You don’t have to enlist to get the benefits of an army workout. Designed to be challenging, army workouts can help you achieve a sexy, toned physique. Add some of these moves to your regular workout and you might just find people standing at attention when they see the new you.
Ultimate 20 minute workout
Stew Smith, a former Navy SEAL and certified fitness specialist, offers this workout routine:
100 pull ups
200 push-ups
300 sit-ups
Smith advises adding to the challenge by limiting sets/rest breaks and doing as many as you can while maintaining good form. For example, with the pull ups that would look like two sets of 50 rather than five sets of 20.
Go hard with HIIT
SSG Sarvis, U.S. Army Drill Sergeant of the Year, recommends this high intensity interval training workout for endurance and speed:
Sprint as fast as you can for 30 seconds and walk for 60 seconds. Kick it up a notch by changing the intervals to 60 sprint/120 walk.
Of course you can also expect to burn mega calories and get more bang for your exercise buck.
Body weight training + weights = a great workout
U.S. Army Second Lieutenant Joshua Stephens works out 5 to 6 days a week for 60 to 90 minutes. Here is a sample from a typical day.
Stephens starts with the heavy bag. He does four sets over 30 minutes and includes sit-ups between sets. Next:
10 meter tire flips – 5 sets .
Mountain Climbers – 4 sets of 25 reps
Kettlebell swing – 35 to 45 pounds for 4 sets of 25 reps
Push-ups – 4 sets of 50 reps.
Squats – 4 sets of 50 reps.
Army workouts emphasize endurance, core strength and upper body strength. Get these benefits for yourself. Include plenty of cardio, push-ups, pull-ups, and planks in your regular routine. These kinds of exercise build functional fitness, which is helpful for a quick response in an emergency (necessary in the army). Functional fitness is also immensely helpful for civilians. Not only does it help you maintain flexibility and a healthy weight, functional fitness improves quality of life as you age. Start now for sexy and stay with it to remain stable. You’ll have a reduced risk of falling and maintain your independence longer. Start where you are and add reps and sets as you build stamina. Another bonus – you’ll build confidence and physical strength that isn’t just ordinary strong but army strong.
