How should a woman prepare for US Navy SEAL training?

2024-03-15T10:27:59-04:00

Hi, I’m a woman in her 20s and I’m training to become a U.S. Navy SEAL.

What advice would you give for women that want to be SEALs? If you had to go to BUD/S again, how would you prepare differently? What books or workout programs would you recommend?

Most female SEAL candidates struggle with carrying the boats and logs, doing pull ups, having grip strength and completing the “Dirty Name” on the obstacle course. Also, a lot of female SEAL candidates break their legs or develop stress fractures.

A woman made it to day 4 of BUD/S first phase recently but she quit on day 4. That’s the farthest a woman has made it. Her BUD/S classmates told me that her class hated her and ran her out from under the boat because she was a boat ducker. Nine women have entered the SEAL pipeline since 2016.

Response by CSM Chuck Stafford made Mar 15 at 2024 10:33 AM

2024-03-15T10:33:13-04:00

Can't speak to Navy training specifically, but your body will do what it can do -- Mentally, take it one cycle at a time and don't quit. It's all you can ask of yourself

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 15 at 2024 10:49 AM

2024-03-15T10:49:23-04:00

The only thing I can say about preparing physically is to research all SEAL workouts out there. Find what works for you and do that.

Bone density for women is (usually) not as thick as it is for men...hence the easier ability to break/stress fracture. Not saying this won't happen to men in BUD/S.

BUD/S, by its design, is supposed to weed out those that can't physically cut it. The course has an attrition/failure rate of 70-85%.

My advice: Do all that you can to prep and when you get to the course, you need to do all that you can to stay. However, I caution you that you will want to listen to your body. An ache is an ache, but pain is pain and a telltale sign something is wrong. That's the physical side of the house. As for the mental side, be that team player. Show drive and determination without sacrificing your integrity.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Mar 15 at 2024 12:40 PM

2024-03-15T12:40:53-04:00

Train, Train, Train

Lots of folks don't make it through BUDs due to injury. When I was medically retired and going through transition classes I had a ton of BUDs drops who were all getting out for various injuries they received while going through school. Necks, backs, knees and various other injuries. So get your head wrapped around that training is extremely tough and inherently dangerous for anyone regardless of gender. There are millions of Seal training preparation workouts out there so there isn't much new to say in regards to training prep other than the mental toll from training is just as bad as the physical. Good Luck. Like you said, less than a dozen women have attempted what you are going after.

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Mar 15 at 2024 1:06 PM

2024-03-15T13:06:30-04:00

You already posted all the reasons I would advise you NOT to try it. Muscle mass, strength, bone density, and skeletal differences make your chances of being seriously and possibly permanently hurt substantially higher than the male candidates and it's high enough for them.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 15 at 2024 2:15 PM

2024-03-15T14:15:19-04:00

As someone who is not elite, take what I have to say with a grain of salt.

I believe that in those types of environments goal-setting is huge. Planning to make it to each meal, for example, is a useful mental and psychological technique. Made it to breakfast? Outstanding! Take your 15 minute break and enjoy stuffing your face. Pat yourself on the back and get back to it. Next checkpoint is lunch. Keep this up until you can handle more, and then your goals go from sun-up to sundown, full days, weeks, and phases. This method even helped me out during the low points of my deployment back in '08.

Second, bulk up. You have to get that muscle density if you stand a chance. Do whatever it takes to increase the capacity and endurance of your frame. This may mean incorporating grey-skull LP on top of another SEAL-oriented workout regiment. For that, I might recommend Mountain Tactical.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 15 at 2024 8:02 PM

2024-03-15T20:02:44-04:00

Don’t be swayed by all the glamour as seen on TV. Seals are not the only special ops kids on the block. Check out the other branches, they have their own Pipe Hitters (Spec Ops for those confused by the term). And you might find a specialty that interests you more. Good luck!

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 15 at 2024 8:40 PM

2024-03-15T20:40:17-04:00

Jasmine Joy Maybe you will be the first female Navy Seal. Good luck.

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made Mar 16 at 2024 1:23 AM

2024-03-16T01:23:00-04:00

Keep your head on straight. Never been there, never will. Things to remember: you know your body better than anyone else. As already stated, there are a lot of workouts you can access, so find what fits you. Female bodies are not the same as males. This is an extreme course designed to weed out and accept only the very top, best of the males. No matter how or what you think, a female body is not the same.
Yep, you will have a mental part to get over, this you can control. Don't let "stuff" get to you, it is designed to. All you can do is your best.

Response by 1SG James Kelly made Mar 18 at 2024 10:31 AM

2024-03-18T10:31:01-04:00

Why?

Response by CPT David Tanner made Mar 18 at 2024 12:09 PM

2024-03-18T12:09:26-04:00

As in any Special Force (Navy Seal) type training, you must get your physical and mental endurance as strong as possible. Get used to very cold water, be an outstanding long distance swimmer, be able to hold your breath a long time, a long distance runner (wearing boots and uniform), long ruck marches (12 to 18 miles straight with 35-65 lb ruck sack, boots, uniform, web gear, filled canteens, weapon, ammo, radio, etc.), and be able to do many many setups, pushups, chin-ups, and every torturous calisthenic that you think of. You will be sleep deprived throughout all of your training, but still expected to perform and test daily. Team work is most important. If someone gets punished, all must drop down and take the same punishment. Once pure teamwork is established, they will be a little easier on you. Good luck. Navy Seal is probably the toughest physical test of all of the Special Force type trainings.

Response by SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA made Mar 19 at 2024 12:01 PM

2024-03-19T12:01:40-04:00

I have a perspective on this that may draw hate today, but it has been common sense for the rest of history. Don't try to be a man. Don't try to beat the best men at their own game. Be a woman. Be the best woman you can be. That's not becoming a SEAL.

Response by SPC Max Waller made Mar 20 at 2024 4:06 PM

2024-03-20T16:06:21-04:00

PLEASE actively search for a YouTube AudioVideo song titled "Wrong Side of Heaven"
by Five Finger Death Punch to try understanding veterans like me especially combat injured and combat participants to try to understand Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - special forces have non disclosure agreements or n.d.a.'s due to conducting activities that is why there are veterans who become disillusioned with what they did that is a reason for why become addicted to overusing or megadosing on legal substances especially illegal that leads to unpredictable violent deeds including becoming homeless - contact a S.E.A.L.\B.U.D.S. training center that you might have done before posting your question. your question will not be easy to reply - history reveals that natural born female warriors are awesome as natural born male warriors due to being determined to do what it is believed what it is to be done including dying even though overall the males are physically stronger - 1:05 pm Pacific DayLight Savings Time on Wednesday, 20 March 2024 on a leap year - over and out - end of line

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Mar 21 at 2024 8:08 AM

2024-03-21T08:08:02-04:00

It appears as if you already know a great deal more than the average member of this site. I am sure you have researched each of the women entering the pipeline and read up on or maybe even contacted them individually, if not you should.

As your notes indicate there have been physical inhibitors, not the psychological ones (so far as they had gone into training.

Any and all Special Ops programs require that the individual be of elected fitness and mental strength. The doggies and stressors are individual, you should find the most physically demanding training program established by ex SF and mirror it as closely as you can. There are a few programs, maybe near you.

In any case I hope you are the first.

Response by LT Tinamarie Reimer Villani made Mar 27 at 2024 8:37 PM

2024-03-27T20:37:21-04:00

Another cautious point to consider is MST... It happens... It's a man's world. Good luck in your future choices.

Response by CN Scott Couch made Apr 3 at 2024 7:59 PM

2024-04-03T19:59:15-04:00

You plain a simply shouldn't even be accepted. There are so many levels against it. Not saying women shouldn't be in the military but men and women are extremely different. Not just in physical structure but also what they can deal with mentally. When I was deployed women attached to my command were so emotional and at some point in BUDs they will bend the regulations for you and that's not fair to the men that earned their place among the elite. I was stationed on Coronado and have seen what those guys endure. Go fly Cobras or A-10s. Just stay out of the way so you don't become a liability.

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 3 at 2024 10:56 PM

2024-04-03T22:56:15-04:00

not a SEAL, (prior USMC/USCG), so take this for what it may or may not be worth. Of course the mental and physical preparation should be as demanding as you can possibly make it and as in all military indoctrination, don't be the "one that sticks out", you are female, no way around that, but blend.......cut off your hair, same length as everyone else, ...........not sure what you think you are getting into, but realize that the psychological angle will be very important, you must acquire the correct mindset and unless you have been around males most of your life, you will be at a disadvantage, think (Lord of the Flies type environment)..........................
Good Luck, remember, some female will eventually be the first, why not you?

Response by PO2 Mark Fraktman made Apr 4 at 2024 6:19 PM

2024-04-04T18:19:34-04:00

Have any completed it to redieve their trident?