You will lug a red-oak tree around as if it were your only source of oxygen. On the command “lift,” your shoulders will burn so badly, you’ll think molten lava is being poured down your anterior deltoids. That’s just the primer.

First Phase is comprised of seven long weeks of brutal training, and will tests a man’s commitment to becoming a Navy SEAL. These seven weeks stress physical training, water competency, and mental tenacity, all while building teamwork. Due to these rigorous tasks, an average of 50 percent of students drop on request in First Phase.

Week four of training is appropriately titled Hell Week. Hell Week takes place over a five-and-a-half day stretch. Nasty sand and freezing-wet conditions will be a welcomed sign after what you’re about to be violently thrust into.

If you can sleep a total of four hours, run over 200 miles, and physically train for more than 20 hours per day, you might have a small chance of passing this evolution and shortening the road to becoming a Navy SEAL.

Courtesy of the Navy SEAL and SWCC

– Drew Dwyer for SOFREP.com