Get Fired Up for 2010!

Teammates, I want you to Get Fired Up for 2010 - and prove it by dreaming up some stretch goals. Set three goals - personal, professional, and physical. Here are mine:

* Personal - write a book;
* Professional - launch Perfect in 6 countries;
* Physical - my wife and I are going to do an Olympic length triathlon.

Don't miss this opportunity to start the New Year off on the right foot - write'em down - make a plan, and TAKE ACTION!

What are yours? I've heard from Joe and AKO -- check in and put up your resolutions!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TEAMMATES!

CHARLIE MIKE -- ALDEN

HOOYAH New Year's Resolutions!

Teammates, Who's up for a Polar Bear swim on New Year's Day? HOOYAH to CM SEAL Team blogger Tom Rancich -- ringing in the New Decade!

Here's Teammate Marcus Colburn with a challenge for the CM Teammates. He's posting his goals for 2010 and he's asking: WHAT ARE YOURS? Marcus, you have the floor! CHARLIE MIKE -- ALDEN MILLS

"Hey Team,

Well it's already here & it's time to set your sights on the future. I'm going to make my battle for perfection even more intense by tossing out all the stuff that slowed me down in the past & intensifying all the things that worked for me. Let's take diet for instance.... my practice of "eating perfectly clean" seems to have worked. So I will intensify that.

My working out too fast without paying close attention to detail definitely did not help further my cause. I love to workout & watching and listening to the talk of my results occurring at such a fantastic rate just made me go for it even more intensely. So, I pledge to think like a chess player: slow down everything & stay 3 moves ahead of my opponent/(injury or imperfection).

Looking back I have learned that it does not matter what others think of you. What matters is how you discern yourself. If I just keep my eyes on the prize -- synonymous to staying 3 moves ahead of the game, then I can & will achieve my goals. I will "stay ready for anything" because "anything" just happens at anytime.

As 2009 draws to a close it's nice to look back and see what we've accomplished over the past year (I'm the fellow in white and black under the Eiffel Tower, Summer 2009) and set some goals for what we want to achieve in the coming year.

What is your main goal that you'd like to achieve in 2010?

Publishing your goals like this for others to see will help get the wheels turning towards making your goal a reality.

Go for it team and let us know your goal for 2010! HOOYAH & HAVE A GREAT & PRODUCTIVE YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"NUFF SAID"

Marcus Colburn AKA Mojo Frog

How to Figure Out Your Fitness Level

Teammates, how many of you got the Perfect Pushup this holiday? How's it going? I'm going to re-run a blog that will answer some of the questions I've been receiving. Great picture of rock climber extraordinaire Beth Rodden! Check out her thoughts on Perfect Fitness. AMM

Question: Steve from Tucson, AZ asked, "How do I figure out my fitness level when I first start using the Perfect Pushup?"

Answer: Great question! Begin the entire program by determining your fitness level with a one set MAX. This means, using the PPU in Regular Position, do as many pushups as you can. Next, move to the schedule to see what you need to do each day. The first day shows as you noted:

MAX Regular
1 Wide
1 Close

To conduct a one set Max - simply position your arms in the REGULAR Position - that is hands should be one hand width wider than your shoulders. Get into the pushup positions (see the Perfect Pushup checklist on the calendar or Power 10 workout cards for proper form). Now, push out as many Perfect Pushups as you can while rotating through the pushup movement - hands should rotate out on the way down, and rotate in on the way up. The moment you start losing your form STOP doing pushups and record the number you did.

Let's assume you were able to do 12 Perfect Pushups - 12 is your One Set Max. Now, take your one set max (12) and round to the nearest 10 - in this case 12 is closer to 10 than it is 20, so use 10 as your one set max fitness level on the PERFCT PUSHUP workout chart or Power 10 workout cards. Locate the "10" row on the workout chart and read from left to right to understand the number of reps required for each position - REGULAR, WIDE, and CLOSE.

In the case of the 10 row - REGULAR, WIDE, and CLOSE repetitions are: 8,6,4,2 - this means do 8 reps,followed by 6 reps, followed by 4 reps, followed by 2 reps in two minutes. Go to your knees if you have to, but do your ABSOLUTE best to complete all the reps in one two minute time period. Depending on your pace during the two minute drill - assuming you have time - you can drop to your knees and shake out your arms for a few seconds before attacking the next set of reps. Remember, you don't have to do all three two minute drills back to back - you can space them out throughout the day.

CHARLIE MIKE -- ALDEN

Former SEAL on Fitness in your Fifties

Teammates, A SEAL from BUD/S class 57 has a lifetime of fitness to celebrate! 2010 is ONE WEEK away -- what is your fitness mission for this coming decade? There is no "I" in Team -- share your stories so we all can benefit! AMM

"SEAL76 - I am a former SEAL BUDS CLASS 57 SEAL TEAM ONE 1970-1973. I have been exercising since I was in high school and continue to do so. I am 58 years old and in better shape than guys half my age. Having been a SEAL taught me that you have to work hard to stay in shape but the results are worth every bit of the effort it takes.

Slogging through the Delta in Vietnam was a lot less difficult because of our daily PTs, runs, and swims. I don't have to do that any more but being in shape allows me to do yard work, snow shoveling, furniture moving and the daily tasks that call for a healthy body. Fitness has served me well as a public school classroom teacher. It not only keeps me going on tough days but provides an outlet for the frustrations that all teachers have to deal with. Your article should motivate young and old alike. HOOYAH!"

CHARLIE MIKE -- ALDEN

* Picture from wikipedia: Members of U.S. Navy SEAL Team One move down the Bassac River in a Seal team Assault Boat (STAB) during operations along the river south of Saigon, November 1967.

Perfect Products & Extreme Athletes

Why should an extreme athlete use Perfect Products?

Every once in a while I get a question – actually, it’s more like an off the cuff quip – from an “extreme athlete” that their conditioning needs require more than what the Perfect Pushup and/or Perfect Pullup can offer them. Thanks Mark "The Dominator" de Mori [http://markdemori.com/] an Australian fighter, for the lastest question. I’m not surprised by the response, after all, these men and women may not be personal trainers, but they have lots of personal training experience from their extensive workout routines…break – I categorize an “extreme athlete” as anyone who works our religiously 6 or more times a week with a minimum periodicity of 2hrs/workout session – I get their reaction, but they NEED to get my response, because training fundamentals don’t change just because you workout longer and harder than someone else – what changes is the length of rest, intensity, duration, muscle loads, and nutrition requirements - what doesn’t change is movement patterns.

If you run a 20k – does your stride change if you run 100k? Now, you can increase the challenge of a movement pattern by adding increased balanced and resistance loads, but the fundamental natural movement of the body doesn’t change! In the case of the Pushup or the Pullup, your arms: joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles, nerves – have a natural tendency toward rotation whether you’re pushing or pulling – and that tendency doesn’t go away if you workout for 2 mins a day or 2 hrs a day. So to all you extreme athletes out there – I applaud you for your tenacity – HOOYAH! Now, DON’T FORGET YOUR FUNDAMENTALS: TRAIN THE WAY YOUR BODY IS DESIGNED TO MOVE!

CHARLIE MIKE -- ALDEN

Perfect Pushup Live in Germany

Teammates, Perfect Online has a website for our German and Austrian customers -- take a look and spread the word!! The commercial -- live in German -- is on our Perfect Fitness Facebook page.

CHARLIE MIKE -- ALDEN

Age is a State of Mind

Teammates, Clint Eastwood shows us all that "age is a state of mind". This is NOT a cliché to those of you who know what I mean - two of whom contacted the CHARLIE MIKE blog recently*. One of the first concepts you learn in SEAL training is that body obeys the brain - sounds simple doesn't it? I'm here to tell you it isn't - like most things in life worth learning or having - it takes practice, persistence and above all else, a positive attitude. Ever wonder why folks who go swimming in frigid waters without a wetsuit don't get hypothermia when all the medical pundits say it should happen within minutes? That's because these cold water swimmers conditioned their mind to tell their body: "swim through it - don't worry about the cold, I'm going to send more blood to your vital organs to you can continue to perform"....of course the first time you enter frigid waters, your brain doesn't quite say it like that or so politely - it's more like: "Holy Sh&t - can't breathe - what the hell am I doing - doctor say I'm going get hypothermia in minutes – I think it's already happening - Ohhh my God I'm going to die..." and so the logic goes - and where the mind goes the body will follow.

So what's that got to do with Ted (62) and David (66) who both recently posted discussing their success with the Perfect Pushup?? Everything. Here are two men that don't allow their birth age to affect their biological age - they are effectively turning back their age by taking charge of their minds and their minds are telling their bodies what to do.

Yes, I know, we're all going to grow old and die. Fine. But whoever said that at some age you should just "take it easy" on yourself because you're "older" now should be shot. That's the wrong attitude - that's the attitude of someone who has given up on living. Here's the cool part - there have been several studies done over that last 2 decades of folks in their 80's and 90's - doctors put them through 3 month body weight training fitness programs...and guess what happened? Every single one of them GREW muscle – their muscles got stronger and larger! So, Ted, yes, we've had many folks like yourself experience muscle strength and size increases and significant weight loss - some folks in their 80s...and you know what, every single one of them has the same attitude - AGE IS A STATE OF MIND!

BRAVO ZULU to Ted (62) and David (66)!

CHARLIE MIKE - ALDEN

* This blog is a re-run from 2008 -- I hope new Teammates will find Ted and David's stories as inspiring as I did -- and do!

No Surrender, No Retreat, No Regrets

Teammates, it is an honor to introduce you to Larry Broughton - he's a former Green Beret, a remarkable entrepreneur, and a man on a mission to help others defy the odds. I hope you find him as inspiring as I do, and I believe you'll find his message is more than fitting for CHARLIE MIKE - NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS! Thanks LB for being a guest blogger on CHARLIE MIKE. AMM

Among the most powerful lessons I took from serving on Special Forces A-Teams (the Green Berets) in the U.S. Army were the importance of possessing a tenacious spirit, and maintaining a positive attitude in the face of difficult and challenging circumstances. Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that those who have experienced extraordinary and enduring success in business, the arts, athletics, and virtually every other field have embraced these two powerful “disciplines.”

I was blessed last week by meeting Jack Canfield (Co-Author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, and author of The Success Principles). Among other pearls of wisdom that seemed to flow from him, was this: “Everything we want is outside our comfort zone.” Wow! The clarity of this idea was like a brick to the head for me. Whether we’re pursuing personal, spiritual, financial, or physical goals, if it weren’t uncomfortable (and even a little painful, at times) we’d very likely already possess it or have achieved it.

Every successful person has faced challenges, and experienced setbacks and failures on their journey towards success. It’s a natural part of growing. For those who learn to anticipate it, embrace it and take corrective action towards improvement, find extraordinary success as their sweet reward. Winston Churchill has some of the most poignant quotes on this topic, and described the process this way, “Success is the ability to move from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.”

An important key to success is how we respond to the challenges and setbacks we face, and the attitude we choose to adopt when we’re knocked down. Too often, after a setback, we find ourselves curled in the fetal position, licking our wounds, embracing a victim’s mentality. Has that approach ever launched anyone towards his or her goal? A good attitude won’t guarantee victory, but a bad one will guarantee defeat.

If you’ve neglected your workout routine, missed a deadline, or fallen short of your goals, beating yourself up or wallowing in pity is a waste of time and energy, and will serve no good purpose. Instead, consider executing an After Action Report (we conducted these after every mission in Special Forces) to (a) identify problem areas that need improvement; (b) develop measures to counteract these problem areas; and (c) pinpoint “lessons learned.” Winston Churchill said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.” So, I encourage you to avoid the negative chatter in your mind, assess the situation, take corrective action, learn your lesson and drive on.

Here’s to your success!

Larry Broughton

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Larry Broughton is Founder & CEO of Broughton Hospitality, and served 8 years on Special Forces A-Teams in the US Army. He is also an author, speaker, and executive coach, parlaying leadership lessons from the Green Berets to the business arena.

What's your Perfect Pullup Record?

Teammates, head to our Perfect Fitness Facebook Fan page and check out the competition. A new one starts every Monday -- it Fires me UP to see the points accumulate. Here's AKO's explanation:

This week's contest will test, and compare, the accumulation of pullups over five days. If you don't have ready access to a pullup bar, however, don't fret; there is still ways for you to earn points this week. Here's the point breakdown:

Perfect Pullups......3 points each
Bar Pullups...........2 points each
Australian Pullups...2 points each
Standing Rows......1 point each

As you can see, one could theoretically do Australian Pullups and Standing Rows, albeit many of them, and still have a run for the trophy. All variations using the Perfect Pullup Handles are worth 3, and all variations utilizing the bar are, concordant worth 2. The contest ends at 10:00pm Eastern Standard time. Good luck to all contestants.

Pull 'em up!!!

Teammates, what are you waiting for?

CHARLIE MIKE -- ALDEN

Perfect Pullup & Olympic Barbell

Teammates -- Here's a question perfect for Marcus Colburn (and Thank You for keeping us on our toes with these challenging questions! AMM). Common sense warning: Marcus Colburn aka Mojo Frog is a former Navy SEAL and an extreme athlete and professional trainer. Make sure you adapt his ideas to your fitness level and have a Swim Buddy (aka spotter!) to work with.

Would the pullup handles fit around an Olympic barbell? I have an Olympic barbell set, and squat rack, and would want to use the Perfect Pullup through there, and I want to know if it would fit, before I decide to order. Thank you for your time. Here's Mojo Frog!

As far as the perfect handles working on a barbell...

It does & will work on a barbell set as well as a squat rack as long as you do the exercises that they can be used safely for like...BACK WORK, as well as TRAPWORK. Doing shrugs, bent over rows & anything like that ... don't get the hooks in a position so they come loose by raising it the wrong way or too high. One just has to make it so the extension from the hook to the handle doesn't get in your way. And there is an open end to the hook themselves that you have to be wary of! Just takes common sense. Just be safe because once you raise the bar over your head the handles don't make sense.

TRAIN HARD WITH PASSION, GET RIPPED & STAY READY....

HOOYAH...

"NUFF SAID"

Cheers!

Mojo Frog

P.S. Teammates, here's a quick health bulletin. It turns out that I need to have my cast on for 8 more weeks.. but that's not going to stop me. I just work on my stretching, ab work & lots of legs.. hams, quads, calves. I still practice tai chi chuan. This activity & diet is sure to help me watch my (girl-ish figure) since no one else does...grins!

Pearl Harbor Attack, Dec 7, 1941

Teammates – Sixty-eight years ago today was the attack on Pearl Harbor. Nine ships of the U.S. fleet were sunk and the overall death toll reached 2,350. The battleship Arizona alone lost 1,117 military personnel. As I have said before, probably one of the more over-used terms today is “on a mission” but what does it really mean? I want to define the true term, because once you appreciate it, you’ll think about it in a whole new light.

In the military, On a Mission literally means in harm’s way, and in SEAL Team on a mission meant doing whatever it takes to get it done – including if absolutely unavoidable, the ultimate sacrifice. Sixty-eight years ago, there were men and women out there willing to die for a good greater than themselves.

Today let us honor the memory of the brave men and women of Pearl Harbor. They were willing to die to complete a mission and their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

CHARLIE MIKE -- ALDEN

Perfect Christmas Trees

Tomorrow, Friday, December 4th, Team Perfect is volunteering at the San Francisco 2009 Guardsmen Christmas Tree Lot at the Fort Mason Festival Pavilion in San Francisco: I'm the Day Czar and I'll be there all day! Come by -- meet Team Perfect and find yourself a Perfect Tree. Since 1947 The Guardsmen has been helping at-risk youth with the resources they need to thrive. Each year The Guardsmen sends 2,500 youth to outdoor education programs and provides scholarship support more than 250 students at Bay Area private schools. HOOYAH!

What are you doing this holiday season to give back to your communities? Post a comment and let us all shout you out!

CHARLIE MIKE -- ALDEN

Navy Flyboy Nate & the PP Mobile

Teammates, a Perfect Team member gave a Perfect Pushup Mobile to Nate, a friend who is a Naval aviator: his letter is below. Since we can't share his last name, picture or location, we're borrowing Hollywood's most famous Navy flyer! Perfect Fitness has donated Perfect products to every ship in the fleet and it fires us all up to hear from our sailors -- so please fire off a message to
CHARLIE MIKE. AMM

"Thank you sincerely for the Perfect Pushup travel set that you gave to me - I use it every day and love it! Like everyone else, finding time to work-out seems impossible sometimes, and the convenience of the PP set solves that issue to a great extent. I've had multiple friends who have seen it at my house and subsequently gone and purchased their own. Also, the travel set has been great for working out on the aircraft carrier (I'm in the Navy) because of it being so light and compact.

Additionally, as a pilot, I try to focus on core muscle groups to help with G-tolerance, and the PP has helped a lot. Again, I really appreciate your generosity and will encourage others to use your product any opportunity I get."

Thanks Nate! Teammates, I'm re-running my thirty day/lose 10 pound plan on Twitter @aldenmills -- why wait for 2010 to get in shape?

CHARLIE MIKE -- ALDEN