4 of the best tips on getting through BUD/S, according a Navy SEAL

Navy SEAL candidates go through some of the hardest military training known to man before earning their beloved Trident. When young men across the country join the Navy, they head to the sandy beaches of Coronado, California to test themselves and s…
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By Tim Kirkpatrick

Updated on Nov 15, 2022

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Navy SEAL candidates go through some of the hardest military training known to man before earning their beloved Trident. When young men across the country join the Navy, they head to the sandy beaches of Coronado, California to test themselves and see if they have what it takes to become one of the elite. Since the BUD/S drop-out rate is so freakin’ high, many are left wondering what it truly takes to survive the rigorous training and successfully graduate the program. Well, Jason Phalin, a former Navy SEAL who spent 20 years in the elite force, is here to break down a few tips that just might get you through.

Here are 4 of the best tips on getting through BUD/S, according a Navy SEAL

Bud/s training
During a Hell Week surf drill evolution, a Navy SEAL instructor assists students from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) class 245 with understanding the importance of listening.
(Photo by U.S. Navy Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Eric S. Logsdon)

1. Be physically fit

BUD/S training is widely known for being one of the most physically demanding training pipelines in the world. If you fail to prepare yourself physically, you’re only setting yourself up for failure.

BUD/S students rush to get their inflatable boats to the finish line during a surf passage evolution. BUD/S students must endure 27 weeks of intense training in order to graduate. (Photo by MC2 Marcos T. Hernandez)
BUD/S students rush to get their inflatable boats to the finish line during a surf passage evolution. BUD/S students must endure 27 weeks of intense training in order to graduate.
(Photo by MC2 Marcos T. Hernandez)

2. It’s 80% mental

Upon arrival, students get some tips and tricks on how to survive training. However, according to Phalin, all of those tips wither away as soon as you hit the freezing surf of the Pacific ocean. The motivation to earn the Trident tends to die out the longer candidates spend in a pre-hypothermic state. Stay focused.

Students in BUD/S training class 279 participate in a surf passage exercise during the first phase of training at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. (Photo by MC2 Kyle D. Gahlau)
Students in BUD/S training class 279 participate in a surf passage exercise during the first phase of training at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado.
(Photo by MC2 Kyle D. Gahlau)

3. Make the training about brotherhood

The training’s intensity makes many students quickly consider quitting. However, it’s the extreme difficulty that creates an unbreakable brotherhood among those who make it through.

Sailors assigned to BUD/S Class 244 focus on their instructor as learn about their next training evolution. (Photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class John DeCoursey)
Sailors assigned to BUD/S Class 244 focus on their instructor as learn about their next training evolution.
(Photo by Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class John DeCoursey)

4. Wait five more minutes

When you think you can’t deal with the physical exhaustion any longer, convince yourself to push on for just five more minutes. Before you know it, those small 5-minute segments will add up and, suddenly, that evolution is completed. You’re one step closer to earning that beloved Trident.

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Check out Tactical Rifleman‘s video below for some tips that just might get you through the intense training.