8 Weeks to SEALFIT: A Navy SEAL's Guide to Unconventional Training for Physical and Mental Toughness-Revised Edition

by Mark Divine

8 Weeks to SEALFIT plunges you into more than a workout program. Mark Divine’s stories and assignments will develop your mental, emotional, intuitive and spiritual warrior as well as your physical warrior.

What You Will Learn
• Develop the character traits of a Navy SEAL
• Forge an unbeatable mind
• Adopt a level-headed approach to nutrition
• Gain exceptional overall strength and stamina
• Improve work capacity and durability
• Get the best functional workout available with the least amount of equipment

A Sneak Peek into 8 Weeks to SEALFIT

It begins with your arrival as a Navy SEAL BUD/S cadet. There’s no time to dilly dally. You either do the first workout and commit to this training, or don’t bother. Next day, you move on to another challenge completely different than what you’d expect. It’s not the stuff for doubters, quitters, or complainers.
These 8 weeks will be hard. Mark will push your physical body to its limits and test your inner resolve. You’ll be tempted to give up. But if you embrace the suck of the challenge, you’ll begin to win. The stories and adventures Mark takes you on ― escaping battlefield danger, calming yourself when there’s no way out, learning to trust your gut ― will tap into more power than you knew you had.

You’ll begin to glimpse, and reach, your full potential. You’ll develop the character that makes a Navy discipline, drive, determination, self-mastery, honor, integrity, courage, and leadership. You’ll thrive in a teamwork setting. You’ll learn to laugh and not take your circumstances so seriously. You’ll even know how to functionally train without equipment.

This is the ground-breaking training that increases SEALFIT athletes’ overall endurance, work capacity, and toughness. Be someone special. Let’s get started…

Genres: Fitness, Health, Nonfiction, Self Help, Reference, Military Fiction, Sports

272 pages, Paperback

First published October 9, 2011

About the author

MARK DIVINE is a former Navy SEAL and has trained thousands of aspiring Navy SEALs. He owns and runs the SEALFIT Training Center in San Diego, California where he trains thousands of professional athletes, military professionals, SWAT, First Responders, SOF candidates and everyday people looking to build strength and character.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been working out for about 3 years in a row. This is the longest time that I have gone in one period. I would not say that I am a fitness nut but I do and have seen the benefits of my workouts. I work out hard 5 days a week. I do a mixture of weights and cardio. Recently, I have been checking out the web and books for new ideas to spice up my workouts. No so much of a machine and run on the treadmill type of gal. Not to say that there is anything wrong with running on the treadmill as I have done it many times when I was working out on my own. However it gets real old quick. Plus I find that if I am in a class that I push myself harder and I am competitive. So this factor motivates me a lot.

So back to the book. I was curious to see what type of workout the SEALs do to keep in shape. I know they were really hard both physically and mentally. I was actually surprised to see how many of the featured exercises in ths book, I was familiar with and am currently already performing in my workout classes. I agree with everything that Mr. Divine said about the mental aspect. It is not just purely about the physical but mental as well. I know there are times when I want to just give up but then the teacher is asking if I got a little more and knowing I am almost to the end gives me that little extra strength to continue and show myself that I could do it. Mr. Divine writes this book in a very easy and understandable way. The way that the 8 weeks are broken out by daily quads or WOD (Workout of the Day) is excellent. I do this when I take my Crossfit class. Plus, it is easy to follow if you are on your own. This is a good book to give a fitness person that wants a challenge.

[Mahaakshay Chakraborty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly one of the best books I have read. Not only does it give you the best exercises to push your limits but even the examples and true life events of this great Seal to motivate the reader to greater heights! Seals all the way! Hooyah!

[Tom Smeets · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I went to the shooting range and started daydreaming again about everything and nothing. A man with experience in the military joined and we started to talk. I felt a connection and a need to get more in touch with someone like this man. I was unable to sleep that same night and I regained an imperative to write and look things up again in a more obsessive way. This gives me some peace of mind even though I know it is dangerous very dangerous for me.

I started to look back for notes I took a long time ago when I was in a bad place. Perhaps I rushed too fast into the many books and information I had back then. So I am starting to revisit those documents and books that demand attention from me again. I feel like all of this has great value for me although those lessons are hard to translate in an identity I and others created for me.

As my intellect has increased over the years, I am now able to view matter from a more scientific perspective. Mainly the physical but also the psychological aspects fascinate me enormously and that is why I am happy to immerse myself again in topics like these.

This book is very simple yet I do not underestimate the value it brings even if it is a repetition of information. It's worth to reconnect with all of these.

Some keynotes:
Focus on basic movements. Never underestimate bodyweight exercises. Power, Gymnastics and Endurance. Progressive overload. Increase work-capacity and therefor avoid structural damage. Know where you are now, what you are capable of and what you are willing to do in order to reach a goal. Shut up and move. Nutrition body and mind. Embrace the suck. You are not common

BE A WARRIOR

[Infinite Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great fundamental look at mental toughness training within the CrossFit context. I will NEVER nor do I really want to be SEALworthy (I dread being cold and wet when I get out the shower, let alone for hours at a time mixed in with sleep deprivation) but this is a very thought provoking look at the connection between mental control and physical prowess. About 70 percent of the book is day by day WOD/workout descriptions but the 30 percent of other material was really great and has put me on a new reading path.

[Dennis P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Goggins and Jocko Willink has inspired my curiosity on modern day warriors' mindsets in relation to the immediate and directly gaugeable metrics of physical exertion. This mindful interest has somehow brought me to this book. Read and did this alongside working with BB's Insanity, dabbling in some Crossfit, and grunting my way back to powerlifting. The quality of digging deep and embracing the suck has improved for me personally thanks to the influence of the chapter introductions in this book. I must say I love the integration of training to life made experiential in this book as opposed to just doing "empty", mechanical and void-of-all-meaning workouts. I find Mark "Cyborg" Divine's writing smooth and easy to read compared to the other SEAL writers. Looking forward to reading his other works.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no reason not to give this book 5-stars. It is what it says it is. There is a lot of information on mental training that I was already aware of from other brain retraining programs. He uses brain retraining techniques that are known to work and be effective.

The only thing that I'm not sure about is the Paleo diet that he prescribes. I haven't done enough research to make a decision on the aspects of that, but I've been meaning to and I intend to.

If you want to take your body and mind where you've never been before, then I believe this program can take you there.

[Johanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked it up from the library for the mental training tips (I'm not looking to do a dozen pull-ups!) Excellent mental advice for any sport. Helped me on my long training run the day after I read it. Also reinforced the idea of limiting sugars and grains for optimal exercise and health. Follows the KISS principle and is a succinct and info-packed read.

[Johanna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kokoro spirit? You are better than the rest? Sorry I did not like it. I noticed there are some common words and phrases navy SEALs use, since I have heard it from Jocko too: 'The grinder', 'Check de ego' and 'Good'. A phrase from this book that I liked is: 'Pain is weakness leaving the body'.

[Rui Miguel lopes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

Best Program ever.. highly recommended for anyone that wants to improve their overall physical fitness or wants to join any kind of special operations.

[Joao Henrique Machado Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice and fast book to get you into the mindset to start training.

[Tom Leveen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard core training. Looks simple on the surface till you start actually trying it. Reading this and going through the training has changed the direction of my life for the better.

[Craig Mccracken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read. Now on to the workouts!

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sounds like it works best in a team environment with a gym nearby

[Lz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to it, read it, and now ready to act on it! Grateful for coming across Mark divine!

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good workout routines - very Taoist in nature.

[Bookbook · Rating 5 out of 5]

The timing for reading this book couldn't have been better. It has been life changing in a time when I was ready for change.

It's very rare for me to finish a book, turn to page one, and start again immediately. This will get at least two reads and probably more. I want the mental lessons to fully marinate in my mind.

[Lyg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read, but did not do the training. Would've liked to, but the library wants it back because there four others in line. I already owe fines for it. Good insights, I made a couple notes, but I want to but the book and work through it.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is cross fit +paleo told in the context of the navy seal experience. Looks like a great workout series. Plus relatively easy to do a lot of these on the road with little equipment. I'd like to pull this back out in November after cycling season and do the whole program as prescribed.

[Nicholas Cho · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative book that provides variety of workouts for specific areas of the body.
The book also explains increasing different types of power(functional strength, stamina, work capacity, etc.) and provides workouts associated it.
Great book for those who are stepping into the realm of fitness.

[Ahmad Nazeri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great program/break down of the workouts, combined with inspiration to forge mental fitness.

[Donald McArthur · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read but have not done, hope to try in the fall or early winter

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far so good, Mr. Divine's philosophy and ideas are a great resource for alike minds

[Rock Angel]

silly