Navy SEALs: Water Treading Requirements, Importance, and Training

How long do navy SEALs have to tread water?

Navy SEAL candidates are required to tread water for a minimum of five minutes with their hands out of the water as part of the rigorous Physical Screening Test (PST) during the initial phases of Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) selection.

The Water Treading Requirement for BUD/S

The specific water treading requirement for aspiring Navy SEALs is a crucial component of the Physical Screening Test (PST), which serves as a preliminary assessment of a candidate's physical readiness for the demanding BUD/S training. Candidates must demonstrate the ability to tread water for five minutes with their hands out of the water. This particular constraint significantly increases the difficulty, forcing reliance solely on leg and core strength for buoyancy and stability. While five minutes is the minimum standard, performance in all PST events, including water treading, is highly competitive, and exceeding the minimum demonstrates a higher level of preparedness and conditioning.

Why Water Treading is Crucial for SEALs

Water competency is paramount for Navy SEALs, given their operational environment. The water treading test assesses several critical attributes essential for a SEAL's survival and effectiveness:

• Survival Skills: The ability to stay afloat indefinitely without external aids is a fundamental survival skill, especially in open water or after a maritime insertion.
• Operational Readiness: SEALs often operate in and around water, requiring them to maintain buoyancy while performing tasks such as equipment checks, securing a target, or waiting for extraction. The hands-out requirement simulates scenarios where hands may be occupied with gear or weapons.
• Endurance and Composure: Treading water for an extended period, particularly with hands restricted, demands significant muscular endurance, cardiovascular stamina, and mental fortitude. It tests a candidate's ability to remain calm and efficient under physical stress.
• Hypothermia Prevention: Efficient water treading techniques allow for minimal movement and energy expenditure, which helps conserve body heat in cold water environments, reducing the risk of hypothermia.

Physiological Demands of Water Treading

Treading water, especially with hands out, is a full-body exercise that places significant demands on multiple physiological systems:

• Muscular Endurance: The primary muscles engaged are those of the lower body and core. The hip flexors, quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes work continuously to perform various leg kicks (e.g., eggbeater, scissor kick) that generate propulsion and lift. The core muscles (abdominals, obliques, lower back) are crucial for maintaining an upright, stable body position.
• Cardiovascular Fitness: Sustained muscular effort elevates heart rate and respiration, demanding efficient oxygen delivery to working muscles. This tests the candidate's aerobic capacity and cardiovascular endurance.
• Respiratory Control: Maintaining steady, controlled breathing is vital for efficient oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide expulsion, especially when under physical duress and in a potentially stressful environment.
• Proprioception and Balance: The dynamic and unstable nature of water requires constant proprioceptive feedback and fine motor adjustments to maintain vertical stability and prevent sinking.

Techniques for Efficient Water Treading

While the PST specifically requires hands out, understanding efficient treading techniques is foundational:

• The Eggbeater Kick: Considered the most efficient and powerful treading technique, the eggbeater kick involves a continuous, alternating, circular motion of the legs, similar to pedaling a bicycle backward. This technique generates constant propulsion and allows for hands to be free for other tasks or to remain out of the water. It provides continuous lift with less energy expenditure compared to other kicks.
• Sculling (for general treading): Although not permitted for the "hands out" portion of the SEAL PST, sculling involves small, figure-eight hand movements beneath the surface of the water to provide additional lift and stability. For general water competency, it's a valuable skill.
• Body Position: Maintaining an upright, vertical body position with the head comfortably above the water surface is key. Minimize unnecessary movements and splashing to conserve energy.
• Breath Control: Focus on deep, relaxed breaths. Panicked or shallow breathing can lead to hyperventilation and increased fatigue.

Training for Water Treading Proficiency

Prospective candidates and fitness enthusiasts looking to improve their water treading ability should incorporate specific training methods:

• Extended Treading Sessions: Practice treading water for progressively longer durations, gradually increasing beyond the 5-minute minimum.
• Hands-Out Drills: Regularly practice treading with hands held above the water, or even with hands clasped behind the head, to simulate the PST conditions and build specific leg and core endurance.
• Weighted Treading: To increase resistance and build strength, practice treading while holding a small weight (e.g., a brick or dive weight) or wearing a weight belt (under supervision).
• Leg and Core Strength Training: Supplement pool work with land-based exercises targeting the lower body and core, such as:
  • Squats and Lunges: To build overall leg strength.
  • Leg Presses and Calf Raises: For muscular endurance in the legs.
  • Hip Flexor Exercises: Such as leg raises or hanging knee raises.
  • Planks and Russian Twists: To strengthen the core for stability.
• Cardiovascular Conditioning: Engage in regular swimming, running, and interval training to improve overall aerobic capacity.
• Underwater Confidence: Spend time comfortably submerged, practicing breath control and buoyancy, to reduce anxiety in the water.

Beyond the Basic Requirement: Real-World Scenarios

While the 5-minute hands-out water tread is a critical screening tool, it represents a baseline. In real-world SEAL operations, operators may be required to tread water for significantly longer periods, often under far more challenging conditions. This could include:

• Cold Water: Leading to increased energy expenditure to maintain body temperature.
• Rough Seas: Requiring constant adjustments against waves and currents.
• Heavy Gear: Carrying combat loads, increasing the buoyancy challenge.
• Injuries: Treading water while injured or assisting a buddy.

The PST requirement, therefore, acts as an initial filter, ensuring candidates possess the fundamental aquatic competency and resilience necessary to build upon during the extensive and challenging BUD/S training and subsequent operational deployments.

Conclusion

The five-minute, hands-out water treading requirement for Navy SEAL candidates is more than just a physical test; it's a fundamental assessment of a candidate's mental fortitude, physiological endurance, and intrinsic aquatic survival skills. It underscores the critical importance of water competency in the demanding and often hazardous operational environment of a Navy SEAL. Mastering this skill requires dedicated training focusing on muscular endurance, cardiovascular fitness, and efficient technique, preparing individuals not just for the test, but for the inherent challenges of special operations in the maritime domain.