The United States Navy has a pretty fantastic YouTube page featuring everything from instructional videos on Navy Life Skills to candid interviews with personnel in a variety of key roles. But one Navy mini-series that caught our eye comes from videos posted back in 2008.
The three-video set is titled “Navy SEAL Work Series,” and parts 1 and 2 feature none other than current CrossFit Games Director Dave Castro. In the videos, a noticeably younger Castro runs fellow Navy SEALS Instructor Lt. Dana DeCoster through a variety of functional movements, ranging from overhead squats to glute ham back extensions.
The day’s workout? A 20 minute AMRAP, not unlike what you might be used to in a local CrossFit® gym.
5 Overhead Squats
10 Glute/Ham Situps
10 Glute Ham Back Extensions
“As many sets as you can do in 20 minutes”
According to an interview with Julie Foucher, Castro — who served as a SEAL from 1998 to 2010 — first heard of CrossFit in 2005 and became training at the original CrossFit HQ in Santa Cruz around 2006. In 2007, his family ranch in Aromas, California, hosted the first-ever CrossFit Games.
In addition to his very visible role leading the Games, Castro is also the C0-Director of Training for CrossFit, and these Navy videos give some insight into Castro as a coach and fitness instructor.
In part 3, Castro leads Lt. DeCoster through a strength-based session involving the back squat, shoulder press, and deadlift — which many know as the three lifts comprising the CrossFit Total, though the video doesn’t reference them as such. In this video, the workout is based around 3 sets of 5 repititions for each lift.
While the Navy posts some epic content to YouTube — seriously, it’s worth spending some time on their page to see the diversity of roles and operations Navy personnel undertake — Castro’s appearance may come as a pleasant surprise to fans of functional fitness. It also serves as a reminder that while the CrossFit Games may still seem new, Castro has been studying and teaching functional movement for quite some time.
Featured image: America’s Navy on YouTube
