I just signed navy this week and qualed for all special forces. It's what ive wanted to do. I'm 24 and in good shape. I am trying to qualify for eod. The wife won't let me go seals. I can do around 75 push-ups in two minutes, 75 sit-ups, and 15 pull ups. I can do the 1.5 mile run in around 9:30. My main problem is the swim. I haven't been I the water much since high school. I have to do 500 meter swim in 14 minutes but to be competitive I need to be around 9 minutes. I am not sure how fast I can swim it in, but I feel like I gas out kind of fast. If anyone has been into the program, what are some ways to improve endurance and speed on all exercises? Besides just keep getting in and swimming the 500m.
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Navy spec ops PTs
- Thread starter jwf100p
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I believe this link will help: NSWRET - YouTube
I think this Inst is now teaching 3rd Phase but he is an amazing swimmer and great instructor. I had a friend tell me one time "At the end of the day, your life, or more importantly the life of your teammates could very well depend on how fast you swim or how far you can run." <A general statement of over all fitness... Keep working on pushups/situps because after a 1000m timed swim with fins those 75 will go to 55. The PST/Modified PST are all about putting time constarints/stress on you mentally and physically. The more you practice the easier it will be.
Another note, you need to get in the water, a lot. The EOD Prep Course (from what I have seen, never gone through the EOD) after Basic is no joke. I am NOT suggesting you attempt Drown Proofing without the Navy's Certified Instructors/Teachers but you are the deciding factor. Its all mental... Keep calm and keep on working on it. Swimming "Cardio" comes with time and practice and as these videos show you can improve greatly. Their will be challenges along the way but always give 100% and dont look back.
PS
500m is nothing. You need to shoot for being able to swm that 500m on your F'in death bed. We did miles a day, with and without fins. Dont look forward to the PST as a "Goal" that is the bare minimum but look towards the shape those who graduate final training from and say "How do I get their?"
Hope this helps. Give 100% and ALWAY look out for the "little guy"... You do those things and regardless the outcome you will have no "coulda, shoulda, woulda's"
I think this Inst is now teaching 3rd Phase but he is an amazing swimmer and great instructor. I had a friend tell me one time "At the end of the day, your life, or more importantly the life of your teammates could very well depend on how fast you swim or how far you can run." <A general statement of over all fitness... Keep working on pushups/situps because after a 1000m timed swim with fins those 75 will go to 55. The PST/Modified PST are all about putting time constarints/stress on you mentally and physically. The more you practice the easier it will be.
Another note, you need to get in the water, a lot. The EOD Prep Course (from what I have seen, never gone through the EOD) after Basic is no joke. I am NOT suggesting you attempt Drown Proofing without the Navy's Certified Instructors/Teachers but you are the deciding factor. Its all mental... Keep calm and keep on working on it. Swimming "Cardio" comes with time and practice and as these videos show you can improve greatly. Their will be challenges along the way but always give 100% and dont look back.
PS
500m is nothing. You need to shoot for being able to swm that 500m on your F'in death bed. We did miles a day, with and without fins. Dont look forward to the PST as a "Goal" that is the bare minimum but look towards the shape those who graduate final training from and say "How do I get their?"
Hope this helps. Give 100% and ALWAY look out for the "little guy"... You do those things and regardless the outcome you will have no "coulda, shoulda, woulda's"
Improving that much in the swim will not only take increased fitness, but swimming demands excellent technique. I highly recommend some swim coaching and underwater footage to help you progress. Best of luck and thank you for your service.
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The gym I train at has a lot of the local SWCC guys in their a lot and while they are in great shape I think your current times are close to what they can do as far as pushup and situps. I know theu all run and swim A LOT "at work" but I'm not sure what kinda times they get.
My best friend is a Chief with SBU-22 and was an instructor for the SEALs for a couple years before he went to SWCC.
If you want I can ask his opinion on what you need to work on
My best friend is a Chief with SBU-22 and was an instructor for the SEALs for a couple years before he went to SWCC.
If you want I can ask his opinion on what you need to work on
I swam the 500 competitively back in high school, many moons ago, but we always broke the race down. Rather than trying to just swim three 500m for time we would break it down to 100's or even 50's. Swim (6) 100m with 20sec rest between each 100 trying to stay at or better than your "race pace". The same thing works when swimming 50m at a time. Building your 500 this way gets your body use to your "race pace" and it gives your speed/time feedback more frequently. You can also shorten the rest period or set intervals. Example: (6) 100m at 1:30. The slower you go the less rest you get. By swimming (6) 100's you are increasing your endurance and it will improve your times.
FYI I am not NAVSPECWAR or EOD. Your scores seem impressive in and of itself but did you do the PFT back to back? I believe, the EOD PFT is 500m swim, 10 minutes rest/change over, max pushups 2 min, 2 min rest, max situps 2 min, 2 min rest, max pull ups no time, 10 min rest/change venue, 1.5 mile run PT attire. I was good at each event separately but one after the other makes it alot more fun. Stroke technique helps. I did my swim way to fast and gassed everything else. Are you going officer or enlisted, that makes a difference too. If you are interested send me a PM. My best friend is an EOD O.
I did it all together. I am going on the enlisted side. I'll be going in as an e-3. I meet with the eod scout on Thursday, so hopefully he can see something positive and then help me train. I am suppose to leave in May, but if he gives me the go ahead, I'll have my ship date pushed out.
man how time change. for the Army when I went EOD, it was just volunteer.. most of us did it to get out of combat arms.. lol. I was forward observer back then. then Navy guys were still rated on their old MOS's with EOD as kind of an additional duty.. so to make rank, they had to test in their old MOS.
as for PT on the Army side... let's just say the civ. beer truck would stop by the unit in Grafenwoehr twice a week to restock the unit bar.
as for actual PT info. train to the test. not peripheral crap. once you are comfortable with a base, then branch out with accessory routines.
and soon you will be hurtlockering operator as fuck with your head on a swivel.
as for PT on the Army side... let's just say the civ. beer truck would stop by the unit in Grafenwoehr twice a week to restock the unit bar.
as for actual PT info. train to the test. not peripheral crap. once you are comfortable with a base, then branch out with accessory routines.
and soon you will be hurtlockering operator as fuck with your head on a swivel.
Run and swim....every day. Your wife will let you play with explosives but not try out for BUDS. Hate to break it to you but you will be gone just about as much so you might as well do what YOU want to do or you will be one of those "Yeah I could of been a SEAL but" kind of folks. You won't know unless you try and many EOD are BUD duds anyway so they will understand. Here is a look at initial money:
When you pass the Physical Standard Test, you will receive $1,000 of your bonus when you complete boot camp. If you pass the PST with a higher score, based on a pre-established level, you will be given an extra $2,000 at the completion of boot camp.
The maximum bonus is slightly different for each program:
SEAL - up to $40,000
Explosive Ordinance Disposal - up to $30,000
Diver - up to $25,000
Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman (SWCC) up to $18,000.
One word of advice from an old Chief, make sure you pick a rate you can deal with because if for some reason you don't make it through whatever program you select, you go straight out to sea duty in the rate you selected and being a BMSN can really suck. Another note, if you don't get through EOD you need to wait a specific timeframe (2 years I believe unless its changed) to reapply, if you go SEAL, you are not held to this requirement and if you don't make it through the first time you are sent off to your next duty station but you can return as soon as you reapply and are accepted to return without having to pull a minimum activity tour.
When you pass the Physical Standard Test, you will receive $1,000 of your bonus when you complete boot camp. If you pass the PST with a higher score, based on a pre-established level, you will be given an extra $2,000 at the completion of boot camp.
The maximum bonus is slightly different for each program:
SEAL - up to $40,000
Explosive Ordinance Disposal - up to $30,000
Diver - up to $25,000
Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman (SWCC) up to $18,000.
One word of advice from an old Chief, make sure you pick a rate you can deal with because if for some reason you don't make it through whatever program you select, you go straight out to sea duty in the rate you selected and being a BMSN can really suck. Another note, if you don't get through EOD you need to wait a specific timeframe (2 years I believe unless its changed) to reapply, if you go SEAL, you are not held to this requirement and if you don't make it through the first time you are sent off to your next duty station but you can return as soon as you reapply and are accepted to return without having to pull a minimum activity tour.
Just out of curiosity any particular reason you want to go Navy EOD over USMC EOD? Hell, with your scores you could probably do MARSOC fwiw.
I know Navy EOD is heralded as "the best", just wasn't sure if it was something else.
I know Navy EOD is heralded as "the best", just wasn't sure if it was something else.
You cannot reapply for buds it's a one time try school guys can't come back anymore with some extreme exceptions but for the most part you quit your done.
No that is not correct. Attended last grad to watch a friend...third attempt and he was a bell ringer on his first attemp...graduate. Enlisted can reapply several times and as long as they accept the app, they return. Where this gets tough is on officer candidates. Generally, if an officer does not make it through, they are not allowed to return.
To the OP: a good source of info for you will be SEALSWCC.COM where you can join forums and discuss all of your concerns
To the OP: a good source of info for you will be SEALSWCC.COM where you can join forums and discuss all of your concerns
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I am counting on being grouped with seals.
I did check on the marines but with a family, they said I can't join. They are not doing any dependent waivers. So it was either navy or army. I wanted something challenging but also that was a smaller community. I've been swimming a ton and running four times a day. Like today, I swam 1100 yards with a seal canidate, which knows the CSS. He's been working with me a lot. I take my first pst on the 20th. So it's getting close.
I did check on the marines but with a family, they said I can't join. They are not doing any dependent waivers. So it was either navy or army. I wanted something challenging but also that was a smaller community. I've been swimming a ton and running four times a day. Like today, I swam 1100 yards with a seal canidate, which knows the CSS. He's been working with me a lot. I take my first pst on the 20th. So it's getting close.
Getting close. Good luck. A little late, but check out military athlete. They have programs designed specifically for selections/pfts and swim improvement. You have to pay for it, but you get a well thought out program that is proven by others who have already done it, and it is specific to your discipline. They will also answer questions and provide feedback via email. I've done one of their programs. I found it well worth the money due to the gains and improvements over what I had been doing on my own through free sites such as crossfit and goruck which provide good workouts, but they train to general fitness not specific to a goal. The swim improvement program is under "base fitness"
Military Athlete | Store
Military Athlete | Store
Anyone have any advise on breathing while doing the 500 swim. I am doing the form correctly but it seems after around 100 yards, I have a hard time breathing. And when I stop swimming, I am very winded. Is it just something I have to get used to?
In most of the triathletes that I have worked with, I have found one of two recurring issues:
1. They're swimming MUCH harder than they think they are! Many athletes swim the first 100 at a pace they're no where NEAR ready to hold, and they have a hard time recovering from their effort. Check the pace clock and see what your first 100 works out to be, and compare it to your 5th consecutive one. They should be paced very closely if you did it correctly.
2. Many athletes don't realize it, but under duress (like at the start of the race), they are subconsciously holding their breath for part of the breathing cycle and then gasping for air when they roll to breathe. Make sure you're constantly exhaling (just like you are while reading this) or you'll have an issue with CO2 buildup. Here's a great link to swimming technique and what to pay attention to: Exhalation - Breathing Out Is The Most Important Thing In Swimming And Freestyle
1. They're swimming MUCH harder than they think they are! Many athletes swim the first 100 at a pace they're no where NEAR ready to hold, and they have a hard time recovering from their effort. Check the pace clock and see what your first 100 works out to be, and compare it to your 5th consecutive one. They should be paced very closely if you did it correctly.
2. Many athletes don't realize it, but under duress (like at the start of the race), they are subconsciously holding their breath for part of the breathing cycle and then gasping for air when they roll to breathe. Make sure you're constantly exhaling (just like you are while reading this) or you'll have an issue with CO2 buildup. Here's a great link to swimming technique and what to pay attention to: Exhalation - Breathing Out Is The Most Important Thing In Swimming And Freestyle
My buddy who is an EOD O has been gone from his family ALOT, sea tours, TDY's, etc. Not certain if it is specifically officer side or not. I know he had to go through dive, swo, supply, school and get his SWAS, and some other pins before going to EOD school. Not certain on the e side. Good luck nonetheless and EOD does get attached to NAVSPECWAR teams. He was attached to them.
Watch the videos I link you too. Inst M was at the Prep Course for 2 years and now teaching 3rd Phase. He was and is respected as one of the best swimmers out there. Swimming Cardio is hard but he goes over it in the video. Pay attention and WATCH when you see the exhail in the video.
Here is some free advice from an Army Special Forces vet that will help you graduate:
1. Never be first and never be last. Finish in the top third...always.
2. Never give 100%...unless your life depends on it. Always go at 85% and have something in reserve. Develop yourself physically so that you can go at 85% and still be in the top third. Mental toughness can only go so far...it's a lot easier to be mentally tough if you are physically prepared.
3. Don't get hurt.
4. Keep your mouth shut.
1. Never be first and never be last. Finish in the top third...always.
2. Never give 100%...unless your life depends on it. Always go at 85% and have something in reserve. Develop yourself physically so that you can go at 85% and still be in the top third. Mental toughness can only go so far...it's a lot easier to be mentally tough if you are physically prepared.
3. Don't get hurt.
4. Keep your mouth shut.
Join a masters swim club. Most cities have a number of these clubs. The guys that swim at these clubs are mostly former high school and college swimmers along with some triathletes.
You will learn a lot. It's a competative environment that will push you and it's fun. Most people will never push themselves hard enough in the pool if they train by themselves.
It will take your swimming to the next level quickly.
You will learn a lot. It's a competative environment that will push you and it's fun. Most people will never push themselves hard enough in the pool if they train by themselves.
It will take your swimming to the next level quickly.
Swimming for distance is entirely about EFFICIENCY. Water is 600 x as dense as air. You can run with sloppy ass form and get away with it. Everything you do in the water that wastes energy or creates drag is massively amplified and slows you down. A small mistake repeated over the couple hundred strokes on your swim test can be the difference. You need to focus on how to become efficient with your stroke, breathing recovery, etc.
The guys that really helped me out when I was training had me focus on:
1) being confident and comfortable in the water, so you can
2) RELAX as much as possible and
3) pay attention to what is efficient and what creates drag.
One of the main reasons to swim the combat recovery stroke (AKA "underwater recovery" - the spec ops version of the sidestroke) is that you can do it for a LONG time if you are smooth and aerobic. We had many dives and swims over the 3 and 4 hour mark. You can't swim that long if you're wasting energy or trying to go 100% -- LSD or Long Smooth Distance.
Being efficient means: relaxed breathing, LONG purposeful smooth strokes that let you GLIDE as far as possible till you start to lose momentum, keeping your hands close to your body on the returns, powerful kicks, long reaches, smooth head turns for breaths, leading arm tucked against your head, hand position... Learning the right kick for this stroke is unusual, and requires you to pull your upper knee really high and have a very strong kick to straight legs. This is completely different than the smooth flutter kick you'll learn for this stroke with fins; but focus mainly on the no fins plan for now. You need to figure out how long to glide before you coil for your next stroke. You need to figure out if you're able to swim on both sides (recommended but harder to learn) or if you're so much faster on one side that you'll always swim that side for the test. Eventually you need to learn to swim on both sides comfortably (so you can follow the shoreline and swim with a buddy). I can't stress enough that you need to think REACH, GLIDE, BREATHE, PREPARE on every stroke. Really pull those legs up far to prepare for your kick. Once you get those basics and you're efficient; then move on to the little stuff like only rolling your head far enough to get mouth out of the water.
What you need to do is get some coaching if possible from somebody who has done it. Start here: Find a Naval Special Operations Mentor - SEALSWCC.COM | Official Website U.S. Navy SEALs There is some good information on the site, and better yet the community has setup a Mentor program that you may be able to hook up with a former team guy or SWCC fellow that can help you with technique.
If that fails, get someone to video tape and time you for about 200 yds using one technique. Then take a short break. Change one thing (like a different kick, or crossing a few inches your feet at the end of the kick to squeeze out the last of the energy, breathing every other stroke, or turning your hips as soon as the kick finishes to roll for the breath, etc). Compare the video of first time and second time. Compare the times. Which version was faster? Which was more tiring? Did one version make you cramp/chafe/injured?
Couple other tips:
- learn to tread water using the bicycle kick, and no hands. Google it, that is the technique used by water polo players. Once you have the basics, practice with your hands out of the water for a LONG time. Then do it holding one of those frigging water bricks or a 10lb laminated barbell.
- Keep in mind that this minimum fitness test is only a baseline test. It wont even be a regular workout at BUD/s or in the teams, it is more like the starter that you'd do as part of a 2 hour PT session. May have changed now, but back when I was in you took this test again on 1st day and they kicked you out if you didn't pass; then had a much harder test (800M swim, 100 push/sit, 10 pull, 3mi run) at the end of indoc phase 2-4 weeks later.
- Learn to breath with your head out of the water as little as possible. I like breathing every other stroke. Most of the time you'll get a decent breath, but sometimes a wave or a turn in the pool or another swimmer will make it not happen. WAIT till next stroke, don't keep trying to catch the breath on that same stroke or it kills momentum. You can't do that if you're not relaxed.
- Use your push off the wall to explode and glide - get that free ride until momentum starts to fade. This will help your times in a pool and also saves energy.
- Your workouts probably need to focus on: endurance, core strength, and being able to move your body weight around efficiently. You're not going to need max bench press numbers or stage ready biceps; but you need to be able to run an obstacle course efficiently and carry a bunch of crap in a pack; and run stupid distances daily... Plenty of other sources of info.
- Unless you swam breaststroke on a swim team or something, I see zero reason to train with it at this point. Nobody was allowed to use it in training after the initial test. In real world I have only used it when approaching a drowning swimmer, or trying to get out of the water w/ dive gear.
FWIW I was always comfortable in the water as a kid, but never swam a swim meet in my life. Once I started training with team guys that knew what they were doing I became a really good swimmer (at combat sidestroke - I still sucked at freestyle compared to some guys and never did learn a decent breaststroke without fins). Eventually I was crushing the 500 with several minutes to spare. Even then working with a friend, I changed my kick pattern 3 weeks into BUD/s because it was more efficient for me, and ended up with the 2nd best swim times in my BUD/s class. That said, thinking I was a decent swimmer - at one of my units we had this guy who was around 40, a regular smoker with a bit of a beer gut (for a SEAL). When he got in the water, he completely crushed everyone - it was embarrassing how much faster he was than everybody else. Turns out the dude was on one of our olympic swim teams... It is all about efficiency and training...
Good luck
The guys that really helped me out when I was training had me focus on:
1) being confident and comfortable in the water, so you can
2) RELAX as much as possible and
3) pay attention to what is efficient and what creates drag.
One of the main reasons to swim the combat recovery stroke (AKA "underwater recovery" - the spec ops version of the sidestroke) is that you can do it for a LONG time if you are smooth and aerobic. We had many dives and swims over the 3 and 4 hour mark. You can't swim that long if you're wasting energy or trying to go 100% -- LSD or Long Smooth Distance.
Being efficient means: relaxed breathing, LONG purposeful smooth strokes that let you GLIDE as far as possible till you start to lose momentum, keeping your hands close to your body on the returns, powerful kicks, long reaches, smooth head turns for breaths, leading arm tucked against your head, hand position... Learning the right kick for this stroke is unusual, and requires you to pull your upper knee really high and have a very strong kick to straight legs. This is completely different than the smooth flutter kick you'll learn for this stroke with fins; but focus mainly on the no fins plan for now. You need to figure out how long to glide before you coil for your next stroke. You need to figure out if you're able to swim on both sides (recommended but harder to learn) or if you're so much faster on one side that you'll always swim that side for the test. Eventually you need to learn to swim on both sides comfortably (so you can follow the shoreline and swim with a buddy). I can't stress enough that you need to think REACH, GLIDE, BREATHE, PREPARE on every stroke. Really pull those legs up far to prepare for your kick. Once you get those basics and you're efficient; then move on to the little stuff like only rolling your head far enough to get mouth out of the water.
What you need to do is get some coaching if possible from somebody who has done it. Start here: Find a Naval Special Operations Mentor - SEALSWCC.COM | Official Website U.S. Navy SEALs There is some good information on the site, and better yet the community has setup a Mentor program that you may be able to hook up with a former team guy or SWCC fellow that can help you with technique.
If that fails, get someone to video tape and time you for about 200 yds using one technique. Then take a short break. Change one thing (like a different kick, or crossing a few inches your feet at the end of the kick to squeeze out the last of the energy, breathing every other stroke, or turning your hips as soon as the kick finishes to roll for the breath, etc). Compare the video of first time and second time. Compare the times. Which version was faster? Which was more tiring? Did one version make you cramp/chafe/injured?
Couple other tips:
- learn to tread water using the bicycle kick, and no hands. Google it, that is the technique used by water polo players. Once you have the basics, practice with your hands out of the water for a LONG time. Then do it holding one of those frigging water bricks or a 10lb laminated barbell.
- Keep in mind that this minimum fitness test is only a baseline test. It wont even be a regular workout at BUD/s or in the teams, it is more like the starter that you'd do as part of a 2 hour PT session. May have changed now, but back when I was in you took this test again on 1st day and they kicked you out if you didn't pass; then had a much harder test (800M swim, 100 push/sit, 10 pull, 3mi run) at the end of indoc phase 2-4 weeks later.
- Learn to breath with your head out of the water as little as possible. I like breathing every other stroke. Most of the time you'll get a decent breath, but sometimes a wave or a turn in the pool or another swimmer will make it not happen. WAIT till next stroke, don't keep trying to catch the breath on that same stroke or it kills momentum. You can't do that if you're not relaxed.
- Use your push off the wall to explode and glide - get that free ride until momentum starts to fade. This will help your times in a pool and also saves energy.
- Your workouts probably need to focus on: endurance, core strength, and being able to move your body weight around efficiently. You're not going to need max bench press numbers or stage ready biceps; but you need to be able to run an obstacle course efficiently and carry a bunch of crap in a pack; and run stupid distances daily... Plenty of other sources of info.
- Unless you swam breaststroke on a swim team or something, I see zero reason to train with it at this point. Nobody was allowed to use it in training after the initial test. In real world I have only used it when approaching a drowning swimmer, or trying to get out of the water w/ dive gear.
FWIW I was always comfortable in the water as a kid, but never swam a swim meet in my life. Once I started training with team guys that knew what they were doing I became a really good swimmer (at combat sidestroke - I still sucked at freestyle compared to some guys and never did learn a decent breaststroke without fins). Eventually I was crushing the 500 with several minutes to spare. Even then working with a friend, I changed my kick pattern 3 weeks into BUD/s because it was more efficient for me, and ended up with the 2nd best swim times in my BUD/s class. That said, thinking I was a decent swimmer - at one of my units we had this guy who was around 40, a regular smoker with a bit of a beer gut (for a SEAL). When he got in the water, he completely crushed everyone - it was embarrassing how much faster he was than everybody else. Turns out the dude was on one of our olympic swim teams... It is all about efficiency and training...
Good luck
Well, I was selected for a contract for EOD. They still haven't got my packet ready, so I haven't signed it yet. Which means I don't have a ship date yet. But it looks like I'm going to have at least six more months to train. I am swimming around a 10:30. By the time I ship, I want to be able to do it in 9:30.
Good luck man, and thanks for serving. I joined at your age, and you'll have some challenges but also some advantages that younger men won't. My mind was stronger, more resolved. It wasn't my first job, for instance. If you're there because you wanna be there, it's hard if not impossible to quit.
I WISHED I could have went SEAL, but prior to 2001 getting SF's of any kind in a contract was impossible --except SEAL. But if you failed SEAL, then they picked a job out for you. I couldn't see 6 weeks of Navy basic putting me in the proper shape in order to succeed. So I went army, screwed up again and didn't go SF a few months after arriving at my duty station. I was prepared then, but let my buddies talk me out of it. Beware people that project their shortcomings onto you. Just because they don't feel they're SF material doesn't mean you may not be.
Oh well, still served and met great folks and it was one of the most exciting and interesting and frustrating times of my life.
Again, good luck and godspeed.
I WISHED I could have went SEAL, but prior to 2001 getting SF's of any kind in a contract was impossible --except SEAL. But if you failed SEAL, then they picked a job out for you. I couldn't see 6 weeks of Navy basic putting me in the proper shape in order to succeed. So I went army, screwed up again and didn't go SF a few months after arriving at my duty station. I was prepared then, but let my buddies talk me out of it. Beware people that project their shortcomings onto you. Just because they don't feel they're SF material doesn't mean you may not be.
Oh well, still served and met great folks and it was one of the most exciting and interesting and frustrating times of my life.
Again, good luck and godspeed.
There's some really solid advise from a couple folks in here, especially Joe's video and VTSEAL are dead nuts on distance swimming advise. There's a member on here (@Fargo007) that is an official coach (or mentor, I don't know the exact term) with Stew Smith's list of folks. He's been assisting a number of candidates for various schools and the improvement in 500m and mile swim times for the candidates is huge. He volunteers his time, will review videos and provide tips for guys that send them. It's worth sending him a PM and seeing if he has some available time.
Best of luck with the endeavor.
Best of luck with the endeavor.
in my bud/s experience,(early 90's) things were very case by case basis, but for the most part if you quit you were done forever, but if someone was involuntarily dropped (as i was) they were often given an option to return but, (again case by case, might very at the oic or xo's discretion) usually had to complete a permanent duty station assignment elsewhere first. (i did, and ended up leaving service before returning to bud/s which was also at a behest of a spouse by the way)
sometimes the drops are given an option to terminate enlistment if they washout. i did see and hear about exceptions to these noted observations. i watched one douche totally ringout and got reinstated the next week,(this bozo later actually made national news for misdeeds) while some seemingly far more worthy admin drops were sent hastily to x-division. numerous others were rolled from one class to another which brings up a point that speaks to the ops original question...the pt test is simply a preliminary yardstick to measure applicants against. many people who wear tridents didnt get thru the first time or with their original class group so long term endurance is also key.
just some sleepy thoughts
Swimming speed:
Your head is the densest part of your body. You also breath through your face (on your head) so most swimmers like to keep their head a little bit high. Boyence being what it is this forces their feet lower in the water. Their high head and low feet present a large cross section relative to forward progress. This causes them to have a slower progress through the water for a given amount of effort.
When they learn to get their face and head deeper in the water this rotates their feet toward the surface. This reduces cross section which reduces drag, thus increasing the speed that can be achieved with a constant effort.
The trick for me is turning my head at just the right time in the stroke to get a little gulp of air when I need it with out having to lift my head too much.
If you start to get a decent amount of practice you will get some water in your ears which will lead to swimmers ear. After you get out of the water you need to dry your ears. I use a solution of one third each distilled water, vinegar, and rubbing alcohol. Squrit a little in each ear and tilt your head to let it run out. I am sure there is a better way to dry your ears, but this is what I have been doing for years and it works for me.
Your head is the densest part of your body. You also breath through your face (on your head) so most swimmers like to keep their head a little bit high. Boyence being what it is this forces their feet lower in the water. Their high head and low feet present a large cross section relative to forward progress. This causes them to have a slower progress through the water for a given amount of effort.
When they learn to get their face and head deeper in the water this rotates their feet toward the surface. This reduces cross section which reduces drag, thus increasing the speed that can be achieved with a constant effort.
The trick for me is turning my head at just the right time in the stroke to get a little gulp of air when I need it with out having to lift my head too much.
If you start to get a decent amount of practice you will get some water in your ears which will lead to swimmers ear. After you get out of the water you need to dry your ears. I use a solution of one third each distilled water, vinegar, and rubbing alcohol. Squrit a little in each ear and tilt your head to let it run out. I am sure there is a better way to dry your ears, but this is what I have been doing for years and it works for me.
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Quick point, be careful on the swimming and overuse injuries. You have to have good form. Most people say swimming is low impact, but if you have improper form you can easily mess up knees doing breaststroke or shoulders doing crawl (conventional freestyle). I normally breathe every 2 or 3 strokes depending on how I'm feeling, but when I get tired, I will go every two and breathe on my right side. I noticed as I was getting more fatigued, I would try to keep my head turned longer and longer, to the point where my left are was pivoting through the water nearly fully extended, to get more downforce to keep my torso aligned for a longer period with my head to the side. Swimming everyday for 3 months with this being a frequent occurrence towards the end of each session, I ended up messing up my shoulder and haven't been able to swim for months because of it. Swim through the fatigue, but do not give up on form. Mix up the workouts - don't just do the same swim day after day after day, or you risk the repetitive/overuse injury.
Sorry I am late to the party on this one.
I was referenced a couple pages back. I am a combat swim and water confidence coach active with Stew Smith at heroesoftomorrow.org, and also with the official sealswcc forum doing swim critique reviews. I am working with several SEAL and USAF PJ candidates at the moment and have produced dramatic reductions in their swim times. One of them has recently won a contract after going from the 12's to the low 9's. Another came to me as a 10:55 and is now about an 8:30. I am 46 and I swim it in the low 8's myself. You can check out my yt channel of the same name to see some of the stuff we do but the main focus (until one gets a contract) is on lowering the swim score and developing good eggbeater water tread technique.
Any advice you get on your swim has to be specific to YOU. To that end, get in the pool with a buddy on the deck and have him video a good long distance of you doing your swim exactly how you would do it on the PST. Make sure it shows what your arms and legs are doing well. At least a couple hundred yards. Post that on youtube and send me the link and we will get you straightened out.
Also check out the official forum at sealswcc.com where you will find the NSW PTG which will help you organize workouts to achieve the best results on your PST. You will find me there in the swim training section under the same name.
--Fargo007
I was referenced a couple pages back. I am a combat swim and water confidence coach active with Stew Smith at heroesoftomorrow.org, and also with the official sealswcc forum doing swim critique reviews. I am working with several SEAL and USAF PJ candidates at the moment and have produced dramatic reductions in their swim times. One of them has recently won a contract after going from the 12's to the low 9's. Another came to me as a 10:55 and is now about an 8:30. I am 46 and I swim it in the low 8's myself. You can check out my yt channel of the same name to see some of the stuff we do but the main focus (until one gets a contract) is on lowering the swim score and developing good eggbeater water tread technique.
Any advice you get on your swim has to be specific to YOU. To that end, get in the pool with a buddy on the deck and have him video a good long distance of you doing your swim exactly how you would do it on the PST. Make sure it shows what your arms and legs are doing well. At least a couple hundred yards. Post that on youtube and send me the link and we will get you straightened out.
Also check out the official forum at sealswcc.com where you will find the NSW PTG which will help you organize workouts to achieve the best results on your PST. You will find me there in the swim training section under the same name.
--Fargo007
It's been a while since any of us posted on this one. I leave on oct 20th now. It's getting real close. I've stopped with the free weights and started doing a lot of body weight stuff. More cardio and plyo stuff. Has anyone been to dive prep lately? They say that's where most people quit. My main concern is treading water. In prep and dive school, is there going to be a lot of treading without fins or is it going to be all with fins?
I've got a PJ candidate shipping October, one NSW guy with a contract and another who just took his first PST.
What I am hearing is that you will definitely be treading with and without fins, and for longer periods of time than you want to. Some of it hands-up.
I would work on a good, efficient eggbeater kick, which if broken down is a slow breast stroke kick done one leg at a time. It should not have a 'snap' at the end of the movement but should be more of a continuous sweep/ellipse.
Tips to make it easier: Keep your lungs full by default. Breathe out, and right back in. If your lungs are full, you will float vertically with your eyebrows near the surface if you do nothing else. That allows you to tread water only for the four inches to get your nose/mouth to the surface, and you can do that with one slow leg at a time. If your lungs are empty all the time, you have to work much harder.
In other words, let buoyancy do as much of the work as possible, and keep as much of your body subsurface as you are allowed to.
HTH, it will have to do cause you're too far away to come to a swim PT.
/Fargo007
What I am hearing is that you will definitely be treading with and without fins, and for longer periods of time than you want to. Some of it hands-up.
I would work on a good, efficient eggbeater kick, which if broken down is a slow breast stroke kick done one leg at a time. It should not have a 'snap' at the end of the movement but should be more of a continuous sweep/ellipse.
Tips to make it easier: Keep your lungs full by default. Breathe out, and right back in. If your lungs are full, you will float vertically with your eyebrows near the surface if you do nothing else. That allows you to tread water only for the four inches to get your nose/mouth to the surface, and you can do that with one slow leg at a time. If your lungs are empty all the time, you have to work much harder.
In other words, let buoyancy do as much of the work as possible, and keep as much of your body subsurface as you are allowed to.
HTH, it will have to do cause you're too far away to come to a swim PT.
/Fargo007
Look up NSWRET on youtube. He was an Instructor and now on to 3rd Phase but has a great swimtime and great advice. Tread with fins and without. We did most of the treading without fin and without fins with dive bricks. Went through bobbing, flips, recoving masks, knot tying and breath holds. Know that if you dont LOVE water you will be pushed but nothing the willing cant overcome.
Enjoy.
Enjoy.
The first step is developing an effective eggbeater kick. I think Stew Smith has a video out on YT describing it.
Once you have this down, I would start working on being able to tread for increasing time periods up to 20 minutes.
Upon reaching that point, you will be able to start doing treads with hands out of the water.
Work on that for :60 hands up, :60 hands down. Once you can do that for 20 minutes, then you can start working with weight. 10# is way enough.
If you leap right into treading with weight, you will likely overtrain yourself and wind up hurting your knees and hips.
HTH,
/Fargo007
Once you have this down, I would start working on being able to tread for increasing time periods up to 20 minutes.
Upon reaching that point, you will be able to start doing treads with hands out of the water.
Work on that for :60 hands up, :60 hands down. Once you can do that for 20 minutes, then you can start working with weight. 10# is way enough.
If you leap right into treading with weight, you will likely overtrain yourself and wind up hurting your knees and hips.
HTH,
/Fargo007
