Often, I receive emails from parents looking for information about Navy SEAL training for their usually pre-teen / early teenage sons. Here is an email from a Dad of a 13 year old boy who has wanted to serve in the SEAL Teams since he was 8 years old:
Stew, I have a son (13), who has always wanted to be a Navy SEAL. I know he may change his mind later but what can I do now to encourage him and set him up for success in a program that many "wanna-be's" don't make it?
Having a young member of the family who wants to serve their country is very special. The fact that you want to support him is also equally refreshing. Thanks because service starts at home!
My first recommendation for you and your son to thoroughly get familiar with is the OFFICIAL NAVY SEAL WEBSITE. Here you can find ALL the information you need to know about HOW to get into the training program. Plus there are many cool pictures and workout standards on the site too. Even though you have several years before you see a recruiter, you need to learn your options. Keep visiting the site, as there are new programs for recruitment quite often. But, before you even see a recruiter or enter high school, you can start preparing now for ANY form of military service.
Get Some Leadership / Followership Skills - Whether you are a team captain, class president, boys scouts / eagle scouts, or head of a community service group - all of these skills will help you understand what it means to lead and to follow orders. Being a good leader is important but being a good listener and able to follow rules and other leaders is just as important. Leading the way with your friends is important and you can practice this daily. Here are my recommendations:
Learn to be a team player - I cannot emphasize this enough as it requires experience and an understanding of being part of a team. Knowing how to work toward a goal whether that goal is to drive a ball down the field or to train for an event with other team members is important to your future. When I was young I played five sports and was never exceptional at them all but good enough to be a team captain when I became a senior in high school. I truly feel that my training for these sports enabled me to understand what it means to work hard toward a goal and be a better leader and follower.
Study Hard - Make sure you graduate high school, perhaps get some college (good but not necessary), and study a foreign language. Any foreign language is fine at this level in high school as it is more understanding how languages and other cultures work that will help you with more important languages later (Chinese, Russian, Arabic, etc). Also understand Algebra and Science, as you will see this math and physics in Dive Training when you apply Laws of Physics to the body while diving. Specifically, Charles Law and Boyle's Law will be used learning how to SCUBA Dive in the Navy.
Stay Out of Trouble - When someone has a "great idea" to do something dangerous, stupid, or illegal, stand up and get your friends to change their path. It is difficult to get criminal (even juvenile) records cleaned before joining the military. That means, if you get into trouble with crime, drugs, alcohol, you can really screw up your chances in joining the military.
Enlist Right After High School - The Navy tests SEAL candidates right after Boot Camp. Unlike the Army and the USMC, there is no infantry / combat arms that helps prepare you for the Special Ops programs in the Navy. You have to do all of your preparation long before you join the Navy. You can go right after high school and enlist, go to boot camp, pre-BUD/S, then BUD/S. Just because you can does not mean you should - the attrition rate is full of young teens thinking they were ready to do this challenging profession.
Enlist After College - Many college grads go to BUD/S with college degrees as enlisted sailors. Getting college over with is a great option if you have the ability and means to do so. Go to college and enlist or try out for an even more competitive officer billet. With college under your belt, you can try for an officer slot through Officer Candidate School for many years as a SEAL. You can also apply for ROTC or the Naval Academy if he is a good student and wants to compete for scholarships that the Navy will pay for college and you apply for SEAL Training your junior/senior year through a new program called SOAS - SEAL Officer Assessment and Selection. (see link for more details)
More help with research:
Where to Start as a Recruit
Swimming CSS Help
Mental Toughness
The Perfect Storm for Failure
Working Out - Working out for your sports should be primary so you do the right exercises to help you become a better football player, baseball player, lacrosse player, rower, wrestler, runner or swimmer or OTHER. There are many options for your son to do and try and see what he likes the most. I have many workout programs that work for both Special Ops preparation as well as sports, but you may want to limit those to out of season training when doing sports. At the young age of 13, I would recommend mainly a workout program of calisthenics, running, and swimming. Adding in lighter weights within the next year is ideal for future growth in high school athletics. Once in high school, the team coaches / weight lifting classes will likely address heavier weight training programs.
I would start out with Calisthenics and Cardio for starters - then lift weights starting in 8-9th grade.
See more information on training for any military, police, fire fighter program that requires a fitness test to enter and challenge training and selection programs to finish. See the long list below:
But the Seasonal Tactical Fitness Programs Will Build Optimal Performance and Specifically Address Weaknesses Each Phase
Consider the long term training system of seasonal tactical fitness model as it offers the opportunity to never neglect your weaknesses, helps with flexibility and mobility, but will also put you at a level of physical abilities where you are happy with your overall ability to just about anything. We have a system where the strength and weakness dictate our training. Check it out: What is Seasonal Tactical Fitness Periodization?.
There is More to StewSmithFitness.com Than You May Know
Who is Stew Smith? Coach, Trainer, Author, Podcaster
I'm the former Navy SEAL that special ops candidates go to for books, ebooks and online coaching to prepare themselves to get to and through intense tactical assessment and selection programs and qualify for service in their chosen tactical profession. See More at StewSmithFitness.com
Quick Summary:
- FREE Fitness (all topics) / Mindset Articles and Workouts - Latest info on training for any goal! (over 1000)
- eBooks, Books and eBooks in PRINT (over 40 options)
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- Live QA / CSS Critiques Mon / Tues 9am (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram)
- Podcasts (over 200)
- Stew Smith Fitness APPs - Triad version, Pushup Push APP, Pullup Push APP, FBI workout APP
- FREE Navy SEAL Exercises Apps - iPhone, Android
- Membership Site - Get access to 100s of week of training programs and unpublished workouts we are currently doing each week. Constantly updated weekly with new articles, videos, and workouts of the week.
- Tactical Fitness Course - 80 minutes to learn how to get both TO and THROUGH spec ops selection programs.
- Online Coaching - Get personalized programming designed for your goals, abilities, time per day, days per week, equipment/facilities...etc.
Dive deeper into the world of Tactical Athlete training and mental toughness by exploring Stew Smith Fitness Programming for the Tactical Athlete online store. Uncover the strategies and techniques used by elite forces to push past physical and mental barriers. Visit https://www.stewsmithfitness.com now and equip yourself with the tools for success for many special ops level selection programs in the military and police world.
Books and eBooks Available (All Levels of Fitness)
The Specific Military / Special Ops Physical Fitness Workouts
Navy SEAL Workout Phase 1
Navy SEAL Workout Phase 2 - 3
Navy SEAL Workout Phase 4 Grinder PT
Navy SWCC Workout
Army PFT Workout (Prep For Rucking, OPAT, ACFT)
Army Special Forces / Ranger Workout
Army Air Assault School Workout
Army Airborne Workout
Advanced Running Program - Special Ops Supplement Plan
USMC RECON / MarSOC Workout
USMC OCS / TBS Workout
USMC IST and PFT
The Combat Conditioning Workout
Air Force PJ / CCT Workout Battlefield Airman Prep Course
The UBRR Upper Body Round Robin Workout / Spec Ops version
The Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer / Navy SAR Workout
The Service Academy Workout (West Point, Navy, Air Force Academy)
The Navy, Air Force, Marine Corp Boot Camp Workout
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The Law Enforcement Physical Fitness Workouts
The FBI Academy Workout | FBI Workout Vol 2
The DEA Workout
The FLETC Workout - Ace the PEB
The PFT Bible: Pushups, Sit-ups, 1.5 Mile Run
The Fire Fighter Workout - Ace the CPAT
Calisthenics and Cardio
Online Coaching Options
Online PT CLUB - Premium Coaching -
Do you need a program that actually works for you? We can build it personally for you and your personal goals and help you fit it into your day with the equipment you have available. Let us be your training partner and coach.
Many people ask me what is the difference between the Premium Program and the Online PT CLUB Coaching. The people on either program receive personalized training from me - Stew Smith - to best fit your abilities, goals, time per day, days per week, facilities, and equipment. We communicate regularly about your progress and your feedback helps me create the next week plan for you. There is no template workout and see you later. These programs are created 1 week at a time with YOU and ME in communication to figure out how best to create the next week.
Tactical Fitness Course - Getting TO the training does not guarantee you get THROUGH the training. Learn about the two phases of tactical fitness you need to develop thoroughly before getting to BUDS. Check out the Online Course - Getting TO and THROUGH Special Ops Selection.
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