Train Like a SEAL

Navy SEAL training is no longer just for the world’s toughest sailors. More team-building courses designed by retired Special Operations soldiers are popping up around the country, allowing civilians—including top-notch athletes—to test their mettle. Here’s how some notable teams fared on their training days.

U.S. Olympic Sailing

America’s best amateur sailors lived through “Hell Afternoon,” a four-hour session involving 200-plus-pound log carries and near-freezing water. Only 18 of 41 athletes finished.

Maryland Basketball

The Terrapins men’s basketball team prepared for this season with a grueling two-day session of Push-Ups, Planks, plyometrics and swimming drills.

Michigan Football

Last spring, Wolverines Coach Brady Hoke sent 22 of his seniors to the SEALs Special Warfare Center in Coronado, Calif. After a four-hour workout in cold, wet sand, his players knew the meaning of the SEALs’ Hell Week mantra: “Embrace the suck.”