Hoo-YAH

CNN announced that the Navy SEALs are seeking recruits out of their normal recruitment pools (no pun intended). The war in IRAQ has run all Special Forces detachments thin of personnel.

I have always enjoyed military training and tactics. But the SEALs truly amaze me. These men are among the toughest, never say die, intelligent military strategists that get the job done. With their lack of men they have started looking at elite and extreme sport athletes. Usually you have to be an active navy officer, male (that won’t change), and under 28 years of age.

I saw the TV show NOW(No opportunity wasted) where you can complete a fear or challenge that you wouldn't have the chance to in your normal life. And the first thing I said to Tracy was "maybe I will apply to this show to complete hell week training" it would obviously be the only chance that I would have to attempt it. I obviously can't apply to be a seal.

Their physical ability and training is where I really take the greatest inspiration. A recruit attends BUD/s training with the well known ‘Hell Week’. The men must haul rubber rafts, run for miles on end, swim, and suffer through interrogation tactics and more. They receive sleep deprivation training and may get a nap of an hour a night if they are lucky.

They must suffer through the terrifying training of ‘Drown-proofing’. The mind will recoil in fear as trainee’s must; bob for 5 mins hands and feet bound, swim 100 meters, bob for 2 mins, swim to the bottom of the pool and retrieve an object with their teeth, return to the surface and bob five more times. Then of course it is off to the next task. But they will return to drown-proofing again and again.

BUD/S instructors continually remind candidates that they can "Drop-On-Request" (DOR) by ringing that infamous bell. But the idea is to make the candidate realize that it is 90% mental and 10% physical. If they begin to feel too cold, tired, wet or sore, then their mind gives up not their bodies.

Many people criticize this as being too much or too hard. But what these people need to understand is these men could and will encounter similar scenarios during missions. If they can’t complete this training knowing that they can ring the bell to make it stop, then what will they do when there is no bell? They will only be able to complete their mission or fail resulting in their death and/or the death of their teammates.

There are some great videos here

http://www.navyseals.com/community/navyseals/training_buds.cfm

This is the 200 rep week. As of the 19th of July it will have been 8 weeks to the day that I started this attempt and was hoping to hit 300reps before I was 30. Now I hope to hit at least 250 by next week but we will see if I can push it. I guess I could imagine that it could be worse and that I hadn’t slept for 132 hours and I was in excruciating pain like the aforementioned SEALs. Motivation can come from anywhere.

Speaking of this, as I talk a lot about motivation and goals, and thinking along the lines of motivation can come from anywhere. I think it was last summer when I mentioned a woman that is on the bicycle path everyday be it if I am walking or running she is out there as well. We cross paths and exchange a smile every time. She moves extremely quickly and is pumping hard and seems to be so focused but enjoying her pursuit rain or shine. She is extremely fast and strong. And did I mention that she is in a racing wheel chair. Every time I see her I am so inspired and thankful for my abilities and it reminds not to waste them.