OPERATION SIERRA OSCAR II

Okay, last time I talked about OPERATION SIERRA OSCAR (Shirt Off) it was still raining out and even, in some places like the high Sierra, snowing! However, now there’s no excuse – the sun is out and it’s burning bright – time to man-up and pull off that shirt, if for no other reason than to get your 15 minutes a day of recommended Vitamin D (from sunshine – yes, even doctors recommend you get some sun).

The question you need to ask yourself is are you ready to bare your upper torso (men and women) to the world…or at least to your closest friends or maybe just to yourself…whatever the reason – succeeding at OPERATION SIERRA OSCAR is NOT hard – it just requires 10 minutes of work a day – seriously – 10 minutes – can you do it? Man-up and try!

Here’s the drill – pushups and pull-ups for ten minutes – that’s it. You don’t need the Perfect branded products to accomplish this mission – it’ll just take longer to get the results! The workout is simple:

1. Start timer as you conduct a set of pushups to failure
2. Immediately after you finish your pushups do one set of pull-ups to failure
3. Repeat without stop until your timer clicks to 10 minutes.

That’s it – so let me know it goes. Oh yeah, you should take a picture of yourself because after ten workouts you’re gonna be surprised at how much your body has changed and how much more often you’ll be taking your shirt off!

CHARLIE MIKE - ALDEN

S-T-R-A-C

To all you Dads out there – Happy Father’s Day! More than any other leadership role I’ve had – being a Dad is by far the best leadership opportunity I’ve ever had - and for that matter, the most important one. Yes, even more important than leading SEALs safely and successfully into harm’s way. SEAL missions are finite – every mission has a start and stop to it – but the mission of raising children is a lifelong mission and by far the most important tasker any of us could undertake, for these little minds get their bearings, their values and their moral compass directly from us. And if we Dads lead our mission correctly, our children will keep coming back to us over the rest of our lives as a resource for inspiration and encouragement, for guidance and advice, and everything in between…and if the mission goes really well, they’ll never stop giving us that wonderful hug and saying the words that make every Dad’s heart skip a beat: “I love you Dad.”

Now, I don’t know everything about being a Dad, in fact everyday I learn more about what I don’t know, because every day is different with these monkeys – which reminds me a whole helluva lot of SEAL Team. In SEAL Team, we train for 167 different types of missions – at least that was the count when I was in – I’m sure it’s even higher today. Much like waking up every morning or several times during the night – you don’t know what’s in store for you as a Dad or a SEAL Team platoon commander, and because in SEAL Team you don’t know what’s going to happen next, you and your teammates create a mindset that keeps you flexible and ready for anything – we call it: STRAC = Skilled Tough Ready Around the Clock. This mindset keeps you focused on continual improvement – just like the Japanese with their Kaizen philosophy – STRAC is all about improving your skills and never quenching that thirst to better yourself a little everyday.

One of the key elements of STRAC is keeping your body fit – after all what good is the best weapon system if you’re not strong enough to carry it to the objective?! Same goes for all us Dads – the health and functionality of our bodies is a critical component to the success of our mission as a Dad. Seriously – think about it – our kids will look to us as their first reference point on everything from how we talk to what we eat to our mannerisms, even how we stand or sit in a chair – their little minds are 24/7 computers with a video interface – they are constantly recording and computing what they’ve recorded on their little hard drive minds. These little monkeys are learning their first Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) from us (and of course Mom). A very important SOP to establish with them is exercising their body – from camping to swimming to biking to climbing on jungle gyms – our troops will be looking to us for SOPs on how to care for our bodies – DON’T DISAPPOINT THEM – set this SOP early in their lives and I promise you they (and you!) will get more out of life – trust me when I tell you it’s a whole bunch more memorable for them and you if you make up your own Discovery Channel adventure versus watching the Discovery Channel!

The other important element about the STRAC mindset for Dads: “Life as a Dad is already challenging enough, but it’s a whole lot tougher if you’re weak!”

To all you Mission Commanders out there – enjoy your mission – it’s the best mission you’ll ever lead - Happy Father’s Day!

CHARLIE MIKE - ALDEN

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

P.S. Quick shout-out to Jacob, the 16 year-old wrestler
who recently posted to Charlie Mike: please shoot me an email at info@perfectpushup.com and put your name and sport in the
Subject line. I want to follow up with you offline. Ted, if
you're reading this postscript, could you also drop me a
line? Same format: name & age in the subject line. Thanks!

What about doing PushUps from your Knees?

Alden Mills here, the creator of the Perfect Pushup. Let me be the first to tell you that more than your fair share of military fellas pump out plenty of pushups from their knees -- so in short -- DEFINITELY use the PERFECT PUSHUP from your knees if you start to get tired.

For some reason folks think that the moment you can't do a "full-body" pushup that the exercise is over - COMPLETELY ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY FALSE! Guys ~ Gals - you're just getting warmed up!! From your knees is where you can truly exhaust the muscles in your upper body - think negatives on a bench press - you can do negatives on the PERFECT PUSHUP too - that is lowering yourself slowly to the ground....add and make it work! ;-))

I use the PERFECT PUSHUP everyday and always end up on my knees to complete my workout. Now, you might not be able to do a full pushup right now, but as you get stronger, you can start doing "negatives" -- lowering yourself slowly to the floor in the full-body position (try a 5 second lower), then go to your knees ... whatever you do DON'T get frustrated, you're doing PERFECT PUSHUPs! They are much harder, but much better for you! Enjoy getting stronger!

Get FIRED UP to TURN on Your STRENGTH!

CHARLIE MIKE!

Alden

Memorial Day and the Naval Special Warfare Foundation

Teammates, with Memorial Day weekend coming up, I thought it would be a good time to introduce you to one of the more important links on the CHARLIE MIKE blog: www.nswfoundation.org.

Naval Special Warfare – NSW – is Navy speak for Navy SEALs and all those that support the SEAL teams and boat units. The NSW Foundation is the non-profit that supports the SEAL families in time of need…and lately, the SEAL families have unfortunately needed a lot.

I was first introduced to the foundation when a friend, SEAL classmate and teammate, Mark Frietag, was involved in a training accident. While he and his teammates were practicing Close Quarter Combat in a “kill house” (a structure designed with bullet proof walls so SEALs can practice live fire drills in confined areas to simulate hostage rescue or bad-guy hunting), Mark was struck by a bullet that somehow weaved its way through the bulletproof wall, Mark’s body armor, and his rib cage. The bullet came to rest in Mark’s spinal column and left him paralyzed from the waist down. Though there’s some financial assistance the military offers its vets, it’s not nearly enough to cover all the expenses of this kind of challenge (note, I don’t call it a disability – knowing Mark’s can-do attitude from training, he doesn’t think of it as a disability – it’s a challenge which can be overcome!). Enter NSW Foundation: they helped Mark and his family outfit his house with wheelchair access, get the best equipment for his challenge and assist with a transition to the civilian sector.

This example is the just the tip of the iceberg on what the NSW Foundation has done and does for its family of NSW teammates that it serves. Lately, NSW Foundation has been busier than ever helping the NSW family cope with life altering injuries and loss. Most folks don’t know what SEALs do when on a mission – and that’s the way it should be - but everyone should know what the NSW Foundation does to help those after the mission. The Perfect Pushup team feels so strongly about the importance of the NSW Foundation that we donate a portion of the sale of each of our products to the NSW Foundation.

So this Memorial Day, as you take a moment to thank our troops for all they have done and are doing, don’t forget about thanking the organizations like the NSW Foundation whose mission is helping those after their mission is over.

CHARLIE MIKE - ALDEN

How Do I Figure Out My Fitness Level?

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.

Post back to me on your progress!

CHARLIE MIKE - ALDEN

Thanks Mom!

Every Mother’s Day I call my Mom from wherever I am in the world and say “Thanks Mom”. Not just because of all the sacrifices she made for me and my brother over the years (she made a lot, and put up with even more because I wasn’t the most obedient kid), I say “thanks Mom” because she played a pivotal part in a decision that forever changed the outcome of my life – here’s the story in a nutshell: In the spring of 1981, I was 12, and was sick all the time. Like most kids who grew up in a four season state like Massachusetts, getting outside was the key to any kid’s sanity after being cooped up for four-plus winter months. The only problem with spring time for me was I always seemed to get sick more than any of the other kids – and most of the time my colds turned into a lung infection of either Bronchitis or Pneumonia, which sucked. So my Mom started taking me to doctors outside our small town until we met this one doctor at a very large hospital in Worcester, MA that I shall never forget – Dr. Z. He examined my lungs then made me do a series of breathing tests into machines that analyzed my lung capacity. After examining my results, the doc turns to my Mom and says: “Your son has asthma, he needs to have a less active lifestyle to lead a healthy life.” He then hands her two prescriptions and walks out.

I stood there and looked at my Mom with a “what did he say” look, and I watched her eyelids narrow – like she was getting pissed (I knew those signals quite well by that age!) and she turned to look me right in the eyes and said: “No one is ever going to tell you what you can or can’t do – you understand?”

That one sentence changed my life. The following years weren’t a bed of roses, I had more than my fair share of lung infections, all the while I took that damn doctor’s meds because we thought it might just help…turns out, SECOND PHASE of BUD/S was the only medicine I needed – that’s another story – but it’s what finally made me say good-bye to over ten years of inhalers and pills. Over the years I’ve done my best to live the spirit of that sentence; I’ve always tried to pass along the spirit to SEAL wannabes or would-be entrepreneurs and it certainly gets passed along to my three sons (sometimes to the chagrin of their mother!). The point is, you’re the master and commander of your ship – it’s your call what you do with your body and how you do it; and once you figure that out and you’ll learn that you’ll be able to control more of your life than you might first thought possible – don’t let ANYONE tell you what you can or can’t do.

So this Mother’s Day don’t pass up the opportunity say thanks to your Mom – chances are she’s made a real impact on your life – mine did - I know what I’ll be saying to her this Sunday.

CHARLIE MIKE - ALDEN