Navy SEALs Core Training: Evolution, Exercises, and Why Situps Are De-Emphasized

Do Navy SEALs Do Situps?

While traditional situps were once a staple in military fitness, modern Navy SEAL training, and indeed much of contemporary high-performance fitness, has largely de-emphasized high-volume situps in favor of more functional and spine-protective core exercises.

The Evolution of Core Training in Elite Military Units

The question of whether Navy SEALs perform situps touches upon a broader evolution in exercise science and strength conditioning, particularly within elite military units where physical performance and injury prevention are paramount. Historically, situps were a cornerstone of physical fitness tests across many military branches, including the U.S. Navy. However, a deeper understanding of spinal biomechanics, functional movement, and the specific demands of combat operations has led to a significant paradigm shift in how core strength is assessed and developed.

The Traditional Sit-up: A Biomechanical Review

The traditional sit-up involves lying supine, often with feet anchored, and lifting the torso until the chest meets the thighs.

• Primary Muscles Involved: Rectus abdominis, obliques, hip flexors (iliopsoas, rectus femoris).
• Perceived Benefits: Develops anterior core strength and endurance.
• Biomechanical Concerns:
  • Spinal Flexion: Repeated, forceful spinal flexion under load can place significant compressive and shear forces on the intervertebral discs, particularly in the lumbar spine.
  • Hip Flexor Dominance: Often, the hip flexors become the primary movers, potentially leading to an anterior pelvic tilt and compensatory lower back arching, which can exacerbate spinal stress.
  • Limited Functional Transfer: While it builds some muscle endurance, the sit-up often doesn't mimic the dynamic, anti-rotational, and anti-extension demands of real-world movements, especially those encountered in combat.

Current Navy SEAL Core Conditioning Philosophy

Modern Navy SEAL training, exemplified by the grueling Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) program, prioritizes functional core strength, stability, and endurance over isolated, high-repetition spinal flexion exercises. The goal is to build a core that can:

• Stabilize the Spine: Protect the spine during heavy lifts, carries, and dynamic movements.
• Transfer Force Efficiently: Act as a central link for power generation between the upper and lower body.
• Resist External Forces: Maintain posture and control against uneven loads, rotational forces, and impact.
• Prevent Injury: Reduce the risk of back pain and other musculoskeletal injuries under extreme physical stress.

Specific Core Exercises Utilized

Instead of, or in addition to, limited, controlled situps, SEAL candidates and operators engage in a wide array of exercises that target the core comprehensively:

• Plank Variations: Front planks, side planks, planks with limb raises, plank walks. These emphasize anti-extension and anti-rotation, building isometric strength.
• Hollow Body Holds and Rocks: Foundational gymnastic exercises that build immense anterior core strength and whole-body tension.
• Leg Raises (Hanging and Supine): Develop lower abdominal strength and hip flexor endurance while emphasizing spinal stability.
• Flutter Kicks and Scissor Kicks: Build core endurance, often performed in high volume or under specific conditions (e.g., in water).
• Carries and Loaded Movements: Farmer's carries, sandbag carries, rucksack marches. These are highly functional, demanding continuous core stabilization against external loads.
• Rotational and Anti-Rotational Drills: Cable chops, pallof presses, medicine ball throws. These build dynamic core strength and the ability to resist unwanted rotation.
• Compound Lifts: Squats, deadlifts, overhead presses. While not exclusively core exercises, they heavily engage the core as a stabilizer for the entire kinetic chain.

Why the Shift Away from High-Rep Sit-ups?

The move away from high-volume situps by elite military units and leading strength and conditioning professionals is rooted in several key scientific and practical considerations:

• Injury Prevention: The cumulative stress from repetitive spinal flexion is a known risk factor for disc herniation and chronic lower back pain. For operators who endure immense physical strain, minimizing this risk is critical for career longevity and combat effectiveness.
• Functional Relevance: The demands of combat and special operations rarely involve isolated spinal flexion. Instead, they require the core to act as a brace, resisting movement (anti-flexion, anti-extension, anti-rotation) while the limbs move powerfully. Exercises like planks and carries more accurately mimic these demands.
• Performance Enhancement: A strong, stable core is essential for transferring power from the ground up and for maintaining balance and control during complex movements. Focusing on exercises that build this type of strength directly translates to improved performance in running, climbing, lifting, and carrying.
• Modern Exercise Science: Contemporary understanding of core function emphasizes its role as a stabilizer and force transmitter rather than purely a prime mover for spinal flexion.

Lessons for the Civilian Fitness Enthusiast

The core training philosophy of the Navy SEALs offers valuable insights for anyone serious about fitness:

• Prioritize Core Stability: Focus on exercises that teach your core to brace and stabilize your spine against movement (e.g., planks, bird-dog, dead bug).
• Embrace Functional Movements: Incorporate exercises that challenge your core in dynamic, real-world scenarios, such as carrying heavy objects, performing compound lifts, and engaging in rotational movements.
• Vary Your Core Training: Don't rely on just one or two exercises. A comprehensive core program should include anti-extension, anti-flexion, anti-lateral flexion, and anti-rotation movements.
• Listen to Your Body: If an exercise causes pain, especially in your lower back, stop and find an alternative. Proper form is paramount.
• Sit-ups in Moderation (If at all): If you choose to include situps, perform them with strict control, focusing on abdominal contraction rather than hip flexor dominance, and avoid excessively high repetitions. Consider alternatives like crunches or reverse crunches which limit the range of spinal flexion.

Conclusion

While the image of high-repetition situps might persist in popular culture, the reality of modern Navy SEAL core training reflects an advanced understanding of exercise science. Their methods prioritize functional strength, injury prevention, and performance enhancement through a diverse array of stability-focused and dynamic core exercises. For anyone aiming to build a resilient, high-performing body, adopting a similar, evidence-based approach to core conditioning is a highly effective strategy.