Navy physical training consists of push-ups, sit-ups — or curls, as they are called — and running or swimming. During the basic training portion of Navy enlistment, a recruit will partake in physical training, or PT, on a daily basis. The exercises focus on creating a well-trained and physically fit sailor. The recruits will be timed while performing specific exercises and must achieve a certain score in order to graduate basic training.
Many new recruits view Navy physical training as the toughest part of basic training. Because most people do not spend much time on exercising in the civilian world, Navy physical training takes them by surprise. The focus on physical training is foremost in every branch of the service with the Navy being no exception. Through physical training, a high-endurance warrior is made.
Serving in the Navy requires someone to be in the utmost physical shape. Most ships are long, deep and hot. A sailor must be in top physical condition to succeed in the Navy. Exercises focused on conditioning a sailor to climb stairs aboard ship are a main point of Navy physical training. Swimming is a natural conditioning exercise used in Navy physical training.
Navy physical training is also part of a team building exercise. Sailors often work in teams in order to complete tasks while in training. Running, sit-ups and push-ups are often performed in team competitions. This causes the recruits to rely on each other as well as themselves. Physical training is one more way the military facilitates necessary team building.
Running is a priority exercise to create endurance in a recruit. Navy physical training is committed to running to enhance endurance and stamina in recruits. Running not only builds up the legs, it aids in the development of lung capacity. This is helpful when swimming becomes necessary. Swimming also aids in a recruit's endurance and physical conditioning.
After having completed Navy physical training, recruits are in peak physical condition and ready to serve as an intricate part of the Navy machine. Physical training and the mental toughness required to make it through PT tests have created a sailor worthy of joining the ranks of those in the United States Navy. The miles run and the sit-ups executed have created a tough mid-section able to withstand rough seas. The push-ups and swimming have built a solid upper body able to carry heavy loads up and down stairwells within a ship. Navy physical training is augmented to create an able-bodied sailor.