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I passed the Navy SEALs screening test more than half’ of trainees don’t finish
To become a Navy SEAL, you must first pass the physical screening test, or PST. Its designed to test your overall physical readiness, according to the Navy SEALs website, and consists of a swim, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and a 1.5-mile run.
The PST is a requirement for those who want to enter BUD/S, which stands for Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL. Those undergoing BUD/S preparation and training have to take a test more rigorous than the PST, but everyone has to pass the PST to get there. It pays to be a winner, runs the organizations motto. Once, a trainee hopeful almost drowned. Well, I wanted to see if I could be a winner too only, without actually joining the uniformed services. Or drowning.
Find out if youve got what it takes to be a Navy SEAL
As detailed in a separate article on this site, the Navy SEAL physical screening test consists of five parts. Each one has a minimum requirement and a competitive score.�
First, you swim. Then you do push-ups, followed by sit-ups and pull-ups. Finally, you run.
- DID SOMEBODY SAY ‘RUN’? I hate running but I just did my first timed race, and loved it
But its not quite as simple as that. For the swimming part of the test, for example, you have to perform either a side stroke or a breaststroke. When swimming sidestroke, the swimmer lies on their side with asymmetric arm and leg motion. Its a lifesaving technique and is often used for long-distance swimming.�I’ll be honest, it’s not a stroke I’m familiar with.
The push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups have to be completed with adherence to proper form, too. Pull-ups are different from chin-ups in that they require you to have your palms facing away from your body; when completing a Navy SEAL-adherent sit-up, you must have your arms crossed across your chest with your fingertips touching your shoulders.
How I fared on the PST
When I read that the swimming portion of the test has to be completed using breast or side stroke, I thought it might catch me out. My fastest recorded time swimming 500 yards freestyle is 7 minutes and 33 seconds, which is well under the requirement of 12 minutes and 30 seconds.
But breaststroke is a slower stroke. Still, I was able to complete the 500-yard swim in just under 10 minutes, using breaststroke. Part one: tick!
After a 10-minute wait, I began the bodyweight challenges.�
To pass the test, you have to be able to complete 42 push-ups within 2 minutes, 50 sit-ups (also within 2 minutes), and 6 pull-ups, the latter without a time limit.�
I can confirm I was able to do 42 push-ups within the time limit. I had about 35 seconds left on the clock once I hit 42. Similarly, I could do 50 sit-ups with about 20 seconds left. Thankfully, its just about within my ability to do 6 well-formed pull-ups without needing a break.�
All that was left to do was run, and fortunately, Im fairly well set up for running �as Ill explain below. My run time, after the 10-minute break youre allowed when completing the test, was 10 minutes and 12 seconds, which just about fits under the competitive score time for the PST. In other words, tick, tick, tick!
How having hobbies that maintain my overall physical readiness prepared me for the PST
Theres plenty of research to show that swimming is one of the best things you can do for your body. It requires you to use multiple muscle groups in concert with each other, and does so without involving the kind of sharp impacts that can damage runners knees.
Im not a big swimmer, but its something I enjoy �lane swimming, open water swimming, and, at various points in my life, the sort of swimming required to surf. Ive also completed a sprint-length triathlon, for which I trained a little bit. So, altogether, the amount of time Ive spent in the water helped to prepare me for the Navy SEALs Physical Screening Test.
I owe much of my push-up, sit-up, and pull-up strength to bouldering, or indoor free climbing. And yoga, occasionally. Climbing can be very humbling when you start and realize hanging off a wall is much harder than the Olympians make it look��but improvement comes quickly. It trains muscles that might otherwise lie dormant, such as those in the fingers, forearms, and shoulders, and strengthens the arms and core first and foremost, making bodyweight exercises relatively accessible to regular climbers.�
Im not much of a runner, but I have a history of completing long-distance bicycle tours. My most recent tour lasted 10 months and took me from France to Thailand. Cycling is good for overall leg strength and works your lungs and heart in a way that doesnt put undue pressure on the knees and ankles.�
On top of the benefits for your physical health, maintaining a hobby that keeps you active can improve mood, enhance cognition, and reduce stress, according to Verywell Mind. So let this be a reminder, or a recommendation, to keep yourself in shape �because you never know when youll have to complete a Navy SEAL Physical Screening Test for your job!
- ON THAT NOTE: Women be afraid of getting bulky, says fitness trainer
