Navy Seals Abdominal Exercises

The Navy Seals are a military special operations unit that utilizes some of the most intense muscular and mental endurance training anywhere. To reach these fitness levels, Navy Seals engage in advanced abdominal workouts beyond the standard sit-up. These include the 10 second crunch, hanging knee-ups, advanced crunches and reverse crunches.

  1. 10 Second Crunch

    • The 10-second crunch, one of the basic Navy SEAL abdominal training exercises, requires no equipment; just willpower. The 10-second crunch begins with you lying on the floor with arms to your sides and legs straight out. After taking a few deep breaths, raise your shoulder blades off the floor as high as possible without moving the rest of your body. Hold this position for 10 seconds before slowly lowering back down. On the first day, repeat this as many times as possible until failure. The number of times you can achieve the 10-second repetition should serve as a baseline indicator for abdominal endurance. As you progress in your workouts, you should be able to complete more and more repetitions.

    Hanging Knee-Up

    • This is another exercise recommended by former Navy Seal and fitness expert Stew Smith. It acts as a reverse crunch, which helps work out your lower abdominal muscles. Find a pull-up bar that's high enough so that when you grab it your feet are completely off the ground. Jump up and grab the bar with a grip beyond shoulder width. Once you get your body still, tighten your abdominal muscles and put your feet together. Slowly bend your knees and raise them as close as you can to your chest. Pause for two seconds and then lower them to complete the repetition. It is important to do this slowly to prevent momentum from bringing your knees up and down. Complete 10 repetitions for a set. If you want to develop your oblique muscles, bring your knees to either side of your chest with little twisting from the hips.

    Crunch Variants

    • Other crunch variants can also develop abdominal strength. A reverse crunch starts with you lying on your back with your hands to the sides of your head. Cross your arms over your chest, with fingers touching the opposite shoulder. Hold your elbows out. Bend your knees at a 45-degree angle and keep your feet flat on the floor. When you are ready, lift your feet up until your knees touch your elbows and then slowly lower them to complete one of 10 repetitions.

      For an advanced crunch, lift your knees up until your thighs are perpendicular with the floor. Hold them there, tighten your abs and lift up until your elbows touch your knees. If you want to double your efforts, rise up with your elbows and knees at the same time until they both meet over your abdominal muscles.