Gymnastic Bodies for Special Forces Prep

Hello,

 

My name is Collin and I am interested in using Gymnastic Bodies to prepare for BUD/S.  I am wondering if anyone has insight into how to integrate running, swimming, rucking and body weight volume into the gymnastic bodies course.  I am doing F1 3 days broken into the A/B day routine.  While the GB program is great for strength and joint prep I am wondering if anyone has experience adding in running and body weight movements for volume.

 

Coach Sommer mentioned a guy using the program to prepare for Delta Selection and any additional information about that specific case or anything along those lines would be greatly appreciated.

Focus on the iM work. Especially the SLS iM for the knees.

 

The strength training is also good but if your joints are unconditioned when put through the enormous pressure through running with and carrying around with heavy stuff all that strength does not matter.

 

Consider front split stretch course for ankle prep as well.

Hi Collin,

 

Good question! Here is what I can tell you; I wish I had access to Coach and his materials when I went through BUD/S. Alexander had some good advice, you definitely do need iM work. What does your week look like right now? How have you broken out running, swimming and rucking? How is it working for you? 

 

"Special Forces" is a Green Beret. Very different than a team guy and BUD/S training. 

 

Is anyone else out there training for some tactical selection course? SF, Ranger, BUD/S, PJ, Recon, etc... Id be interested to hear from you guys as to your training as well. 

 

Cheers,

Jeff

In addition to what Alex said, I would try to give more weight to the "core" exercises of Manna, Front Lever, Side Lever, because I recall reading somewhere that Coach said that that was the reason why one of his athletes had excelled at BUDS--compared to the average gym rat and the typical athlete, he had a remarkably strong core.

Good question, Colin.

 

1) First thing to understand is that BUD/S is a physical and emotional endurance event in which strength takes a far distant second place.  Note that BUD/S is NOT training.  It is selection.  You either have what they are looking for already or you don't.

 

If this was SF or delta, the focus would be on rucking, however in BUD/S the focus is on running.

 

You are going to be running a minimum of 7-10 miles per day.  Minimum.  Usually in an already pre-exhausted state.  And bruised.  And abused.  And generally pissed off.

 

Forget intervals, HIT and sprints.  You need to build a solid running base.  Without this base your chances of being around more than a few weeks will drop down somewhere between zip and zero regardless of how strong you are.

 

Stress fractures, ITB issues, shin splints, hip flexor sprains etc are just a few of the overuse injuries encountered by those foolish enough to attempt BUD/S without an adequate running foundation that has been prepared at least 12-18 months prior to the start of training.

 

2) Joint prep is king.  You are going to get beat up constantly, from odd angles and with heavy loads.  If your joints are not durable enough to handle this abuse, you will quickly find yourself on the sidelines as well.

 

3) While endurance running and joint prep are being developed, it is also time to consider a hard reality; many people mistakenly assume that special operations is simply another extreme 'sport' where people get to play with a lot of cool toys with the government picking up the tab.  This is not even remotely close to being true.  

 

The fact of the matter is that the vast majority of people are not psychologically suited to endure the constant stress and demands of special operations work.  

 

There have been olympic caliber athletes who successfully completed BUD/S.  There have also been olympic caliber athletes who have not even come close.

 

The problem is that most people, regardless of how physically talented they are, tend to become emotionally fragile and give up in the face of the unending physical and mental abuse.  They begin to worry, often frantically so, over the abuse(s) yet to come.  Or they rail against the 'unfairness' of it all.

 

Special operators do not have that luxury.  They simply continue with everything they have until the goal has been achieved or they fall over in the process.

 

This is of course the entire purpose of BUD/S and other special operations selection courses.  To pile abuse upon abuse upon abuse until there are only a few left standing.  To date there is simply no other effective way to accurately separate those who will not give up from those who will.

 

I am not sure even that 'will not' give up is an adequate description.  It is more a case of 'cannot'.

 

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Can't emphasise the lower body joint prep enough for this kind of preparation.

Consider reading the book "Breaking BUD/S" to help understand what Coach was talking about in more detail.  It will help you understand the Special Operations job(and SEALs in particular), lifestyle, culture, etc.  It goes into serious detail about BUD/S and the process of becoming a team guy(generally only referred to as SEALs amongst uninformed people).  For instance, it is not acceptable to use the term "Special Forces" except to refer to the U.S. Army Special Forces(Green Berets).  

 

Best of luck man.  Go get some.