Question About SEALs

[Tom Treutlein]

Do the Navy SEALs train with weights? I see a lot of them pretty muscular and in good health and shape, and from what I understand their workouts consist of a lot of running and calisthenics. Everything seems to be taken care of by their bodyweight.

 

[big4life]

I would think that their training would be more geared to the way an endurance athlete would train. I am sure they use weights just as any well trained athlete would. As for any particular workout they use I can't be of any help.

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Would it be beneficial to train in such a way for a while? I was thinking of doing cycles of the exercises in succession until I complete:

Pushups - 6x30
Crunches - 6x30
Pullups - 5x12
Dips - 5x12

Would this give any reasonable degree of strength, or would any strength/size gains have diminished much earlier in the progression of the exercises with the lower reps?

 

[big4life]

Have you checked out the strength training done by triathletes? Their strength training programs will prepare you for some of the physical rigors of military/special forces, if that is your goal.

Here's a link that gives some very good information on training for triathlons and other endurance events. Keep in mind that his probably will not build a lot of size, but it will help with strength. I hope this helps.

http://www.strengthfit.com/StrengthFit/articles/triathlon.asp

 

[LifterCA]

http://www.teenbodybuilding.com/brent2.htm

 

[LifterCA]

I have been looking to join the navy seals as of recently. Here is link to what they request you do before you try to join, so you will be ready. It also has the testing you must go through. I would just be guided by that. They say weight training is a no no. Have no clue why, maybe they dont want you to be bulky.

http://www.navyseals.com/community/navyseals/navysealworkout_main.cfm


**edit**

15.) What type of physical preperation and workout should I do to help prepare me for BUD/S?

- If you navigate through this site and others, you will find the US Naval Special Warfare's "recommended" workouts. There are also numerous books and videos available to assist you with this. Whatever workout(s) you decide to do, you should be sure to include lots of push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, dips, flutter kicks, running and swimming. Lots of it! Weight training is NOT necessary nor is it recommended for prospective BUD/S candidates. Also, proper, healthy nutrition is very important. Eat right and follow a proper work-out routine and you will go to BUD/S with a healthy mind, body and spirit which will increase your possibilities of making it to graduation!

 

[faller]

Tom, are you wanting to join, or just looking for ideas to improve workouts? If you just want to improve your workouts, you can try doing their programs for a few weeks, but I wouldn't make them your "core." I am assuming you have bodybuilding-type goals though, so correct me if you are looking for something else!

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Yes, I do have bodybuilding related goals. No interest in joining at this time.

 

[faller]

I would use it to break up the monotony only. otherwise if you want a change something like switching from 5x5 to old school or HST (just an example) would probably give you better results.

 

[LifterCA]

Tom, you say you don't have any intention at this time. I hope you are under the age of 26, or they do not except anyone older. They do, but with a FEW exceptions.

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Yeah, I'm 17 - no worried here haha. Just turned 17, too.

 

[Moen]

LOL I don't believe you can just 'join' the elite of the elite, you sure must be a succesfull marine for years to be able to join ?

 

[LifterCA]

it's actually navy. Hence the name Navy Seals. You go through navy boot camp first. You sign the Seal Challenge Contract, which entitles you enlist in the seals. Once you are done with basic, you go to BUD/S with all your portfolio. You then go through "prepatory hell" for 4-7 weeks, and then you get to go into the ACTUAL navy seal training. Navy seal training is four phases of 25 weeks of INTENSE training where the physical aspect gets harder and harder each week. This is where the instructer gets to beat the living shit out of you.
Look it up. www.navyseals.com

 

[Buddy_Christ]

i'm a former marine. military training doesn't involve weight lifting, and i was upset about that. in boot camp, it's not just the regular training that conditiones you, it's EVERYTHING. take the M-16....a 7.2lb rifle..it's nothing, right? heh heh, think again! imagine holding it by the front grip, rifle is straight up and down, your arm is straight out from your body...oh, yeah, that's with ONE hand. keep it there for, hmmm, 2, 3, 4 minutes. easy? i wish! force yourself to do 20 pullups...whether you can do them or not. can't make 20? ok, well, you're not done. someone will come and grab your feet. you'll bend your knees so your feet are up behind you, and you'll get an assist to get you to 20. thankfully i was able to do 12 or 13 when i went into boot camp...i feel bad for the guys that could only do 5 or 6. at the end of bootcamp my personal best was only 16 or 17...takes a LOT to get 20. and these pullups are pure deadhangs too. overhand or underhand, unless you're told specifically which way to do them.

try 6" for a few minutes. jumping jacks for 5+ minutes. or here, try this....

on command, go from running in place (knees coming up to waist height), jumping jacks, flutter kicks (6" while alternating which leg you are lifting, and yes, the other leg stays up), pushups, mountain climbers (on hands and feet, kinda in a running in place motion)...all sorts of stuff. now, continue to do it for 10, 15, 20 minutes...maybe longer. you could be stuck in one exercise for a few minutes or changing exercises every 15 seconds. do all this AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. one day i did all this for almost an hour and a half, with one 5 minute break. know what i did to deserve that? i farted.

so besides the regularily scheduled training days, you can be nailed with extreme cardio at any time. they build time into the schedule for these things, so i guess it's scheduled training.

so with enough use of your own bodyweight, you can gain strength, and even size, as everyone told me my back and shoulders grew a lot while i was in boot camp. military training is for strength though, as they want you to be lean and mean killing machines.

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Did you find that after coming out of the service, any of your previous lifts increased (bench, squat, deadlift, skull crushers, curls etc.)? After all, if it is aimed at increasing one's strength, then I would think that would be the case.

 

[Rex]

Crak: What Batallion were you? P.I. or San Diego. Those rifles do get mighty heavy pretty fast. I came out of PI a soaking wet 145-150.

My company runs us 4-5 times/ week on hardball surface and get little time to go to the gym for morning PT. I'm 19 with knees that have worn down cartlidge.

To quote my Heavy hat on asking him why they don't have us lift a lot of weights: The Marine Corps has a job to do. Win battles, and you don't win battles by getting killed. Big people make for big targets. Did that answer your question? Ok....now get in my pit.

 

[Clean]

The 50 meter underwater swim is not too easy, as I was a competitve swimmer. I could do 75 yards underwater but I was in decent shape.