John Madden is a long time friend and brother, so when he said he wanted to get pushed to the edge of his physical potential with Innovative Results, I was honored!
He is pursuing a contract with the Navy SEALs, and needs the mental toughness and physical prowess that can step up to the job and pull him to the end of a very arduous training regimen. I am sure you have all heard the stories of this elite fighting force, and here is the beginning of the story from John Madden’s perspective.
John has already put several large scale accolades under his belt. He is a Marine and served during Operation Enduring Freedom as well as Operation Iraqi Freedom. He’s done fire fighter academy and was a reserve fire fighter. John is a skydiver, surfer, professional swing dancer, and full time fire inspector. He has always been active, but what he is not is a runner. …Well, let’s just say Navy SEALS do a bit of running. Don’t get me wrong he scores in the top percentages of the PST (Pre-Screening Test), but he wants to be at the top, and he wants to build the never-say-quit, never-say-die attitude of all SEALs everywhere.
We are going to take his current physical success, drive it into the ground, stomp on it, get it “wet and sandy,” and then build it on heart, will, and mental toughness.
Stay tuned as his training progresses!
Gentry says
Hi John. Best of luck to you on this venture. I quit from BUD/S class 266, and have a few suggestions for you.
Read as much as possible; things like Lone Survivor, The Warrior Elite, the SEAL Ethos, and this: http://www.defend.net/deluxeforums/fitness-nutrition-training-forum/15513-special-forces-motivational-speech.html
Don’t stop with American special warfare — there have many great warriors and leaders in the past that you can learn from, from General Patton to Miyamoto Musashi.
Get FIRED UP about everything you do.
“You must concentrate upon and consecrate yourself wholly to each day, as though a fire were raging in your hair.” – Taisen Deshimaru
You’re probably in good enough shape right now to make it through BUD/S. Continue building your mental toughness, because working out an hour or two a day is one thing, but doing it for 12 hours/day, constantly, plus inspections and gear preps, and the instructors climbing into rooms and annihilating all your hard work, well… that’s another.
That being said, run a half marathon a few times a week, and get used to running in boots and pants. Run trails and hills. Also, don’t let BUD/S be the first time you’ve gotten into the ocean for a 2-mile swim. That cold-ass water on the shores of Coronado at 0400 is single greatest enemy of any man attempting to get onto the Teams. Run half-Ironmans. Run sprints. Adventure races. The Death Race. Do things that suck. Fuck yourself up, because I promise you, the instructors will too.
Having been a Marine is a damn good start, for knowing what military bearing is all about, but the instructors will show no preference. If anything, they’ll talk a lot of shit to you about thinking you’re better or more likely to succeed over it.
Best of luck to you my man. Give ’em hell.
aguyett says
Thank you very much for the info and support, Gentry. I will proceed to F him up.