You may have heard of the rigorous training requirements for Navy SEALs—the United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land. Their job needs are extremely demanding, both mentally and physically, to complete missions overseas, including counter-terrorism and special operations They are, in a nutshell, the most elite warriors. So, it shouldn’t be surprising that an intense workout routine is essential to develop physical and mental toughness.
Although it is among the most difficult physical training in the world, there are variations you can implement to see results fast. The Navy SEALs use this workout program to prepare their new recruits for more advanced training and pass their final exam. It includes a Category I routine (a beginner's workout for those who are currently inactive) and a Category II routine (designed for those who are currently active).
Before starting the SEALworkout, you may want to see if you can pass the Army Physical Fitness and Combat Readiness Tests. This very intense routine may not be suitable for all physical levels and abilities, so use your best judgment.
Category I Workout Routine
The goal of Category I is to work up to 16 miles per week of running. Then—and only then—you can continue to the Category II exercise. Category I is a 9-week buildup program.
Running Schedule
- Weeks 1 and 2: 2 miles per day, 8:30 pace, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (6 miles total for the week)
- Week 3: No running, as there is a high risk of stress fractures
- Week 4: 3 miles per day, Monday, Wednesday and Friday (9 miles total for the week)
- Week 5 and 6: Monday 2 miles, Tuesday 3 miles, Thursday 4 miles, Friday 2 miles (11 miles total for the week)
- Weeks 7, 8, and 9: Monday 4 miles, Tuesday 4 miles, Thursday 5 miles, Friday 3 miles(16 miles total for the week)
Physical Training Schedule
Perform the following exercises on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Week 1
- Pushups: 4 sets of 15 repetitions (reps)
- Situps: 4 sets of 20 reps
- Pull-ups: 3 sets of 3 reps
Week 2
- Pushups: 5 sets of 20 reps
- Situps:5 sets of 20 reps
- Pull-ups:3 sets of 3 reps
Weeks 3 and 4
- Pushups: 5 sets of 25 reps
- Situps:5 sets of 25 reps
- Pull-ups: 3 sets of 4 reps
Weeks 5 and 6
- Pushups: 6 sets of 25 reps
- Situps: 6 sets of 25 reps
- Pull-ups: 2 sets of 8 reps
Weeks 7 and 8
- Pushups: 6 sets of 30 reps
- Situps: 6 sets of 30 reps
- Pull-ups: 2 sets of 10 reps
Week 9
- Pushups: 6 sets of 30 reps
- Situps: 6 sets of 30 reps
- Pull-ups: 3 sets of 10 reps
For best results, alternate exercises. Do a set of pushups, then a set of situps, followed by a set of pull-ups immediately without rest. Then, progress again with the next sets of each exercise.
Beginners Guide to Sets, Repetitions, and Rest Intervals
Swimming Schedule
Sidestroke with no fins four to five days a week.
- Weeks 1 and 2: Swim continuously for 15 minutes
- Weeks 3 and 4: Swim continuously for 20 minutes
- Weeks 5 and 6: Swim continuously for 25 minutes
- Weeks 7 and 8: Swim continuously for 30 minutes
- Week 9: Swim continuously for 35 minutes
If you do not have access to a pool, ride a bicycle for twice as long as you would swim. If you have access to a pool, swim everyday that is possible. Swim four to five days per week for 200 meters in one session as your initial workup goal. Also, you want to develop your sidestroke on both the left and the right side. Try to swim 50 meters in one minute or less.
Swimming Workouts That Build Strength
Category II Workout Routine (Advanced Level)
The Navy SEAL Category II workout routine is a more intense workout designed for those who have been involved with a routine physical fitness training program or who have completed the requirements of the Category I workout routine. Do not attempt this workout unless you can complete week 9 of the Category I workout.
Running Schedule
Run the stated number of miles on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
- Weeks 1 and 2: (3/5/4/5/2) miles (19 miles per week)
- Weeks 3 and 4: (4/5/6/4/3) miles (22 miles per week)
- Week 5: (5/5/6/4/4) miles (24 miles per week)
- Week 6: (5/6/6/6/4) miles (27 miles per week)
- Week 7: (6/6/6/6/6) miles (30 miles per week)
For weeks 8 and 9 and beyond, increasing the distance of the runs is unnecessary; work on the speed of your 6-mile runs and try to get them down to 7:30 per mile or lower. If you wish to increase the distance of your runs, do it gradually—no more than 1 mile per day increase for every week beyond week 9.
Physical Training Schedule
Complete the following sets and reps Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Weeks 1 and 2
- Pushups: 6 sets of 30 reps
- Situps: 6 sets of 35 reps
- Pull-ups: 3 sets of 10 reps
- Dips: 3 sets of 20 reps
Weeks 3 and 4
- Pushups: 10 sets of 20 reps
- Situps: 10 sets of 25 reps
- Pull-ups: 4 sets of 10 reps
- Dips: 10 sets of 15 reps
Week 5
- Pushups: 15 sets of 20 reps
- Situps: 15 sets of 25 reps
- Pull-ups: 4 sets of 12 reps
- Dips: 15 sets of 15 reps
Week 6
- Pushups: 20 sets of 20 reps
- Situps: 20 sets of 25 reps
- Pull-ups: 5 sets of 12 reps
- Dips: 20 sets of 15 reps
These workouts are designed for long-distance muscle endurance. Muscle fatigue will gradually take longer to develop during high-repetition workouts. For best results, alternate exercises each set, to rest that muscle group for a short time.
Pyramid Workouts
After reaching your Category I and II standards, you can do a pyramid workout with any exercise to vary your workout. The object is to build up to a goal slowly and then return to the beginning of the workout.
For instance, pull-ups, situps, pushups, and dips can be alternated as in the above workouts, but this time, choose a number to be your goal and build up to that number. Each number counts as a set. Work your way up and down the pyramid.
For example, if your goal is 5 reps, the number of reps you would do for each exercise would be:
- Pull-ups: 1,2,3,4,5,4,3,2,1
- Pushups: 2,4,6,8,10,8,6,4,2 (two times the number of pull-ups)
- Situps: 3,6,9,12,15,12,9,6,3 (three times the number of pull-ups)
- Dips: Same as pushups
Swimming Workouts
Swim four to five days per week.
- Weeks 1 and 2: Swim continuously for 35 minutes.
- Weeks 3 and 4: Swim continuously for 45 minutes with fins.
- Week 5: Swim continuously for 60 minutes with fins.
- Week 6: Swim continuously for 75 minutes with fins.
At first, to reduce initial stress on your foot muscles when starting with fins, alternate swimming 1000 meters with fins and 1000 meters without them. Your goal should be to swim 50 meters in 45 seconds or less.
Stretching and Physical Training
Stretching is a basic yet effective way to improve your performance, and Navy SEALs are aware of this. Since Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are devoted to physical training, include a solid stretching routine on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday as a part of your weekly workout. Here is a recommended stretching routine.
- Start at the top and go to the bottom. Stretch every muscle inyour body from
the neck to the calves, concentrating on your thighs, hamstrings, chest, back,
and shoulders. - Stretch to tightness, not to pain, and hold each stretch for 10 to 15 seconds.
- Do not bounce. Use your breath to breathe through the stretch. Do not bounce, but rather, try to let the muscles loosen as you hold the stretch.
If you're short on time in your weekly schedule, you can also implement stretching for 15 minutes before a workout, after warming up, or after working out.
For more details about the Navy SEAL workouts and other guidelines, visit their website.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a typical NAVY Seal workout?
A typical Navy SEAL workout requires a combination of high-intensity intervals, swimming, running, and strength routines. Their fitness test has a minimum of set standards, which include running, swimming, pushups, curl-ups, and pull-ups.
How many hours per day do Navy SEALs train?
When we say it’s an extremely rigorous workout, we’re not kidding: Navy SEALs train up to 20 hours a day while keeping their sleep to just under 4 hours.
Do Navy SEALs workout with weights?
Not necessarily. While some Navy SEALs might include heavy weight lifting in their personal routines, they tend to use body-weight exercises when training as a group.
By Elizabeth Quinn, MS
Elizabeth Quinn is an exercise physiologist, sports medicine writer, and fitness consultant for corporate wellness and rehabilitation clinics.
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