By Bob Drury, Males's Well being contributing editor and chief army correspondent

Let’s be trustworthy. You’re an athletic man. Fairly diligent about your exercises and weekend leagues. However you’re no U.S. Navy SEAL. So what can an elite Particular Operator probably train you about health? I see you rolling your eyes. Not one other 'Work Out Like a SEAL' article.

Hell, the SEAL I spoke with the opposite day drew just about the identical conclusion. “For us, health is a life-style, a cultural factor,” he instructed me. “Not only a ‘I've to get off the sofa and get in higher form’ factor. That individual simply must go do something.”

I’d rung up Lt. Cmdr. Rorke—first names solely within the Particular Forces racket—as a result of after 13 years of deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and Liberia and God is aware of the place else he couldn’t inform me about, he retired this previous weekend. I used to be curious as as to whether the 38-year-old deliberate to pursue a Hollywood profession, given his star flip within the real-SEALs-acted movie Act of Valor, to be launched on DVD and Blu-ray on June 5. When the Lt. Cmdr. proved evasive about his future, we bought to speaking as a substitute about exercises and health and, particularly, whither the twain between Common Man and Osama Slayer.

And the extra we spoke, the extra I spotted that there are some philosophic health guidelines that apply to each elite warriors like Rorke and weekend jocks such as you. So I’ve managed to cull a couple of selection bodily and psychological suggestions from the Lt. Cmdr. and switch them into … effectively, sure, a "Exercise Like a SEAL" article. Joke’s on me. (For extra suggestions from Navy SEALs, learn how particular operators obtain psychological power.)

1. All the time Set a Objective
To get and hold match, Rorke says, “having one thing to coach for is the key. I don’t like understanding simply to work out.” He means that marking your calendar for, say, a street race, a aggressive bike-run, or perhaps a Spartan dying march a couple of months down the street quickly hones an athlete’s consideration to element. “That makes coaching purposeful,” he says. “The actual fact of the matter is, (understanding) is fairly straightforward if the one factor you’re making an attempt to do is look good in a pair of denims—and there are worse causes to be match." But when that’s the one motive, he says, there shall be occasions the place you will not push as laborious within the health club. "Having one thing particular to coach for actually helps me lots. Doing again and biceps, chest, triceps and shoulders each couple of days, then repeat, simply doesn’t do it for me anymore. The practical exercises that construct towards some occasion are those I can sink my enamel into.” (Want one thing to coach for? )

2. Now Attain Additional
While you do set that particular objective, “choose one thing that makes you stretch just a little bit,” says Rorke. He’s seen that even probably the most devoted athlete tends to turn into complacent. His suggestion: Escape of your too-comfortable routine. “In case you’ve been working your entire life, for example, and you set a 5K race down as your objective, you haven’t actually pushed your self that tough but. However how about coaching for a run-swim?" Now you’re pulling your self out of your consolation zone, Rorke says. "I believe that form of goes hand in hand with the bodily have to progress and the form of psychological focus or motivation you want. Stretching your self is one other one of many secrets and techniques to staying in form.” (Discover ways to construct a combat-ready physique.)

3. By no means Know Your Limits
Face it: You are not as younger as you was—however do not let your age be a workout-killer. “I do know I want extra relaxation than I wanted after I was 19,” says Rorke. “I do know I can’t out-workout my weight loss plan at this level; I can’t out-PT a bunch of pizza and ice cream. So I want to regulate my exercises in order that they don’t really feel precisely the identical as that 25-year-old one that was working via Fundamental SEAL Coaching. It might harm much more, nevertheless it doesn’t imply I wouldn’t attempt. You simply should hold pushing till your system completely, positively received’t assist you. Too many individuals quit too quickly.”

4. Discover Higher Competitors
This one must be a no brainer. Everybody is aware of you push your self more durable if you’re competing with one other individual, significantly one who will gratify—or stomp on—your ego. It’s why you all the time need to “play up” in each sport. But, as Rorke notices, “A number of folks neglect, I suppose, and also you see them alone within the health club or on the monitor simply principally competing in opposition to themselves and never bettering. I typically contain myself in (bodily) issues which are on some degree skilled with others.” In Rorke’s case that might be his brother, a Los Angeles firefighter whom he calls “an actual animal.”

“We problem one another on a regular basis to give you one thing new to coach for. He pushes me and vice versa. And it doesn’t matter the game or exercise, so long as, frankly, there’s somebody you’re making an attempt to beat. I imply, I’d take up golf … however they’d should make it full contact or one thing. Put a pair firefights in there and then you definately bought one thing.” (Learn extra tales in regards to the army males who defend our nation in Bob Drury's weblog, Males at Struggle.)

Extra from MensHealth.com:
The Particular Operators You have By no means Heard Of
Conquer Any Concern
The Ab Train That Navy SEALs Use