During the 1940s and 1950s, the U.S. Navy developed “drownproofing,” a method designed to test a trainee’s ability to remain calm and afloat under extreme stress. SEAL candidates later inherited this tradition, performing the drill with their arms and legs bound to simulate being restrained in the water. Trainees had to bob for air, float, swim short distances, and retrieve objects from the pool floor while tied, all while maintaining composure. The exercise became a defining test of mental resi