Navy SEALs Swim Training

Since 1962, the Navy SEALs (Sea, Air and Land) have established a reputation of power and discipline as a special operations unit. Although 600 to 800 men from across the country embark on the rigorous Basic Underwater Demolition (BUD/s) training each year, only those who pass the six months of intensive mental and physical training are accepted into the unit.

  1. SEAL Prep Course

    • Eight weeks of intense physical training prepare SEAL candidates for the underwater maneuvers of the BUD/s training. Daily cold-water swims of up to two miles as well as timed swim trials and underwater training eliminate candidates with weak swimming skills. One exercise, known as drown-proofing, requires participants to swim 100 meters with hands and feet tied, in addition to bobbing, retrieving items from the bottom of the pool with their teeth, and completing various underwater maneuvers.

    Underwater Training

    • Participants who pass the basic conditioning training progress to the SEALs training center on Coronado Island, California. Trainees learn underwater combat swimming techniques using scuba tanks as well as a closed-circuit device that eliminates telltale exhaust bubbles in stealth situations. Underwater ascents without any breathing apparatus are practiced regularly in a 50-foot dive tower to master specialized breathing techniques necessary for success as a combat swimmer.

    Advanced Training

    • The final weeks of SEAL training are spent at Santa Catalina Island. Welcomed to the island with a nighttime swim in the ocean, the candidates spend the following weeks practicing hands-on maneuvers with weapons re-creating worst-case scenarios. Swimming in full battle gear, in addition to ever-increasing intensity in underwater and long-distance workouts, prepares SEAL candidates for placement and deployment.