Officer's Report - 130620

 We woke the guys up at 0600 today and started the day off right - grappling!

Afterwards, we had our usual breakfast (protein shakes, yogurt, fruit and almond butter). Then we got in some grappling instruction and drills (the mount and the single leg takedown). We even got in a good CrossFit workout (8 rounds - 20 sec work / 10 sec rest - each of pull ups, push ups, sit ups and squats).

Then it was time to work with Igor Yakimov. World judo and Russian Sambo champion. Igor was trained by the Russian Army. He's a very, very colorful character:

We ate lunch (hamburgers and hot dogs) and had a session with Tom Reiff - a 7th degree black belt and a 20-year Navy man. Tom worked with the cadets on stick fighting. Specifically, the ordinary walking cane. There are literally 101 uses for a cane! Who knew?

Afterwards, we ate dinner (chicken sausages, tossed salad, carrots, blueberries and almond butter). Then the  guys had some down time. Some went swimming, some played basketball, some grappled (I did), and some simply rested. After cleaning up the facility we had another "Values & Vices" discussion. This time we talked about teamwork and encouragement - how iron sharpens iron. It was lights out at 2300. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.

What is CrossFit?

FONC H2H includes several CrossFit workouts. CrossFit is an excellent general preparedness training program and is used by a growing number of elite athletes. Here's a little information on what CrossFit is about:

CrossFit is all about being prepared for the unexpected. Here's a locator to help you find a gym near you: CrossFit Affiliate Locator.

Video Montage - 130619

Here's a video montage from yesterday. Thanks again to LTJG Gould for producing this.

Officer's Report - 130619

I had several unexpected administrative tasks to attend to which precluded me from posting yesterday's daily report until now. Please accept my apologies.

Wednesday was a well-deserved rest day for the guys. We got everyone up at 0700, ate a good breakfast (protein drinks, yogurt, fruit and almond butter) and straightened up the training facility.

Afterwards we drove about an hour north of Charlotte to Carrigan Farms - a rock quarry - to play some volleyball and do some swimming. The folks from Carrigan Farms served us a huge hamburger/hot dog/bratwurst feast. It was a good time for all!

We returned to the training facility at about 1500, at which time we assisted a local non-profit (the judo club hosting us this week in their facility) in setting up for an annual judo/jiu jitsu camp at an offsite location. The event, billed as the Greatest Camp on Earth, attracts judo and jiu jitsu players worldwide. In return for our help in setting up for the event, the judo club has allowed us to use their facility this week. They have also allowed us to work with their instructors. The cadets earned 4 hours of community service on Wednesday.

Afterwards, we had all-you-can-eat peanut butter 7 jelly sandwiches, totally disregarding the paleo/zone diet we have been following all week. After cleaning up the facility, it was lights out at 2300. The guys have a BIG day Thursday, including 2 hours with Igor Yakimov.

Stay tuned - we have more to come!

Video Montage - 130618

Here's a video montage from yesterday. Thanks again to LTJG Gould for putting this together:

Officer's Report - 130618

Sorry about the delay in getting this post out... last night the guys watched a movie ("Act of Valor") and my computer was the entertainment center! To be honest, most of the cadets slept through the movie - yesterday was a very active day here at FONC.

We got up at 0600 and got in an hour's worth of grappling, followed by our usual breakfast (protein shakes, yogurt, fruit, and almond butter). This was followed by an hour's worth of grappling instruction and a hard CrossFit workout (some gymnastics, followed by 12 hard 100m sprints punctuated by 30 second rests).

 At 1300 Instructors Gomiz and Lash took over. Instructor Lash ran the karate instruction:

Instructor Gomiz ran the Mauy Thai instruction (close-quarters stand-up fighting, including elbow and knee strikes):

Next, we did our usual lunch (turkey & ham cold cuts, broccoli & carrots, orange slices) followed by a few hours of sparring. We don't have many photos of the sparring... we VIDEOTAPED it instead. Keep your eyes open for these videos:

From 1600 to 1800 the guys did some grappling. They've established a pretty neat routine: "The Ring of Death." Nothing to fret over, Moms, this is normal guy stuff and it's completely supervised! Here's what they do. Interested cadets (usually 20-25 of our 32 guys) get into a giant ring. One cadet sits in the middle. A challenger steps forward and grapples with the guy in the center. The winner stays in, while a new challenger steps up. The winner stays in as long as he wins. Naturally, after a few rounds the winner will tire and we'll end up with anew guy in the center. This goes on for a couple hours during the cadet's "downtime." The energy levels around here are amazing:

At 1800 we had a great dinner (chicken fajitas with guacamole and corn). Thanks to Mrs. Carroll and my daughter Brittany for all the help with meals. Afterwards, it was swim time at a nearby pool. Finally, it was movie time. No "Values & Vices" segment for Day 3 - some administrative things came up which crowded them out.

Thanks again for the opportunity to work with your kids. Keep your eyes open for more posts, pictures and videos.

Video Montage - 130617

Here's a video montage showing some of the stuff we did on Monday. Enjoy!