Navy SEAL Height Requirements

As one of the hardest groups in the military to be part of, becoming a Navy SEAL has a lot of requirements. From basic Navy height and weight standards and strenuous fitness requirements to meet, it’s a long road to becoming a Navy SEAL.

Here, we’ll discuss the height requirements for a Navy SEAL, the way your height affects your weight allowances, both maximum and minimum, other requirements necessary to be considered for the Navy SEALs, and fitness standards you’ll need to complete as a part of the selection process.

Height Requirements for Navy SEAL

Although there aren’t actual height requirements to become a Navy SEAL, in order to meet the other rigorous standards needed to complete the training, certain heights may have more of an advantage.

For example, someone under five feet tall might have a much harder time with the physical aspects of running or swimming with such a small stride and wingspan. Conversely, someone as tall at 6’5” can have a hard time as well because they have more body to oxygenate and to carry around.

But, if you’re able to meet the requirements, you have a chance at becoming a Navy SEAL regardless of your height. Just beware that only about 6% of those who apply actually become Navy SEALs. It’s safe to say that it’s a really tough line of work to get into.

Navy SEAL Height and Weight Requirements

Since the Navy SEALs are run by the Navy, you’ll have to first meet Navy height and weight requirements which get measured on a semi-annual basis. For 2019, here are the maximum weight limits for both men and women in the Navy:

If you fail to meet these requirements, the Navy will complete further measurements such as abdominal circumference and body fat measurements. Your abdominal circumference must be less than or equal to 39 inches for men and less than or equal to 35.5 inches for women. Your body fat percentage must be 23% or less for men and 34% of less for women.

Navy SEAL Requirements – Height is Just the Beginning

If you meet the height and weight requirements to be eligible for the Navy, you can now begin training to become a Navy SEAL. Let’s just say that ticking off this initial requirement is just the beginning of the trials you’ll go through.

To be a Navy SEAL, first of all you must:

• Be between 18 and 28 years old (or 17 with parental consent)
• Be a U.S. citizen
• Have a high school diploma or equivalent with proficiency in reading, speaking, writing, and understanding the English language
• Have a clean record
• Pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test with a combined score of at least 165 on the verbal (VE), general science (GS), mechanical comprehension (MC), and electronics information (EI) portions of the test or a combined score of at least 220 on the VE, Mathematics Knowledge (MK), MC, and Coding Speed (CS) portions of the test.
• Have uncorrected vision of no worse than 20/70 in your better eye and 20/100 in your worse eye with both eyes correctable to 20/20 vision.

From there, you should consider your Navy PST fitness test to be your Entrance Exam into Navy SEAL training.

Navy SEAL Height Requirements Aren’t as Important as Fitness Requirements

As you can imagine, the initial fitness requirements involved in becoming a Navy SEAL are extremely intense. You’ll first be required to complete the following exercises in order:

• 500-yard (450-meter) swim in 12 minutes and 30 seconds using either side stroke or breaststroke
• 10-minute rest
• At least 50 pushups in 2 minutes
• 2-minute rest
• At least 50 curl ups in 2 minutes
• 2-minute rest
• At least 10 pull ups in 2 minutes
• 10-minute rest
• 1.5-mile run in 10 minutes and 30 seconds

From there you’ll enter the six-month BUD/S training. The first three weeks include more introductory training and then you enter Phase 1.

Phase 1 includes seven weeks of physical conditioning, water competency, and mental tenacity, including what’s known as “Hell Week” on week three.

Phase 2 is seven weeks of combat diving with even more intense training of dive physics, underwater skills, and combat SCUBA.

Phase 3 is seven weeks of land warfare training where you’ll learn about basic weapons, demolitions, land navigation, patrolling, rappelling, marksmanship, and small-unit tactics.

After BUD/S, potential SEALs embark on parachute training and another 26-week course of SEAL Qualification Training with, once again, very intense core tactical training. Only then, after completing all of this extreme training, will you become a Navy SEAL.

As you can see, these requirements are a lot more involved than simply managing your weight based on your height. Now, you might be able to better understand why only 6% of those who give it a go actually make it to Navy SEAL graduation.

For more, read about why there are no female Navy SEALs.