all it said for fitness was a link to this book. I thought it was a shameless ploy and ignored the link.

When I showed up to do the course who do you think was in charge of the PT? None other than Stu Smith. You might imagine what a dummy I felt like if you really try.

That was the most exhillerating and miserable week of my life. At the end Stu gave me an autographed copy of his book. Of course it is a treasured momento but if only I had used this in advance my week might have been a little less miserable.

So to make a long story a little bit longer...This book is indeed the real deal and I assure you that this is the method to prepare for BUDS. Even if that is not your final goal you will not be disappointed. The book is very easy to read and understand. It has everything you need to get in the BEST shape of your life!

If you want to achieve a level of fitness through workouts that are well balanced (cardio, calisthenics, and mental toughness), transportable (i.e., many of the workouts don't need a gym), and is structured in a manner that allows you to improve over time while avoiding injury -- then buy this book!

I have used the workouts in this book for a number of years -- they are great for the off season, or when you want to have a "ready made" alternative for those days when you need a break from your usual activity (cycling in my case). The workouts are easily broken into sub-elements that can be done throughout the day (morning, lunch and after work) allowing for recovery (as needed) in order to do the reps properly.

I really like the structure and wish I would have had the 12 week workout available when I was in the Army prepping guys for Ranger school and the like. Now, as an old(er) man, the workouts allow me to maintain both my physical capabilities and motivation by tapping Stew Smith's experience.

Nice work Stew!