Making Time For Fitness

Guest blogger: Tim Grizzell, former Navy SEAL

In order to successfully do their missions, U.S. Navy SEALs rely heavily on their gear to work properly. When I was a young frogman just starting out in the SEAL teams, an old, experienced SEAL said to me, “Take care of your gear and your gear will take care of you!” The last thing a SEAL wants to happen when he is deep behind enemy lines or when he is freefalling from 18,000 feet, is for his gear to breakdown.

The same applies with your body. Take care of your body and your body will take care of you! You should treat your body like SEAL team gear because your body is your most important asset. The last thing you want to happen when you are being pulled in many directions at work or at home is for your body to fail. In order to have a healthy body, there are many things you must do, but a very important item is to make time for fitness. It amazes me that some individuals carve out more time to take care of their automobiles than they do to take care of their bodies.

Finding time for fitness is easier said than done. Trust me. I know. My wife works full time and is part-owner of a business. We have three children ages five, four and two. I am starting a new business venture in sports apparel. We both volunteer our time outside of work and family in various local community projects and non-profit work. Yet we still get creative and make time for fitness because our bodies feel great after exercise. It is the core of our success. I will be honest. Our fitness workout plans do not always get executed exactly as planned. We do miss workouts from time-to-time.

Every January there are a number of individuals who start out the New Year with lofty physical fitness goals, which is great if they can stay committed to those goals. Unfortunately, some individuals set fitness goals that are too high and it causes too much of a disruption in their daily schedules. They then “fall of the fitness wagon” and before you know it is back to “couch potato” status. “I cannot workout. It just takes too much time.”

My advice to you is to make small adjustments and be consistent. Look at your daily schedule and figure out where you can find 30 minutes to 1 hour a day for a workout. Try to workout at least 4 days a week. If it is less than 30 minutes a day, 4 times a week, so be it. One idea I have for you is to get up a little earlier. Getting out of bed an hour earlier than usual may be too much. A small adjustment would be getting up fifteen minutes earlier than you normally do. Another small adjustment is to be more efficient in other daily tasks to get another 15 to 30 minutes somewhere else. Stack both time slots together in a day and you just found the exercise time that I referenced above with little disruption to your daily routine.

One last piece of advice I have for you: If you miss a planned workout, do not let it get you down. Just move on and get fired up for the next one and try not to miss another one! That is consistency.

The bottom line is once you have a committed to a consistent fitness program, you more than likely will crave more because of the positive side effects on your body. You will then be amazed by how much time you set aside to take care of your body. If you can find time for fitness and be consistent at it, you will not have to put that item on future New Year’s resolution lists because you are already doing it. Most importantly, your body will take care of you because you are taking care of it!!

Stay Fired Up!!!!

I welcome any questions regarding my own personal training programs for running or any other general comments you might have.

Tim Grizzell

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Guest Blogger Tim Grizzell is a former U.S. Navy SEAL officer who led SEAL units in the Middle East, Europe and Asia. He is currently starting a running apparel company that will be officially launched in second quarter of this year. He has run numerous marathons and will be running the 2009 Los Angeles Marathon Memorial Day Weekend. Tim resides in San Marino, California with his wife and their three young children.

Tim met Alden when Alden had just graduated from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training and he had just arrived to begin BUD/S training.

L.T. Tim Grizzell will be on deck tomorrow!

CM Teammates! I’m Fired UP to introduce a swim buddy, former Navy SEAL platoon commander and a damn good friend, LT. Tim Grizzell – aka Brotha Al. Tim has done SEAL tours on the west coast, the far east and in Europe; he was a top collegiate runner and he's an aspiring running apparel entrepreneur.

Tim gets the inner meaning of CHARLIE MIKE and I’m thrilled he’s signed up to share a few inspirational thoughts on how you can take control of your body. Feel free to fire questions his way!

CHARLIE MIKE – ALDEN

Mixed Martial Arts fighter Donald Sanchez on the Perfect Pullup

Guest blogger: Donald Sanchez

The Perfect PullUp has been an awesome addition to my training. During the training for my recent fight my number of pull ups improved by ten reps and I've never felt as strong walking into the cage.

Training is basically an art of its own in which you have to balance mastering skills & techniques with strength & conditioning while at the same time focusing on a game plan and being mentally prepared. The Perfect Pullup has helped a lot with my physical training: I became addicted to the Perfect Pullup within minutes of installing it.

Here's a heads-up to Charlie Mike Teammates: on February 26th I'll be fighting Joe Boxer at the San Manuel Casino for the King of the Cage crown -- it will be on PayPerView in March.

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Donald Sanchez is a KOTC and MFC top ranked lightweight contender 16-7-0.

"Eight Days A Week" Doing Pushups

Blogger: Alden Mills -- answering Dave's question about Pushups

My question is about doing regular push-ups on the days that would normally be the off days of your program. I am in a self defense program, and we usually begin each class with vigorous exercise, which can include up to, say 80-100 regular style pushups on the floor. My classes are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, which unfortunately cannot coincide with your day on/day off program. Since I do not have the capacity to change the world's 7 day week to an 8 day week, I need to know what the best way to work these two schedules together.

Is it best to try to arrange regular floor style pushups on the days that I am also doing the Max program for the Perfect Pushup, or on the off days? If I cannot arrange for this, would it be better to arrange for an extra day of rest in order to have the Perfect Pushup program coincide with my regular life?

I hope you have advice on this, and I'm sure there are other people that are in the same situation. I am looking forward to hearing from you. Thanks!

David O, age 48, southern California

David – good question about integrating regular pushups with Perfect Pushups (PPUs). Thanks for letting me share it with my Charlie Mike Teammates. I’m assuming you cannot bring the PPUs to your Mon/Wed/Thur classes (I would encourage you do so – others have and their Dojos have loved them – but I realize it’s not for everyone). The most important thing for you is appreciating what feels best for YOU. I would caution you not to overwork your muscles, but it’s your call in the end.

Try this and let me know how it goes: Mon/Wed/Thur – do your classes as is; Tues – conduct one set negatives of each of the three positions (Regular/Wide/Close), the negative I’m referring to is lowering your body to floor at a five second count – if that’s not enough then try 7 or 10 second counts; take Friday off from pushups but conduct Pullups to exhaustion instead – Saturday conduct your regular PPU routine – Sunday have fun – then Kick Ass again the following week.

CHARLIE MIKE – ALDEN

Work Out with SEAL Stew Smith's PT Group

Guest blogger: Stew Smith CSCS

An aspiring SEAL asked: I am currently training in order to go to BUD/S. I picked up your Perfect Pullup and have been using it a lot but am unsure as to where I should be at physically in relation to the Perfect Pullup and what some good workouts would be to really get the training and muscle growth that I need to be more successful at BUD/S. I was just wondering how do you become a Navy SEAL?

Good question - You need to be able to perform the SEAL PST well and should feel like you could do it again. In fact, my SEAL wanna-be's and I frequently do a double PST = that means:

500 yd swim
pushups - 2:00
situps - 2:00
pullups - max reps
1.5 mile run

Then we do it again...once you get to that zone and can do sets of 80-100 pushups and 20+ pullups you are there but your runs and swims have to be fast too. See Top Ten BUD/S Things You Need to Know Article below:

Some say it takes lifetime of preparation to become a Navy SEAL - I recommend young guys to get involved with:

1. Team Sports - it helps to know what it means to be a team player - working together with a group of people to accomplish a goal / mission...

2. Fitness - yes you need to be fit - getting to a high level of physical fitness will also enable you to grow mentally tough as well. It is tough to go to failure on sets and run so hard you feel ill afterwards. Sometimes it takes getting over these physical hurdles by mentally willing yourself through them...

3. Grades - you have to be smart - many enlisted SEALs are college grads, know a language, logical and analytical thinkers, some are very creative as well.

4. Talk to a recruiter either officer or enlisted recruiter - you can enlist after high school or go officer after college via ROTC, OCS, or USNA - if you do not know these acronyms - then do some research.

5. - Finally - read www.stewsmith.com/linkpages/toptenBUDS.htm - it is the Top Ten Things you Should Know Before BUD/S...

Stew Smith CSCS

FREE WORKOUTS IN MARYLAND - If your travels bring you near Annapolis or Baltimore MD, come join our PT group. We PT, Run, Swim 5-6 days a week usually in the morning during the week and in the afternoon on weekends. We use running, swimming, Perfect Pushups and Perfect Pullups...


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Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author, certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. If you are interested in starting a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle - check out the StewSmith.com Fitness eBook store and the Stew Smith article archive at StewSmith.com. And of course, if you have any questions about fitness for your profession or for your personal health, please feel free to email me at stew@stewsmith.com.

Stew Smith CSCS
Personal Trainer to the Heroes of Tomorrow

A President Who Can Pull His Own Weight

Guest blogger: Rick Osbourne

Obama Takes the First Ever American Presidential Pull Your Own Weight Challenge…and Wins!


According to TIME Magazine, when aides challenged him to a pull up contest and each proceeded to do two pull ups, Barack Obama proceeded to do three, and in the process he won the first ever American Presidential Pull Your Own Weight Challenge.

Interestingly enough taking the American Pull Your Own Weight Challenge seriously is one very simple and natural way to eliminate obesity from your life once and for all. In the words of one old coach “It doesn’t matter if they’re girls or guys, tall or short, rich or poor, black or white, Christian or Muslim. Show me ten people who can do pull ups and I’ll show you ten people who are NOT OBESE.”

Immunizing Yourself Against Obesity for Life:

You see people who can do pull ups are NEVER OBESE. And by combining a height adjustable pull up bar with a technique called leg assisted pull ups (jumping and pulling at the same time), almost anyone can learn to do pull ups in a predictable amount of time. And once you’ve mastered the ability to do at least one pull up (and more is always better), you’ve naturally IMMUNIZED YOURSELF against obesity FOR LIFE as long as you maintain the ability.

Stronger Week After Week, Month After Month:

If you take a tip from Barack Obama and you get just a little bit stronger this week than you were last week, and a little bit stronger this month than last, you’ll cultivate the habit known as Relentless Persistence, you’ll be a lot stronger this year than you were last, you’ll learn to pull your own weight, in the process you’ll immunize yourself against obesity for life, and avoid all the problems associated with it.

Saluting the Purple Flag of Pull Your Own Weight:

Whether you’re a Democrat, a Republican, in a red state or a blue state (or an independent) we can all salute the purple flag of Pull Your Own Weight and eliminate obesity in America once and for all. And who knows, maybe one of these days you’ll have a chance to win the Presidential Pull Your Own Weight Challenge just like Barack Obama. Yes you can!


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Rick Osbourne spent 17 years as a physical educator and coach. He currently writes serves as Executive Director of Operation Pull Your Own Weight, an informational web site whose claim to fame is its ability to naturally immunize kids against obesity for life. Osbourne is also a public speaker, and his book “Operation Pull Your Weight: a Radically Simple Solution to Childhood Obesity,” (on Amazon) shows parents and educators how to motivate their kids to eat better, exercise more, and to naturally immunize themselves against obesity for life. Regular guest blogger and Chicago native Osbourne can be reached at pullyourownweight.net or via email at osbourne.rick@gmail.com. Link on the "Yes We Can" tab on the Pull Your Own Weight website to see an expanded version of this blog.

My Word is My Bond: the SEAL Creed

Guest Blogger: Tom Rancich

Question from Joe G: Here’s a question about SEALs. Hi, Commander – I have always wanted to know something about the SEAL community that is really none of my business (as noted weeks ago, I wasn’t even a Boy Scout), but I am a person who has been inspired beyond words by people such as you and your buddies. Years ago, I became friends with a man who was a POW in Vietnam for seven years. I did some volunteer work for him and I guess he took a liking to my wife and me. He was released in 1973 and eventually retired as an admiral, and is still alive and well, although elderly – he was in his 40s in prison. We remain friends in a long-distance sort of way, writing Christmas greetings – that sort of thing.

Do you guys all know this sort of person and his story, to the extent that you might even be able to guess who I’m talking about? I think of the SEALs as separate from the Navy, for obvious reasons, even though I know they are part of the Navy. You, Alden Mills, and people of your ilk have inspired millions of men around the world, in case you haven’t been told in the past 24 hours. This particular fellow basically changed my whole outlook on life. I hate name dropping, so I’ll withhold the name. The question is, do young SEALs still hold these people in high esteem, or do you think Vietnam was so long ago that they are mostly forgotten?

Answer: Yes we hold them in high esteem. Following is the SEAL Creed—please note the last lines “Brave men have fought and died building the proud tradition and feared reputation that I am bound to uphold. In the worst of conditions, the legacy of my teammates steadies my resolve and silently guides my every deed. I will not fail.”



The creed was designed as a constant reminder to SEALs that it is not about glory—it is not about being pretty—it is hard nasty work that makes you exactly no different than any other SEAL. When my class finished Hellweek---which feels pretty darn good, one of the instructors said—Congratulations—you have now done the same thing every other SEAL has already done. Get over yourselves.”

There are two reunions—one east one west---each year and the generations are well represented back to WWII---everyone gets along and everyone respects the specific sacrifices of the other—we are, after all, the same: brothers. (The man I know that fits that description is Admiral Stockdale—a fabulous man!)

The SEAL Creed:

“In times of war or uncertainty there is a special breed of warrior ready to answer our Nation’s call. A common man with uncommon desire to succeed. Forged by adversity, he stands alongside America’s finest special operations forces to serve his country, the American people, and protect their way of life. I am that man.

My Trident is a symbol of honor and heritage. Bestowed upon me by the heroes that have gone before, it embodies the trust of those I have sworn to protect. By wearing the Trident I accept the responsibility of my chosen profession and way of life. It is a privilege that I must earn every day.

My loyalty to Country and Team is beyond reproach. I humbly serve as a guardian to my fellow Americans always ready to defend those who are unable to defend themselves. I do not advertise the nature of my work, nor seek recognition for my actions. I voluntarily accept the inherent hazards of my profession, placing the welfare and security of others before my own.

I serve with honor on and off the battlefield. The ability to control my emotions and my actions, regardless of circumstance, sets me apart from other men .Uncompromising integrity is my standard. My character and honor are steadfast. My word is my bond.

We expect to lead and be led. In the absence of orders I will take charge, lead my teammates and accomplish the mission. I lead by example in all situations.
I will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My Nation expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight.

We demand discipline. We expect innovation. The lives of my teammates and the success of our mission depend on me - my technical skill, tactical proficiency, and attention to detail. My training is never complete.

We train for war and fight to win. I stand ready to bring the full spectrum of combat power to bear in order to achieve my mission and the goals established by my country. The execution of my duties will be swift and violent when required yet guided by the very principles that I serve to defend.

Brave men have fought and died building the proud tradition and feared reputation that I am bound to uphold. In the worst of conditions, the legacy of my teammates steadies my resolve and silently guides my every deed. I will not fail.”
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Lt. Commander Thomas Rancich, US Navy SEAL (Ret.) is the co-founder of VRHabilis, a disabled veteran-owned small business that seeks to employ the highly trained and motivated veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars for work in construction and related fields. Rancich and co-founder Elliott Adler are pioneering the concept of using adaptive technology to bridge the gap between industrial and medical technology. Their company contributes proceeds to two worthy causes: a fund for the development of adaptive technology that will allow disabled veterans to pursue their desired career path and the EOD Wounded Warrior Fund.





Through his consulting firm, Off-Shore Consulting, Tom provides professional advice on leadership and team building, often as a motivational speaker, in addition to being an expert consultant to the entertainment industry.

Alden Mills and Charlie Mike blogger Tom Rancich served together in the Teams.

PutYourself First When It Comes to Exercise

CM SEAL Team blogger: Tom Rancich


Question from Nancy B: Any input on a way to motivate a 60year old plus person to get going? One bad knee,limited exercise time and a sense that "I am not as young as I used to be."(Did I mention the economy?)

Start small and be quirky! The biggest impediment to people getting started is the idea that you have to start some huge endeavor---simply not true! It can be as simple as being that odd lady who always parks as far away from the store as possible (please only do this if you shop in a safe area at safe times) or the person who always says “I’ll meet you: I am taking the stairs” or who curls her grocery bags three times before placing them on the counter---etc—the point is that a great first step is to look for simple ways that you can improve fitness that require little discipline.

My quirky thing, which does require more discipline, is that I run in the heat of the day—so so the little mental rut that is made is that as it heats up, I start to think about running. The rut (and you thought ruts were bad things) that will be created for you is that as you are walking across the parking lot or up the stairs you will be thinking about your health----and that is 70% of the battle!

Question from Up Your Mind: How do you put yourself first when it comes to exercise/being healthy?

I get this question a lot---it is an interesting paradox---because of course why would you not want to be healthy? (assuming a balanced mental state). So one of the mental games to play is, ask yourself why you want to harm yourself? Why do you want to be uncomfortable with your body image? Why do you want to be short of breath, unable to play with your kids etc---the answers might surprise you—or me—but the most common root cause is “I just can’t do anything about it” well, once you put that on a piece of paper it looks pretty stupid---of course you can! My previous answer is germane, but don’t create monsters where there are none---start small, start thinking about it, and start doing little things. And remember—you can write this down somewhere—YOU ARE IMPORTANT! Treat yourself that way.

In some of my leadership lectures I use the example, you are with a child, both hungry, not sure when the next food will be found and you have one chunk of a survival biscuit which can’t be divided---who gets it? The correct answer is, you! The reason is simple, the only chance both or either of you have to survive is for you to remain strong---it does the child little good to out survive you. So, when thinking about motivating to exercise, or prioritizing exercise --think about what good it does to wash the dishes first, if it means you aren’t going to be around ten years earlier to wash the dishes at all, if you don’t take care of yourself.

Oh and be kind to yourself when you slip up!
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Lt. Commander Thomas Rancich, US Navy SEAL (Ret.) is the co-founder of VRHabilis, a disabled veteran-owned small business that seeks to employ the highly trained and motivated veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars for work in construction and related fields. Rancich and co-founder Elliott Adler are pioneering the concept of using adaptive technology to bridge the gap between industrial and medical technology. Their company contributes proceeds to two worthy causes: a fund for the development of adaptive technology that will allow disabled veterans to pursue their desired career path and the EOD Wounded Warrior Fund.





Through his consulting firm, Off-Shore Consulting, Tom provides professional advice on leadership and team building, often as a motivational speaker, in addition to being an expert consultant to the entertainment industry.

Alden Mills and Charlie Mike blogger Tom Rancich served together in the Teams.

Motivating Individuals to Work as a Team

Guest blogger: Tom Rancich

Question from Nancy in NC: So, you and Alden are obviously great motivators. SEALs are all about teamwork. I would never have started an exercise program without the external motivational push, or stuck with it, without the initial reinforcement of the group. Any tips on team building and motivation? How do you take a group of individuals, with their own self interests and personal goals, and motivate them to work as a team? I'm not referring to exercise here, but more team building at work or in a civic club situation. Pretty broad question I know, but I have no doubt you can whittle it down to size. I always look forward to your posts.

The very first thing to do is to define what your organizational needs are. Very few organizations actually need a true team, or a least a team as I choose to define it--(Team- A group of people who have undergone advanced/ specialized training and been specifically forged into a highly committed, capable, mission specific, performance oriented operational entity).

But rather they need to improve their group performance (again, as I chose to define it. Group- A task oriented compilation of people based on individual skills relative to the projected skills required). Now the reason I define things this way is that I assert that the dictionary definitions are inadequate to properly define the future requirements of the team/group and thus makes achieving that status highly unlikely. So the first thing that an organization really needs to do is clearly and accurately define what are their

1. Goals
2. Mission
3. Vision
4. Critical values
5. Organizational imperatives
6. Organizational philosophies

From that start you will have defined the type of people and the type of interaction/communication you need. It is a lot of work, but this will also clearly show how people are to be and most importantly, the benefit to the individuals for being that way.

I have long believed that all SEAL training and operational successes come down to two simple critical values that all SEALs must possess: Never quit, Never leave your buddy. That is the bedrock foundation of everything else we do.
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Lt. Commander Thomas Rancich, US Navy SEAL (Ret.) is the co-founder of VRHabilis, a disabled veteran-owned small business that seeks to employ the highly trained and motivated veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars for work in construction and related fields. Rancich and co-founder Elliott Adler are pioneering the concept of using adaptive technology to bridge the gap between industrial and medical technology. Their company contributes proceeds to two worthy causes: a fund for the development of adaptive technology that will allow disabled veterans to pursue their desired career path and the EOD Wounded Warrior Fund.





Through his consulting firm, Off-Shore Consulting, Tom provides professional advice on leadership and team building, often as a motivational speaker, in addition to being an expert consultant to the entertainment industry.

Alden Mills and Charlie Mike blogger Tom Rancich served together in the Teams.

What Does It Take To Make It As A SEAL?

Guest Blogger: Tom Rancich

oklanannie said... What guidance, encouragement or suggestions would you make to a young man with the goal of becoming a Navy SEAL? He is in his junior year of college, an excellent student, 4-year swim team member and an all around top-notch young man. What criteria is the Navy looking for - i.e., what does it take to make it as a SEAL?

Stay away from drugs and stupidity—to include excessive drinking, i.e. keep healthy. Then, really consider what a SEAL is—look for the "creed" to be posted in my answer later to Joe G's question—read a few books (Commandos, Brave Men Dark Waters, The Finishing School, Not a Good Day to Die).

Then, after college, join the Navy as an enlisted man. This is important as assuming your eyesight etc. is good (recruiter can tell you) you are guaranteed to be able to go to BUDS. Officers do not get that consideration and the competition for slots as BUDS is too competitive---in that, everyone trying is of such high quality that it becomes almost random selection---Like a 1 in 500 chance---but by then you are already committed to the Navy---so if you truly want to be a SEAL, your best chance is to enlisted—get a shot at BUDS—then try for a commission after a few tours---that is a better career path anyway (wish I had done it that way).

And there is only one key to making it through BUDS---do not quit!
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Lt. Commander Thomas Rancich, US Navy SEAL (Ret.) is the co-founder of VRHabilis, a disabled veteran-owned small business that seeks to employ the highly trained and motivated veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars for work in construction and related fields. Rancich and co-founder Elliott Adler are pioneering the concept of using adaptive technology to bridge the gap between industrial and medical technology. Their company contributes proceeds to two worthy causes: a fund for the development of adaptive technology that will allow disabled veterans to pursue their desired career path and the EOD Wounded Warrior Fund.





Through his consulting firm, Off-Shore Consulting, Tom provides professional advice on leadership and team building, often as a motivational speaker, in addition to being an expert consultant to the entertainment industry.

Alden Mills and Charlie Mike blogger Tom Rancich served together in the Teams.

Answers to SEAL Secrets

Guest Blogger: Tom Rancich

Questions from Debbie in IL:
1. What was the worst thing about being a SEAL?

Leaving---retiring and knowing that I would never work on something that important or with people that good ever again.

2. Would you encourage your kids to try to become SEALs or to enter the Navy, if they showed interest?

Yes, but neither have so far.

3. Was it hard to transition from the Teams mentality to civilian life (individual goals),when you retired?

Yes—extremely hard and I was pretty depressed for a long time—might still be :)! There is not nearly the level of trust honor or commitment---or I have not yet found it---in the civilian community as I had grown to take for granted in the teams.

Questions and Comments from Barbie:
1. What are your secrets?

Well now—they wouldn’t be secrets if I told people, would they? I don’t know that it is a secret, but I am a flawed person—and that knowledge helps me navigate life.

2. (comment) I am sorry for being an asshole to you on your other post.

You were? Huh! No worries :)

3. Which board was Nancy in NC introduced to it on?

??

Questions from Lisa:
1. What has been the best (your favorite) question you were ever asked about being a SEAL ? Why ?

Wow, you’re a SEAL, can I buy you a drink? I think we know why! Probably what was it like to lead men in combat---which is a great way for me to explain what a great honor it was to have men of that caliber willing to follow me!

2. What one thing would you like everybody to know that you've learned ?

Humility.

3. You've done a lot of exercise in your life, what's your most favorite ?

Twelve count body builder. Why? It flat out kicks yer butt in very short order!

4. What have you learned from others asking you questions?

How to tap dance! Mostly I have learned that I was very lucky to have the breadth of experiences in my life—and survived them—to make people interested in asking me questions!

5. Your Company, Alden's company they both have a higher purpose along with being an economic endeavor how did that come about?

Well, making money just isn’t that interesting. Keep in mind I suffer from lost traumatic stress syndrome---pretty hard for me to get really excited about stuff. So going out and making money just isn’t a “whoopee factor” for me. And, not trying to be a braggart, I am used to thinking at a more strategic level—so I need to know the purpose first---and then I can hopefully figure out how to get there! I guess it really comes down to believing that a higher purpose is important to an energetic effort.

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Through his consulting firm, Off-Shore Consulting, Tom provides professional advice on leadership and team building, often as a motivational speaker, in addition to being an expert consultant to the entertainment industry. The YouTube clip shows some recent work for a production company.



Alden Mills and Tom Rancich served together in the Teams. Longtime “on-line” coach for Team Perfect, Tom blogs monthly on Charlie Mike.

Rally Call for Questions for LCDR Tom Rancich

CM Teammates, here’s a rally call for anyone itching to ask a bonafide Bronze Star winning Navy SEAL any question they wish about most anything – you’ll be surprised at LCDR Rancich’s breadth of knowledge on all things large and small – give him your best shot!

Extra points for anyone that comments from North Dakota or Vermont – Hell, I could even be convinced to send you each a Get Ripped t-shirt! Post your questions here and Tom will answer next week.

CM – ALDEN
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Through his consulting firm, Off-Shore Consulting, Tom provides professional advice on leadership and team building, often as a motivational speaker, in addition to being an expert consultant to the entertainment industry. The YouTube clip shows some recent work for a production company.



Alden Mills and Tom Rancich served together in the Teams. Longtime “on-line” coach for Team Perfect, Tom blogs monthly on Charlie Mike.

You Define 2009!

CM Teammates – I hope you’ve enjoyed our mission statement – The Perfect Promise. This is our company philosophy – our mission on why we do what we do and we believe anyone can benefit from its principles. Shortly, the entire 7 installments will be uploaded on our websites – www.perfectpushup.com and www.perfectpullup.com so you can download at will. Stand-by, I’ll be adding to The Perfect Promise this year to further discuss how you can use your Brain, Body, and Attitude to hone yourself into a lean mean successful machine. But know this, I can provide the words and the motivation, but you are the ONLY one that can take the action to make it happen. So take our theme for this year to heart: YOU DEFINE 2009!

CM – ALDEN

The Perfect Promise Part VII: It's UP to You

How do you want to live your life?

How many times are you willing to fail in order to succeed?

How bold are you willing to dream and how much are you willing to risk, to pursue your dreams?

Now these questions are yours, to ask and to answer. We want you to hold onto your dreams and not accept any limitations until you’ve taken control of your Body. Give your Brain and Attitude the best opportunity you can by taking charge of yourself before you limit your ability to live the life you dream. Don’t let others decide for you. Have the courage to find your own true limits. Ask yourself what you would do, if you knew you couldn’t fail. If it’s different from what you’re doing now, ask yourself why you’re not pursuing it.

Movement isn’t just exercise, it’s igniting your Brain, Body and Attitude to get somewhere you want to go. Your journey will be as challenging and rewarding as you’re willing to dream –– but your dreams will only be as bold as your desire.

If you take control of your Body, you can take control of your Life.

What are you waiting for? Get your body moving - And start living your dreams!

-- ALDEN MILLS, Team PERFECT Leader

The Perfect Promise Part VI: The Connection

The MOST IMPORTANT thing to understand is that the strength of your Attitude is directly dependent upon the health of your Brain and your Body. Attitude feeds off of them – it derives its positive or negative energy from the vitality of your physical being, or lack of it.

Therefore, If you take control of your Body, you can take control of your Life! This means you are deciding the direction of your life and how you want to live it. This connection is what gets us so motivated to create the PERFECT FITNESS products. We realize that once you achieve success by taking control of your body, the positive Attitude you create for yourself will fortify your confidence in your Brain to dream greater and greater goals for you to accomplish. Team PERFECT’s mission is to help you succeed at every stage of your journey of taking control of your body… and if we can provide you a little motivation along the way, then that’s even better!

We believe the fastest and most successful method for taking control of your body is through natural movement –– that is, exercise that comes from the way your body moves naturally. No matter what the exercise, your body responds best when you are exercising with it not against it. And when you perform natural movements, your body responds by engaging more muscles which means increased blood flow and more calories burned. This means better results, faster –– and we call this Functional Fitness. The hidden benefit is this feels better because there is less strain on your joints… and when something feels good, we humans tend to stick with it!

This is why we’re so passionate about what we do. Natural Movement represents the first step in optimally engaging all three of your Body’s systems and this engagement can become a self-perpetuating success cycle –– the more you move your body naturally, the better it fuels your Brain and powers your Attitude.

When this happens, you gain the confidence to try new things –– to strive for bigger goals –– to DREAM. And guess what happens when you succeed? Your success Fires UP your Attitude to challenge your Brain to dream up bigger goals, and when these bigger goals are accomplished, your positive Attitude fuels your confidence to keep the momentum of your success cycle moving in any direction you choose.

This cycle is what fuels us to create the PERFECT products. If we can make the fundamental movements of fitness as efficient, effective and comfortable as absolutely possible, then we believe we’ll be helping inspire people to not only look and feel great, but we will be helping folks do great things – and that really FIRES US UP!

-- ALDEN MILLS, Team PERFECT Leader

Teammates, I'll be on the CBS Early Show Tuesday morning

The first segment will air during the 7am-8am time frame where I'll be showing the audience how to execute proper form when doing a sit-up or crunch. I'll also be coaching viewers on the key pointers that make this exercise effective without having to rely on a machine.

The second segment will air during the 8am-9am time frame where I'll lead three fitness models through a home Bootcamp workout. The point of this segment is to show viewers how they can still organize a Bootcamp workout in their homes even if they have cut back on gym memberships due to rough economic times.

Tune in Tomorrow and Charlie Mike! ALDEN

The Perfect Promise: Part V Your Attitude

ATTITUDE: Your Attitude is what makes you, uniquely you. Some call this your “Thoughts” or “Feelings” or “Beliefs.” In SEAL Team, they call it “Fire in the Gut.” We call it Attitude, because when you believe something is true, it is functionally true for you –– nothing else matters. Attitude is your desire that convinces your analytic Brain to override the Body’s supposed limitations when it would otherwise quit but instead decides to keep on going. It can be your most powerful accelerator, propelling you to succeed against all odds or it can cause you to hit the brakes and quit the race before it even starts.

Your collective consciousness is comprised of your daily thoughts, your analytic and creative horsepower (enabling planning and completion of tasks throughout every millisecond of the day) and your subconscious (busy building your dreams while you’re asleep). Everyone knows “You are what you eat” but how many take full advantage of what Buddha said best, “You are what you think.” The key is appreciating that what you think about is what you are. And the health of your Attitude is dependent upon what you choose to believe. Attitude is the fuel for the fire in your gut.

Attitude can be your secret weapon for success or arrange your date with disaster. Attitude defines who you are, and quite literally, what you attract. Positive Attitude will attract more positives in your life, while a negative Attitude is the delivery system for defeat and failure.

We’re born with neither positive nor negative Attitude: we’re born with the ability to choose.

Lesson Learned #1: The Body obeys the Brain; the Brain accepts what Attitude decides is possible; and Attitude determines your success or failure, because Attitude is what powers your persistence to pursue your dreams.

Lesson Learned #2: However powerfully positive or negatingly negative your Attitude is, you’re always right! Whether you “Can,” or you “Can’t,” you’re correct –– it’s your own custom-tailored, self-fulfilling destiny.

Lesson Learned #3: Your perspective on life is the foundation for your Attitude. View life as a gift to be lived to the fullest extent of your imagination and you will get the most out of it. View life as a chore, then you will see only problems, and miss all the opportunities.

-- ALDEN MILLS, Team PERFECT Leader

The Perfect Promise: Part IV Your Body

The PERFECT Promise makes you Master and Commander of your Brain, Body, and Attitude.

BODY: Your Body partners with the purpose of your Brain, serving as its home. The mission of the Body is to be a life support system for your Brain –– to feed, protect, and supply input to your consciousness. Its three components are your Cardio Vascular, Muscular/Skeletal, and Central Nervous Systems. These systems are completely dependent upon each other to ensure optimal Brain functionality. How well they operate determines how well you perform.

Here’s a brief definition of each one as it relates to Brain performance:

1. Cardio Vascular System: this is your heart, lungs and the piping (arteries, veins, and lymph system) that conducts nutrients and oxygen to the Lungs, Brain and to all the other organs that support the performance of Brain and Body function.

2. Muscular/Skeletal System: this system is comprised of more than 200 bones and 650 muscles that work together to create movement as directed by your Brain.

3. Central Nervous System: this is your sensory system that maintains and monitors sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch, and its electrical wiring (nerves) that provides input to your Brain, enabling your Brain to act or react.

You need these three systems for your Brain to experience anything in life. If your Body isn’t trained to use its lungs, muscles and nerves –– e.g. run or swim or hike –– then experiencing your first 10K, snorkeling in crystal blue waters or seeing the world from a summit you’ve climbed, will be lost as inputs to your Brain. This, in turn, influences how much of your dreams you can live, what level of satisfaction you experience and what limitations you chose as your own.

I promise you: If you take control of your Body, you can take control of your Life.

–– ALDEN MILLS, Team PERFECT Leader

The Perfect Promise: Part III Master and Commander

The PERFECT Promise makes you Master and Commander of your Brain, Body, and Attitude. The key is the understanding that, by taking charge of them, you can create your destiny –– you can literally make your dreams into your reality. Succeeding in small things begets success in big ones, and the simplest way to begin your journey of success is to succeed at being in charge of yourself. Once you learn to direct your Body by using how your Body moves naturally to lose weight, build muscle and gain strength, you will unleash powerful physiological forces that will fuel your Brain and Attitude with positive momentum and start the attraction of other positive forces toward you.

Let’s focus on the relationship between your Brain, Body and Attitude and how each one is dependent upon the other. By understanding this relationship, you’ll see that If you take control of your Body, you can take control of your Life.

Definitions

BRAIN: When we say your Brain, we mean the organ that is your cerebral cortex and all its neural synapses that comprise your consciousness. Your Brain is your own personal computer –– it is both limited and limitless: it is limited by the input you allow it to accept and limitless in what you enable it to compute. And like a computer, it requires energy to run its processors. If the energy it receives is insufficient or inferior, then the brain slows its processors down to conserve energy and prioritize the most vital functions –– such as breathing and keeping your heart beating –– to preserve baseline existence.

But the better the energy, the more robust the processing power. Your Brain is always functioning –– collecting, cataloging, and synthesizing data –– comparing and contrasting it with what you’ve told it and what it’s learning. This is important –– CRITICALLY IMPORTANT to understand –– your Brain is only as powerful as the input it’s given. Your Brain only knows the boundaries and limitations that you accept. You decide if you want your Brain to adopt someone else’s limitations. You decide whether input is fact or fiction. You decide what your Brain accepts or rejects, because YOU ARE IN CONTROL OF YOUR BRAIN.

-- ALDEN MILLS, Team PERFECT Leader

The Perfect Promise Part II: Team PERFECT

Consider this your personal invitation to join our Team. The door is wide open for all of you who are ready to dream without limitation and to live without regret or excuse ––we welcome you with open arms!

For those of you who have allowed fear of failure (or fear of success!) to make a home in your soul and build boundaries of things you think you can’t achieve, and for those of you whose spirit is poisoned by negative attitudes –– WE HAVE BEEN THERE - - we know how it feels.

Understand this: you are the ONLY ONE who can change and cast off these shackles of limitation and turn your life into what you want it to be –– we cannot do it for you. If you agree that fear of change is a poor substitute for pursuing your dreams, then this can be the first step in your journey –– and until you do step forward, you will be a prisoner within yourself, a shipwrecked spirit without rudder or compass, subject to the winds of your own self-imposed limitations… or even worse, the limitations of others.

This is not a recipe for overnight success –– this is a chart on which you can plot your progress as you travel a life-long voyage of succeeding, because this journey is the destination. Actively applying The PERFECT Promise to your life will teach you that luck favors the prepared –– that sweat opens the gates of excellence –– that the mother of perfection is commitment –– that the greatest power is perseverance –– and that the support of your team is exponentially more powerful than any opposing group of individuals.

You have nothing to lose but your own self-imposed limitations, and you can gain anything you dare to imagine. We believe that by sharing our understanding with you, you can become as passionate about your potential as we are –– this is how we are teammates to all, teachers to some and students of others. We know of no greater reward in life than helping others unlock their success and achieve their dreams.

I promise you: If you take control of your Body, you can take control of your Life.

–– ALDEN MILLS, Team PERFECT Leader

The Perfect Promise

I promise you: If you take control of your Body, you can take control of your Life.

Sounds simple doesn’t it? Perhaps even too good to be true –– let me assure you –– it works. This wasn’t a revelation that came to me overnight or from some self-help books or from time in a classroom. No, this principle took me 25 years to understand. I experienced it first-hand while learning to row competitively (as an asthmatic); while learning to succeed as a Platoon Commander in the US Navy SEAL Teams, and as an entrepreneur, learning to build a company with a higher purpose.

Each time the goal was different, but the building blocks for success were the same. Nowhere was it more clearly spelled out for me than in SEAL Team. Though SEAL training isn’t for everyone, the lessons learned can be helpful to everyone who’s on a mission to get the most out of life. At the heart of the lessons learned is what I call The PERFECT Promise –– our company’s guarantee if you will –– it’s the reason we’re in business –– it’s what kept us going when others urged us to quit –– it’s our team’s moral compass and it’s what keeps US Fired UP!

The PERFECT Promise shows you how to control the three things in life that you can control. You can’t control the laws of nature, nor can you control the nature of others, but what you can control influences outcomes in your life. The choice to live the life you dream is yours when you take charge of your Brain, Body and Attitude. Learn to control these three, and your only limitations will be the ones you choose.

While this choice will challenge your resolve –– and it should! –– living it is unimaginably rewarding. I am Fired UP to share this understanding with all who celebrate life as a gift and feel no shame in getting the absolute most out of it. Our company, PERFECT FITNESS, is on a mission to serve everyone who desires a life lived to the fullest extent of their imagination –– to serve those who realize that’s the point of living –– anything less, and we haven’t truly lived.

–– ALDEN MILLS, Team PERFECT Leader