Customer Reviews

The Official U.S. Air Force Elite Workout

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm confused by the other reviews. One complains that the book doesn't give the numbers of sets & reps to do. Sure it does, starting on pp. 176 -- both repetition sets and timed sets, week by week as actually done in the Indoc course.

Another reviewer complains that the review only gives the basic guidelines that the Air Force sends you when you apply to the school. Well, no, the book gives you that (identical to the Navy's BUD/S Warning Order for SEAL candidates, BTW) *and* it gives you not only the PT sets & reps for the course week-by-week, but also the weight training circuit (pretty easy to follow with equipment in a normal gym, though you may have to do some substitutions for different machines). It also has a calendar showing the running times and types (intervals, etc.) and swimming distances used for each day of the 9 weeks.

What could prepare you better for a course than actually doing the workouts that you'll do in the course?

Having patiently waited for several months after its scheduled release, it finally hits the shelves, and I find myself very disappointed. Don't get me wrong; the book does an excellent job in covering the INDOC course that the Pararescue and Combat Control candidates have to go through. This type of information is gold for those of us who are planning to attend. Before now, you had to know someone who had gone through the course to get this kind of insight, since there is little to no information to be found on these career fields, unlike that of the world renowned Navy SEALs. This book breaks the INDOC course down and explains nearly everything you'll need to know to mentally and physically prepare yourself for "one of the most vigorous and demanding training regimens known to man." So what's the problem? Before this book, the best thing out there for preparing to attend INDOC was, and still is, THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO NAVY SEAL FITNESS, also published by Five Star. This book does an excellent job of explaining the Navy SEAL's BUD/S course, but also gives a "12 Weeks to to BUD/S workout." The workout is broken down day-by-day and tells you exactly what you need to be doing each day. My buddies who have used this workout and gone on to the INDOC course said they had no problems doing the workouts there. My disappointment is that I was expecting the same type of specific guidance as is given in the Navy SEAL book; instead, they just republished the standard general guidelines that I had already received from the Air Force for free. For anyone interested in becoming a PJ or CCT, I recommend both books; use THE OFFICIAL UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ELITE WORKOUT for becoming familiar with the program and what it entails, but use THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO NAVY SEAL FITNESS to physically prepare for the many "smoke sessions" you'll endure while your there. With an 85% washout rate, you can't be too prepared.

It is about time AF Special Forces gets some recognition. While primarily intended for someone planning on entering AF Special Operations and wishes to prepare for the grueling indoctronation course, it offers an excellent regimine for keeping fit. All too often the public assumes that only Army, Marine and SEAL special forces demand a lot physically and the Air Force is "Soft". With a higher wash-out rate and longer, more intensive training required than any other Special Forces group, CCT's and PJ's often get applicants who fail within the first few days as they are not in condition. A great book for the fitness nut.

During my first year of AFROTC, we worked out to the above mentioned 12 Weeks to BUDS. That was grueling in and of itself. I purchased this book to prepare for field training, and so far it's pretty decent. People have complained "where's the workout" - it says in the book that they compiled the information so you can mix and match a workout that is good for you. And you don't have to be a physical trainer to do this - the sets are there, the combinations of exercises are there - you simply have to do them. Finish this workout COMPLETELY and I guarentee the book will live up to what it says "you will be in the best shape of your life." Oh, and don't forget the running...

Already A paratrooper in the USArmy I have met many PJs and CCTs. Following my desire to be one (a PJ) I purchased the book and have followed the work out for about 7 weeks so far and the results are more than satisfying.

It is a very simple no nonsense book with deatail of the running and swimming in the PJ/CCT Indoc course. What I really appreciated was the detailed break down of the work out with weights and aerobic strength training. what the book lacks in glitz and glamour it certainly makes up for in content.

I read through all the reviews before ordering this book & came to the conclusion that either the wrong people are enlisting in the military or people are selecting the wrong Military Occupational Specialty. After about five minutes I had my personal fitness plan custom tailored to my needs.

Where the confusion lies I don't know. Within half an hour all the stretches and exercises were committed to memory thanks to the excellent photgraphs and text.

If anyone buys this book and gives it a one star review all I can say is, ' Put down the Krispy Kreme, close the comic book & stop living behind internet bravado'.

Besides, who better to look up to than PJs. These guys are real American heroes. They get into the thick of it and save lives, not take them. PJs are way cool. People are always drooling over Navy SEALs but all it takes is a six pack and the keys to your car to be as dangerous of a threat to others. Know what I'm saying?

If you're looking for anything beyond the basics of working out I would not recomend this book. However, if you are new to the workout scene this book is for you. It does a great job of explaining the correct form of certain exercises, such as push-ups, sit-ups, flutter kicks, and others. It covers a broad range of exercises such as running, swimming, and many cardiovascular workouts. It is because it covers so many things that it doesn't give you information beyond the basics. It also doesn't back up any of the exercises with results or scientific studies, so it seems they're just recommendations.
Perhaps the best part of the book is the description of the Pararescue and Combat Controller schools. It gives you a good idea of the training they do there, and gives a workout schedule you can follow. All this information is online however at www.specialtactics.com so I would check that out before investing in the book.

I attended the PJ/CCT Indoc course and boy, do I wish that I'd had this book to prepare me for it! This really is the toughest training in the world, and this is truly a man's workout. SSgt. Alexander, former PJ of the year, is one of the demonstrators in this book. He was a member of the Air Force's Team Tier One in the Discovery Channel's Eco Challenge. These men know how to work out, and now so can you.

I attended the PJ/CCT Indoc course and boy, do I wish that I'd had this book to prepare me for it! This really is the toughest training in the world, and this is truly a man's workout. SSgt. Alexander, former PJ of the year, is one of the demonstrators in this book. He was a member of the Air Force's Team Tier One in the Discovery Channel's Eco Challenge. These men know how to work out, and now so can you.

The exercises in this book are very useful, and being that this book holds much of the minum standards in it I know what to train myself above. Without thisan book you can get a bunch of information on the internet that might give you the same information, but on the forums and websites you also get a bunch of wrong information from people who think they know what hapens during indoc.

The book also tries to give you an insight as to what the average candidate will go through, but due to insructors changing everything, and motivation week, its hard for the author to say exactly what you or I will go through during indoc.

I bought this book because I have days in which I cannot reach a computer and I like to carry this book to have the workouts on me at all times, if you are always near a computer than this book might be a waste of money as much of the information can be found, and is on the the internet.