The Royal Marines Circuit Training: The All-round Commando Fitness Programme

by Robin Eggar

Low-tech circuits, or repetitive exercises on specific muscle groups are an increasing popular way of exercising. This guide gives a structured fitness programme, designed to keep exercising time down to a minimum, with hints and tips on diet, and avoiding and coping with sports injury. The book starts with an eight-week beginner course leading to a basic level of fitness which can then be maintained indefinitely using the maintenance and specialization circuits. This section also shows how to concentrate on individual requirements and diversify into games and sports. There are self-assessment tests throughout and the final section gives a four-week course designed to bring you to a peak of physical and mental fitness for a tough challenge based on SBS/SAS selection procedures which very few will find possible.

Paperback

First published June 6, 1996

Reviews

[Ben G · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this book back in 2004, shortly before my son was born partly out of curiousity to see how an 'elite' infantry corps got fit. I'd always been a gym goer, but with the arrival of said child I knew time was going to be strictly limited for training.

I pretty much followed the exercise programme up to the 'Beast (week 7/8)' (although I've never tried the 'SBS Challenge') and I'm so glad I did. Not only is this a very time efficient, comprehensive programme, it's pretty inexpensive as well. The only things you need are some shorts, a t-shirt, a pair of decent training shoes (don't stint on these - your knees, hips, ankles will thank you for it later), a watch/timer and a patch of grass to do the exercises. Fortunately I lived next to some parkland so was able after a short jog to acccess this.

The programme is tailored to you, gets progressively harder week - on - week and emphasises the importance of warming-up and stretching. In fact, I'd go as far to say after completing this programme in my early 30's I had something of a 'fitness epiphany' basing all my future exercise regimens around some sort of circuit training. I think in no small way, it has kept me injury-free as well (did I mention the importance of warming-up and post-exercise stretching ;-) ). The advice is simple, straightforward (e.g. in the section on nutrition it advises to eat complex carbs post-exercise and avoid alcohol, at least during the first two weeks) and the book is not overly verbose, making it easy to 'digest'.

Would recommend to anyone who wants to keep in really good shape in a time and cost efficient manner!

[Ram · Rating 5 out of 5]

outstanding book for fitness buffs