Strength and Endurance Just to Enter BUD/S

• A 500-yard timed swim is part of the SEAL entrance test.swim meet image by Chad McDermott from Fotolia.com
  
  Just to enter the school where SEALs are trained, Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL (BUD/S), a candidate must be strong and prepared. The physical entry exam requires a 500-yard swim, in less than 12:30, though to be competitive a candidate should complete the swim in 8 or 9 minutes. After a 10-minute rest, the candidate needs to perform 42 push-ups, but 100 is closer to the average. Next are sit-ups, where 52 in two minutes is the minimum but 100 is closer to average. Eight pull-ups are required, though 15 to 20 is average. After a 10-minute rest, the candidate runs a mile-and-a-half in boots and long pants. 11:30 is the passing standard but most successful candidates complete the run in 9 or 10 minutes.
  
  

Body Weight Exercises

• Body weight training is emphasized for SEALs.adult exercise image by John Sfondilias from Fotolia.com
  
  SEAL strength training is focused around body weight exercises. Surprisingly, they do not work out with barbells or dumb bells. Push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, dips, swimming and running are all part of the regimen. SEAL strength training is based on real-world strength, where being able to repeatedly lift yourself and your equipment is far more important than how much you can bench press. Push-ups work pectoral (chest) muscles, deltoids (shoulders,) tricep (back of the arm) muscles and core muscles in your abdomen and lower back. During physical training, SEALs will repeatedly perform set after set of push-ups, almost always going until they cannot perform even one more.
  
  

Pull-ups

• SEALs do many pull-ups.exercise image by .shock from Fotolia.com
  
  Pull-ups work several muscle groups. The back and biceps are the primary movers and forearm strength is also required. As with the push-ups, during physical training SEALs will perform as many pull-ups as possible, do another exercise, then do more pull-ups. Almost every round of pull-ups will be as many as they can possibly do.
  
  

More Body Weight Exercises

• This is an example if a dip.Young man exercising in the gym image by Elzbieta Sekowska from Fotolia.com
  
  SEALs do an extraordinary amount of sit-ups, strengthening their stomach and lower back muscles. The sit-ups, as with the other exercises, are performed until the individual cannot perform even another repetition. SEALs also do dips on parallel bars, starting out with the feet off the ground and arms straight and then bending the arms until the upper arm is parallel with the ground, then going back to an arm straight position. This exercise works the triceps, chest and shoulders, and the number of repetitions is based on when the individual reaches the point of not being able to perform one more.
  
  

Mindset is their Greatest Strength

• SEALs spend much time running and swimming.running image by Byron Moore from Fotolia.com
  
  SEALs also do a tremendous amount of running and swimming to increase their endurance. When discussing strength training for SEALs, the most important part of their training takes place between their ears. Being physically tested every day and being in amazing condition helps them believe that they can accomplish almost anything. Even though their strength training is done with body weight exercises, with each set being performed to temporary muscular failure, the physical training is excruciatingly difficult. The fact that they keep coming back for more day after day creates a mindset that tells them they can conquer even the toughest conditions.