Uruguay: Meet Jon’s 80 year-old aunt “Chiquita”

Jon said, “I went to Uruguay in South America to visit my family. I was doing Perfect Pushups and my 80 year-old aunt was like “I can do that“. LOL! Here are some pics of her using your pushup handles.”

When we asked Jon if we could share her story, he said, “This is pretty cool. She’s 80 years old. We call her “Chiquita” which is “little person” in Spanish. She was a Ballet Dancer in her younger years and modeled. She walks with a jump to her step. Very confident and is willing to take on challenges. She is truly a “one of a kind” kind of person. She feels younger then she looks.”

Jon, please thank your aunt for launching our newest monthly feature — Keep the pictures and stories coming — getfit@perfectpushup.com — and share your Perfect Adventures with the Teammates of Charlie Mike!

CHARLIE MIKE — ALDEN

Guest blogger, Tim Grizzell, Former Navy SEAL

A few weeks ago, a Charlie Mike Teammate asked Tim for some advice: “How do I go from walking to running when walking feels great and running feels awkward to me?”

Hello Lisa:

I am fired up to hear that you did Rudy’s Navy SEAL challenge and got the experience of turning yourself into a “sugar cookie,” otherwise known as getting wet and sandy! Congratulations on finishing the Virginia Beach Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon. You only gave yourself less than a month’s notice and you did it. I like it. You obviously have a positive attitude that inspired you to do the event in the first place and carried you through the event. I like to refer to it as “FIRE IN THE GUT!”

I will begin by saying that you are on the right track to go from walking to running. You have completed athletic events where you did both walking and running. Also, making slight modifications to your diet is a more sustainable approach that will work in the long-term versus some extreme diet.

Given that running has not been part of your weekly exercise program for many years, you will want to ease into it. From a physical perspective, you need to condition your muscles, joints and tendons for running. The last thing you want is an overuse injury by jumping into it too quickly.

On the mental side of things, you do not want to lose your motivation and desire to run by doing too much at the beginning. I will say though that you are going to have to push yourself out of the comfort zone. You clearly like to walk. Walking is great exercise and that is what your mind knows. Right now for you, running is somewhat of a foreign exercise. Yet – running will not feel as awkward the more you do it.

In terms of training tips for easing into running, I suggest the following:

-After you have properly warmed up, run a quarter mile, walk a quarter mile, repeat. I would try to do this running program three days a week.

-Once you are comfortable with the above program for some weeks, I would try running a half mile, walk a quarter mile (or a half mile if you need it), and repeat.

-I would just keep doing this type of training until you have worked up to a program where you can run a mile without walking. Just try to continue to building from here and give yourself small victories.

-Eventually, running will not feel awkward and you will probably start to run and not want to stop.

I will finish by sharing some personal thoughts on running versus walking. When I am running, I am generally thinking about a number of things that have nothing to do with the environment around me. My mind tends to wander and I come up with a lot of creative ideas and thoughts. Also, I am an “endorphin junkie.” Walking, on the other hand, produces some different feelings. I tend to become more aware of the environment around me, especially if I am hiking in the mountains or along an ocean side cliff. Although my mind is free to wander when walking, it is not with the same intensity as running.

I would be happy to answer any more questions about running you might have as you get further into your running program.

Fired Up!

Tim

Teammates — Tim Grizzell returns to Charlie Mike next month. Get Fired Up to train for a Marathon with Tim!

Guest blogger: Stew Smith

Here’s a question from PerfectPushup2008 YouTube channel: I wanted to say to say GREAT DEVICE!!!! I bought 4 and kept one and mailed the other three out to (1) Iraq & (2) Afghanistan (family in the Military). I have two question regarding 8 counts and push-reps/sets.

“First 8 count: My brother-in-law and nephew went through Great Lakes (mid 90s) and the 8 count was no longer being used due to stress on the knee while performing positions 5 & 6 on the 8 count. Has the Navy reinstated them or are they just used in BUD/S (at Coronado)?”

Answer: Here is the problem. The caliber of people joining the military are about 75% deconditioned people and the others are average fitness levels. So it is smart for the Navy to take out advanced elements of fitness like 8 count body builders and 5-10 mile runs. Compare the 8 count pushup to the 10 mile run – you would not ask a deconditioned person to run 10 miles without expecting injury of some sort. Same holds true for the 8 count pushup – it is an advanced form of exercise that should be done by intermediate / advanced fitness levels. YES – you will see it again at BUD/S – but likely not at bootcamp – unless they find out you are a SEAL wanna-be.

“Second: I was told that it’s best to perform pyramid sets of any type of push-ups”?

There are two great methods to producing a solid foundation of performance fitness for pushups. See article below for ideas of creating pyramids and supersets with a variety of exercises. Notice the Perfect Pushups used in the Swim PT supersets in the pictures…

http://www.stewsmith.com/linkpages/legPTsuperset.htm

These workouts will help you get your scores up to the 15 pullups / pushups 75 and situps 75 zones after a few / several months.

The other way to peak from your foundation is to do what I call max out sets. Pick 3-4 exercises like pushups, situps, pullups and a run or bike or swim for 3 minutes

Max out on your pullups, pushups, situps with 2 minutes each exercise then do a recovery cardio for 3 minutes. Do not stop until you reach 100 pullups / 200 pushups / 300 situps or other ab of choice…

That workout usually takes you from 15 to 25 pullups / 75 to 100 pushups / 75 to 100 situps in about 6 weeks…

Stew Smith CSCS

www.stewsmith.com

Special NOTE: http://www.avdlm.org/
Donate to the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial

Guest blogger: Tim Grizzell, former Navy SEAL

Although I currently live in sunny Southern California, I am from the Northwest and I also lived in Stuttgart, Germany for two years. So, I have logged plenty of miles in really cold weather.

Most discussion about running in extreme climates seems to be focused on the risks of too much sun and heat, which ultimately could lead to heatstroke. Running in very cold weather poses some hazards as well that we often overlook. Hypothermia and frostbite are the most serious conditions to consider when running in subzero weather. The risk of hypothermia and frostbite is not great when running shorter distances, but you still need to be prepared. Therefore, when you step out the front door, you want to ensure that you are ready for all of the elements: wet, cold and wind.

You want to prepare for all the elements that you might encounter when running in cold weather by wearing proper clothing and layering the clothing. You will want to wear a base layer of technical fabric designed for runners (i.e., long sleeve top and full length bottoms/tights) that takes moisture from sweating away from your body and keeps your skin dry (otherwise known as “wicking”). The outside layer of clothing designed for running that you wear on top of the base layer that should protect you from the wet and wind, but it should be breathable. As your body starts to warm up, you might want to shed the outside layer and wrap it around your body. If your body starts to cool down, you will want to put the outside layer on. You can always add another layer in between the base layer and outside layer if needed, but do not overdress because you could end up sweating too much. Lastly, do not forget your gloves and hat as well.

In cold weather, you also might encounter some slippery surfaces. You do not need to change your running form too much. Maybe lean forward a little and shorten your stride some if it is very slippery out.

Another factor to consider when running in subzero weather is breathing in really cold air. You might feel like you have asthma like conditions after your run because of the cold air hitting your lungs. Some runners might wear a fleece neck gaiter that they can pull over their nose and mouth. Other runners just breathe through their nose instead of their mouth and find that helps. Most importantly, I would try to warm up inside by stretching or doing some exercises (i.e., pushups, pullups or situps) to get your blood pumping before heading out the door because this will help too.

Lastly, do not forget to hydrate just like you would if it was very hot outside.

Fired UP!

Welcome to our Teammates from across the pond to CHARLIE MIKE (Navy SEAL speak for Continue Mission)! It’s now official, Team Perfect has landed on the Beaches of Britain! We’re Fired Up to be here and motivated to help our closest allies in the joint mission to Take control of your body – do this and you’ll find that you’ll be able to take control of your life!

To truly understand us (Team Perfect), is to truly understand The Perfect Promise – we shared it with our Charlie Mike Teammates on the First Day of 2009. Search on Perfect Promise and read our Promise to You. And don’t just read it – Be it – Live it…and if you have questions, by all means Fire Away, because the only way to truly be Perfect is to Never Give UP on your dreams!

HOOYAH GREAT BRITAIN TEAMMATES! (HOOYAH = SEAL speak for Fired UP!) Looking forward to hearing and learning from you.

CHARLIE MIKE – ALDEN

Guest blogger: Tim Grizzell

I’ll get right into it. I subscribe to the theory that humans were born to run. Relatively recent biomechanical research by University of Utah biologist Dennis Bramble and Harvard University paleoanthropologist Daniel Lieberman suggests that humans are built to outrun nearly every other animal species on the planet over long distances.

I personally love the following quote from Professor Lieberman. “From our abundant sweat glands to our Achilles tendons, from our big knee joints to our muscular glutei maximi, human bodies are beautifully tuned running machines. We’re loaded top to bottom with all these features, many of which don’t have any role in walking.”

I disagree with doctors that say running is bad for the knees. They either do not like running or just want to take the easy way out on the prognosis. When I was just out of BUD/S, I had a hard landing on my 5th and final jump at Airborne School in Ft. Benning, Georgia. I completely tore my anterior cruciate ligament and had two tears in my meniscus. Three years ago, I had some extreme pain in this reconstructed knee as I was preparing for a marathon. I went to see my doctor and he told me “running is bad for your knees and it is time to pick a less intense form of exercise!” I have not been back to see him, the pain eventually went away and I have logged many miles since.

No question – running is an impact exercise and our knees are affected as a result. In terms of ongoing care for the knees, my advice is the following:

1) run on soft terrain when possible,
2) inject some cross training when your knees are a little overworked (I personally like to cycle and/or swim),
3) try not to add any unnecessary pounds to your frame; and
4) rest your body if necessary.

I will conclude by saying that runners come in all shapes and sizes carrying varying loads, which is proven every time I run a marathon or some other distance. We are all born to run! It is just a matter of taking a realistic approach to conditioning your joints and body for a consistent running program if you want to run on a regular basis. (Note: Clearly, there are exceptions and I realize that not everyone can run for various reasons.)

Fired Up!

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

There’s not much Tim doesn’t know about the art and science of running — as the Teammates who asked him questions discovered. CHARLIE MIKE is going to “re-run” three of his replies this week:

* Humans Were Born to Run
* Running in a Very Cold Climate
* Pushing Yourself Out of Your Comfort Zone: Going from Walking to Running

Tim will be back next month blogging on How He Trains for Marathons so hold on to your questions. Brotha Al, CHARLIE MIKE is Fired UP to have you on deck!

CHARLIE MIKE — ALDEN

Guest blogger: Stew Smith

Stew,
I have been working out for several years now and have dropped from 335 to 250 and look and feel a lot better. I am 6′1″. I am working with a trainer and he has me on a bodybuilders diet but I have plateaued and I want to loose more weight. 50-20-30 diet. 50% lean protein, 20% complex carbs, and 30% good fats. If I change to a low calorie balanced diet will I lose a lot of muscle and not just fat? Thanks, John

Nicely done John – just by doing what you have done will add years to your life. I think your diet is fine so I would think about changing up the other side of the equation which is the workout itself.

When you hit a plateau – make a change: add more cardio, decrease weight on lifting and do more reps, add in new leg exercises, – sometimes it is as simple as adding swimming or more running to your plan – BUT at 250 I would pick a easier low impact aerobic activity like elliptical gliders, biking, rowing, etc. You may need to add some time to your workout to get these new exercises in OR just replace by using Perfect Pushups, Perfect Pullups versus weights.

Also arrange your workouts so you do your weights / PT first and then cardio last for better fat burning mode.

Stew

Guest blogger: Stew Smith

Question: I am a former football player and power lifter and not much of an endurance athlete, in fact 1.5 miles is considered long distance to me. Also I am over 230 lbs – how can someone like me become a SEAL?

SEAL Teams is all about being a TEAM Player so you already have the skills developed to be a TEAM player from your sports experiences. That is a plus! Now, I remember one guy at the SEAL Team that was 6’2” and 230 lbs and could do 30 pullups and run 3 miles in 18 minutes! So your size really has nothing to do with it. It is all a function of how hard you work to become a good runner and muscle endurance athlete.

We recruited a stud football player who weighed 280 lbs. He was a great leader, had just passing PT scores but assured us that he could lose the weight and perform on a BUD/S student level. In a matter of 4 months he was down to 200 lbs and could PT, run and swim with the best of his classmates at BUD/S. He even later made it into DEVGRU! So you cannot be discouraged about your size – in fact embrace it and work hard to be a better performer.

Physiologically it is easier to go from power lifting muscle fiber to endurance/strength muscle fiber than in reverse order. I did it and so can you. I did not lift weights for nearly 2 years prior to going to BUD/S and just ran, swam and PT’ed my butt off. It worked and when I started lifting again I was only about 6 weeks away from my previous maxes when I went on a weight gain cycle to prepare for cold water SDV diving in the winter.

In the SEAL Teams, you will be one of the bigger guys so you have to work hard not to slow the group down, but at the same time your strength and even teamwork ability will keep you in good stead with your peers.

Questions? Fire away!

_________________________________________________

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

Don’t miss Fight Science Special Ops with Stew Smith

February 23rd on Nat Geo Channel

Guest blogger: Tom Rancich

A friend of mine came up to me at a party once and said—“You saved my marriage.” I was fairly surprised as I hadn’t realized that I had made an attempt to do so. I asked—“How so?” She said, words to the effect of, well, “We were talking one night and blah blah blah and then you (Tom) asked me,” “Where is he?” I said—”He is at home” and you replied, “No—he is there”. My friend continued, “And you were right—he was there and always was there—-and all of his imperfections and annoyances became less important than the fact that he was there—always.” What she had realized was that he could have been anywhere but he chose—and continues to choose–to be with her in their life. That is worth a lot in a man’s view of the world.

So, what does that have to do with anything—well—mostly just this—are you there? Are you there for yourself? Do you stand up for yourself? Are you the friend to yourself that you always wanted to have at your side?

I know that might sound a bit huggy feely—even to the point of cheesy, but it is an important question to answer—because at the end of the day, or even the beginning, if you are not there for yourself then the day is lost.

So why wouldn’t you be there for yourself? I ask that as a serious question—but at BUD/S I saw it over and over—men walking away from themselves because they had decided that they weren’t worth the effort—and back then I didn’t care—good riddance to the quitters—but not anymore. I see the fallacy in that emotion—people need to understand that success starts and ends with ego. Ego is not something we are born with, it is something that develops—and for most of us our egos get developed around the things that embarrassed us—the things we fail at. I mean, I won hundreds of races that I don’t recall—but I certainly recall the one I lost by 2 one hundredths of a second. So here is the point—in my lectures I call it active introspection: Actively, consciously and periodically ask yourself what, why and how you are doing things… take time to define for yourself your:
a)Formative Experiences-Those experiences or events that formed the way you think, act, react, view your-self etc.
b)Definitive experiences- Those experiences that define the way you think, act, react, view your-self etc.

So through active introspection you can understand why you are making the decisions that you are making—if you are honest—and begin to sculpt how you make decisions to better achieve your true goals. I tried to start a tradition at BUD/S whereby the class leader from the class that had just made it through Hellweek would talk to the class about to go through Hellweek—my talk was pretty simple—“If you quit during Hellweek it is not because you can’t make it or because you are too cold or because all along you really wanted to be a teacher (actual excuse given to me from a quitter)—it is because you are willing to walk away from your brother when he is struggling for his life dream”. Okay a little harsh perhaps but I did have two people from my boat crew quit during log PT (4 people carrying log a lot harder than 6). Point is, that if you spend some time to know why you make decisions—honestly—you will start to see that a lot of decisions are made on old biases and are counter to your goals—oh, and doing this allows you to make bad decisions if you want to—just not lie to yourself about it!

If you are not there for yourself—no one is. If you are not thinking–actively and introspectively–about why you are doing things then you are not there for yourself. And if you are beating yourself up because you are short or fat or old or ugly—then you are not there for yourself. I told one of my dearest friends in the world once, “If anyone talked about you the way you talked about yourself, I would break their nose.” Don’t let your ego prevent you from being your friend.

_____________________________________________
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.