Navy SEAL Fitness at BUDS

Multiple Fitness Questions from Future BUDS Student - post your BUDS questions here!!

I have questions regarding the day to day fitness/performance requirements of BUD/S.

I understand the timed run/ swim/o-course requirements. However I am curious to know the specific intensities of the pt/ evolution sessions.

Most specifically, I want to know I can put out more than what will be required of me...

1) What is the pace (min/mile) at which trainees run to and from breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Is it slower than the timed run pace? I want to know the mileage an pace at which I will be running every day...

THIS IS SLOW PACE UNLESS YOU ARE PRESSED FOR TIME - WE HAVE DONE IT IN SUB 7 PACE AND HAVE WALKED / SLOW JOGGED IT TOO.

2) What is the pace and stroke at which pool workouts are to be completed?

YOU WILL NOT DO MANY POOL WORKOUTS ONCE IN TRAINING (ONLY IN THE BAY OR OCEAN). PRE-TRAINING WORKOUTS ARE USUALLY DONE IN THE POOL AND USUALLY AT LEAST A MILE OF SWIMMING WITH FINS USING THE CSS / SIDESTROKE. YOU SHOULD SWIM THIS FAST AND BE ABLE TO GET UNDER 35 MINUTES WITH EASE...

I have an understanding of the timed swim, but know nothing about "pool workout" specifics..

IT IS JUST SWIMMING WITH FINS BACK AND FORTH...

3) What is the count of push ups, sit ups, pull ups, and dips expected of us during PT? This is to be performed over what time period? What about the counts during the most demanding PT sessions?

USUALLY PT SESSION RUN 1-2 HOURS FOLLOWED BY A RUN - TOTAL COUNTS VARY BUT USUALLY RANGE IN THE 200-300S IN PUSHUPS / 300-400 IN ABS VARIETY AND AT LEAST 100 PULLUPS RUNS AFTERWARD WILL BE DONE ON THE BEACH (SOME SOFT SAND / PACKED SAND) AND VARIES FROM SUB 6 PACE TO 7 PACE USUALLY...

4) How long should I be able to hold my breathe?

DO NOT PRACTICE THIS UNDERWATER!!! PEOPLE DIE DOING THIS EVEN WITH LIFEGUARDS. AT LEAST A MINUTE WILL SUFFICE.

5) Any other fitness benchmarks I should know?

YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO EASILY DO 20-30 DIPS FOR MULTIPLE SETS...

Thanks for the emails. Keep posting and feel free to ask me fitness related emails...

Stew Smith CSCS
www.stewsmith.com
www.intrainingear.com

Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. If you are interested in starting a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle - check out the Military.com Fitness eBook store and the Stew Smith article archive at Military.com. To contact Stew with your comments and questions, e-mail him at stew@stewsmith.com.

Comments

[#1 Posted by: Dennis]

Great information and extremely helpful as always! The info on the PT sessions helps me gauge the intensity of my own workouts. Are the PT sessions as described above performed daily? I have read and heard different sources warn of overtraining. If I do a daily workout Mon-Fri of the intensity (time/rep count) indicated in the PT sessions, will I be safe from overtraining, or should they be done everyother day, etc.?
Thank you for the time and effort you dedicate to helping others reach their fitness goals.
Dennis

[#2 Posted by: Stew Smith]

I usually workout 5-6 days a week but I space upperbody workouts by 48 hours 9same muscles groups) as well as leg workouts, but typically always do some form of cardio training 5 -6 days a week.

I would not do these type of high intensity calisthenics workouts on back to back days as even at a young age you will not fully recover.

I have seen big results by trying only 24 hour rest for a few weeks but any long term back to backs will lead to overtraining and your results will start to reverse...

Stew Smith CSCS
http://www.stewsmith.com