Navy SEALS (1990)

The most difficult and physically demanding DVD of its type.
The Navy SEALs Workout is a 55 minute routine that was filmed at the Naval Special Warfare Center. Navy SEAL instructors effortlessly lead BUD/S trainees through a rigorous PT session. This is actually a compilation of several workouts led by various instructors and combined into one video session. I have every Navy SEAL fitness video available and this is by far the most difficult and physically demanding DVD of its type. A pull-up bar and dip bars are required for the workout.

I doubt that anyone other than a Spec Ops warrior can successfully complete the workout as shown on their first try. I'm in good shape and I still can't complete the whole routine at the pace shown. The number of repetitions for the upper body exercises appear deceptively easy at first. They soon become difficult because of the slow, strict form that is used. What really makes them hard is the use of negatives where you hold the position for extended times. The multiple sets are also performed with very little rest. Be prepared for some pain! The abdominal, neck, and leg exercises rely on sets of very high repetitions with no rest in between to push you past your limits. For example, some of the exercises include, 100 two-count "good morning darlings" and 100 four-count neck rotations followed immediately by 100 two-count up and down. You will also be performing 200 reps for the first set of squats. These exercises are designed for extended muscle endurance. Be prepared for more pain!

The production quality is good with detailed instruction at the beginning of each segment. The SEAL instructors are the epitome of physical fitness and they are motivating examples for others to follow. This is challenging, hard core PT that will either make you stronger or make you quit.

Not quite a seal of approval
I'm not the most fit person in the world, but have had a care in the past for being in shape, and have recently renewed my interest. I'd used military-themed programs and books in the past to reasonable effect, and thought this might be a good one to follow, too.

It has several different sections - warm up, pull exercises, push exercise, ab workouts, etc. These are done in isolation from each other, with rest periods between the exercises. This doesn't lend to the routines having a cardio benefit. The downside for me was that I expected it to be tough and challenging, as would befit anything with the title `Navy Seal'. The pull-ups are done in sets of three - while it might be challenging on the third or fourth set at the start, it isn't that big a deal. The push-ups tend to be done in sets of ten. Excuse me? What is tough about that? Even in my non-exercise days I could do multiple sets of ten with no problem. For absolute beginners that might be necessary, but I wonder how many absolute beginners are going to get this?

The only workout section I found to be a challenge was the ab workout, and that was because I was introduced to a few new movements.

One thing that others have noted in reviews that I shall repeat is that a place to do pull ups and dips is necessary. This isn't made clear from the DVD packaging itself, and a major portion of this DVD workout involves pull-ups of different kinds (wide grip, behind-the-neck, etc.) and dips.

The instructors and trainees are on their best behavior, and the trainees seem to be much better in terms of doing the exercises than in documentaries I've seen where Seal trainees are being put through their paces. This was obviously filmed over some time that allowed the participants to get cleaned up between takes, making it a bit less realistic.

I have no doubt that Navy Seals are as tough as they come. I have no doubt that I can do everything in this video program and not be anywhere close to their fitness level. While I never really expected to (being past 40, etc.), I had hoped it would present more of a challenge than it did.

DIP BAR NOT INCLUDED
The title description never mentions that a pull-up and dip bar are required for this workout. I got it mostly to remind me of PT cadence.