Where in the World is Perfect Pushup? Thessaloniki!

Guest blogger: Jim from Thessaloniki, Greece. Jim's a plankholder on our Perfect Fitness community site: he even has his own blog on CHARLIE MIKE!

"Get ripped" translates into "Aποκτήστε γράμμωση" but I prefer "Σμιλέψτε το σώμα σας" (meaning sculpt your body).

My personal experience using the Perfect Pushup: I've been into pushups for more than 10 years and from the time I started using the PPU I hardly perform pushups without it. Really takes pushups to another level! Great product, great company, great support & service! What more can one ask for?
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BRAVO ZULU! Jim (Navy speak for OUT-F*&king-Standing Job!) -- Keep on CHARLIE MIKE'ING and inspiring and motivating our CM Teammates.

CHARLIE MIKE -- ALDEN

Drum Roll for Perfect DIP Bar

CM Teammates – drum roll please or perhaps a 21 gun salute (Okay – that’s a bit much) – but after months of prototyping (and many, many broken prototypes) it’s time to let you know about our latest product launch: the PERFECT DIP BAR. Why is it Perfect? Good question: first, it mounts onto your existing Perfect Pullup without tools (however, we do suggest you swap out your bottom bracket of your Perfect Pullup with the included Perfect Dip Bar bracket). It attaches/removes within 7 seconds (yes – we’ve timed it) – but the best part is: it’s the first adjustable bar that adjusts to your Perfect shoulder/elbow width to ensure you get the maximum tricep engagement while maintaining PERFECT shoulder – elbow – wrist alignment.

We’re Fired Up about it and we’re looking forward to hearing from you about it – first ten comments (success stories – positive – negative – whatever) posted to me on CHARLIE MIKE get a free t-shirt!

CHARLIE MIKE - ALDEN

Form Follows Function: Running Equipment and Clothes

CM SEAL Team Blogger: Tim Grizzell

Completing a Marathon: III(b) Running Equipment: CLOTHES

“It is the pervading law of all things organic and inorganic,
Of all things physical and metaphysical,
Of all things human and all things super-human,
Of all true manifestations of the head,
Of the heart, of the soul,
That the life is recognizable in its expression,
That form ever follows function. This is the law.”

Author, Louis Sullivan - Great American Architect

No question – clothing design and aesthetics often play a key role selecting running apparel. We all want our running clothing to perform, but we all want our clothes to look good on us while we are performing. Right? I get it – I am starting a running apparel company. Yet – I subscribe to the theory that form follows function and that running apparel design should be based on its intended function or use. In this post, I am going to focus on function because clothing design is a personal preference. Look at women’s options for running shorts these days. There are skorts (shorts with a flap of fabric in front designed to look like a skirt), “buns,” tights, regular old running shorts and a number of other options. Some women swear by skorts. My wife who was also a middle distance runner growing up would not be caught dead in a skort. Like I said, design is a personal preference!

So, let us discuss function (NOTE: I am going to focus mostly on the base running layer in this post). When you run, the most important function of your clothing is to stabilize your core body temperature because you will ultimately be more efficient, more comfortable and perform better. Decreasing or increasing your core body temperature to extremes is not good for your health. When running in hot weather, you want clothing that promotes heat loss. When running in cold weather, you want clothing that prevents heat loss.

How does this work? The function of clothing is to trap a thin layer of air between your skin and the fabric of the garment. The thin layer of air will match the temperature of the body. Since air is a poor conductor of heat, it will act as a layer of insulation.

Light, thin, porous fabrics will circulate air more quickly in between your body and the fabric (promoting heat loss) as where heavier fabrics, less porous fabrics obviously will have the opposite effect (preventing heat loss). Regardless of the fabric’s thickness, it needs to allow for breathing and it must allow for sweat evaporation (the ability of the fabric to move sweat from the skin to the outside of the fabric where it can evaporate). The ability to promote heat loss or prevent heat loss relies on your garment’s ability to keep the area between your skin and the inside of the fabric as dry as possible. When you run, your clothes are bound to have a certain amount of sweat on them. You just want a high rate of sweat evaporation. Some fabrics do this better than others.

You have to also consider the elements (i.e., wind, rain, snow) and how they play an integral role in what to wear. Most of the discussion here is focused on the base layer. Yet -- it does not matter how well that base layer can move moisture away from your skin if you are running in a downpour. The fabric will not be able to keep up. If it is windy outside, the effective temperature will decrease. The bottom line is that you will need to think about a second (protective) layer if the elements are strong enough.

In today’s market place, there is a lot of clothing made from performance fabrics (e.g., polyester, wool, performance cotton). Most of these fabrics get their performance capabilities from a chemical finish. Chemical finishes wear off after multiple washes and then you ultimately will lose the performance capability of your garment. In addition, they are not as effective as new technology whereby the performance capability is hardwired into the fiber of the fabric. I recommend that you search out garments made from this type of fabric because they will last longer. More to follow on this topic at a later date.

I would like to close by discussing compression clothing. Although it is not a new concept, compression clothing has garnered a lot of attention lately in areas outside of football and other team sports. The main area that you see it in running is in shorts and socks. The two main benefits of compression clothing are the following:

-Larger muscle groups move a lot when in motion and compression lessens this movement. Less movement, less energy expenditure.

-Compression increases blood flow in the body. More blood flow means more oxygen going to the muscles, which makes the body perform better and ultimately more efficient. More blood flow also helps muscles recover quicker.

I am sure that some of you might have some more specific questions for me.

Go ahead…fire away!

Tim
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CM SEAL Team 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. 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.

Perfect Counter Design: Part III

Guest blogger: Gray Holland from the design firm Alchemy Labs.

Making it Work - FOR REAL: [July 27th 2008]

After rebooting the counter’s functional design, and winning the Perfect teams support, we had to hustle to still make the Christmas release. The key to maintaining the timeline was incorporating this new soft base without loosing the existing development ground work. Through the guidance of Perfects president and co-founder Mark Friedman, we divided the development tasks: focusing the factory on the counter unit itself and Alchemy concentrating on the base. The base had a fair amount of surface complexity, which would be lost using solid modeling CAD software, thus we used our surfacing expertise within Alias Studio to execute a class “A” surfaced part for tooling release.

Packaging it All Up: [November 5th 2008]

After several tweaks to the tooling database to streamline the manufacturing process the final data was released in mid September. But there we still open issues for this project given its late development, namely that the packaging graphics for the Counter box were due, but there was no real Counters to take pictures of yet. So we used the production CAD data to render the final shots needed for the packaging, providing the last part of the development puzzle, and getting the Counter ready for its “just in time” launch for the 2008 Christmas season.

Perfect Counter Design: Part II

Guest blogger: Gray Holland from the design firm Alchemy Labs.

Making it Work: [June 27th 2008]

Next steps began with evolving the 3D CAD sketch into something that really worked. We started by building a visual prototype to test the idea. We rapidly moved forward on the refinement and prototyping simultaneously because the design direction was clear to everyone. 3D files and cut-a-ways views illustrated the build of materials [BOM] for the factory in order to get preliminary manufacturing feedback. We were very excited that things were going so smoothly, releasing our first prototype in record time; It looked like we would not have any problems hitting our Christmas launch date.

First Prototypes - The Reality Check: [July 1st 2008]

The first prototype looked great, exactly like the original vision of the concept. But after reviewing it with Alden and the Perfect team, I had an anxious feeling: Had we created a design that was flexible enough for the exercise itself? After doing further testing with the prototype, we came to the conclusion that we wanted more flexibility in the base of the Counter. We found the more the user became fatigued in their workout, the more difficult it was for them to repeat the same rep height every time. In fact, we concluded that we wanted up to 2 inches of travel for the Counter to better match the users needs. The donut shaped foam button only gave us about a half of an inch of travel, but we quickly saw this problem as an innovation opportunity.

Next we moved forward to test our flexibility idea with some quick mock-ups. With no time to model and cast up this new idea, we identified another product that was close in form and function—so raiding the nearest hardware store requisitioning a bunch of plungers to test our concept. By cutting them into different shapes and studying their resulting behaviors, we were able to develop the “perfect” shape: maintaining the original design statement while adding this new flexible base functionality.

TGIF: "At Least We're Not Going Swimming Again"

CM SEAL Team blogger: Marcus Colburn

How about the tagline for my picture! Teammates, take it from a SEAL -- the weekend is your time for your family & friends. Use the buddy system (that would be your friends and family) to reach goals. Remember, we all need a day off. Your body makes "FREE RADICALS" or bad juju [Scientific fact about that bad juju!] from over training. So, actually taking time off training is a good thing. That could be how you use your weekend. Especially if you're training hard all week.

Everyone's heard this line about "Rome Not Being Built in a Day". Even "God took a Day of Rest". In BUD/S we gave weekends off to goof off & do your own thing so the guys would be gung ho on Monday & hit the ground running!

As the ancient Greeks used to say: "Nothing to excess"! TGIF Teammates!

Marines Pushing Out Pushups!

Teammates -- Are you Fired UP to drop down and push out some Perfect Pushups when you see these Marines? They are "Get Ripped" in action!

HOOYAH to this Marine Unit, currently deployed in Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, with the Counter IED (roadside bomb) section. They're working out with the Perfect Pushup Mobile Units.



CHARLIE MIKE -- ALDEN

p.s. If you are serving overseas, send us your pictures and your story: we'll share it with the CHARLIE MIKE Teammates -- getfit@perfectpushup.com

Get Fired UP for National Park Week Founder

Get Fired UP for the founder of National Park Week – Huh?

I know – what the hell is Alden talking about: “National Park Week”??? What’s that got to do with CHARLIE MIKE? Actually – a whole helluva lot – at least to me personally...Teddy Roosevelt, Mr. Bull Moose* himself, is the reason we have the National Parks that we have today and his life is one of my great inspirations in life. My Mom first introduced me to Teddy’s life when I was 12 – she told me about his story as we drove home from a doctor’s appointment in Worcester, Massachusetts. The reason she told his story was I had just been diagnosed with asthma and heard the doctor tell my mother – right in front of me – that I should choose a less active lifestyle because my lungs would not be able to support it – he said I should learn chess…as he left the room that’s when I felt my Mom’s signature finger-nail digging-into-my-skin-ow-that’s-hurts-grip, and she said: “Don’t you let anyone tell you what you can or can’t do.” Then as we drove home, she told me about a great President that was born with a set of lungs much like mine – he got sick a lot, just like me, but he keep doing the things he loved – exploring outside and doing active things (I loved hunting for snakes, turtles and frogs – actually still do with my boys!) and over time he grew out of his asthma – he didn’t let it limit him – instead it encouraged him to try harder – to not give up.

Well I can’t say I was completely inspired at the moment by her speech (I was more distracted at the concept that I might have to learn how to play chess), but over time I came to appreciate his attitude and his struggles as a young man. I didn’t let the doctor’s comments deter me from doing the things I wanted to do in life – there were certainly times when I found myself wondering if he was right, but somehow I always talked myself out of believing him – and I never gave up – call it stubborn persistence, but the idea that someone else would define what I can or can’t do really pisses me off – and it should piss you off too! I imagine that it pissed off Teddy too and it drove him to be the man he was – he never gave up on his passions.

So this week, or when you next visit a National Park, give a nod to good ole Teddy for not giving up when a whole bunch of others suggested he should have – better yet, drop on down and do a few sets of pushups for the Bull Moose – God knows he’s doing’em with you!

CHARLIE MIKE - ALDEN

* Picture of Teddy Roosevelt published with permission of the Kersten Galley (rick@kerstengallery.com).

I'm Fired UP to get your Opening Day Stories!

Thank you to the Teammates who have already answered my question:

What are you going to do for your OPENING DAY this month?? Think about it – celebrate it – I don’t care if you haven’t lifted an ounce in 20 years – make some movement happen – anything – but plan it then execute it. In SEAL Team when conducting Combat Diving schools – a Standard Operating Procedure was beaten into our brains: PLAN YOUR DIVE – DIVE YOUR PLAN. Same applies here – you need to Plan your exercise - Exercise your Plan – GOT IT?!

Share your Opening Day celebrations with me at getfit@perfectpushup.com -- I want to know what you're going to do to celebrate getting your ship UNDERWAY. It's rally time team: seven days to YOUR Opening Day -- GET FIRED UP! Life is way too precious to sit back and let it pass you by! I have five t-shirts to share with the Teammates -- a story and a picture or video that I can post on CHARLIE MIKE is what I'm looking for! Keep the stories coming!!

CHARLIE MIKE and HOOYAH!

ALDEN

Opening Day on the Bay -- Counting Down!

PAGING ALL SHIPMATES – APRIL 26 IS OPENING DAY AROUND THE COUNTRY – WAKE-UP – HEAVE-HO AND GET UNDERWAY!!

Teammates -- Opening Day is a celebratory day here in San Francisco, Seattle, Boston and most other waterfront communities -- like me and my boys, we'll be celebrating spring by getting our ships underway. Of course you don't need a massive yacht to "seize the day" -- it's the principle that really matters. Are you ready for a NAVY MAN'S metaphor? Think of your body as a ship. I know, and I UNDERSTAND, that some of us did not keep our “ships” underway during the cold, dark months of winter – I know many of us headed to drydock – some for repairs and some because they didn’t want to continue the journey ... for those getting repairs (and improvements), set your launch date and execute ... for those who became discouraged or didn’t have goal they were committed to – MOVE ON – GET OVER IT – everyone goes to drydock – I did…just came out of it with an extra five pounds of ballast too! Not what I was looking for while focusing so intently on the business, but it happens – expect it and rally ... it’s like learning to walk – you’re going to trip – now get back up on your feet! Life – I ASSURE you – is a helluva lot better living when you’re walking versus laying on the ground in the exact spot your tripped!!

It's the same analogy with our ships -- we all go to drydock -- some for repairs and some because we're scared -- but the most important element of success is how we handle leaving drydock. DON’T LEAVE drydock only to mire yourself back at the pier to commiserate with the other ships that have become so stuck in the muck that the only way they could every get underway are when tugs come to their aid ... there are ships that have given up out there – these ships turn into barges – dependent on others for movement – DON’T EVER LET THAT HAPPEN TO YOU.

Remember – MISERY LOVES COMPANY.

Opening Day is a perfect time to recalibrate our ship’s heading – re-fortify our efforts – strengthen our resolve to take control of our bodies, for you will take control of your life.

Ask yourself – what are you going to do for your OPENING DAY this month?? Think about it – celebrate it – I don’t care if you haven’t lifted an ounce in 20 years – make some movement happen – anything – but plan it then execute it. In SEAL Team when conducting Combat Diving schools – a Standard Operating Procedure was beaten into our brains: PLAN YOUR DIVE – DIVE YOUR PLAN. Same applies here – you need to Plan your exercise - Exercise your Plan – GOT IT?!

Share your Opening Day celebrations with me at getfit@perfectpushup.com -- I want to know what you're going to do to celebrate getting your ship UNDERWAY. It's rally time team: seven days to YOUR Opening Day -- GET FIRED UP! Life is way too precious to sit back and let it pass you by!

CHARLIE MIKE and HOOYAH!

ALDEN

TGIF: Perfect Pushup at Work

Fellow Teammates: Having been a fellow SEAL for ten years and now a desk jockey here in Dallas, TX, I wanted to share my Perfect Pushup story with you guys. I left the TEAMs in June of 2001 (I know 3 months too soon) to start my civilian life. Since leaving the TEAMs I’ve never quite been able to find something I can do during the day while at work that benefited my physique and overall health. Well, not until nine weeks ago when my business partner Kyle (that's his picture above) and I discovered the Perfect Pushup. Since then, we have been utilizing this great concept every day at the office. We do 20-30 pushups every hour of almost every day. At first we didn’t think it would be very challenging; however, after the first 5 hours on the first day we realized our little lifestyle change was going to be more difficult than we had originally thought. Nonetheless, through prodding and verbally hazing one another we have managed to keep true to doing our Perfect Pushups every day, and believe me they add up -- we’re at the shop 11-13 hrs a day! Do the math -- if you do 1,000-1,500 push-ups a week you will see the results! It makes our day go by so much quicker and we actually look forward to the challenge every morning at 7am, although we were very sore in the beginning.

You might be surprised at my next statement though, for me it wasn’t only the results I got from using the PPU that has made me a believer -- it was what it made me realize all over again. You see having been in my old environment for ten years I became accustomed to looking fit and feeling strong, but once I left that environment it’s been a struggle even for me to recapture my health. The PPU has made me realize that life is too short to not do something about your health and more importantly do something about it today!



Alden Mills and I served together at ST-2 and he’s one of the finest men I have ever had the privilege of knowing on every level. Hence when he asked me to tell my simple yet practical story, I had to oblige. For those of you who are not SEALs please don’t look at the Perfect Pushup or any product out there as something that’s beyond your ability level or physical scope because nothing could be further from the truth. I couldn’t agree more with all the posts that are geared toward trying to convince people the best way to get healthy is to make the decision that “you” will change. That might mean eating a little less or simply eating breakfast. That might mean using the PPU as your impetus for that change. Whatever it is, it will work as long as you commit and educate yourself as to what might work for you.

Having served side by side with Alden, I can tell you that he would be the one I would listen to If I was serious about making strides in my personal life irrespective of what that consisted of. In the TEAMs we have a saying, “The only easy day was yesterday!” What that always meant to me was if you aren’t giving it 100% and going 100mp then why did you even get out of bed? Sounds simple, but was today easier for you than yesterday?

Cheers,

"Sav" Saviano and Kyle Chron

Btw --If you were to ask those SEALs how difficult that shot was they would probably smile and say, “Not as easy as it would have been yesterday!”

HOOYAH HOTEL HOGG PLATOON-MATE: ALAN "SAV" SAVIANO!

CM Teammates – Drop on Down and push’em out for one Outstanding teammate: SAV!

I had the honor of working with SAV at SEAL Team TWO from 1996-1998 where we served together on HOTEL Platoon – aka – HOTEL HOGGS. Our platoon mission statement was: Combat Ready for Mission Success Anytime, Anywhere – and SAV was instrumental making sure we fulfilled our statement – from the Congo to Sarajevo and all over Europe SAV lived up to our credo and more – from shooting to diving to jumping to improvising, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better man – let alone a SEAL – than SAV.

Welcome Aboard brothah SAV – it’s an honor to have you join the CHARLIE MIKE Team!

HOOYAH and CM - ALDEN

Completing a Marathon: Choosing Shoes

CM SEAL Team blogger: Tim Grizzell

Completing a Marathon: III(a) Running Equipment: SHOES

It is now time to discuss one of my favorite topics – running equipment. I am very passionate about this subject. As some of you might know from my first post on CHARLIE MIKE, I am currently in the process of starting a running apparel company. I have been working on this venture for over a year now and I am fired up about it. The company has now entered a new phase and I am about to go into production for part of the clothing line. I will keep you posted on my progress.

My discussion about running equipment is going to be broken up into a couple posts on CHARLIE MIKE. In the first half, I will first talk about different types of running shoes and how important it is to be properly fitted in the right shoe. The second half will cover running apparel. We could also discuss accessories (e.g., hydration devices, injury-related devices, etc.), but we will save all of this for another post down the road.

Choosing the appropriate shoe in today’s market where there is such a large selection can be overwhelming. Yet – if you want to complete a marathon or even want to run injury free, it is vitally important that you select the best shoe for your body structure and the type of training you do.

Now you ask – where do I start? Prior to starting your running shoe research, I would suggest that you become aware of the different aspects of your body structure. The primary categories that you need to think about are your foot mechanics, your body frame, your arch type, and any injuries you might have.

In terms of foot mechanics, you want to figure out whether your foot rolls inward (over-pronates), rolls outward (under-pronates), or is neutral. You can figure this out by having someone watch your ankles and feet when you walk away from them. Most good specialty running shoe stores will do this analysis for you. It is very important to understand what category you fall in. For example, a person who over-pronates and wears a shoe a designed for neutral runner will most likely get shin splints. Your body frame clearly has an impact on your decision. If you are a big guy, you do not want to buy a shoe that was designed for a Chihuahua. You need a shoe that has some cushioning in the midsole. A high arch, medium arch and low arch are all major factors. So, you will want a shoe that is designed for your arch type. Also, if you have any injuries like bunions or plantar fasciitis, you will want to make sure that you have a shoe that will accommodate these injuries.

Besides body structure, the weekly mileage you put in and the type of terrain that you will be training on all play a vital role in the selection of a shoe. In my opinion, most runners will need a little stability control in their shoes. It is just a matter of how much you stability you will need.

After your body structure self-awareness is complete, the next step is going to your local sports store (assuming you do not live in some remote area) to try and find a shoe that matches your body structure and is designed for the type of training you do. If you have access to one, I suggest that you go to a specialty running shoe store because they generally (not always) have more running shoe expertise than a large sporting goods store.

Once you start trying on shoes that might fit the bill, here are some important rules to keep in mind.

Shoe Size: Your foot swells about a half size during running so you want to buy shoes slightly larger than your normal shoe size (maybe one-half to one size larger). The rule of thumb is that you should be able to fit the width of your index finger between the longest toe and the front end of the running shoe.

Toe Box: Your toes need freedom of movement. Make sure that you can wiggle them up and down in the toe box.

Initial Comfort Level: The shoe must feel great the first time you try it on. Anyone who tells you that the shoe will feel more comfortable over time either (a) does not know what they are talking about or (b) is trying to move a certain shoe out of inventory.

Heel Slippage: Make sure the heel does not slip. Can you say blisters?

I will leave you with a great quote from a CM teammate (that would be Joe G.) back in January in response to one of my posts, “A higher price does not mean a better shoe. Just like wine. Just like a lot of things, come to think of it.”

Fired Up and Standing By to answer your questions!

Tim

Perfect Counter Design: Part I

Guest blogger: Gray Holland from the design firm Alchemy Labs.

Recently Alden asked me to chronicle our collective effort for the Perfect Counter design and development process. The heart of the project was the partnership between Alchemy Labs [included Kevan Hollenback, Frank Denier and myself ] and the Perfect development team [with Alden Mills and Mark Friedman and their manufacturer].



Project Specification: [May 5th 2008]
The project started out as a simple counting device, defined to measure push up reps while using the Perfect Pushup. It would measure how many and how fast you could do them, even how many could be done within a specified amount of time. The Perfect Pushup raises the user's chest 4.5 inches off the ground, and thus the floor no longer serves as the feedback on a completed pushup stroke. This device should elegantly solve this issue. An engineering sketch was handed to us—it was a simple box with a large button on top. We set out to create the design for this device with one very important goal: To develop and for launch it for Christmas 2008!



First Inspiration - Concept 1: [May 16th 2008]
Normally a product is finished being manufactured by May for a Christmas release that same year, and we were just about to start the Counter’s design. Inspired by Alden’s challenge we jumped in head first! Within the first week we had the big idea visualized. Usually we would take more time to develop and create a range of ideas, but the timing on this program necessitated following our gut. We quickly made a 3D CAD model to illustrate the idea and pitched the design directly to Alden: The design leveraged the circular language of the Perfect Pushup product line and talked to the nature of how the Counter “fit” between the two pushups during use. Most importantly this concept tried to distribute the point of contact with the users chest over the largest area possible in order to make it as comfortable to use as possible. To accomplish this we developed a donut shaped foam pad with the counter display plus controls all located centrally. This Counter “puck” was screwed onto a translucent plastic base, allowing for some level of height adjustment and making the Counter “float” above the ground [like the users exercising themselves].

Next week: Part II -- Making it Work and First Prototypes

Meet Gray Holland, Perfect Counter Designer

Guest blogger: Ian MacColl, Team Leader for Design at Perfect Pushup

Charlie Mike Teammates, I would like to introduce to you a great Perfect Team member: Gray Holland of Alchemy Labs.

Perhaps first, however, I should introduce myself. I am the new team leader for Design here at Perfect Fitness. I come from a background of leading teams at Wham-O and IDEO and am responsible for new products and branding moving forward. I have known Gray Holland for almost 20 years and he is one of the best designers I have worked with over my career. We went to college together in Pasadena, at the Art Center College of Design, and we are now professors and teach together at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco.

After graduating from Art Center College of Design in the Transportation Design program, Gray moved to Detroit to work at General Motors on, among other things, the original electric car. From there he moved to San Francisco and founded Alchemy Labs in 1993, a practice built on emerging digital technology and strategy. He has consulted with a variety of companies including Nike, Disney, TiVo, Seiko, and BMW.

We are honored (and, of course, FIRED UP) to have him working so closely with us on the exciting new products you will start to see this summer and fall. For the next three weeks, Gray will chronicle the Perfect Counter design process with the readers of CHARLIE MIKE.

News for our European Teammates

NEWS FLASH for our European Teammates -- our UK website is now shipping the Perfect Pushup to most countries in the EU. We're looking forward to having you on board!

CHARLIE MIKE -- ALDEN

HOOYAH SEAL TEAM!

CM Teammates – talk about Be Strong, Be Ready (our motto at Team Perfect) – So damn proud of our forces (and for that matter our Commander in Chief who had the guts to authorize the mission) for yesterday’s successful rescue of Captain Phillips – HOOYAH SEAL TEAM!

Though I don’t know all the specifics, I do know how challenging it is to shoot with any accuracy off of a vessel at sea – not to mention shooting at an even smaller vessel that’s moving in sea state conditions. Add the pressure of an American hostage’s life hanging on their accuracy with the countless hours they sat looking through their scopes practicing their timing of a simultaneous shot and you’ve got an extremely tough mission to complete. I’m no sniper, but I had the pleasure of serving with many – and the first thing they’d tell you after making sure that you know your weapon, is to know yourself – that is, to know your limitations, and then to push them so your old limitations are your new strengths. I guarantee you that not one of those Navy SEAL snipers had not even a shadow of doubt in their mind that they would miss – they knew what they could do – no matter what the outside pressures, and they executed: they slowly exhaled, had a consistent squeeze on the trigger while tracking the target – then the gun went off and it was over. If you interviewed them, I bet they’d say something like: “I tracked the target – waited for the count down and pulled the trigger.” Sounds simple doesn’t it – we all know it isn’t because the brain is involved, but the point is the action is simple – you just have to execute it under more complicated situations.

See a similarity here? Take action – get result. The point is whether you’re a Navy SEAL sniper or a Soccer Mom – the same rules apply: know yourself – find your limitations and take action on making your limitations your strengths. It doesn’t happen overnight (just ask those snipers – I bet they trained for years for that opportunity) but every time you take action toward your goal a result will occur that in some small way will help you toward your MIKE CHARLIE (Mission Complete).

In the meantime, put a smile on your face because it’s Good Guys 3 – Pirates 0.

CHARLIE MIKE - ALDEN

Striving for PERFECT'ion Partners

CM SEAL Team blogger: Marcus Colburn

Teammates, Partner’ing up is the Best Way! Just by thinking this way, you're now one step closer to getting a jaw-dropping physique. Like me (fist raised and my "surf's up" friend Billy).

If you are one of the people that likes results & action quickly, you made an excellent decision that's going to pay off, visually and functionally, once you dedicate and commit yourself to your "striving for "PERFECT"ion program".

There's no doubt in my mind that you're on your way to a brand new mindset... a brand new body... and a brand new life. Just the fact that you're striving for perfection is a totally positive thing. You could be a couch potato or just an average Sunday morning quarterback. But no way Jose.... You want more out of life. Well I say "GO FOR IT!"

When your so called friends ask why you're not drinking with them or that you're acting (STRANGE), just tell them with a smile on your face about your new goal is striving for "Perfection"ion "I've got THE muscle-shredding, belly-busting and ab-sharpening solution."

Your results will be noticeable before you know it. Alas, Too bad So Sad that they just don't have the same attitude or passion for life as you; but you can show them your results "PAY IT FORWARD" how you did it & how you're doing it using the "PERFECT" method & get them to partner up. Get their own "Perfect" products for themselves & make it into a bet or a competition. Workout with friends or partners is always more fun & you can watch each other, help each other with spots & make sure ya'll are sticking to your "FULL LIFE STYLE CHANGE & EATING CLEAN PLAN"! Because if you really want to strive for "PERFECT"ion; Partnering is the best way!

During BUD/S the class ahead of us used to (rib us & taunt us to no end) but especially during (HELL WEEK). They used to leave power bars hidden all over the place & that really made us fight harder!

Hope everyone had a great Easter weekend,

MOJOFROG OUT!
___________________________________________
Back in 1997 while serving with the elite Navy SEAL jump team called Leap Frogs, Marcus was involved in a life changing parachuting accident. After free-falling to three thousand feet, Mark opened his chute. But the SEAL above him did not and continued free-falling at ninety miles an hour. The other jumper tore through Mark's chute, hitting him in the head and hand with his body. The impact sent Mark twirling unconscious through the air with few cells left on his chute, and he hit the ground, changing his life forever. Mark's amazing recovery became his biggest challenge – and surviving the accident is a miraculous story in itself -- but what is even more inspiring is how he handles his life after the accident.

Eleven Year Old Sets Pushup Record

TGIF CM Teammates!



Meet two Proud Peters! Young Peter set a new school record using Perfect Pushups.

Let's hear from his proud father: "Before November 2008 my son Peter (11 years old) could only do 40 pushups after purchasing your Perfect Pushup product. He used the 2 minute drills 5 days a week to increase his pushups. The new school record: 100 regular pushups!

His max used to be the max of 20 but now he's built his way up beyond 50 Perfect Pushups. Thanks for a great product."

Nothing Fires Me UP more than stories like this -- HOOYAH to you both! Please send your address to getfit@perfectpushup.com and we'll send you a Perfect Counter. All the better to keep track as you push out your Perfect Pushups! How about sharing your story with our Perfect Fitness Fans?

CHARLIE MIKE -- ALDEN

Too Short to be a SEAL? Part IV

CM SEAL Team blogger: Stew Smith

Here's the conclusion to the "Strength in Diversity" series. I often receive emails concerning guys who are “too lean”, “too short”, “too tall”, or “too big” to attend SEAL training. This is one of the first “doubts” you will have about yourself on whether or not you are tough enough to make it through SEAL training. There is not much you can do about what God gave you physically - BUT the good news is the SEALs need men of all shapes, sizes, backgrounds, and colors. I'm here to help you clear the self-doubt you may be having about attending SEAL training.

Here is a sampling of emails I receive on a near weekly basis and this will hopefully help you clear the self-doubt you are having about attending SEAL training.

Too Short:
I am only 5’2” am I too short for BUD/S? Most guys I see are huge on TV.

First of all we all look bigger on TV than we really are in life. But secondly your height is fine. You will no doubt be in the “smurf boat crew” meaning all the shortest guys in the class will have their own boat to carry. But pound for pound shorter / lighter guys do well at BUD/S and usually have above average PT scores and even obstacle course scores (if they can get over the obstacles - i.e. the Dirty Name).

In the SEAL Teams you will be able to go places many others cannot so your size will be an advantage in many situations.

I always tell people that there is Strength in Diversity - we all carry unique skill sets whether they are physical, mental, or the experience of life that all come together to create a platoon of well rounded SEALs in a TEAM. If you make it through SEAL Training, you obviously have “something special” to share with your teammates and add to the strength of the team.

Here are links to the other three "Strength in Diversity" blogs:

I: Introduction and Too Lean to be a SEAL?

II: Too Big to be a SEAL?

III: Too Tall to be a SEAL?

Questions? Fire away!____________________________________________


Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL, and author of several fitness and self defense books such as The Complete Guide to Navy SEAL Fitness, Maximum Fitness, and SWAT Workout. Certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and as military fitness trainer, Stew has trained hundreds of students for Navy SEAL, Special Forces, SWAT, FBI, ERT and many other law enforcement professions. See him at StewSmith.com.

Don't miss Fight Science Special Ops with Stew Smith


Look for Stew Smith on Nat Geo Channel

Meet Tara Llanes, Perfect Athlete Ambassador

Tara, age 32,was a professional BMX and downhill mountain bike racer for 15 years until September 2007 when she crashed during a race, landed on her head and broke her neck and back. She is now a paraplegic training to do an Ironman and hopes to qualify for the Kona Ironman, 10OCT09. She uses a hand-cycle for the biking and running portions of the race.

She religiously uses the Perfect Pushup in her rehab work to protect her wrists. Says Tara, "Because I am using my wrist so much for everyday things like transfers, weight shifts, not to mention therapy, my wrists are worked and get REALLY sore. But when I used the Perfect Pushup I could last so much longer."

Tara is one of Perfect Pushup’s inspiring Athlete Ambassadors, fully embodying the mentality of “take control of your body, take control of your life.” She is an inspiration to all of us here at Team Perfect. Last word from Tara: "So help me I will find a way to float again. Gawd I love my bike. Follow your dreams dammnit and don't ever ever give up!

Teammates, Tara is standing by to hear from you! HOOYAH Tara and thank you for being the first of many Perfect Athlete Ambassadors to share their story with the Charlie Mike Teammates.

Marathon Training Program: Part II: B

CM SEAL Team blogger: Tim Grizzell

There are a number of marathon training programs that you can follow. I have written my own. I have trained under Hal Higdon’s programs and Jeff Galloway’s programs. The main difference between Hal Higdon’s program and Jeff Galloway’s program is that Jeff Galloway promotes a run-walk-run method during the long distance runs (i.e., run 2 minutes, walk 1 minute – this varies depending on your pace) that he considers injury free training. Hal Higdon only suggests walking if necessary and at aid stations. I personally did not like all the “starting and stopping” associated with the Galloway program. However, the Galloway program is a proven program. If I were to personally recommend it to anyone, it would be a true beginner. Keep in mind though, Galloway has had followers post times below 2 hours and 30 minutes using his method.

Most training programs consist of the following type of training:

-Running 3-7 days a week depending on what category you fit in.
-Non-running days incorporate rest and/or an alternate form of exercise
-A long run ranging in distance from 10-20 miles that is normally run at a pace slightly slower than your marathon pace (i.e., 1-2 minutes per mile slower). Usually, most runners complete this on a Saturday or Sunday when they have the most time.
-Mid-week runs generally range from 3-8 miles.

A typical week would look something like this. Please keep in mind that these are average distances. A beginner will run less and an experienced runner might put in more miles each week.

Monday – Rest/Alternate form of exercise
Tuesday – Shorter Run (3-5 miles) and/or Alternate form of exercise
Wednesday – Mid-Distance Run (5-8 miles)
Thursday – Shorter Run and/or Speed Work (3-5 miles)
Friday – Rest/Alternate form of exercise
Saturday – Mid-Distance Run (5-8 miles)
Sunday – Long Distance Run (10-20 miles)

You can move these workouts around to fit your schedule. The most important workout of the week for this training is the weekly long distance run. In addition to the long run, I recommend at a minimum that you do not miss the two mid-distance runs. I suggest that you do not miss any runs at all. If you have to miss some, I would cut out the short ones.

Just remember that there is no substitute for running. If you do not run consistently, you will be breathing like a lung-shot caribou the day of the marathon and potentially putting your health at risk. I said this once before and I will say it again. You cannot phone in the training.

Alternate forms of exercise are very important. The first couple days after the long run it is good to inject some low-impact exercise into your weekly schedule, such as cycling and swimming. Do not forget to continue your strength training (i.e., Perfect Pushups, Perfect Pullups and working your abs).

There is a lot of ground to cover when it comes to training for a marathon. I believe that I have given you a very thorough overview, but I am sure you all have some questions. So – go ahead and fire away.

Next week, I will be discussing one of my favorite topics – running apparel and shoes. Hoo Yah!!

Fired Up!

Tim

HOOYAH UK Teammates!

HOOYAH* Teammates in the UK! We’ve been on the Beaches of Britain for more than a month and we’re Fired UP to have you on board. Our mission is to help you in our joint mission to Take Control of your Body!

We want to hear from you. How are the Perfect Products changing your life? Let us feature you on “Where in the World is Perfect Pushup?” Send us your stories and pictures and/or videos and we’ll send you a “Get Ripped” t-shirt. Our supplies are limited so Victory (in the form of a t-shirt) will go to the Swift.

Send your stories to getfit@perfectpushup.com!

CHARLIE MIKE – ALDEN

(*HOOYAH = Navy SEAL-speak for Fired UP!)

Team Perfect Storms the Golden Gate

TGIF CM Teammates!

Last Sunday Team Perfect showed up in force for the presidio 10 -- a 10 mile/10k run benefiting local charities. We ran across the Golden Gate Bridge, we volunteered, and we got folks Fired UP to push out some Perfect Pushups!



CM SEAL Team blogger Tim Grizzell said it best about the Art of Running: "Runners come in all shapes and sizes carrying varying loads, which is proven every time I run a marathon or some other distance. We are all born to run."

HOOYAH Team Perfect!

CHARLIE MIKE -- ALDEN

Marathon Training Program: Part II: A

CM SEAL Team blogger: Tim Grizzell

“I've not found any experience which bestows the high level of satisfaction, accomplishment and self-respect as one receives from finishing a marathon--at any speed.” – Jeff Galloway

I mentioned in Part I of my four part Completing a Marathon series that you need to determine which category that you fit in prior to choosing a marathon training program. The other factor to consider when selecting a program is your end goal. Some individuals just want to complete a marathon. Other people might have a time goal in mind. Your marathon goal, running experience and fitness level all play an integral role in how you train for this race.

Just as important as selecting the correct training program is ensuring that your mind and body are ready to begin your training. I would submit to you that you ideally should have a year of consistent running under your belt prior to entering into a marathon training program. At a minimum, I would recommend at least three months of pre-marathon training running. You need to be comfortable running 4 to 5 days a week with distances ranging from 3 to 6 miles. In spite of what I just told you, there are a number of individuals who throw this advice out the window. They begin their training on Day 1 of marathon training. I do not suggest you do this, but just telling you what reality is for some and it is completely doable – not recommended.

Secondly, you must be mentality prepared for the “commitment.” Look – all of us need to make time for fitness, right? You need to take care of your body and your body will take care of you. Staying committed to fitness is one thing. Staying committed to a marathon training program as it starts to ramp up in mileage is something different. Your body will undoubtedly want more rest than usual. Your body will demand that you fuel it correctly. Garbage in – Garbage out! It always amazes me when I hear people who are training for marathons say, “I can eat whatever I want.” Yes and no. Sure, you burn a lot of calories when you are training, which allows you to indulge. Yet – you do not want to make it a zero-sum game. You need to burn more calories than you take in so you will be as light as possible the day of the event. You want that powerful motor inside of you pushing the weight of a Ferrari chassis, not the weight of Sherman Tank – especially over 26.2 miles.

Another thing to take into account is the ability to garner support from your inner circle, especially those of you with families. One of the key components to marathon training is the weekly long run. It can take up to 3+ hours in the late stages of marathon training, and that is just the running part of it. Post-run stretching and recovery activities (i.e., re-hydrating, sleeping, etc.) can all take more time. In addition, as your weekly runs get longer you will have to carve out more time for these as well. In the end, you must wake up earlier. I recommend that you do all of your running in the mornings anyway. All marathons (at least the vast majority) start at “O-Dark-30” (i.e., Navy SEAL speak for “before the sun comes up”) so your body needs to be accustomed to early morning physical activity. The bottom line is that you want buy-in from your close supporters. You can get this support by minimizing the impact on your family’s daily routine. Early mornings (before anyone else in the house is awake) is a great time to train.

I would be happy to answer any questions about marathon training you might have as you get further into race preparation.

Monday: Training Programs Part II: B

Fired UP!

Tim
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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. 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.