Podcasts about outrigger canoe

Area/TopicCanada, BC, PaddleboardingPamela MartinOwnerBlue Jellyfish SUP AdventuresPam tried paddleboarding for the first time in 2010 and fell in love! She is now is a certified Paddle Canada SUP Basic & Advanced Flatwater Instructor, as well as a Coastal Touring 1 Instructor. ​Pam studied Marine Biology at the University of Guelph & Commercial Photography at Sheridan College. Her love of the water has led her to many aquatic pursuits - canoeing as a child, competitive sailing, sprint canoe/kayak racing and long-distance Outrigger Canoe racing before discovering the sport of Stand Up Paddleboarding.https://www.bluejellyfishsup.ca/SummaryPam Martin from Blue Jellyfish Stand Up Paddle Board Tours shares her journey in the adventure tourism industry. She has always been drawn to the water and pursued a career in marine biology. After discovering stand-up paddleboarding, she started incorporating it into her tours and adventures. When her business partner had to step away due to illness, Pam focused more on lessons and courses, but now she is bringing back the culinary and music components. She plans to expand her business to warm destinations like Costa Rica and Ireland, where she has already explored and paddled. The food scene in Ireland has evolved to include healthy farm-to-table options, and there is a strong emphasis on community and connection. In this conversation, Pam discusses the different types of paddleboards and their pros and cons. She explains that inflatable paddleboards are not a gimmick and that high-quality inflatables can feel just as solid as hardboards. Pam also mentions that inflatables are a great option for those who don't have storage space for a hardboard and are easy to travel with. She emphasizes that paddleboarding is a sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and fitness levels, and that it offers a low-impact workout that engages the core. Pam encourages people to give it a try and experience the magic of being out on the water.TakeawaysPam Martin's love for the water and the outdoors led her to pursue a career in adventure tourism, specifically in stand-up paddleboarding.She values the connection and community that can be created through adventure tourism experiences.After her business partner had to step away, Pam shifted her focus to lessons and courses, but she is now reintroducing the culinary and music components to her tours.Pam plans to expand her business to warm destinations like Costa Rica and Ireland, where she has already explored and paddled.The food scene in Ireland has evolved to include healthy farm-to-table options, and there is a strong emphasis on community and connection. Inflatable paddleboards are not a gimmick and can feel just as solid as hardboards.Inflatables are a great option for those who don't have storage space for a hardboard and are easy to travel with.Paddleboarding is a sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and fitness levels.It offers a low-impact workout that engages the core.Paddleboarding allows for a magical experience of being out on the water. Learn more about the Big World Made Small Podcast and join our private community to get episode updates, special access to our guests, and exclusive adventure travel offers at bigworldmadesmall.com.

Ka Lahui Kai went to Tahiti to compete in the 2022 Hawaiki Nui Va'a and did not disappoint. They brought together some of the top paddlers in the sport and had a very impressive finish as a team.  We cannot wait to see what they accomplish next! We sit down with Danny Ching and Kala Diaz to talk about their ama on Day 1, and their ama on Day 2. And then their ama on day 3. And trust - it was something to talk about! We got day by day and dive into their course strategy and if they stuck with it.  We talk about how they kept focused, their nutrition, and also who had the worst hangover on Bora Bora. It's a great episode ya'll. This episode is not sponsored by Athletic Brewing Company...yet. However, the discussion is open with V8 Splash. Support the show

We're Off Da Couch and just hackensackin' and chattajackin' over here - making up for radio silence last week. We have a multi-race episode for you!There's a lot of stuff going on here: Once again, Will has something to say about his favorite podcast topic: Brent.  Kelly is overcoming an injury that almost cost them the podcast episode - but she shall prevail. They both reminisce on their past goals and races because now they're just on preschool pickup duty.  Katie and Wardell Lee are newlyweds with a busy racing schedule but are still committed to putting on one of the best races on the East Coast. The 6th Annual HACK Race on the Hackensack River is on Saturday, October 15th, 2022. This race paddles through a lot of historical landmarks on the Hackensack river. A must-do for anyone looking for something new!Judson Grey went ham for 31 miles through the Tennessee River Gorge and won the OC1 division at the Chattajack 31 on his Kai Wa'a Draco. He tells us the race strategy he went in with as well as how he prepared mentally for this long-distance race. He's got big goals, and is ready to take on more races. FYI: The Chattajack 31 sells out in MINUTES and is attended by over 500 racers! And yes, they've already announced the 2023 date. The 12th Annual Chattajack will commence on October 28, 2023 at 8:30AM.General Registration will open at Midnight EST on May 1st, 2023.  Off Da Couch Race Results Newport Aquatic Center The Hack Race put on by the Wanda Canoe ClubChattajack 31 Culture Hot Sauce  No Sugar, No Preservatives, No BSUse Code: COCKTAILSANDCANOES for 15% ofSupport the show

World champion outrigger canoe paddler and Kula, Maui mom Lauren Spalding joins us on 'Muthaship' this week! The Hawaiʻi waterwoman and surf-ski racer won the Molokai to Oahu solo championship 12 times! Spalding's amazing physical endurance was also featured in a short film by Yeti called "River Pirates". How does this superwoman manage to crush life's challenges and what's her personal motto? Listen to our conversation right now on the 'Muthaship' podcast on our website or search for 'Muthaship' wherever you download podcasts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We sit down with RJ DeRama to talk about the past, present and future of the Makapo Aquatics Project. As well as what order he watches Star Wars in.The Makapo Aquatics Project was originally a team of five blind men gathered together by John Chavez.  It was John's dream to field a team of all blind paddlers to compete in the 18-mile Queen Lili'uokalani Outrigger Canoe race in Kona, HI.  Being the largest race in the world, it would be a showcase of what blind people could accomplish despite their disability.For more info: Rj@makapo.org and www.makapo.org Support the show

The Pualele Outrigger Canoe Club set off this morning endeavouring to paddle around Samoa's island of Upolu. They believe it's the first time it's ever been done in a va'a, Samoa's traditional outrigger canoe.

Join us for another Pau Hana Aloha Friday! Setting the intention you will always find joy listening to our stories and random nuggets of wisdom. Hahaha very random ;) Anyway, hoping you like us enough to LIKE, SHARE, SUBSCRIBE and just maybe become one of our patrons on PATREON! We also accept TIPS at ANCHOR.FM. If you prefer to listen to us on your tv, we are also on Youtube. MaiTaisAtSunset.com In this episode 26… “This Is How We Do It” by Montell Jordon is our favorite song of the week As the title says, Hawaii is allowing surfing competitions and outrigger canoe paddling and events plus marathons, and more to all resume as Hawaii shifts to tier 4. Hawaii flights are full and hotels and resorts are still in the process of fully reopening, while vacation rentals try to fill the gap. We've got some yummy food and treats to find in Hawaii and Texas. Tai talks tattoos and Mai gets lost in a Kauai rainforest. Aloha, Mai and Tai --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/maitaisatsunset/support

Join us for another Pau Hana Aloha Friday! Setting the intention you will always find joy listening to our stories and random nuggets of wisdom. Hahaha very random ;) Anyway, hoping you like us enough to LIKE, SHARE, SUBSCRIBE and just maybe become one of our patrons on PATREON! We also accept TIPS at ANCHOR.FM. If you prefer to listen to us on your tv, we are also on Youtube. MaiTaisAtSunset.comTexas has a lot to offer as a nearby vacation destination, fabulous Restaurants, Museums, Parks, Beaches and so much more. How To Make A Lot Of Friends In Hawaii. Hawaii still under flash flood warnings. Murky water hides Sharks but may also be contaminated with bacteria, not the good kind! Outrigger Canoe racing and different associations and paddling conditions The Ala Was is beautiful but don't swim in it We always appreciate your support. Alooooohhhhaaaaaaa :) Copyright MaiTaisAtSunset 2021 --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/maitaisatsunset/support

About: Peggy earned her BA in Economics at Stanford and a certificate in Project Management from San Diego State University. She holds her FINRA series 7, Series 66, Insurance producer certifications and Chartered Life Underwriter Designation ® (CLU®). Peggy is an active member in the Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) and the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) where she certified as an LGBT Business Enterprise. In 2009 Peggy left behind a 23-year career in corporate management to start her own Senior Move Management and Project Management Consulting businesses. In 2013, at age 53, she made a career change when she saw, first-hand, the effect life events had on women’s financial security. She realized there were very few female financial advisors and financial advisors who could relate to the different planning needs of women and LGBTQ. She also learned that women want a more collaborative and educational approach to planning. Peggy is a lifelong athlete. She was a Highschool All American Swimmer and a member of the Women’s National Waterpolo Team. She has also competed Outrigger Canoe, Team Handball and Dog Agility. As an athlete, trainer and coach, Peggy uses a coach’s approach with her clients. She knows how to inspire women to take control of their financial plan. She works collaboratively with her client’s other advisors (CPA’s, Attorneys, Mortgage Brokers, etc.) to put together a plan where her clients can make and manage their own money, live the lifestyle they want today and feel confident about their tomorrow. Specialties: Peggy typically works with female practices (veterinarians, doctors and attorneys) and small business owners. Quote: “You have been assigned this mountain so you can show others it can be moved.” — Unknown Connect: Contact Peggy at peggy.haslach@thefinitygroup.com or at (503) 380-0041 or visit her website below! MEMBER SINCE JUNE 2019 LEARN MORE Registered Representative, Securities offered through Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a Broker/Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisor Representative, Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor. Finity Group, LLC and Cambridge are not affiliated. Check out the background of firms and investment professionals on FINRA’s BrokerCheck. Share BACK TO TOP JOIN A CHAPTER START A CHAPTER 1-833-W-SOURCE © 2019 The W Source™ - All Rights Reserved. https://www.thewsource.com/ https://thefinitygroup.com/ ---------------------------------------------------- About Erin Female-identifying and want to be a guest? Book here! https://WearHappyConsult.as.me/conversationsaboutclosets Erin Keam is a stylist like no other, thanks to her unique The Happy Wardrobe Method. This Method, which provides instant insights and lasting results explores beloved possessions in your home to find personal themes and create a one-of-a-kind Style Statement, transforming your wardrobe and positively impacting your closet, business, career and life. Oh, and she teaches you to look great, get dressed easily and with confidence. Discover your style brand and get to your ideal closet (& life) faster! https://www.thehappywardrobe.com/ Click to book a FREE Wear Happy Consult (she's on PST time) https://WearHappyConsult.as.me/FREE Or to talk about how you look on camera https://WearHappyConsult.as.me/ZoomReady Or to sign up for her FREE Zoom-Ready workshops https://www.thehappywardrobe.com/zoom-ready -- --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/erin-keam/support

WOW! You get to meet LAFD Engineer, Outrigger Canoe WORLD CHAMP, Bodybuilder, mom, & all around bad ass MF, Julie Wolfe! Julie tells us how she was one of the 1st LAFD women, working the toughest houses & promoting to engineer. She shares an incredible rescue story from a hotel fire, then drops in her own WILD rescue story as an Outrigger Canoe'r. This interview BLEW US AWAY, US. 

WOW! You get to meet LAFD Engineer, Outrigger Canoe WORLD CHAMP, Bodybuilder, mom, & all around bad ass MF, Julie Wolfe! Julie tells us how she was one of the 1st LAFD women, working the toughest houses & promoting to engineer. She shares an incredible rescue story from a hotel fire, then drops in her own WILD rescue story as an Outrigger Canoe'r. This interview BLEW US AWAY, US. 

Join me for a wonderful conversation with Jade Skinner. Jade is an Ashtanga Yoga teacher in St Petersburg, Florida and an avid Outrigger Canoe paddler. In this podcast we converse about the finer details involved in teaching yoga, moving past fear through paddling and what freedom means to her. Check Jade out at her website sacrejade.yoga, on IG @sacredjadeyoga and join her newsletter to find out more.

Dan talks story with outrigger canoe racer Kaimana Brummel, and learns about her family's ties to canoe paddling. At age 22, Kaimana became the Executive Director of Hawaiian Canoe Club, continuing the legacy of being deeply involved in this Kahului-based canoe club. Through her work with the club, Kaimana has organized the Pailolo Challenge outrigger … Continue reading "Episode 6: Outrigger Canoe Paddling History and Culture with Kaimana Brummel" The post Episode 6: Outrigger Canoe Paddling History and Culture with Kaimana Brummel appeared first on Maui Online.

In this podcast episode I catch up with Carter Johnson, Race Director for the Gorge Downwind Festival.   In just four years this race has become the single biggest downwind event in the world.   With 750 participants, featuring equal numbers of Outrigger Canoe and Surfski paddlers, plus a good contingent of Stand Up Paddle Boarders.   But more than just a race, this has become a week long festival celebrating paddling, downwind, beer, Rivers for Change, and loads of camaraderie. In this episode Carter provides some interesting insights into how the race has evolved and what to expect for 2018.   We touch on the following key areas and much more: Beyond race week, growth in the downwind paddle scene throughout the summer and Carter's downwind retreat compoundA breakdown of the number of racers signed up this year across the different paddle disciplines as well as where they are coming from geographicallyHow the Gorge Downwind Festival may ultimately bring surfski paddling the recognition it deserves in the USChanges for 2018 including: Later beer tent hoursA completely stocked beer truck with 26 beers on tapChanges to signal the surfski startSafety precautionsRace navigation strategies and how minute changes of the wind direction will change the course I hope you enjoy the podcast and more importantly I hope to see you out there in a couple of weeks! Nick

Terence Quong is a beloved athlete and friend in the Sand Point Outrigger Club in Seattle and the one everyone wants to pass.  Endurance is one of “Q’s” strongest suits and helped him in an epic nine channel Hawaiian Island Crossing, as well as an incredible military and civilian career in aviation.  Q talks about early life, family, Outrigger Canoe, and the O’hana that make it all happen.  Terence shares the story... Read More

Audrey Frey is an epic Lawyer defending our freedoms behind the scenes in the capital of Washington State.  And when she’s not serving the citizens of the “Evergreen State”, she is Dragon Boat, Outrigger Canoe, or Stand Up Paddle Racing!  In 2015, Audrey represented Team USA on the U24 Mixed and Women’s Crews at the International Dragon Boat Federation’s (IDBF) 12th World Dragon Boat Racing Championships.  Audrey gives us a premiere on... Read More

Danny Ching is one of the fastest in the world  in stand up paddle racing, and an epic gentleman and ambassador of the sport.  Danny’s Father, Al Ching brought the epic sport of Outrigger Canoe to California in the 1970s, and in this environment, Danny found his love of the water and racing.  In 2014, Danny set a world record for speed on a stand up paddle board at the “Lost Mills time trial... Read More

John Puakea is a legend in the Outrigger Canoe community and has brought his years of experience to the Stand Up Paddle world.   As an exceptional technical coach, John has helped push world-class paddlers to the next level in international competition. His ability to improve the performance of already-elite paddlers also led Team Bradley to consecutive first-place finishes in the Molokai-to-Oahu Na Wahine O Ke Kai, and to the fastest crossing time by... Read More

Lisa Schell is the Editor at Distressed Mullet and an epic ambassador of the sport of Stand Up Paddle Boarding and Outrigger Canoe. We were able to spend some time with Lisa during her whirlwind tour of Seattle and the Hood River to discuss “Distressed Mullet” and a host of other topics to include “Paddle Monster” and the sport of SUP and why it is unlike any other sport in the world.... Read More

Jen Kjellsvik is an incredible water woman excelling in Stand Up Paddle Racing, Outrigger Canoe, and now Whitewater SUP! She’s been in the sport for the last eight years and her biggest accomplishment is getting children to love the water. Jen tells us about the incredible whitewater SUP community she has built there for the children of Bend, Oregon and some great tips on starting such a community in your own town.... Read More

This is a special bonus podcast episode with the guy you get to meet and hang out with if you come to Two years ago, I reported on my experience at the brutal SEALFit Kokoro camp, a 60+ hour crucible you can read more about at "" In that article, I mention a guy named "Lance Cummings". Coach Lance's snarling face struck fear deep into the heart of every Kokoro participant in my class, and he is well known for being the man who dishes out extreme amounts of suffering and hardship for anybody brave enough to step into Kokoro. But there's much more to coach Lance Cummings than simply being a man who could kill you with his pinky finger. Technically, Lance is director of training at . Before that, retired from Active Duty Navy Service with 30 years of combined Active and Reserve service. After graduating BUD/s Class 124 he deployed overseas in support of US Foreign Policy with six different SEAL teams on both the east and west coast. He served at the Naval Special Warfare Center as a Basic Underwater/SEAL (BUD/s) instructor where he earned his Master Training Specialist classification. He also worked several State Department Security Team contracts with private employers during his time in the Naval Reserves. He left Active Duty in 1995 to pursue a Doctorate of Chiropractic degree, graduating in 2000 from Life Chiropractic College in Atlanta. While running a Chiropractic practice in Ga. and continuing to serve in the SEAL Reserves, he was recalled to Active Duty in January 2002 to deploy to the Middle East in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. He made 7 subsequent Middle East deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq with three different SEAL Teams as well as contracting with Blackwater Security. As the Training Officer at Naval Special Warfare Group 1, in charge of West Coast SEAL Team operational training and readiness, he helped establish the Human Performance Initiative, a tactical readiness assessment and evaluation testing system utilized by every SEAL team today. Since retiring from the Navy in 2011, Lance has coached at SEALFIT Integrative Training, where he, Mark Divine, and numerous SEALs and selected civilian coaches conduct multi-day Academies, 20X, Kokoro Camps and custom team events, both locally and internationally. His athletic accomplishments include hundreds of triathlons, multi-day adventure races (he once paddled from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through the Panama Canal in 15 hours), endurance horse racing, and he has been a member of World Championship Teams in Military Pentathlon, Naval Pentathlon, Outrigger Canoe and Dragon Boat racing. He has won several Marksmanship awards in inter-service competition in both handgun and carbine categories, and also competes in Stand Up Paddle Board Racing, archery and mountain biking. He continues his passion for Chiropractic, both with people and animal patients. He is certified in Cold Laser Therapy, Functional Mobility, Thermal Imaging, and is a registered Emergency Medical Technician.   His wife is a practicing Emergency Physician, and he also has nine year old twins. His certifications and experiences include: Honor Graduate, US Army Master Fitness Trainer Academy SEAL Team Training Officer Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician NAUI Scuba Instructor US Navy Master Training Specialist Certified Veterinary Chiropractitioner Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist Doctorate in Chiropractic, Life University, Marietta GA BS Education, Southern Illinois University American College of Sports Medicine Fitness Instructor TRX Suspension Training Level 1, 2 and Sports Rehabilitation Trainer Functional Movement Systems (FMS) Level II Certified Structural Functional Movement Assessment Certified US Military Pentathlon Athlete US Navy Pentathlon Athlete USA Mens Dragon Boat Team 2011, 2013, 2015 – Team physician and competitor Outrigger Canoe USA/World Championship Teams So the guy is a wealth of knowledge on not just survival and warfare, but also fitness, taking care of aging and injured bodies, pushing through pain and much more. During our discussion, you’ll discover: -What it feels like for Lance to be "the man" who strikes fear in the heart of all Kokoro participants... -When Lance decided he wanted to be a SEAL... -Whether Lance thinks he is simply "hardwired" differently from a genetics standpoint, or whether something happened during his childhood that made him a high achiever... -Why Lance got into pentathlon (and this penthathlon video)... -Lance's story of paddling from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through the Panama Canal in 15 hours... -As one of the "fittest old dudes" I know, what Lance's fitness program look like... -How Lance pushes through pain... -The top tools Lance uses as a chiropractor - tools people know little about, but should when it comes to enhancing recovery or managing injuries... -What to expect at a SEALFit 20x event, and what can people expect at the Eastern Washington event at my house... -And much more! Resources from this episode: - - - - - - - - - Do you have questions, comments, or feedback about anything that coach Lance Cummings and I discuss in this episode? Leave your thoughts at  and one of us will reply.

In this episode, Ben Greenfield and Hunter McIntyre interview Lance Cummings, director of training at SEALFit.  Lance retired from Active Duty Navy Service with 30 years of combined Active and Reserve service. After graduating BUD/s Class 124 he deployed overseas in support of US Foreign Policy with six different SEAL teams on both the east and west coast. He served at the Naval Special Warfare Center as a Basic Underwater/SEAL (BUD/s) instructor where he earned his Master Training Specialist classification. Lance also worked several State Department Security Team contracts with private employers during his time in the Naval Reserves An accomplished athlete, he has represented the United States at the international level in Military Pentathlon, Naval Pentathlon, and continues to compete as a member of Team USA in numerous paddling competitions. He has won several Marksmanship awards in inter-service competition in both handgun and carbine categories. His current hobbies include Outrigger Canoe racing, mountain biking, running, and CrossFit training. A licensed Chiropractor, Lance also is certified in Cold Laser Therapy, Functional Mobility, Thermal Imaging, and is a registered Emergency Medical Technician. His certifications and experiences include: Honor Graduate, US Army Master Fitness Trainer Academy SEAL Team Training Officer Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician NAUI Scuba Instructor US Navy Master Training Specialist Certified Veterinary Chiropractitioner Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist Doctorate in Chiropractic, Life University, Marietta GA BS Education, Southern Illinois University American College of Sports Medicine Fitness Instructor TRX Suspension Training Level 1, 2 and Sports Rehabilitation Trainer Functional Movement Systems (FMS) Level II Certified Structural Functional Movement Assessment Certified US Military Pentathlon Athlete US Navy Pentathlon Athlete USA Mens Dragon Boat Team 2011, 2013, 2015 – Team physician and competitor Outrigger Canoe USA/World Championship Teams Lance also once paddled from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through the Panama Canal in 15 hours. During our discussion, you'll discover: -The hardest obstacles Lance faced in military pentathlon... -Lance's top recommendation for minimizing and fixing injuries... -Lance's favorite part about being that guy at Kokoro who strikes fear in the hearts of participants... -What drives Lance to achieve so much... -Whether Lance plans on doing any Spartans or Tough Mudders or BattleFrog races in the near future... -And much more! Resources we discuss include the book Unbreakable, the Functional Movement Screen, 8 Weeks to SEALFit and more! Questions, comments or feedback? Leave 'em below, and click here to leave your questions now...  Music courtesy Skorge - Sail (AWOLNATION Dubstep Rmx)

Welcome to Part 2 of my experience with  and , in which you’re going to get as many tips and tricks as possible for the SEALFit Academy. Even if you don’t plan on attending any SEALFit events, there are plenty of takeaway gems here for anyone who wants to achieve challenging feats of physical or mental performance. In the next article - Part 3 of this three-part series -you’ll learn exactly what happens at SEALFit Kokoro, and some my own takeaways, tips and tricks - but in the meantime, let’s jump right into what you need to know for the six days of the SEALFit Academy. Even if you don't plan on ever going to a SEALFit event, you're going to learn a ton of useful information about how to get physically and mentally stronger! ----------------------------------------- SEALFit Academy Day 1 Day 1 abruptly began at 4pm with a very brief orientation from Coach Dave (most of the coaches here go by “Coach”, followed by their first name - so don’t call them Sir or Mr. or anything like that), during which we introduced ourselves and selected a team leader. We then went straight into the coach barking orders at us as he led us through the initial PT test on “The Grinder”, which a hard, textured concrete surface at the US Crossfit facility in Encinitas, California. The Grinder looks like this (fun, eh?): During the PT test, which is performed in highly stylish black pants, white t-shirt and combat boots, myself and the 10 other Academy attendees were tested for the SEALFit Academy physical standards, which are: -50 pushups in 2 minutes -50 situps in 2 minutes -50 squats in 2 minutes -10 dead hang pull-ups (6 for women) -1 mile run in 9:30 or less Here’s a photo of the PT test from Academy. As you can see, based on my physical training for the Academy (read about it in Part 1 of this series), I did just fine. But come prepared, because the candidates that failed (red circles) were pretty severely reprimanded for it. Take the standards seriously. Other quick tips for the Academy PT test include: 1. Pay attention and be mindful, especially if you have a creative mind that wanders (like I do). Reign it in! Focus. Every tiny little detail matters at the Academy, especially when a coach is giving instructions for a WOD (Workout Of The Day) or any other activity. For example, I incurred a 50 burpee penalty for our whole team by simply running on the sidewalk rather than the road during the run portion of the PT test. I thought this would be safer, but it turns out that at SEALFit Academy and Kokoro, they pretty much avoid the sidewalks and almost always run on the road, even at night. 2. Suffer in silence. No grunting or weird workout noises. Be careful with grimacing too. Practice keeping a stone face, or better yet, smiling even when the going gets tough. Deep breathing helps with this. 3. Don’t show off or be a Rambo. Be a team player. As soon as I finished my run well ahead of most of the others, I was instructed to sprint back out and bring the rest of the team in. Unless instructed otherwise, always prioritize helping your team vs. just showing off your fitness. 4. If you can lay down a strip of duct tape or  vertically down your spine, it will help you not get back blisters from situps on the hard Grinder surface. This helps because if you start the week with a chafed back, it’s going to hurt a bunch during the rucks, leg levers, flutter kicks, and pretty much any other time something is rubbing against your back. I learned that lesson the hard way. 5. Practice strict pull-ups to an above the bar chin position and full extension at the bottom, along with a hook grip in which your fingers wrap around your thumbs. Avoid“suicide” gripping on the pull-ups (a thumbs off position). After the PT test, we sat in on a lecture with Coach Mark Divine - the owner of SEALFit, in which he introduced the core principles of , adapted from concepts in his book by the same name. I’d highly recommend you read both  and  well in advance of showing up for any of the SEALFit events. You will be way ahead of the game if you read them and do both the mental and physical activities in the book. Following Coach Divine’s talk, we were cut free for a team dinner on our own. As the team leader, I was given $100 to divvy up among the team, so we went out for some team bonding at a restaurant across the street from the SEALFit headquarters, then an early bedtime. When you get a chance to sleep at the Academy, plan to do it - as you don’t get many chances for a solid night of sleep and you never know when you may get ripped out of bed and thrown into the ocean or shoved into a midnight workout (seriously - keep reading for more details on that). ------------------------------------------- SEALFit Academy Day 2 We awoke to a glorious breakfast on Day 2. Unlike Kokoro, you don't get crappy  (stands for "Meals Ready To Eat"). Instead, the Academy is catered by a trained chef named Kathryn, who is also a nutritionist, yoga teacher and meditation expert. For breakfast on Day 2, Kathryn served us scrambled eggs with vegetable, gluten-free raisin nut muffins, and an assortment of fruits and yogurts. Of course, the only downside is that as soon as your glorious breakfast ends, you can expect to be rushing to a hard workout - during which you'll often get the unique experience of tasting breakfast a second time, especially if you overeat on proteins and fats. As a matter of fact, at the SEALFit Academy you can pretty much expect to be rushing from the moment you awake - to breakfast, to a workout, a lecture, another workout, lunch, another workout, a lecture, a skills clinic, etc. Sometimes the rushing seems intentionally programmed to keep you slightly outside your comfort zone. For example, for lunch on Day 2, we had a fantastic but extremely filling chicken sausage and squash casserole - which was immediately followed by a 1 mile fast run in the heat. This takes me to an important lesson: the use of digestive enzymes to help digest meals more quickly. I used this trick many times during Academy week and even during Kokoro - popping just a couple digestive enzymes with or immediately before meals to help things get through my digestive system more quickly and to help me absorb extra nutrients. After breakfast, the first workout of Day 2 was "Grinder PT" with Mark Divine. You can get an idea of what it looks like in the video below. We did movements like this for a solid 2 hours, and finished with a sandbag run to the top of Lookout Hill, which sits about a quarter mile from the Academy. At the top of Lookout Hill, Mark finished by bringing us through a Warrior Breathing session, which involves hyperoxygenating the body with sharp intakes of oxygen through the nose, then very quick exhales. During our Warrior Breathing, we practiced visualizing our "internal warrior" (Coach Divine's is King Leonidas of the Spartans). But I was baffled and slightly frustrated during this exercise, as I simply couldn't find or visualize my internal warrior. Images that floated through my head included a wolf, an archer (like Robin Hood), and even a shark, but none of these seemed quite right. I know this sounds cheesy and woo-woo, but being able to picture your warrior before a hard workout or intense physical challenge can give you a huge advantage. On Day 4, which you'll read about below, I had my first intense emotional breakthrough of the Academy, in which I finally did discover my internal warrior. After the workout, Coach Divine gave a lecture on the principles of SEALFit, adapted from the book . Then we moved on to a 2 hour clinic that covered sandbag skills, kettlebell skills and barbell skills, in which we learned 8-10 different exercises and movements for each of these tools. This doesn't sound like much of a workout, but 2 solid hours of practicing with sandbags, kettlbebells and barbells adds up pretty quickly. After lunch, we had another lifting clinic, this time with Coach Adam, who taught us proper form for deadlifts, cleans, overhead press, push press and bench press. As you are probably noticing, you can expect to spend a lot of time with a barbell in your hands at SEALFit events. Next, we settled in for another lecture with Coach Dave, during which Dave discussed training principles and the SEALFit components of Endurance, Strength, Stamina, Work Capacity and Durability. At the end of the lecture, he abruptly announced that we'd go do "Cindy" - a relatively famous Crossfit workout consisting of an AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) in 20 minutes of 5 pull-ups, 10 pushups and 15 air squats. After 26 rounds, my hands - already a bit rubbed raw from the amount of barbell holds - were ripped open and bleeding. So I'd recommend you bring  and  to clean and cover bar blisters on your hands and rucking blisters on your feet, and also bring Duct Tape or  to cover your hands during any workouts that involve sweat and lots of time on the bar. Or get very, very calloused hands before Academy. As soon as we finished Cindy, we were rushed into another lecture with Coach Lance Cummings. Despite his stern demeanor and constant sneer, Coach Cummings is an extremely impressive dude. He recently retired from Active Duty Navy Service with 30 years of combined Active and Reserve service. After graduating BUD/s Class 124 he deployed overseas in support of US Foreign Policy with six different SEAL teams on both the east and west coast. He served at the Naval Special Warfare Center as a Basic Underwater/SEAL (BUD/s) instructor where he earned his Master Training Specialist classification. He also worked several State Department Security Team contracts with private employers during his time in the Naval Reserves An accomplished athlete, he has represented the United States at the international level in Military Pentathlon and won several Marksmanship awards in inter-service competition in both handgun and carbine categories. From 1990 to 1995, he competed in 200 triathlons, from sprint to Ironman distances. He was on the USA Dragon Boat Team in 2011, winning Gold, Silver and Bronze medals in World Cup competition. His current hobbies include Outrigger Canoe racing, mtn. biking, running, and CrossFit training. A licensed Chiropractor, Lance also is certified in Cold Laser Therapy, Functional Mobility, Thermal Imaging, and is a registered Emergency Medical Technician. Dang. Anyways, Coach Cummings lectured on heart rate zones and endurance training principles, then we were cut loose for dinner - sweet potato casserole with beef tacos and guacamole. I collapsed exhausted at the end of this day. If you were doing the math, you'd see that we exercised relatively hard for a solid 5 hours, and I found that as camp progressed, about 4-6 workout hours per day was pretty standard for physical workload during the Academy. ----------------------------------------- SEALFit Academy Day 3 We were ripped out of bed early on Day 3 for one of SEALFit's famous "", which consisted of some endurance training with a Grinder PT warm up led by Coach Divine, followed by: -Stamina: 21-15-9 Deadlift to Box Jumps with 400m run after each -Strength: 3x5 Heavy Front Squat -Workout Capacity: 50 meters burpee broad jumps, 50 barbell step-ups, and a 400m farmers walk with 50lb kettle bells This is exactly the type of WOD you'll find in the  book, so do lots of these workouts before the Academy. After the WOD, we moved straight into the durability part of the workout, which was led by Coach Cummings and consisted of a 3 hour ruck with sandbags in our ruckpag, and a quick stop for an MRE lunch (pinto bean veggie chili - yum) during the ruck. I learned a few tips about rucking that I'd highly recommend you use at the Academy, including: 1. Completely smear your toes, heels, and crotch in some kind of friction-proofing cream. For the longer rucks I used a product called Ex-Goo that we were supplied with by the Academy, and for shorter workouts I used . Also use a lube such as  liberally on neck, shoulders, and armpits - all places that a backpack will rub during a ruck. 2. If a blister begins to form, stay ahead of it with  by simply cutting a hole in the middle of the moleskin and covering/protecting the blister with this doughnut shape. 3. You can bring your own rucksack to the Academy, and the one that Coach Lance recommends is an internal frame . This is the same brand the Seals use, and although it's pretty expensive, your back and shoulders will thank you and you'll be far more comfortable during the Academy if you bring one.   We came back from the ruck and went straight into a 2 hour Olympic lifting class with Coach Rick, during which we practiced all elements of the Power Clean and initial instructions for the Snatch. Day 4 finished with a lecture by Coach Divine on breathing and positivity, along with the importance of using the Observe, Orient, Act, Decide (OODA) loop to respond to stressful situations. Later in the week, during Kokoro, I relied heavily on this loop to respond to the extreme physical and mental stress we were thrown into. ----------------------------------------- SEALFit Academy Day 4 I cried three times during the Academy - not from physical stress, but from mental and emotional breakthroughs. The morning of Day 4 was the first such experience. We began the morning with a 30 minute "box breathing"  - set to a background music of a special 436 hertz frequency designed to enhance alpha brain wave production. Box breathing, a big component of the Academy that Coach Divine often uses as part of a WOD warm-up or at the beginning or end of the day, involves a 4-20 count in, a 4-20 count hold, a 4-20 count exhale, and a 4-20 count hold. During this time, you practice positivity and visualization. I'd recommend you start with a 4 count if you don't want to hyperventilate, and use the  to help you stay on count for your box breathing. You'd only use a 20 count if you were extremely skilled at box breathing, and the highest we got during the Academy was an 8 count. Anyways, during the box breathing, I experienced an extremely intense vision of my internal warrior that immediately got me shaking, trembling and weeping. My vision was of me not as a lone wolf or a quiet archer but rather as a noble king - very much like the famous King Arthur of the round table - placed here on earth to lead and teach with love, to help people achieve amazing feats of physical performance and also to built a great legacy with my two young boys. Again, I realize this all sounds a bit airy-fairy, but the vision was extremely powerful, and returned to me again during many of the other visualization and box breathing sessions during the week. The box breathing progressed straight into a skills clinic and workout with Coach Lance, who led through a 3 round circuit of sledgehammers, tire flips, log PT (carrying, lifting and moving a heavy log as a team), rope climbs and wall ball throws. During lunch, Kathryn lectured to us on meditation, and then we moved straight into a 2 hour yoga and meditation class. As our entire team finished the class in an extremely relaxed state, we slowly stood up, wandered outside to the Grinder, and were instantly snapped back into reality by Coach Divine. "Get down on your hands and knees and crawl!" We all dropped and began crawling on the hot Grinder, which immediately formed heat blisters on many of the team members' already bloody and beat-up hands. "Who spit a luge on my Grinder?" Silence. "I said who spit a luge on my Grinder?" One of our team members finally piped up, "Me Coach." We were immediately forced into a 50 burpee penalty (during which we were sprayed down with hoses and had coaches screaming in our faces with megaphones, a common experience on the Grinder), followed by an incredibly difficult two and a half hour WOD that we had to complete in "Battle Mode" - meaning no talking and only cooperating with hand signals. The WOD consisted of: -500m row -3x5 heavy power clean -5 rounds of dumbell hang clean with thruster to 10 350lb tire flips to 3 second handstand hold -3 rounds of 50 wall balls throws, 100m prowler push, and 1000m row When the WOD finally ended and the smoke cleared, we had a quick shower, then went straight into a goal setting and visualization with Coach Divine, which was an extremely powerful session. After several minutes of Box Breathing, we were tasked with forming a visual mental image of our "mind gym" - a special place where we could go inside our head to escape, to train and to prepare for stressful situations. My mind gym was an old log hut in the forest besides a cold pond in the deep snow- very similar to Rocky's winter training center from the Rocky IV movie. As I explored my mind gym, still as the warrior king from the warrior breathing visualization, I felt another strong presence in the mind gym, and suddenly found my old dog Bruno by my side. Bruno was a muscular boxer dog with a spiked collar and intense personality, and was one of the most important parts of my childhood. But he was tragically struck by a van when I was 16, and I hadn't realized until this visualization how much I had suppressed the emotions from his death - or how much it had formed my aversion to having any pet or animal "companion" since then. When I realized his spirit was still there with me and I began to run and explore my mind gym with him, just like we used to play in the fields outside my childhood home, I began to tremble and cry uncontrollably with joy and relief. This was a very intense moment for me, and one of my most powerful memories from the Academy. Later in the week, we returned to our mind gyms and I experienced yet another emotional breakthrough in the mind gym, but for now, this visual of Bruno was enough to have my head spinning for the rest of the night. I fell asleep with a smile on my face, knowing that my old dog was back with me and that I could now fight through anything and experience life with him by my side. ----------------------------------------- SEALFit Academy Day 5 Academy Day 5 began with a little bit of box breathing, then a 1000 pushup WOD (yes, 1000 pushups) led by Mark Divine. Here's the video: Of course, after you do 1000 push-ups, the first thing on your mind is gymnastics, so we went from the pushups directly into a gymnastic lecture and a gymnastics clinic with Coach Dave, in which we covered hollowing your core, rolls, kipping pull-ups, rope climbs, handstands and a variety of other body weight moves. Dave also gave us a good progression for getting stronger at new moves. Here's an example (perfect if you want to work your up way up to, say, 5 sets of 5 pull-ups): Day 1: 11111 (that's one pull-up, rest, another pull-up, rest, etc.) Day 2: 21111 Day 3: 32111 -43211 -54321 -55432 -55543 -55554 -55555 If you wanted to work your way up to 10 pull-ups, you could just keep going, like this: -65555 -76555 -87655 -etc. This is actually a really good technique, and one you should tuck away for getting stronger at any body weight move. Next, we moved on to a 2 hour Snatch Clinic with Coach Rick, followed up by a laughing yoga session with Coach Divine. Laughing yoga? That's right. Check it out: After working up a good sweat with laughter, we moved on to a team and leadership workshop with Coach Cummings, and also covered periodizing for an event and planning out your year based around "crucibles" or tests of your fitnes. For example, in 2015 my major events are: -September 2014: Spartan World Championships  (goal: top 10) -Summer 2015 Crucible 1:  -Fall 2015 Crucible 2:  -September 2015 Crucible 3: Spartan World Championships (goal: top 3) We finished Day 5 with another mind-gym exercise. This turned out to be the 3rd time I cried at the Academy. In this exercise, we were encouraged to invite someone into our mind-gym and ask them one question. My question to my special visitor (going to keep that secret for now) was: "What's my purpose?" The reply was: "It's not about you. It's about building your legacy and raising two amazing human beings who will grow up to make this world a better place." Sheesh. Talk about clarity. My whole body was shaking, trembling and crying again after this intense mind gym exercise. ------------------------------------- SEALFit Academy Day 6 Day 6 - the final day - began with yet another morning WOD, this time starting with sandbag Turkish Getups to 200m run, then sandbag ground to overhead to 200m run and finally sandbag thrusters to 200m run. This was followed by a big mash-up of exercises that for some reason I don't have recorded. Anyways, we moved on from the morning WOD to 2 hours of pool work led by Coach Lance, in which we learned combat side stroke, did some hypoxic breath practice and simply worked on water skills. We then headed out on a 5 hour sandy beach ruck that included a run-swim workout, during which we practiced combat side stroke with a partner. This stroke is perfect for "keeping track" of someone swimming in the water next to you, and also moving quickly through the water without making much of a splash - a good way (as Coach Lance noted) to avoid getting a grenade tossed at you if you're sneaking through water. After the ruck, we moved on to mobility and stretching work on the foam roller and the TRX with Coach Lance, and then headed into the yoga room for the final session of the Academy: warrior breathing. During this warrior breathing exercise, led by an intense bearded martial artist and yogi that Mark Divine brought in for the special purpose of blowing our minds, we laid on the ground while booming music played and hyperventilated/hyperoxygenated our bodies with about 50 rounds of warrior breathing, which is a fast and deep nasal inhale followed by a quick exhale. We then relaxed and did deep breathing in between each set as our bodies tingled and trembled from the hyperoxygenation phase. This was an incredible exercise that left my crying once again as I completely floated outside myself and went into a trance in which I was hovering above my physical body and simply observing the entire experience. Crazy stuff, I know - but you have to experience it to understand. Here's a video that may help you understand: And that was it! Shaking, crying, emotionally charged and physically spent, we finished with a few invigorating rounds of laughing yoga and then the Academy graduation ceremony. This left me with just 12 hours to check into the Days Inn down the road from US Crossfit, get a few hours of sleep, and prepare to show up the next morning for Kokoro - an intense 50-60 crucible of pushing through extreme physical tests on zero sleep. Coming next, I'll be telling you everything you need to know about Kokor, and sharing some absolutely amazing stories from the life-changing experience. --------------------------------------- In the meantime, if you have signed up for a SEALFit Kokoro or Academy event and want to hop on the phone with me for a personalized one-on-one consult to get you ready physically and mentally, , whichever you'd prefer. Leave your questions, comments or feedback below, and stay tuned for Part 3, in which I'm going to fill you in on the nitty-gritty details of exactly what to expect at SEALFit Kokoro Camp and how to get the most of our experience, complete with plenty of "in-the-trenches" tips and tricks!