Where in the World is PERFECT? London!

Guest blogger: Paul McCabe, Fitness Professional. Paul is using the Perfect Pushup Mobile. He's on the footbridge that crosses the Thames between St. Paul's Cathedral and Tate Modern.

Said Paul, "I found Perfect Push Up to be a very effective and versatile piece of equipment - not only does the twisting motion of the handles provide an extra workout for the forearms and wrists whilst performing a press-up, the extra height given by the handles allows for a deeper press up working the chest and shoulders even further. The fact that the unit is portable is great for anyone who wishes to train when they don't have immediate access to a gym."

TGIS: PERFECT Workplace

More Marty -- and it's a PERFECT Saturday! Amazing what Marty does with the PPU/exercise ball combo. Stay tuned for Coach Marty Heilman's spin on Perfect Pullup rotating handles.

TGIF: PERFECT Workplace

A day in the life of Coach Marty Heilman. His home base is Frog's Gym in Encinitas, north of San Diego, California. Tomorrow, CHARLIE MIKE will spotlight Coach Marty putting the Perfect Pushup and Perfect Pullup handles through their paces -- prepare to be amazed!

Meet Beth Rodden, Professional Rock Climber

Guest blogger: Beth Rodden, Perfect Athlete Ambassador

Hello fans of Perfect Fitness! My name is Beth Rodden and I am a fellow fan as well as a professional rock climber. Sounds kind of crazy, I know, but I am extremely lucky to be able to pursue my passion of climbing as my career. I spend most of my time climbing, surprise surprise or traveling, doing slideshows or clinics. And in between, I LOVE to bake, absolutely love it! Unfortunately I am allergic to dairy, so I am constantly looking for the perfect dairy-free dessert, usually including copious amounts of chocolate and sugar. If you have any suggestions, please let me know!

So, back to Perfect Fitness…..the products are amazing! I always had wrist problems doing conventional push-ups, and climbers are always dealing with elbow problems from doing too many pull-ups, but the Perfect Pushup and Perfect Pullup seem to squash those problems by allowing the joints to move freely in their natural motions. Check out my workout:

30 Crunches (legs in the air)
10 Pushups
30 Seconds in Plank Position (hands on PPU) alternating each leg in the air for 5 seconds
5 Pullups
It may not seem like it from my petite appearance, but I am a total hammerhead when it comes to working out. The Perfect Fitness products allow me to exercise until exhaustion without being prone to injury. I started climbing in the climbing gyms, so whenever I am able to get into a good gym for a workout it is like going back to my roots. I have also fallen in love with the mountains, and make my home in Yosemite, which allows great access to the best climbing in the world as well as being able to live in the Sierras, the most beautiful mountains in the world.

My favorite product is the Perfect Pushup Mobile because I have perfected living out of a suitcase and the Mobile fits perfectly [no pun intended] wherever I find myself, be it hotel room or campsite. Being a climber I try to work on opposition movement and exercises, which always include push-ups. From Calgary this spring, to South Africa this summer and then back in the Sierras for the fall, I hope to see you out in the mountains or in the gym.

Good luck with your personal fitness goals. Grab a friend, put on your favorite playlist, and try a new exercise. The most important thing is to have fun with whatever you are doing, that way you'll continue doing it for a long time.

Twenty-three Game Changing Tips

CM SEAL Team blogger: Marcus Colburn

It's simple to suggest eat less, exercise more and you'll lose fat.
Unfortunately this advice does not explain why your friend can indulge in pizza and beer and stay shredded all summer while others need to put a microscope over every food that enters their mouth.

As you know, not all metabolisms are created equal and research has proven that some of us can burn fat faster than others. If you feel like you're doing everything right but still unable so shed those last few pounds then let one of the following advanced fat burning tips and tricks below work for you.

Getting shredded can not be left to chance with the mentality that you hope it works. In order to shake the last few pounds of fat you must combine as many of these techniques as possible so that you experience a huge difference in the mirror as you say:

MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL WHO'S THE MOST SHREDDED OF THEM ALL?

Here are 23 of the exact secrets I used to cut 23-pounds of fat in 10-weeks that lead to the photos that declare victory!

1. Follow a specific, pre-set nutrition plan so that you know exactly what you're supposed to eat and what times and in what amounts. You will be less likely to cheat and more likely to follow your plan. Print it out and post it on your refrigerator.

2. Read labels because you must be precise about your food intake and ensure your food plan matches exactly with what you're consuming or how in the world can you help yourself?

3. Go slow & if you fall back, break into a run -- just keep shooting for "PERFCT"ting it each week.

4. Tweak, re-evaluate and re-tweak. If you're not losing, tweak ONE variable for the following week while keeping everything else standardized. Re-evaluate your progress and continue this feed back loop each week.

5. When tweaking a variable in your training, make small changes instead of big ones. For example, add one extra 45-minute cardio session next week if you plateaued, not 3 extra cardio sessions. If you're doing 2 interval workouts, add a third.

6. Did I say small changes are responsible for big changes? If you're eating 2 slices of whole wheat bread on meal one, drop it to only 1 slice instead. Dramatic nutrition or cardio changes is unnecessary. Remember it's a "HUMAN RACE" not an immortal race!

7. Plan to raise your caloric intake one time every five days, minimum.

8. Start doing interval training and build up to at least three 20-minute workouts at 85% intensity.

9. For interval training, rely on the classic and effective 1-minute hard followed by 1-minute easy protocol for a total of 10 intervals.

10. Incorporate steady-state cardio on a empty stomach before breakfast. If you're on a ultra low-carb diet then this is not necessary however "regular" cardio in a fasted state can help your body to resort to using more fat for
fuel.

11. Drink a big black cup of coffee or have an espresso before you do fasted cardio before breakfast.

12. Incorporate a liter of water before you do your cardio in a fasted state in the morning.

13. If possible, perform strength training in the evening and perform your cardio in the morning. This requires more dedication but can be very effective for your quest for "PERFECT" ion.

14. Train hard with high speed strength movements often. Challenge your buddies! Be prepared to move from 3-days or 4-days of strength training to at least 5-days of strength training a week.

15. During fat loss, the details of the workout are not as important as muscle building. Focus on intensity and finishing the workout knowing you held nothing back.

16. Keep rest periods between 30-60 seconds.

17. Don't worry about the length of your workouts, even if they last up to 1.5 hours.

18. Don't plant to eat perfectly without any unplanned cheat, I mean "TREAT"!

"IF YOU'RE NOT cheating/TREATING, YOU'RE NOT TRYING!"

19. Eat as many fibrous vegetables as possible like broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, and/or asparagus to name a few.

20. Eat your first meal earlier than you are currently eating it now. Having your first meal around 6 am and your last meal around 6 pm works the best for the majority of people.

21. Treat your weight training workouts as if you're trying to build muscle. Keep the STRENGTH moves harder & heavy duty to keep your muscle mass and maintain your metabolism. Believe me, if you do pullups in crazy ways with a friend holding you down or pullups with your buddy pullin at you. You do more good for yourself then the aveage joe does at the gym & you're more functional too. Make sure you stretch all muscle groups as you get warmed up in between sets!

* "Stretching is like doing steroids without messing with your hormones that scream later!"

22. Only bring food items that appear on your meal plan into your home.

23. Set a deadline for the day you want to be shredded and ripped.

Just one of these tips above could be the game-changer to get shredded at last. Your instincts will tell you which ones to begin leveraging starting today.

Feel free to add your own tips to mine at the CHARLIE MIKE blog!

P.S. I'M PULLING FOR YOU ON MY PERFECT PULLUP BAR!
"TRAINING IS NEVER OVER"
MOJOFROG OUT...

Shipping to APOs: The Perfect SOP

Teammates – Here’s the Standard Operating Procedure for ordering Perfect products if you’re a service man or woman serving overseas.

1. Call this toll-free number: 1-877-974-7733. Choose Prompt #3 to place an order.

2. Hours of operation: 8am – 5pm, Monday through Friday, Pacific Time.

3. Have your credit card and APO address handy. For security reasons, we do not accept credit card numbers through email.

4. All military orders receive a 10% discount.

5. Finally, let us know how our products hold up for you in the field. Suggestions, feedback and comments (positive or negative) – we want to hear from you. Send your stories and pictures to getfit@perfectpushup.com, post comments to CHARLIE MIKE, or join our newest Perfect community: The Perfect Fitness Forum.

Though many of the products we invent at Perfect Fitness are based on my experiences suffering through daily SEAL physical training routines, we spend countless hours searching for products that are truly Perfect – and by Perfect we mean they in some way Perfectly simulate the natural movement of the body so you can get the absolute best possible result. If you have a suggestion on making a product even better – we’re all ears – we care about your health and your success – so let us know your thoughts!

CHARLIE MIKE -- ALDEN

A Debt of Memory to Brothers and Sisters, Gratefully Paid

CM SEAL Team blogger: Tom Rancich

Memorial Day has always had an identity crisis. Even in the very beginning, it was only for Union soldiers, not merging all "Decoration Day" activities until after World War One. In 1971, Memorial Day became the last Monday in May instead of May 30. This move, designed to create a three-day weekend, irritated many by adding to the day an air of celebration instead of reflection: picnics, parades, ballgames, sales -- the start of the summer party. That doesn't bother me: somewhere in the 1.5 million soldiers remembered every Memorial Day there is certainly someone who would have really enjoyed another picnic, parade, ball game or day shopping. Some of those sacrificed would have liked one more party or one more prayer. It's all good.

I remember some of my teammates and shipmates who didn't make it. Neal, as nice and stand-up a person as ever walked the earth, died in combat in Afghanistan, alone and outnumbered in the Tora Bora mountains. There was Brian, a Bostonian, killed in Afghanistan when his HMMV hit a mine; I served with him at SEAL Team Four. Woody and Jeff, shipmates who died when our helicopter crashed, and Steve, another teammate who died in the same crash.

Steve was laughing a split second before we crashed, a joyful expression forever etched in my mind. Pete was one of my phase officers at Basic Underwater Demolition School. He was a great guy who was killed in South America in a training accident. Mark and Brad, two more SEALs, were killed in training accidents. I didn't know either of them well before I was assigned to do the investigations into their deaths. I remember explaining the circumstances of Mark's death to his widow, as his three-month-old son lay cradled in his mother's arms. Tragic.

Philosophically at least, Memorial Day is easy for me, because I have people to remember - people who were alive and full of potential one day and dead the next, people with whom I laughed, partied, worked and went to war. On Memorial Day, and many other days, I remember them. But, I wonder, how do I remember someone I never knew? Though estimates vary widely, the nation's military war dead since the Revolutionary War number more than one and a half million - one and a half million faces of a national treasure. How do you remember a million and a half people you never met? Or more precisely, how is it that you memorialize them as unique and precious individuals with hopes, potential, and dreams - individuals who had people that loved them, to whom they were more than just a name on a list? I'm not sure you can.

It is certainly not possible to know them all or even who they all were, so perhaps it is inevitable that they become part of a long gray line. Still, it is important to honor those lives and remember, if not the individuals, at least that they were individuals, individuals so diverse in their interests and aspects as to be impossible to merge.

Memorial Day must at least remind us of the extraordinary cost of war and the critical responsibility to carefully understand what it means to add names to the Roll of Honor before committing soldiers and civilians to combat. Everyone in today's military is a volunteer, but that doesn't lessen our responsibility to spend those lives sparingly and only with the deepest of consideration, even if we are afraid. That those volunteers are more at risk is a fact; that they volunteered is moot; that they deserve to be at greater risk is false. Fear cannot be our motivator. It is important to honor the sacrifices of a million and a half individuals by committing to be at least as courageous as they were.

I don't know how our founders had the courage to stand against the world's superpower for a bunch of liberal ideas that had never been successfully put into practice, but they did. From that moment on we owed them and every person who gave up life or limb in defense of "inalienable rights" a debt of gratitude. No, more than that. We owe them the guarantee that they did not die in vain.

Since 2001, we have added more than 1,600 names to the Roll of Honor. From Crispus Attucks, the first to die as a United States soldier, to the soldier that may die today - you were my brothers and sisters in arms. I did not know you all, could not know you all, but I remember.

Synopsis: Thoughts on Memorial Day.
Credits: By Tom Rancich
Source: The Martha's Vineyard Times, May 26, 2005

"Fair Winds and Following Seas" Memorial Day 2009

“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.”
George Orwell

Guest blogger: CM SEAL blogger: Tim Grizzell

It is now that time of year again. Summer will be officially “kicked off” after this weekend and the season always seems like it is gone in the blink of an eye.

More importantly, Monday is Memorial Day – a day of remembrance and a day of emotion for this is the day we honor all of the men and women who have died while in military service. I served in the United States Navy SEAL teams for seven years and defended my country. I was proud and excited to protect the rights and freedom that we all enjoy here living in the best country on the planet, the United States of America. I am so patriotic that the hair on the back of my neck still stands up every time I hear the Star Spangled Banner. It gets me fired up! I consider myself lucky and fortunate though that I did not have to give the ultimate sacrifice – my life.

I am married to the most beautiful and wonderful woman in the world. I am fortunate to have a healthy “fire team” of two boys and girl who I get to raise. I live in a beautiful neighborhood. I have the opportunity to chase my dreams and live life to the fullest.

What is great about our country is that it does not matter what your background is or where you come from – you have opportunity. The world is at your fingertips. We have this great opportunity because of all the men and women who made that ultimate sacrifice.

So, this weekend we all need to take a moment and honor all the fallen sailors and soldiers and all those who have served. This is a time to be with friends and family. It is a time to be thankful. It is also a time to think about what is important in life! I can tell you right now that it has nothing to do with green paper.

Have a great Memorial Day Weekend!! Hoo Yah!!

Fair winds and following seas…

Tim

In Memoriam and In Celebration

CM Teammates: Great news – a three day weekend that kicks off summer is here! Weather’s getting warmer, days are getting longer and we get an extra day to enjoy it all…that’s the basic meaning of Memorial Day to most Americans – and that’s great – it’s what liberty enables us to do – celebrate! Just a little reminder that ye ole “Decorating Day” as they used to call it in the military – pertaining to decorating the graves of our fallen veteran brethren – has a special meaning to all those who have served and to family and friends of those who have served.

I remember being deployed to Bosnia in 1997 and celebrating Memorial Day “in the field”. An Army Colonel in the Special Forces (Green Berets) met with us to recount and extoll the stories of those who had gone before us and had paid the ultimate sacrifice for our great country. As we prepared for our mission, he reminded us that very few Americans have the privilege of serving our country let alone being the position to defend it. That not only do we have to act with honor on the field for those that have done so before us but also remember that there is another generation counting on us. Then he read us a note from child of a school that had been selected as our sponsor school while we were deployed – her note was simple and sweet, “Thank you for keeping me and my family safe – we love you.” She had added a couple of crayon pictures depicting hearts, sunshine, and her family. To an outsider that may not seem like much, but to those of us who were deployed (and especially those of us who were fathers at the time – I was not one of them) – it meant a whole helluva lot coming from someone we had never met nor probably would ever meet.

My point – have an Awesome Memorial Day and as you do, take a moment to thank a veteran in any way you can – from sending an e-mail to stopping by a national cemetery to greeting a Vet on the street – the simplest things in life often have the biggest impacts, and saying thanks to Vet can mean more than you can imagine.

Happy Memorial Day – GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS and, of course,
CHARLIE MIKE! ALDEN

N.B. Teammates, CM SEAL bloggers Tim Grizzell and Tom Rancich, two fellow veterans, will be sharing their Memorial Day reflections this weekend as well.

TGIF: PERFECT Workplace

Guest blogger: Gary Lai of San Francisco

There are things I hate now and my body hates me for it:

Work.
Time.
Fast food.
Gravity.

The idea of sitting in an office chair for 9 hours out of the day makes my back scream at me to just end it all already. And no matter how many ergonomic stretches I do, how many 10 minute walks I take, how many nutrigrain bars I eat, it's not going to change the fact that my gut will get big enough that I can use it as a coaster for my Klean Kanteen water bottle (yes, it's water in there and not soda...most of the time). I'm too groggy in the morning to work out. Nights are for work related happy hours, which ultimately result in me going home with a 20-piece chicken mcnugget combo meal (mmm...bbq sauce). That leaves an hour window during the workday to get a workout in. Yes, I think my coworkers would appreciate me coming back smelling of stink. Gravity...well...causes sagging.

To counter these debilitating factors, the Perfect Pushup has kept me from going downhill. The Perfect Pushup is true to his namesake. At work, we have a hundredpushups.com challenge going around and it may be easier to do regular IMPERFECT pushups, but I'd rather do pushups the right way so that I can get the most out of each individual UP! When my coworkers are doing their 20,25,15,15,25 set, I'm definitely behind in time, but I feel in the end, I'll be more satisfied with my progress.

You'll definitely notice the difference. I'm working muscles I didn't know I had. I think the biggest part is that my wrists aren't dying at the end. Keyboards do that for me. I already have a set of the Perfect Pushups at home, but have a set at work definitely encourages me to utilize the moments when I need to step away from my 3 wall box. Thanks for making a simple product that has some great advantages and benefits.

Cheers,
Gary Lai – San Francisco

Nicky Polanco's Lacrosse Clinic

Athlete Ambassador: Nicky Polanco, professional lacrosse player

As I said in my first blog, One thing I love to do in the off-season is promote the sport by doing camps and clinics. This year I ran a clinic at Farmingdale State College on Long Island for a group of about 50 kids ranging in age from 8-17. My clinics are a little different than most of the ones you’ll see because of the emphasis I put on off-field training. I try to emphasize to kids at a young age that developing speed, strength and stamina are all just as important as your stick skills. You can catch and throw and dodge like a pro, but if you’re weak and slow, it’s not going to matter on the field.

At our clinics, we break the kids up into stations and show them exactly what I do to get myself ready to play. The Perfect Pushup was one of the stations and the kids loved it. It was a really cold and windy Saturday morning, and there was definitely a hardcore aspect to throwing down a Perfect Pushup in the mud and having the kids compete with each other to see who could do the most. That’s really what lacrosse and other sports are about, and the Perfect Pushup was a tool that the kids loved using.

Who can do more? Get some kids together and ask them that question, and you’ll have a big-time competition on your hands like we did with our group.

It also helped that the Perfect Pushup was getting them in the right positions, biomechanically, to develop the strength they need. You can go deeper than you can with regular pushups, and like I said before, it gets your elbows and shoulders in the right positions to make you stronger without risking overuse injuries. I trust my trainer with my career, and he was sold on the Perfect Pushup before I even asked him how we could add it to my workouts.

Anyway, my MLL season starts today! Thanks for reading.

Meet Nicky Polanco, Major League Lacrosse

Guest blogger: Nicky Polanco, Perfect Athlete Ambassador, Captain of the Long Island Lizards

My name is Nicky Polanco, and I’m a professional lacrosse player in Major League Lacrosse (the MLL). The current team I play on is the Long Island Lizards, and I’m their captain. I was a two-time NCAA Division I All-American at Hofstra University, and I’ve been named to the All-MLL team six times in my career. I’ve been named MLL Defensive Player of the Year twice, and some people consider me to be one of the top defenders in the history of the sport. But most of all, I just enjoy competing at the highest level of my sport. I’ve also been a member of the US National Team twice, and I’m looking forward to doing that again in 2010 at the World Lacrosse Championships in Manchester, England.

Lacrosse isn’t your typical professional sport; it’s known as the “fastest game on two feet”. We have to be in world class shape to play in the MLL, but our teams don’t have professional caliber weight rooms and strength coaches like you’d find in the four major sports. We’re also still growing the sport on a national and international level, so we don’t have giant contracts and bonuses like the major sports do. Most pro lacrosse players have “day jobs” and I’m no exception.

Because of all this, I’m pretty much on my own to figure out how to get in shape to play. The league wants me looking and performing like a world class athlete, but they don’t really provide the resources for me to do it easily so I have to be really creative.

A few years ago, I decided to take everything to another level and hooked up with Bobby Ihlenfeldt, who’s an incredible trainer in New York, where I live. With Bobby’s help, along with my friend Keith Trimble at Bellmore Kickboxing, we figured out a system and a schedule to help keep me at the top of the MLL. We're doing a lot of work to get me stronger and better conditioned while dropping any excess body fat I may have put on in the off-season.

Strength is the key to everything for me. When we initially assessed what I was doing and what my weaknesses were, it was all about me not being strong enough. In the weight room, we’re working mainly on the basics: the bench press and the squat. What I’ve found is that in order to get stronger, you have to put on muscle. I’m not talking about getting “huge” either. You have to increase the cross-section of your muscle fibers and make them denser, and the best tool I’ve come across for this purpose has been the Perfect Pushup.

Bobby, my trainer, has a big-time powerlifting background, which means he knows the right technique for bench pressing. The way the Perfect Pushup works, I’m able to tuck my elbows on the descent, then flare them out at the lockout – the same way I’ve learned how to bench in order to save my shoulders. It’s taken all the shoulder issues out of doing pushups, and it’s helped me get stronger and build lean muscle faster than I ever have in my career.

One thing I love to do in the off-season is promote the sport by doing camps and clinics -- and you can read about that in Part II of my blog.

I'm playing tonight -- check it out!

Completing a Marathon: IV (a): The TAPER

CM SEAL Team blogger: Tim Grizzell

Hello Charlie Mike teammates – I was initially going to cover just the day of the race in the final post of my marathon series. After reviewing a previous answer to CM teammate, Joe G., regarding tapering, it was suggested that I should cover this topic and break up the blog up into two parts: tapering and the day of the race. It was a great idea!

Tapering is very important if you want to post a good marathon time. It gives your body the opportunity to recover from all of the hard training you put in leading up to the race. You can replenish energy, rejuvenate muscles and possibly kick any nagging injuries you might have up to this point.

The tapering rule of thumb is the longer the race – the longer the taper and the more important it becomes. This is especially true for distances marathon and above (3 weeks). For shorter distances, the taper generally starts about 1-2 weeks out.

The two categories of concern when discussing tapering are volume of training and intensity of training. I will talk about volume of training first. When starting a 3-week taper, you can either do a measured stepped reduction in volume over the entire period or a major reduction in volume at first (50% in the first week) followed by smaller reductions over the remaining taper period. In my opinion, the latter is most effective.

When it comes to intensity of training in the taper period, you still need to run at race pace (just not as far) at least one day a week leading up to the event. Although you will be reducing your volume, you should not being running all your runs during the taper at a slow pace leading up to the marathon. Your muscles will not be ready race day if you cut back too much on both volume and intensity.

I would also suggest that you do not change your daily routine/habits (e.g., sleep and diet) too much leading up to the event. Keep doing what you have been doing. It will be a shock to your body otherwise. The one area that you really should watch is your calorie intake. Since you will not be training as hard, you might put on an extra pound or two if you are not careful. The bottom line is that you should eat healthy foods and hydrate regularly.

Fired up and ready for your questions!

Tim

FYI Teammates --
Here's a link to Runner's World -- I do not follow every single blog, but I do check out a lot of them on a regular basis.

Stew Smith's Bodyweight Exercise Plan: Part II

CM SEAL Team blogger: Stew Smith

Here's Part II of my answer to a member of the Perfect Pushup YouTube group. Here's a link to Part I.

"I need help in making a full body bodyweight routine. Any advice/sample that you can offer? I am seventeen and have been using the Perfect Pushup on and off for a year now. With it, I am able to pump multiple diamond push ups more than I ever have in the past years".

I have been creating calisthenics based workout plans for more than twenty years to build muscle stamina, strength, and flexibility. By adding a form of cardiovascular activity like running, swimming, or biking to complete the workout, you can burn more calories and improve heart and lung circulation. I also like to supplement calisthenics with some form of simple weight training like dumbbells in full body movements. If you use the Perfect Pushup or the Perfect Pullup with your sets of exercises, you can reduce your repetitions by 50% typically depending on your fitness level.

Here are some sample routines that focus on both upper body, lower body, and core exercises:

Upper / Lower back Balance Cycle: In order to balance out doing several sets of pushups or other pushing exercises, add in the below exercises for 2-3 sets at the end of the workout to avoid internal rotation of the shoulder girdle.


Repeat 2-3 times
Reverse pushups - 25 reps
Birds - 25 reps
plank pose - 1 minute

see www.stewsmith.com/linkpages/pushupbalance.htm

Push / Pull Upper body Cycle: To fully work the upper body, balance out the pushing muscles (chest, shoulders and triceps) with the pulling muscles (biceps, forearms, back).

Repeat 4-5 times
pushups - max reps
reverse pushups - 20
pullups - max reps
birds - 20
abs of choice - 50

Add MJDB#1 for supplemental push / pull exercises (www.stewsmith.com/linkpages/MJDB.htm)

Abdominal Cycle: Do this 2-3 times during the workout and 4-5 times a week. It is fine to do abdominals and cardio exercises several days a week or on back to back days.

crunches - 25
reverse crunches - 25
double crunches - 25
left crunches - 25
right crunches - 25
bicycle crunches -25
plank pose 1 minute

These workouts can be done throughout the week, but as with weights, it is not recommended to do the same major muscle groups on back to back days. So pick a calisthenics day and follow it with a cardio workout on the next day is the easiest way to create a fitness routine for yourself. If you are new to exercise, just google some of the exercises in the workouts above or visit StewSmith.com for articles, pictures, and books complete with workouts and exercise descriptions.

Questions? Ask away!
______________________________________
Stew Smith CSCS, is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author specializing in military, law enforcement fitness for future and active duty members who serve the country in physically challenging and potentially dangerous professions. Contact Stew at stew@stewsmith.com for answers to your questions.

Stew Smith's Bodyweight Exercise Plan: Part I

CM SEAL Team blogger: Stew Smith

Calisthenics, or bodyweight exercises, originated thousands of years ago in ancient Greece and have been a major component of fitness in athletics, military, law enforcement, and daily fitness for home workouts without equipment. Here is a request from a Perfect Pushup user in our YouTube group seeking to do more exercises without having to go to a gym.

"I need help in making a full body bodyweight routine. Any advice/sample that you can offer? I am seventeen and have been using the Perfect Pushup on and off for a year now. With it, I am able to pump multiple diamond push ups more than I ever have in the past years."

I have been creating calisthenics based workout plans for more than twenty years to build muscle stamina, strength, and flexibility. By adding a form of cardiovascular activity like running, swimming, or biking to complete the workout, you can burn more calories and improve heart and lung circulation. I also like to supplement calisthenics with some form of simple weight training like dumbbells in full body movements. If you use the Perfect Pushup or the Perfect Pullup with your sets of exercises, you can reduce your repetitions by 50% typically depending on your fitness level.

Here are some sample routines that focus on both upper body, lower body, and core exercises:

Upper body Warm-up
Repeat 5-10 times
jumping jacks - 10
pushups - 10
*add pullups when multiple sets is possible at 5-10 reps per set

Lower body Warm-up
Repeat 5-10 times
jumping jacks - 10
squats - 10

Upper / Lower Body & Cardio Combo - A full body plan like the one below is a fast way to complete a workout with little or no rest by resting your upper body by working your lower body and abdominal exercises:

Repeat 3-4 times
Pullups - max reps
Squats - 20-30
Pushups - 20-30 reps
Lunges - 10-15 / leg
abs of choice - 50 reps
Optional Cardio of choice - 10 minutes

Supplemental Dumbbell Routine - see link for a great way to add to the full body workout.

Lower body / Cardio Workout - Here is a quick and challenging workout to build both leg speed and endurance.

Repeat 4-5 times
Run or bike 3 minutes
squats - 20 reps
lunges - 15/leg reps
heel raises (calves) - 20-30 reps

Tomorrow: Upper / Lower back Balance Cycle, Push / Pull Upper body Cycle, and Abdominal Cycle.

These workouts can be done throughout the week, but as with weights, it is not recommended to do the same major muscle groups on back to back days. So picking a calisthenics day and following it with a cardio workout on the next day is the easiest way to create a fitness routine for yourself. If you are new to exercise, just google some of the exercises in the workouts above or visit StewSmith.com for articles, pictures, and books complete with workouts and exercise descriptions.
______________________________________
Stew Smith CSCS, is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author specializing in military, law enforcement fitness for future and active duty members who serve the country in physically challenging and potentially dangerous professions. Contact Stew at stew@stewsmith.com for answers to your questions.

TGIF: PERFECT Workplace

Here's a new look for emergency room physicians: doctors with green shamrock antenna! Karin, our newest CM blogger and her friend/co-worker, went back to work in scrubs and race t-shirts after running a St. Patrick's Day race.

HOOYAH!

Life is Complicated

Guest blogger: Karin Anderson

First of all, please call me Karin. Just Karin. The "doctor" part is only for work.

I am a normal person. I'm not a born, natural athlete. If I eat too much crappy food and fail to exercise, I get fat. I have about as much coordination as your average toddler. I am fit because I work at it every single day. I do have a trainer, who is awesome (just check out his picture!), but a trainer isn't going to pull the pound cake out of your mouth or lift the weights for you or run in your place. Life is complicated, we all have a lot of obligations, and the only way to get and stay fit is to make a commitment to yourself and to make that a priority, or a part of everyday life, like brushing your teeth or feeding the dogs. Often that means going to the gym after a busy night shift, but you have to do what you have to do. Working with regular folks on what to do to lose weight, to keep it off, and to enjoy the process (or at least not hate it) – that’s why I’m here. There are so many emotional processes at work, and they involve learning to understand and accept your relationship with food and exercise, learning to find your place in this world, and learning to find joy in the little things.

Although I have not had any formal training in nutrition or exercise physiology beyond what I've learned in medical school, which is at least a decent background, I have several nutrition and exercise physiology texts which I love to read -- studying is actually FUN when you're doing it because you're interested in it, rather than having to cram for a test. So even if I don't have the answers off the top of my head, I have access to the resources and the ability to digest (no pun intended) them.

CHARLIE MIKE may be upbeat and positive, but it’s also realistic, and I’m not going to be the first blogger to tell you that you can sit on the couch and eat and achieve all of your fitness goals! Now that we have that behind us, if there’s a topic you’d like me to tackle, let me hear from you.

Meet Dr. Karin Anderson

Guest blogger: Keith Greer

CM Teammates -- my name is Keith Greer. I have been with Alden and Team Perfect since almost the beginning. My role is to run the television campaigns for the company’s products. It's an exciting job, especially when you have such great products and customers. Perfect Pushup was the #1 direct response spot for all of 2008 as measured by the Infomercial Monitoring Service. We owe this great distinction to our dedicated customers.

This week I would like to introduce Dr. Karin Anderson. She is an Emergency Room Physician in the Greater Dallas-Ft. Worth area so she definitely knows how to deal with stress. Karin is also a dedicated physical fitness athlete who clearly knows the human body. She's going to be an excellent addition to the CHARLIE MIKE team. We can all pick up some great tips from her knowledge of both disciplines.

Welcome Karin!

Effective Fire and the Right to Bare Arms Workout

CMT (CHARLIE MIKE TEAMMATES) -- Memorial Day weekend is coming up fast -- the "opening bell" for water-borne and by-the-beach activities – and with it comes what we call OPERATION SIERRA OSCAR – that’s short for time to take your shirt off…are you ready to bare your arms, abs, chest and back? If you’re still sporting your winter “coat” don’t despair – follow the below workout and you’ll be proud to Bare Arms by June. Just remember, YOU are the only one can make it happen – TAKE ACTION and you’ll be surprised at what can happen.

In SEAL Team we spend an excessive amount of time on learning to generate what we call Effective Fire – that is, making every bullet count, i.e. hitting the target as much as possible. Now not every bullet is going to hit the target, but the idea is make the large majority of the bullets fired “effective” otherwise, we’re just shooting air, wasting bullets and letting the bad guys know where we are – not good. Same rules apply for taking action toward our goals – if you take action but it’s not toward your goal than it’s wasted effort, but if you take action – however small – and the action is Perfect (on target), then even small amounts of “Perfect” action can reap you HUGE results over a relatively short period of time.

In essence, that’s what Team Perfect’s mission is – to create products that are Perfect in action so when you decide you want the ability to Bare your Arms, Abs, Back, Chest or whatever, you can take action that is as Perfect as humanly possible to achieve your desired results as efficiently and effectively as possible…all that said, as good as our products are, they’re only as good as those who decide to take action. So Fire Up your Summer with Effective Fire at your goal and know that everyone has the Right to Bare Arms!

HOOYAH!

CHARLIE MIKE – ALDEN

P.S. Enjoy the “Right to Bare Arms Workout”:

Equipment needed: Pullup Bar of some kind – Optional: Perfect Pushup, Perfect Pullup, Perfect Dip Bar

Week One
10 (Perfect) Pushups – Regular Position (one hand width wider than your shoulders) – so you can work your chest
5 (Perfect ) Pullups (if you can’t perform a Pullup do negatives – hands facing away) – so you can work your back (V-back!)
10 (Perfect) Dips – if no dip bar, then conduct Pushups in Close Position (hands in line with shoulders and elbows facing back) so you can work your Triceps
5 (Perfect) Chinups – hands facing toward you so you can work your Biceps

*Repeat this throughout the day 4 times
*Conduct every other day (4 days)

Week Two
12 Pushups – Regular
7 Pullups – hands facing away
12 Pushups or Dips – Close
7 Chinups – hands facing toward you
Sames rules as above – 4 sets day, every other day for 4 days

Week Three
15 Pushups – Regular
10 Pullups
15 Pushups or Dips – Close
10 Chin-ups
Same rules as above

Week Four
20 Pushups – Regular
12 Pullups
20 Pushups or Dips – Close
12 Chinups
Sames rules as above

If this is too easy or too hard for you then increase or reduce numbers by 2 repetitions at a time – THERE IS NO SHAME IN GOING TO YOUR KNEES TO COMPLETE THE PUSHUPS AND CONDUCTING NEGATIVES WITH PULLUPS AND CHINUPS – going to your knees on pushups or doing negatives on pullups and chinups is a helluva lot more effective “fire on your goal” than not doing anything at all – your biggest gains are on the last few reps that challenge you the most – so TAKE ACTION and CHARLIE MIKE!! ALDEN

CHARLIE MIKE: An Attitude of Action

What does the term “CHARLIE MIKE” mean?

In the Special Operations world – Navy SEALs, Delta Force, Green Berets, Rangers, Marine Force Recon, Air Force CCT/Para-Rescue, to name a few, we use the term CHARLIE MIKE as a code for Continue Mission when speaking on the radio to higher command or other teammates. Whether you’re about to jump from an airplane, dive from a boat or assault a target – CHARLIE MIKE is all about making the mission happen – it’s about Never Giving Up until you have completed the mission and hearing the words MIKE CHARLIE: Mission Complete.

Though very few folks will ever endure the training and missions of Special Operations teams, the lessons learned from these special warriors can be applied to anyone, and that’s what our blog CHARLIE MIKE is all about – encouraging folks to find their mission, whether it’s a better body or a better life, and Never Giving Up on their mission. CHARLIE MIKE blog is code for an attitude of action, and the people that post to CHARLIE MIKE are committed to taking action and encouraging others to do the same. You will never fail if you take action toward your goal, but you are guaranteed to fail if you never act. We hope those that post inspire you to set your sights on bigger, more daring, missions, and if they do, we hope you’ll post your journey so you can inspire others to do the same.

We’re on a mission – are you?

CHARLIE MIKE - ALDEN

TGIF: PERFECT Workplace

Guest blogger: Barry Moniak

Back To CHARLIE MIKE

As a kid I was fascinated with the process of becoming bigger, stronger and more coordinated. Over time I was equally perplexed with the reality of growing old and feeble. In my early twenties I crossed paths with a Deepak Chopra book, stating that medical science had not identified anything in the human body responsible for triggering the aging process. That was all I needed to adopt a philosophy of getting increasingly more fit forever.

At 55, for no apparent reason, my bubble was popped when I became the proud owner of a herniated disk in my lower back, causing formidable nerve damage down my right leg. The doctors were ever so helpful in explaining to me that there was no way of knowing how long it might take for the nerves to heal … or if they ever would. Instead of being the guy who might climb Mt Everest at 100, I was moving towards being the guy sitting in the rocking chair on the porch … watching life go by. The specialists said my condition was a result of weak core muscles. Well having taught Martial Arts and Skiing, along with decades of weight training, hiking, biking and Yoga I contested their diagnosis. Then as if adding insult to injury … they began educating me on the difference between the smaller primary or core muscles, and the larger secondary and tertiary muscles. And, that in fact, because my secondary and tertiary muscles were so well developed … they actually caused my injury.

A few months later my wife Laiya incurred a neck injury, again for no apparent reason, which was also a result of weak core muscles. In her blog post she describes her ordeal and how we came to the Perfect Pushups to begin our healing process.

What I want to share with everyone is what all has happened to us since then and the synchronicities that continue to happen. The road back to strength wasn’t easy or fast. It took more determination at our age than anything we’d ever undertaken. About 9 months following my injury Laiya and I were driving to San Diego for a speaker’s convention. We were discussing how to use our Perfect Pushup recovery story in our presentations and I told Laiya that we had to meet Alden -- long story short, in less than 24 hours, we were being ushered into the San Diego Convention Center and introduced to Alden Mills.

Laiya's blog led to a call from Daniel Mule, the Salt Lake City Public Treasurer and in charge of the Utah Association of Public Treasurers Conference coming up. We just returned from delivering the program to the UAPT, where both of us actually demonstrated using the Perfect Pushups while in business dress clothes. The group absolutely loved it, and now Daniel is quite the celebrity amongst his peers (his picture leads off the blog). The workout I’ve adopted most recently, which can be done in 10 minutes or less, without breaking a sweat or wrinkling my clothes is:

Monday, Wednesday and Friday I do:

(1) superset of 45 regular Perfect Pushups, 10 regular Perfect Pullups, and 30 full squats standing on two Bosu balls.

(2) A few hours later I do another superset using the same formula, using a wide grip on the Pushups and Pullups.

(3) A few hours later I do my last set using a close grip. Every week I add a few more pushups, at least one more pullup, and a few more squats to the count.

Back to the beginning of my story … because of the Perfect Pushups we’re back on a getting stronger and ever more fit campaign. I guess in SEAL Speak … I’m back on CHARLIE MIKE!________________________________________________


Check out Barry's End In Mind website to learn more about his work in leadership development, effectiveness consulting and motivational speaking. He can be reached at barry@endinmind.com.

Secret Weapon #1: Nutrition

CM SEAL Team blogger: Mike Ryan

What do you need?

Proper protein intake is critical for athletic performance. Though protein can be used as energy by converting amino acids into glucose, its primary function is to build and repair tissues. Protein is made up of essential and non - essential amino acids. The key difference is that the body can produce non-essential amino acids whereas essential amino acids must be gained through food. You need both. Good sources include whole foods (beef, fish, turkey) as well as high quality sports supplements. Supplementation is a convenient way to augment your diet to ensure adequate protein intake. (We’ll discuss this later - a lot of you aren’t getting enough.)

Are all proteins created equal? Not really. Different types of proteins are digested and synthesized differently and at different rates. Let’s take a look at two common sources of protein: whey and casein.

In a recent study, ingestion of whey protein produced a rapid rise in amino acids, whereas casein showed a slight rise in amino acid levels - but over a longer period. Additionally, the casein resulted in higher Leucine retention after 7 hours. Quantitatively speaking, whole body protein breakdown was inhibited 34% with casein. Whey however, resulted in a 68% increase in protein synthesis vs. only 31% with casein. Further studies suggest that a combination of protein sources may yield optimal results.

When do you need it?

The benefits of consuming protein as part of every meal are varied and well documented. In addition, recent studies have demonstrated the importance of protein as a component of both pre and post-workout meals. According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Nutrient timing, “Post-exercise ingestion (immediately after through 3 hours post) of amino acids, primarily EAAs, have been shown to stimulate robust increases in muscle protein synthesis. The addition of carbohydrate may increase protein synthesis even more, while pre-exercise consumption may result in the best response of all.” Bottom line, in order to grow and repair muscle tissue, we need to maintain net positive gain in protein synthesis vs. degradation. Here’s a good approach. Throughout the day, eat small meals (with protein) and focus on pre and post exercise macro-nutrient intake.

How much do you need?

Protein requirements vary greatly and are determined by a number of factors including type, frequency, duration, and intensity of training. Recent studies show that protein requirements for athletes far exceed those of sedentary adults. Intake estimates range from 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg (of lean body mass)/day. I bet that’s more than you thought! Individuals engaging in endurance exercise should ingest levels at the lower end of this range, individuals engaging in intermittent activities should ingest levels in the middle of this range, and those engaging in strength/power exercise should ingest levels at the upper end of this range.

One final bit of advice.

Everybody’s different. There is no ‘on size fits all’ program for optimal nutrition. There are tried and true guidelines (i.e. no sugar, beer is not a good carbohydrate, etc.) but you need to determine what works for you. As the saying goes, “You need to know where you are in order to get where you’re going.” Or something like that. Make a commitment to focus on nutrition for one month. Before you start, get a basic blood panel and get an accurate test of your body fat and lean body mass (ideally from a hydrostatic chamber.) Keep a log of everything you eat and check your weight once every seven days. At the end of the month, retest you blood and body fat. Have your doctor help you to interpret your ‘before and after’ blood work. From there you need only to modify your program and you are well on your way to increasing performance and overall vitality.

Write me and keep me posted of your progress and your results. Better yet, send pictures. Don’t quit. Stay focused. Remember, you only get one go-around. Live with Intensity.
_________________________________________________
Biography:
Michael Ryan is the President and CEO of Intensity Nutrition LLC. Founded by former Navy SEALs, Intensity develops super-premium sports supplements for professional, semi-professional, tactical, and functional athletes. Intensity will launch early summer ’09 and welcomes any recommendations for product development. Mike and Alden met during “running remediation” at Basic Underwater SEAL (BUDs/s) training. Special thanks to BMC Pardue for the introduction.

Secret Weapon #1

CM SEAL Team blogger: Mike Ryan

Secret Weapon #1

“Cowards never got started and the weak died along the way.” Truer words were never spoken.

The first time I read this quote I was standing at parade-rest waiting to begin my first day of SEAL training. The words were carved into a wooden bench that stood just inside the doors of the Naval Special Warfare Center. At my feet, just in front of the bench, stood a perfect line of about 30 helmets - the last remnants of students who had reached their mental and physical limits and quit training. Predictably, my initial reaction was a mix of skepticism and sarcasm. “Yea” I thought, “that’s a little bit over-the-top.” About twenty minutes later I realized my worst nightmare had just begun.

Throughout training, and later as a SEAL operator and BUD/S's instructor, I came to appreciate the full meaning of the quote. “Cowards never got started…” for me those words came to symbolize the never-ending process of self-improvement. Ultimately, change requires courage. “…And the weak died along the way.” A not-so-subtle reminder that change also requires strength.

If you reading this blog and you’re an avid fan of the Perfect Pushup (like me) I have to assume two things; First, you’re not a coward or a quitter. Second, you’ve made the commitment to improve strength and performance. You’re one of us. You’re on the team. So I’ll let you in on Secret Weapon #1 – nutrition.

“Nutrition” you say, “that’s no big secret.” But it is. Nutrition is like a good right hook. You know it works – you just don’t use it as often as you should. The bottom line; adopting a militant approach to proper nutrition will yield surprising results. So let’s get to it.

What do you need? When do you need it? And how much do you need? All good questions. Tomorrow we will focus on protein.

___________________________________________
Biography:
Michael Ryan is the President and CEO of Intensity Nutrition LLC. Founded by former Navy SEALs, Intensity develops super-premium sports supplements for professional, semi-professional, tactical, and functional athletes. Intensity will launch early summer ’09 and welcomes any recommendations for product development. Mike and Alden met during “running remediation” at Basic Underwater SEAL (BUD/S) training. Special thanks to BMC Pardue for the introduction.

Drop Down for LCDR Mike Ryan!

CM Teammates! You’re gonna need to drop on down for this next Navy SEAL blogger – God only knows how many SEAL candidates have done pushups at his feet – that’s because Lieutenant Commander Mike Ryan is a former Navy SEAL BUD/S instructor. He taught (and ran) Third Phase (last 9 weeks of Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training) for over two years and was responsible for training more than 300 SEALs. Before accepting command of Third Phase, Mike was at SEAL Team THREE (Coronado) where he led SEAL platoons in the Middle East.

I first met Mike when he was in Class 180 and I was in Class 181 – his reputation as Aquaman had already been established: he broke the BUD/S record for the 800 yard Combat Underwater Recovery swim (that puts him in legendary status in BUD/S!). We became fast best friends when we had the opportunity to spend some R and R in a Mexican jail (yes during BUD/S – no we didn’t get kicked out, but it was close), and we’ve remained best of friends today. He’s the best of the best - a truly inspirational leader, who gets the meaning of CHARLIE MIKE – he never quits – just ask him about breaking his legs during a timed BUD/S run – and top it off, he’s one of the most hilarious guys I know (put Rancich and Ryan together and your abs will be in knots).

Enjoy his CHARLIE MIKE posts, and know that like the other bloggers, he’s preaching what he practices – so get yourself Fired UP for doing 50 pushups before reading his blog tomorrow – because that’s how many pushups every candidate has to do in Third Phase – Drop on Down for Instructor RYAN!

HOOYAH and CHARLIE MIKE – ALDEN

CHARLIE MIKE SITREP: April 2009

Teammates – Check out our SITREP (Situation Report) for April: highlighting some of our new bloggers, topics and features.

1. Meet Tara Llanes, our first Athlete Ambassador.

2. TGIF: PERFECT in the Workplace – our newest CM SEAL Team member, my buddy “Sav” Saviano, kicked off this new weekly feature.

3. Marathon Mojo – from training to clothing – continues with Tim Grizzell, SEAL Team blogger.

4. Stew Smith’s Strength in Diversity series ended with “Too Short to be a SEAL” – look for Stew’s YouTube/workout coming up soon – swimming and the Perfect Pushup.

5. Perfect Products – designer Gray Holland took us behind the scenes with the development of the Perfect Counter and we unveiled the Perfect Dip bar.

6. CM congratulated the SEALs who saved the day last month and celebrated National Parks Founder Teddy Roosevelt.

7. If you haven’t joined Perfect Fitness, the perfect place to hang out with other fitness fans, what are you waiting for?

Give me your feedback: positive – negative – topics you’d like more of/less of – post your comments here!

CHARLIE MIKE – ALDEN

Mobilize Your Motivation

Teammates -- You need to understand “why” you are even considering exercise in the first place – your motivation lies here. To do this, do the following – get a blank sheet of paper and isolate yourself for 10 minutes – during those ten minutes write down every positive thing you can think of regarding “why” you should exercise – examples: get more energy so I can play with my kids, do more with my friends/girlfriend/wife, so I can travel, so I can get more out of life, so I can feel better, so I can…. Think of it in categories like personal (as in the example above) or medical – so I can lower my blood pressure or lower my doc bills or so I can prevent getting type 2 diabetes or keep my diabetes in check.

The list is much more than you may think and by writing it down it will help you unlock your subconscious and open up your conscious decision making. At the end of the day – you and ONLY you decide what kind of attitude you going to have, and you and ONLY you decide what your body is going to do and when it’s going to do it.

After you’ve finished your 10 minutes of stream of consciousness writing of the all the positive things you will gain by exercising – go back and circle the top five reasons that are most important to you – write those down on a separate sheet of paper and sign it, just like a contract.

Then, take another step if you have the guts – write down everything that prevents you from exercising – write every excuse that you make up to avoid working out…understanding your enemy is critical to crushing your enemy … and your ability to make excuses (not to worry, we ALL do it) is your number ONE enemy. As you do this process is will become clear to you that there are some key reasons why you should exercise – your attitude will shift from – “ugh, exercise today – do have to?” to “YES! Today is another opportunity for me to take control of my body so I can…..(you fill in the blank).” CHARLIE MIKE on this (Continue Mission) – it’s the most important element of exercise, so go GET yourself FIRED UP!

CHARLIE MIKE -- ALDEN

Easy Dayz Way to Eat Right

CM SEAL Team blogger: Marcus Colburn

On the road! If you Eat Right on your "PERFECT" road to Easy Dayz, maybe you'll find the "perfect" fountain of youth along the way.

If you do any travelling, then you know how difficult it can be to get a low fat, high protein meal on the road. I always like to travel prepared. I pack a chicken breast sandwich on whole grain bread and a banana whenever I jump on a plane. Once I get to my destination, I make a quick pit stop into a local grocery store and pick up instant oatmeal, some bananas, apples, or oranges, and bottled water. I pack my own "PERFECT FOOD"!

Teammates, we're on to our quest for the ""PERFECT"ion". Yes, we all know that we must do our crunches and eat right -- to Stay Lean and Healthy!

It has long been only a myth about discovering the fountain of youth -- but we have found it and it's so easy. Just stay motivated and keep on training and eating right. We'll be here to help you. By the way, be sure you use the handy carry along "Perfect Pushups" & check out this blog for motivation. It's full of great information from many experts on all of the current fitness and nutrition topics of the day. Let us know how you like it!

remember....
"THE ONLY EASY DAY WAS YESTERDAY"
HOOYAH!
NUFF SAID...

Rancich on Rugby

CM SEAL Team blogger: Tom Rancich

Navy SEALs are often compared to professional athletes -- and there's no tougher, better conditioned athlete than a rugby player. I played in high school and college and have even played a team of Brits on the deck of a Naval destroyer! I liken rugby to sprinting from wrestling match to wrestling match---for 90 minutes. I'd be playing now if not for the limitations of island living. The black eye above is courtesy of Guam Motleys vs Australian SAS---Guam Motleys 6, Australian SAS 0.

My favorite rugby quotes—
“Better to have lost at rugby than have ever played softball.”

“Mutt by nature, mangy by choice.”

“I am not a million dollar athlete that misses free throws, can’t score on an open goal or drops pass in the open field—I ruck!"

Yesterday's Athlete Ambassador blogger was Cal rugby coach Jack Clark -- his Bears faced down Army Friday night at Stanford University: EXTRA EXTRA: Bears Beat Army, 42-17, Setting Up Final vs. BYU Sat. at 7 p.m With Army for an opponent, what can I say but "Go Bears!" -- not to mention the fact that my first consulting firm was dubbed Wounded Bear Strategies.
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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.

TGIF: PERFECT in the Workplace

Guest blogger: Julie Erickson, Marketing Coordinator

Hello Teammates!

Since becoming a member of Team Perfect here in the marketing department a few months ago, I’ve experienced an unparalleled pride in the company that I represent. When getting to know someone, I honestly can’t wait for the question to come up— “So, where do you work?” Ahhhh yes! Then I get to talk about my amazing co-workers, our kick-ass products, and incomparable company culture. Predictably, if you were to look over at me when I’m having a conversation with someone I just met, 9 times out of 10 I’ll be doing the Perfect Pushup or Perfect Pullup “hand-gestures”! My explanation usually also triggers a reaction of “No way! You work for Perfect Pushup? Sweet!” So, since my employment began, I’ve done my best to spread the word to friends (and everyone else for that matter!) about the greatness of our products.


Case 1: The roommate. She works in a “suit-and-tie” kind of office in an 11-story building in the Financial District of San Francisco with mostly other mid to late 20-somethings. They have meetings every morning at 7am to get them fired up and keep the energy level high throughout the day by hitting a 2-foot gong whenever someone secures a lead. And NOW her office is also equipped with a set of PERFECT PUSHUPS!

Now, whenever someone has reason to hit the gong, they also have reason to drop down and pump out some pushups! And don’t think high heels are going to discourage the ladies—they kick those shoes off and do pushups too! When hunched in front of a computer all day, taking a short break to do some pushups is a great way to get the blood flowing and stimulate some inter-office rivalry!

CHARLIE MIKE -- JULIE

Meet Jack Clark, Cal Rugby Coach

Guest blogger: Jack Clark, Perfect Athlete Ambassador and Coach of the University of California at Berkeley (Cal) rugby team

NEWS FLASH: Bears Beat Army, 42-17, Setting Up Final vs. BYU Sat. at 7 p.m.

Read how the National Rugby Coach of the Year uses the Perfect Pullup: Go Bears!

“We do a lot of pullups because they’re great for grip strength” said Coach Clark. Picture this: if you’re lifting your opponents up into the air by gripping onto their shorts – be it in a scrum, a ruck, or a maul - you have to rely on your gripping, pulling and hoisting muscles.

Rugby is a field sport that requires a huge range of motion, from lots of different muscles, and the goal is always to prevent athletes from getting injured when they find themselves in unnatural positions. The Perfect Pullup helps to build up the muscles that will protect players’ shoulder capsules. Although pullups are for everyone, for athletes, “pullups are HUGE because they address the core, which is very important. The specificity is exactly what we need.”

Coach Clark also talked about the culture the pullup develops within their team. Rather than a competition with a useless exercise like the benchpress, i.e. “What can you bench??” the Cal rugby players have a competitive vibe of, “How many pullups can you do?” For workouts the Bears do a “handful of sets of pull-ups” or “max out” to see how many reps they can do it one set. Last word from Coach Clark: “Your max-out number becomes a big deal to us, and to test well on that test, you have to train.”

The CHARLIE MIKE Teammates are rooting for the Bears when they meet Army TONIGHT, at Stanford University.
_________________________________________
Jack Clark was named National Coach of the Year by American Rugby News on Dec. 29 in honor of his 2008 season, a 24-1 campaign that puts Clark’s career coaching record at 440-66-5 (.861) after 25 seasons, making him the all-time winningest coach in the Cal rugby program’s 127 year history.

Clark has also served as head coach for the Collegiate All-America team, from 1985-92; head coach of the U.S. National Team, from 1993-99; and general manager for the national team, from 1993-2003