For the warrior, the objective of training is to prepare for the known and the unknown.
For the warrior, the objective of training is to prepare for the known and the unknown. In the case of Naval Special Operations hopefuls, the first official step is passing Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training. The preparation required to successfully complete this, or any of the other Special Operations Forces (SOF) training pipelines, is the subject of this article.
A picture is worth a thousand words
In the book The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday: Making Navy SEALs, photojournalist Richard Schoenberg, whose photos are featured here and in my previous Pre-SOF Training articles for the CrossFit Journal, successfully captures the magnitude of the physical and mental undertaking that is BUD/S. Those images paint the total picture that the content of this series of articles could not express in words alone. For any of you serious about preparing yourselves, or others, for such a challenge, The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday is an amazing educational, inspirational, and motivational resource. I always recommended it to my own pre-SOF trainees to help them build the “brass ring vision” that is an integral part of our program.
Tomorrow will not be easier
To get an appreciation for what it means to “prepare for the known” in pre-SOF training, let’s look at a day in the life of a first-phase BUD/S student. Note that this is not an unusually hard day; it’s not a day in hell week; it’s simply an ordinary day at BUD/S.
A look at the schedule below provides insight into the kind of fitness required to be successful at BUD/S. Work in all of CrossFit’s ten general physical skills is present, but it’s obvious that it takes an inordinate amount of cardiorespiratory endurance and general stamina to make it through not only this day, but the next one, and the next one, and the next one. This is not to say that it pays to specialize, however, because without a good deal of strength, flexibility, accuracy, agility, balance, and coordination, as well as power and speed, of course, the obstacle course, among other things, could never be mastered. It is also apparent that trainees must be fit across all three metabolic pathways, particularly the glycolytic and oxidative systems.
Running
What may not be readily apparent from the schedule above is the true amount of running involved. Running to and from each event, coupled with running during events, on a day like this can log up to—and sometimes over—twenty miles. In BUD/S you’re always running. The constant pounding takes its toll on every student, especially those not accustomed to running this much. For this reason, preparing for the “known” means that running must be a staple of pre-SOF conditioning. There are three main categories of running in pre-SOF conditioning:
- Long slow distance of 10 to 15 kilometers below anaerobic threshold.
- Medium and short distance intervals of 100 to 5000 meters at or above anaerobic threshold.
- Rucksack runs with a weighted backpack (approximately 25 pounds) for 5-10 kilometers.
Swimming
Like running, swimming is a regular element of daily life at BUD/S. Pool swims with and without fins, as well as openwater ocean and bay swims, are daily events. Comfort in the water comes only from time in the water. Therefore, swimming also must be a significant element in a pre-SOF conditioning program. As with running, working across both long-slow-distance and medium- and short-distance intervals is key to proper preparation.
PT
The basic elements of PT (physical training) consist primarily of pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups, squats, flutter kicks, leg levers, and presses (often of logs and boats). In our pre-SOF conditioning program, these are a big part of the CrossFit WODs, but they should also be executed throughout the day for proficiency and familiarity.
Sample BUD/S-prep workouts
The following sample workout is a great supplement to CrossFit programming, and the combination of the two makes for a superb pre-SOF conditioning program. Follow the frequency guidelines below, and ensure that you leave about six hours between your CrossFit WOD and the BUD/S prep workouts in the table below. (For a more comprehensive and individualized pre-SOF program, see NavySeals.com.)
Getting started
The following sections provide some additional information and suggestions on integrating pre-SOF conditioning with your CrossFit training.
Frequency
NavySEALs.com posts workouts six days a week, Monday through Saturday. This is not because we want everyone to train six days a week, but because we know that there are so many individuals out there with different training schedules that no “one size fits all” approach will work. Offering workouts six days a week ensures that training can fit into most people’s busy schedules.
In addition to the day off on Sunday, I recommend you take another day off during the week, but not the same day every week. In week one, take off Sunday and Monday, in week two, take off Sunday and Tuesday, in week three, Sunday and Wednesday, week four, Sunday and Thursday, and so on. Then go through one full sixday training week where you only take off Sunday. Then start the process over.
Programming
In a pre-SOF conditioning program, the choice of WODs should not be arbitrary. When I select or create a workout for NavySEALs.com, I focus on the skills necessary for optimal performance and train accordingly. It may seem that some weeks are hard on the legs with lots of running, squats, thrusters, plyometrics, etc., while other weeks focus more on swimming and other PT. This is by design, in order to develop performance to a far higher level, over time, than any repetitive program ever could.
CrossFit is world-class training. If you’re an athlete who competes or has competed at a high level, you are likely familiar with many of the exercises prescribed in the WODs because they are what are used in good top-tier strength and conditioning athletic training programs.
Scaling
Most WODs generally prescribe the weight that should be lifted, the number of reps and, with the case of a NavySEALs.com pre-SOF conditioning program, any additional work for a second workout.
Our scheme of weight, reps and additional work is designed for a hypothetical very fit mid-size (i.e., about 175 pounds) male who has been trained in CrossFit exercises. If this does not describe you, then your weight, reps, and additional work may need to be scaled down (or up) to a level that is both safe and effective for you. The rule on this is to go down a little lower than you think you need to at first; if it’s too easy, you can come back up in small progressive steps.
Conclusion
When preparing for any event or undertaking, it’s important to have a detailed understanding of how to train to best succeed. Pre-SOF conditioning is no exception. Preparing for the known elements encountered in BUD/S or any other SOF pipeline requires that additional running, swimming, and PT be a part of the training regimen. And also implementing more varied, broader CrossFit programming is an important part of preparing for the unknown as well.
Define your objective
In short, when you put together your training program or evaluate one created by someone else for your use, you must define your objective, train for it, and be smart about it. If you’re training for BUD/S or another SOF pipeline with the expectation of making it through, there are a few things that are important to have under your belt before you actually begin:
The ability to run fast…for a long time.
The ability to swim fast, with and without fins…for a long time.
The strength to move your body and some additional weight around…for a long time.
The experience of pushing your body and mind to their limits often enough that it is not a new feeling.
It has been said that he who has no goal will certainly achieve it. Set your sights high, learn everything you can, and then, like a tactician, train with intelligence to achieve your goal by preparing for all the known challenges and obstacles and gaining the ability to face and conquer the unknown ones as well.
About the Author
Robert Ord is the Director of Training at the U.S. Tactical CrossFit Training Center in Encinitas, California, where he oversees all CrossFit training at the center as well as the online training and mentoring provided by NavySEALs.com. He worked as a consultant and contractor with the Navy in its efforts to find and effectively prepare future SEALs, Special Warfare combat crewmen, explosive ordnance disposal technicians, and Navy divers before devoting his full time to the U.S. Tactical CrossFit Training Center.
Read the PDF of this article in the CrossFit Journal here.