Change is inevitable and we must reconfigure to the ever expanding requirements to perform within the tactical environment. Due to new selection protocols within the Navy Clearance Diving branch our coaching team have been working hard to cater for these new standards. The by product is a well rounded comprehensive training plan based on our old program, we reveal Navy Diver Prep 2.0.
We pride ourselves in being our own test dummies for all of our training plans and rely on our coaching, past and present military experience to determine when change is required. The ever so increasing mental / physical load is a constant reminder to the amphibious operator to “adapt and overcome”.
Although NDP would be suitable for any diver or water based unit we stay current with the Clearance Diver Selection standards and impart our own personal experience and nuggets of wisdom.
Below we look at the past and now present of what it takes to join this underwater brotherhood.
Old Standards
Run 2.4 km in 10.15 min
30 Push ups
60 Sit ups
10 Heaves
Swim 500 m with fins in 13 min
Within our original training plan we cover of on these fitness standards in a linear approach, directing potential Clearance Diver candidates to study material and alternate recovery methods to name a few, but was this enough?
Having athletes successfully completing the selection course using our original training plan we can say yes it was enough, but what about the current requirements below?
New Standards
Beep Test/shuttle run to level 11.0
Three chin ups with 15 kg vest
Two 22 kg jerry can carry over 25 m 11 times
Surface fin 500 m in 13 min
5 km march with 30 kg load in 50 min
We believe the new standards are somewhat a change for the best. More relevance to practical application to the job role and a little more focus on power to bodyweight output and strength endurance.
Pro Tips for reaching these new standards
The idea of any selection is to bring a candidate down to an even playing field. Take away his or her sleep, add in physical and mental deficits with a sprinkle of self doubt and a large splash of uncertainty. That recipe my friend will produce a space for magic to happen. This needs to be rehearsed in preparation for any selection and if this requires you to get uncomfortable in a certain environment then go do that.
- Leave no stone unturned! This may be your one opportunity to join the elite.
- Read our articles on Finning and Pack Marching
- Practice when you are tired, go further than required. Master the basics then hyper focus on the smallest of details. This is what separates the prepared versus the unprepared.
- Bulletproof yourself in terms of preventing injury, for example in our NDP 2.0 we conduct daily MOBILITY drills! See below, this has been a major success for our athletes.
- Find a mentor with experience in conducting the Clearance Diver selection, valuable lessons are learnt for those that have gone forth. Becoming a member of NDP gives you access to our private Facebook group with all of our current athletes including past and present amphibious operators.
- Train with relevance, don’t become a bodybuilder and neglect to perform functional fitness on the day.
- Spend your weekends with a pack on learning how to navigate. See our article – Basic Navigation for the Tactical Athlete.
- Turn your weaknesses into strengths, if you are unable to do one chin up with 15 kg then your training will look a little different to those that can do 10! What are you lacking? Strength or Endurance?
- Lift awkward objects and walk with them. When it then comes to the jerry can carry this will seem a lot easier.
All in all if you wish to succeed in a dynamic tactical role such as the Clearance Diver a well rounded approach is necessary.
Unsure how to even start? That’s ok as I was also! Over my years training for selection I failed many times but learnt valuable lessons and they lie within Navy Diver Prep.
Ben – out!
* See some examples of the program, get a better understanding from Ben why he created it and what you can expect as an NDP athlete.