The idea of getting to look like a navy seal is appealing to average Joes and books on military training are flying off the shelves in stores.
With that in mind, what are some of the best military and navy seal training guides? Well, let’s find out.
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1. The Complete Guide to Navy Seal Fitness, 3rd Edition – Stewart Smith
Author Stewart Smith is a SEAL trainer, and his book provides a full training curriculum that allows the average Joe to train like a navy seal.
This book, The Complete Guide to Navy Seal Fitness, puts readers through a series of BUD/S workouts. This includes a 12-week program with step-by-step instructions on different exercises, and a weight loss program of sorts.
You can find a copy of it here.
2. Breaking BUD/S: How Regular Guys Can Become Navy SEALs
Breaking BUD/S is considered the proverbial bible of SEAL training. The book covers a variety of topics which include physical conditioning, step-by-step application training, and mental toughness.
The author delivers the information with a level of humor – which may offend some readers – but it’s aimed at helping you pass the BUD/S training. You can get a copy here.
3. The Navy Seal Workout: The Complete Total-Body Fitness Program
Mark De Lisle has put together a no-frills workout program that can help you get in shape.
This book goes through everything from warmups to cooldowns and is built to help your cardio and physical condition. The program includes a variety of workouts as well as a section on nutrition.
This is a good one to read if you’re looking for a training manual if you want a navy SEAL-type training experience.
You can get this one here.
4. 8 Weeks to SEALFit
Mark Divine shares a few of his experiences in the SEALs as he tests the readers endurance and pushes them to the limit.
As a reader, this book will give you a better idea of how nutrition works, the program will push your body to the breaking point and improve your ability to work under pressure.
Grab a copy here.
5. SEAL Survival Guide: A Navy SEAL’s Secret to Surviving any Disaster
This is exactly what the title says it is, a disaster survival guide. Let’s be real, natural disasters, terrorism and violent crime are all serious problems and you have to know how to handle these situations if you need to.
The author presents us with a step-by-step guide on how to deal with these dangerous situations. Topics include:
- Improvised weapons
- Bug out bags
- Defending against animal attacks
- Fending off/subduing hijackers
- Surviving a pandemic (oddly appropriate all things considered)
These are just some of the topics covered and it’s presented in simple layman’s terms making it very user friendly.
I highly recommend grabbing a copy, you can do so here.
6. Navy SEAL Mental Toughness: A Guide to Developing an Unbeatable Mind
The Navy SEALs are considered as one of the most elite special forces units in the world.
With that in mind, they must be both physically and mentally tough and this book will help you develop that skillset.
Along with a general overview of navy SEAL training, you will read about how SEALs operate and techniques to suppress fear and many other topics.
A copy of the book can be purchased here.
7. How to Shoot like a Navy SEAL
A book on marksmanship with tips and tricks that help you to, well, shoot like a navy SEAL. You learn all the skills required to be a responsible gun owner. You can get this one here.
8. 100 Deadly Skills
The 100 Deadly Skills series by Clint Emerson is a series of, at present, three books. The books cover the skills that you can use to survive dangerous situations.
The first book covers survival skills for evasion, the second book covers wilderness survival. The third covers combat skills and includes topics on the use of improvised weapons, hand to hand fighting, throwing knives, firearms, de-escalation, and others.
9. Self Discipline: The Ultimate Guide to Self-Discipline
This is another motivational/psychology-based book that covers techniques used by the SEAL teams to prepare for and achieve their missions and conquer their fears.
If you need a self confidence boost, this might be the book for you. You can get a copy here.
10. Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win
Jocko Willink is a former navy SEAL and has written a couple of books about leadership in the SEAL teams.
Extreme Ownership has become immensely popular since its release and its content has been implemented both inside and outside of the military. You can pick up a copy for yourself here.
11. How to Become a Navy SEAL
This is another book about getting ready for SEAL training. The book what you can expect after graduation and covers the education/training, qualifications, placements, and much more. This is a good one to use if you’re curious or looking for a challenge.
Grab a copy for yourself here.
12. Anatomy of Fitness – Navy Seals
The Anatomy of Fitness training programs are popular, and the navy seal program is intense.
I managed to keep it up for about a week before exhaustion and personal issues got in the way.
The circuits increase in difficulty and work on everything from endurance to core strength and flexibility.
You can get this one yourself here.
13. The Navy SEAL Physical Fitness Guide: Exercises, Conditioning, and Training
This guide covers everything from calisthenics, flexibility, cardio conditioning, strength, injuries, and much more.
Much like the other books on this list, anyone – in and outside of the armed forces – can use it to improve their physical condition.
You can get this one here.
14. Navy SEALs BUD/S Preparation Guide
Chris Hagerman is a former navy SEAL instructor who takes readers behind the scenes – so to speak – of BUD/S training.
The program is designed to help possible future SEALs to prepare for BUD/S training by showing them what to expect in training and help them get from A to B.
If this is something that you think may help you or someone you know, you can get this one here.
15. Navy SEAL Breakthrough to Master Level Fitness
Mark De Lisle returns to the list with a second book. The Navy SEAL Breakthrough to Master Level Fitness provides readers with a system that’s designed to help them get into shape.
If you want to improve your fitness level and gain self-confidence and improve self-esteem; this may be the book for you.
Check it out here.
16. Make your Bed: Little Things that can Change your Life
“If you want to change the world, start by making your bed.”
This quote from Admiral William H. McRaven’s speech to the 2014 graduates from the University of Austin, Texas.
The speech went viral online, and this book expands on the core points he laid out in that speech, sharing some of his own experiences as a navy SEAL as well as stories from his personal life.
This book is one that kept coming up when I searched for Navy SEAL training guides and I can see why.
It shares a list of the little things you can do that will change your life – like making your bed every morning before going to work.
I highly recommend checking this one out, you can get a copy here.
17. Team Dog: How to Train your Dog – the Navy SEAL Way
Dogs have been used in law enforcement and the military for years and this book, written by a former navy SEAL, is a guide for civilian dog owners to train their dogs.
It also serves as a general guide on selecting a dog and how to establish a bond between you and your canine buddy.
If you have a dog that needs training or are looking to get a dog then this is the book for you. Get a copy here.
In Closing
That’s my list of Navy SEAL training guides, I hope you enjoyed reading this one and that your to-be-read lists have been extended.
Obviously, there’s a difference between reading about these skills and practicing and using these skills.
If you want to get good at a particular skillset you must practice that skillset. I hope these books will help you develop skills to aid you in your daily life.
Thanks for reading and I’ll see you for the next one!
Greg spent much of his younger years camping and hiking. Greg grew up on a small farm with lots of livestock such as cows, horses and chickens. He’s good with a bow and arrow, is a huge knife enthusiast, and has a blackbelt in Taekwondo.
