The SEAL Team 90-Day Challenge – or – How I Lost My Mind

December 30, 2010 The SEAL Team 90-Day Challenge – or – How I Lost My Mind

It’s nothing new for people to set fitness and health goals as New Year’s resolutions. I’ve certainly done it enough myself over the years.

This year I’m doing something a little bit different.

For the past 8 months I’ve been participating, off and one, in SEAL Team Physical Training. Okay, so I’ve been more off than on much of the time.

For those who don’t know, SEAL Team is exactly what it sounds like – a boot campy style workout conducted by John McQuire, a 10-year Navy SEAL, and his team of instructors. Workouts are always conducted outdoors, regardless of weather, last one hour and are based entirely on the training McQuire received in SEAL basic training.

The typical workout includes some combination of the following:

• Pushups
• Situps
• Pull ups
• Triceps dips
• Triceps pushups
• Crunches
• Atomic situps
• Supermans
• Star jumps
• Chase the rabbit
• Bear Crawls
• Crab soccer
• Running
• Sprints
• Squats
• Lunges
• Carrying team members around

In addition, we play with telephone poles, sand bags, toboggans, filled 1-gallon jugs, ropes and various other props.

To say that the workouts are challenging is an understatement. They are often grueling. I am pushed so far past what I would do on my own that it surprises me. The next day I often find that everyday activities like raising my  arms high enough to wash my hair are next to impossible.

And yet, I love it. The teamwork and support from the other members is incredible. We all work together to accomplish the workouts and if I fall short in an evolution (a series of exercises) there is always a team member to pick up my slack. If I’m feeling strong, I’ll contribute more than my share to help out a teammate.

This year Instructor McQuire has issued a 90-day challenge. If those who accept can workout for 90-days in a row (five days of STPT and 2 days of 30-minute workouts on our own), we’ll earn his respect and a t-shirt.

I’m accepting the challenge because it will be the hardest physical challenge I’ve ever tackled, including running the Xterra half-marathon. When I complete it, I’ll earn my own respect and have accomplished something that, for me, is very meaningful. And I’ll have a cool t-shirt to prove it.

I’ll be blogging about the experience including the physical and mental changes I go through along the way. I have no illusions that it will be easy and truthfully, I’m a little scared. STPT wears my butt out and the thought of five days a week for 12 weeks is daunting. Okay, it is terrifying.

I know that my pals won’t let me get hurt so I’m not scared of that. It’s more the commitment to workout no matter what the weather (rain, snow, sleet – STPT is always on) and no matter how sore I am from the workout before. It is a lesson in trust, dedication and overcoming my own demons.

So, are you ready to go on the ride with me? I’ll be posting videos, text and audios over the next 90 days to keep you abreast of the process.

Buckle your seatbelts, kids. This could get ugly.

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