How the New Navy SEAL Fitness App Allows You to Train for the PST

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An explosive ordnance disposal candidate performs push-ups during a Navy Special Warfare physical screening test.
Wyatt Stoddard, an explosive ordnance disposal candidate, performs push-ups during a Navy Recruiting District San Diego weekly Navy Special Warfare physical screening test, June 24, 2013. (Chief Mass Communication Specialist Anastasia Puscian/U.S. Navy photo)

If you want to test your physical fitness against some of the fittest in our military special-ops training pipelines or prepare yourself for acceptance into the Navy SEAL, EOD or diver communities, there is an app for that.

The new Navy SEAL fitness app is available for iPhone and Android phones and tablets. It is basically a souped-up PT calculator specially designed to create a total score for the Navy SEAL physical screening test (PST). 

Have you ever wondered how you would fare against others seeking special operations programs in our military? If so, the new Navy SEAL PST app will help you test yourself and rank you among other Special Warfare candidates.

Unlike other PT calculators available on the internet, this Navy SEAL app actually ranks you among 300 real Navy SEAL candidates. Many have gone on to complete the Navy SEAL Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training successfully.

The Navy PST for candidates preparing for BUD/S, EOD and diver training includes the following:

  • Swim 500 yards
  • Rest 10 minutes. Get prepared for the PT portion.
  • Push-ups for two minutes
  • Rest for two minutes
  • Sit-ups for two minutes
  • Rest for two minutes.
  • Pull-ups max reps
  • Rest for 10 minutes. Get prepared for the running portion.
  • Run 1.5 miles

The app walks you through the exact protocols that the special-ops candidates must take with a countdown timer and rest periods. You enter your times and scores during the event, and then the app will rank you among 300 other candidates who recently took the PST.

How Does This Rank You?

The system built into the app is the same method SEALs have used for decades to determine a total score in a PST. This allows for the selection board to determine who has the overall best score, as well as the winners in individual events.  

The test is graded the following way:

Add the run and swim together. For instance, say you get a nine-minute swim and a nine-minute run. That total is 18 minutes, or 1,080 seconds.

Then you add the push-ups, sit-ups and pull-ups (five times) together. For instance, say you get 100 on each of the sit-ups and push-ups and 20 pull-ups. This totals 300 points. (The pull-ups get five points per rep.)

Now subtract the 300 points from 1,080 to equal 780 total points. Run and swim faster and get a lower cardio number. Do more PT reps to get a higher PT number. The lowest score wins.  

Bonus

There are several direct links to more need-to-know information from the official website about how to become a Navy SEAL, cool training videos about actual training and access to SEAL training forums.

The best part is that it is free. Download this fantastic training tool and see where you rank with the run, PT and swim requirements of the U.S. Navy SEALs.

Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Visit his Fitness eBook store if you're looking to start a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle. Send your fitness questions to stew@stewsmith.com.

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