If there is one word that describes the Navy SEALs it is training. As one of the United States military's most elite fighting force, the SEALs undergo some of the most rigorous and challenging physical training imaginable. Like the Marines, they are made up of only the very best soldiers. These men must be ready to react physically in almost any conceivable condition, whether it is one land, sea, or air. There is just no limit to what a SEAL may be called to do so it makes sense that effective Navy SEAL workouts will include components that maximize both strength and stamina.
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Navy SEAL Workouts: You Have To Swim
By definition, as a SEAL you must be able to swim. The capacity to swim well is a core component of any physical training you receive. You will be required to complete timed swims both in the pool and in open water settings. As a SEAL you will be spending a lot of time in the water. Entire missions may be dependent on your ability to swim great distances, under time constraints, and in less than ideal temperatures. Your workout regimen will include hours and hours of swimming in order to condition your body and improve your endurance and stamina.
The entire first phase of training focuses almost entirely on swimming. With some tests, there will be a pass/fail rating such as the 50-meter underwater swim. Others tests will be timed like the 1,200-meter pool swim which must be done with fins. During the first phase fitness test (of which there are four total) the SEAL trainee would have to swim 1,200 meters in 45 minutes.
The benefits of training in water also include the development of strength and cardiovascular health. The SEAL trainer may use different forms of deep-water training to ready the soldier and provide an environment that reduces the strains on joints and muscles while still providing effective conditioning.
Navy SEAL Workouts: You Must Be Strong
Any strength training the SEAL receives focuses not only on raw physical power but also duration of the body's strength. The ability to perform complex tasks for long periods of time and often without rest requires tremendous physical strength. No matter what the mission may be, if the SEAL is not operating at peak strength, the chances for failure increase.
The type of Navy SEAL training received will include a number of common elements in strength training including weightlifting, push-ups, pull-ups, and calisthenics. Other aspects of strength training may be further developed using techniques for increasing immediate power like plyometrics, or intensive jumping exercises. Such techniques use speed to enhance both muscular strength and physical power.
There is a close relationship between strength and flexibility since the two balance and work together to optimize the SEALs overall physical performance. Flexibility training in the form of dynamic stretching helps to minimize the injuries that come with the rigorous components of strength training, swimming, and running.
Going The Distance
One of the primary features of just about any physical workout involves running. The same is especially important for the Navy SEALs since they must be ready to move at a moment's notice and react with full physical capacity. The SEAL should be capable of running both towards and away from danger depending on the demands of the mission. The variety of terrains the soldier will work in also makes endurance essential.
To meet the standards required by the SEALs program, candidates will have to engage in timed runs as well as completion of obstacle courses. A four-mile run is standard at every phase though the duration requirements will get shorter. When starting out the soldier will have to complete the run in just over a half an hour (32 minutes). At the next stage, it will need to be done while wearing combat boots. By the time they reach the third phase, they will have to do it in 30 minutes.
The obstacle courses, which involve not only running but complex physical moments, start at 15 minutes but must be completed in 10 minutes by the end phase. The typical workout will by necessity include the equivalent of forty miles or so of running. To prevent injuries, the schedule will usually be one day on followed by one day off. This gives the muscles a chance to recuperate.
