Share Your Workout Secrets!!

Do you have a great idea about workouts? Share them here!

Hi Stew,

Something that may interest you. I added rope skipping to my training for a few months now and it is really a great addition. It seems to be a great exercise for when you are working in places with no real means to train (small vessels and oil rigs), 30-45 minutes a day somedays and an hour on others (1.5-2 minutes active skipping with 1 minute recovery (doing stretches and walking) keeps me in good shape so when I am on land, getting back into running iand PTs real easy.

I do basic jumps (both legs, single legs and slalum jumps only) to keep it simple. Also, it seems to strengthen the lower shins and ankles so when I fin (with commercial jet fins/booties) after a break of several weeks, I dont have any pain in those areas and I can do some long fins without any problems. This may help others who need to be fit for finning in the future, but not with scoobie doo sports fins but commercial or military-issue fins with booties and for long distances and time in the water.

I use a speed rope (plastic) which is low-cost, available almost anywhere and so light and easy to travel with that it does not increase baggage weight at all. Also, unlike leather ropes, it can stay coiled in storage and straightened out for use and re-packed afterwards.

Just thought I'd pass this on as it may help someone in the future out there who is in similar circumstances (needing to stay fit but with no real place to do it).

THANKS FOR YOUR EMAIL - THESE ARE GREAT IDEAS...ANY ONE ELSE HAVE SOME IDEAS THEY LIKE TO DO?

Stew

Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. If you are interested in starting a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle - check out the Military.com Fitness eBook store and the Stew Smith article archive at Military.com. To contact Stew with your comments and questions, e-mail him at stew@stewsmith.com.

Comments

[#1 Posted by: Staff Sergeant Ken Weichert]

Stew is right! One, Jumping Rope is a great strategy to reach target heart rates in a short period of time. Two, the purpose of a blog is to share information that may benefit you! HOOAH!

[#2 Posted by: John D.C.]

Here's the biggest secret among people that use kettlebells: Kettlebell movements cause internal injuries to the body that doctors can't even get to to surgically repair.

I guess the Russians were better off in the days when they gave their soldiers steroids.
---

This isn't a workout secret, but I heard that the fact that Jack LaLanne has an emotionally good relationship has a lot of impact on his health and longevity.

[#3 Posted by: Nicole]

Women don't jump rope. Any vertical jumping or hopping breaks down breast tissue and ruins the breast ligaments and if you continue doing it, the breast tissue eventually disintegrates. It even happens underneath when you're wearing a sports bra.
When you jump, depending on how high, a couple times your body weight hits.
It's a disgrace that a lot more trainers don't explain this to women and don't have the respect to alternate their workouts to accommodate them.

(look at any female Olympian who does any kind of vertical jumping or dancers, their breasts are damaged and they did not start out that way.)

Running for women doesn't do anywhere near the damage to breast tissue that any kind of vertical hopping, skipping or jumping does.

So for military wives that are following Nikki Fitness, do Stew Smith or Jeff Anderson plans, I mean... anytime she says to do jump rope, jumping jacks, etc, do biking or an alternative form of cardio. (gee, even lifting one knee up and down repeatedly, then lifting that same knee up to your side and down repeatedly. Then, switching and doing the same motions to the other leg can get your heart rate up.) Maybe they could lay down and do the jumping jack motions on the floor, do flutter kicks or leg levers. I don't know. Someone must have some other ideas of alternate forms of cardio to do. For those that don't understand how serious this is to fitness, then watch the link and that doesn't even show what happens to woman's breasts when they vertically jump:

http://www.shockabsorber.co.uk/bounceometer/shock.html

[#4 Posted by: robert]

I love the water and am looking for various things to do to lose weight. I like the feel of working out in a pool because it is not as painful on my joints, will I see reuslts and does it take longer to see them from a pool workout?

[#5 Posted by: Trent]

I'm also interested in seeing what Stew writes.

Until then, any workout from Stew Smith gives the best and the fastest results. He has lots of affordable books with lots of swimming routines in them, if that's what you're looking for. For example, his "Navy Special Warfare Combatant Crewman Workout" has a lot of swimming in it. If you're looking for a written out scheduled swimming routine. I guess you could just cut out the PT :D

If you're looking for other swimming workouts, have you checked out his article archive?

http://www.military.com/military-fitness/workouts/popular-swimming-workouts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CM4vCf5rJA

http://www.military.com/military-fitness-videos/special-operations-workouts/combat-swimmer-stroke/combat-swim.html

This http://www.totalimmersion.net/store/
is where the Pros learn from.

[#6 Posted by: Stew Smith]

Swimming is a great non impact aerobic activity and is actually a bigger calories burner than walk, running and many other options. Cross country skiing or elliptical gliding is another great one. Rowing is another - all of these are great ways to burn calories at a high level without impact pains of running or walking. These methods are particularly better for folks significatnaly overweight...

Stew Smith CSCS

[#7 Posted by: Henry]

Does anyone know of an effective stationary bike routine or schedule to burn body fat?

I've been doing this: http://www.alsearsmd.com/content/index.php?id=doctor_house_call_36&no_cache=1&sword_list[]=pace&sword_list[]=delayed&sword_list[]=recovery

It works better than nothing and I've seen his pace book but this free article was better.
Thanks

[#8 Posted by: Stew Smith]

I do what I call the Bike Pyramid:

Start on manual mode - intensity level 1. For every minute after you start peddling increase the resistance by 2 levels. - Keeping changing every minute until you feel like you no longer can peddle...then repeat in reverse order. Usually this workout takes me about 20 minutes.

It first and last 5 minutes are easy - but the middle minutes will challenge you.

Then do an easy cardio of your choice for another 15-20 minutes..

stew

[#9 Posted by: Alan]

My lower body is solid, but I can't seem to get rid of my love handles and gut. It seems that no amount of running, crunches, or side bends will help me rid of my belly fat. And since my waistline stays the same, the tape reads badly for me, preventing me from joining the navy. Thanks for any help you can give.