I found this on an interesting web-site called the Daily Tao. They send out quotes of inspiration each day with different themes. This one was brought to my attention by a friend and I wanted to share it with you in this addition of the newsletter. This quote reminds us that you do not have to be involved in emergency services or the military to embrace the attitude of a warrior and all that it can bring you in this life.

*Victory*

Can you be both martial and spiritual? Can you overcome your ultimate opponent?

To be martial requires discipline, courage, and perseverance. It has nothing to do with killing. People fail to look beyond this one narrow aspect of being a warrior and so overlook all the other excellent qualities that can be gained from training. A warrior is not a cruel murderer. A warrior is a protector of ideals, principle, and honor. A warrior is noble and heroic.

A warrior will have many opponents in a lifetime, but the ultimate opponent is the warrior's own self. Within a fighter's personality are a wide array of demons to be conquered: fear, laziness, ignorance, selfishness, egotism, and so many more. To talk of overpowering other people is inconsequential. To actually overcome one's own defects is the true nature of victory. That is why so many religions depict warriors in their iconography. These images are not symbols for dominating others. Rather, they are symbols of the ferocity and determination that we need to overcome the demons within ourselves.

Disturbing Trend Observed. As many of you know I train police officers throughout the state of California. I also teach locally at a police academy as a fitness instructor. I have conducted informal polling of the hundreds of police officers and police recruits I come in contact with each year. My informal polling shows that 50% of the police recruits and working police officers get regular exercise at least three times per week, the absolute minimum recommendation. 50%! And of this 50% who are exercising, only about 10% exercise four or more times per week. That means the other 50% get almost no exercise whatsoever! I encounter literally thousands of officers each year and it never fails to amaze me how out of shape we have become as a culture.

Most of the recruits who come through our academy are in their early to mid 20's. Sadly, I find that I'm more fit than the majority of them and that's for a guy whose 45 years old with a bad back! And here's the really disturbing thing; most people who go through the academy will be in the best shape of their lives at the end of their training. Good thing right? Not when you consider that once the academy ends the desire and motivation to workout wanes and the physical decline begins because no one is kicking them in the biscuits to exercise anymore.

According to the last CDC data I saw, it is estimated that a full 25% of Americans are grossly overweight or obese. That's a quarter of our population, grossly overweight! We know why this is bad and we don't need to beat it up here. But as my friend Robert Hoffman, author of Fit for Duty, so aptly states; "police officers are in worse condition than the general population!" Think about that for a minute. We are in worse shape as a general rule than the people we have taken an oath to protect. This is something that has spiraled into an epidemic and it's just plain wrong!

There are no standards to "force" an officer to exercise in this country. We have to bribe them with incentives to get them off their biscuits, and bow to the power of the ADA who says it's OK to be a fat cop. Equestrian feces! In my book it is deplorable and we have lost our pride in ourselves and our profession of law enforcement. The crux of the problem is that too few officers are embracing their role as a warrior. Because physical and mental training is not a daily part of the policing culture in this country, we have grown fat and lazy as a result.

Do you think it is acceptable for the people we count on in times of crisis to be grossly overweight, unfit and unable to perform even basic weaponless defense tactics? How would you feel if your significant other called for help and the officer who responded could not even pull themselves over a five foot fence? You want a real wake up call? Right now, pick up the phone and call someone you know who is not a cop and tell them that there are no fitness standards or requirements in the majority of states for police officers. I have yet to find one person who was not shocked and/or appalled to hear this news.

So, my challenge to you is simple. If you want to count yourself among the warriors of our great nation, get off your biscuits right now and start doing something, anything to improve you fitness and nutrition. I believe if you count yourself among those who would stand as a warrior then it is YOUR OBLIGATION to set a new standard, a standard that is uncompromising in its mission to obtain the highest levels of training possible. You are truly empowered to make yourself a role model for others to follow. It is up to YOU to change the existing culture and to embrace the physical, mental and spiritual mindset of a warrior!

Hotel Workout: I often hear from friends who travel that the workout facilities are poor at best in most hotels and for the most part I agree. However, you don't need to let that stop you from getting in a good workout. Just do some bodyweight calisthenics and you in 20 minutes you can have a excellent workout that is aerobic and focused on building strength and muscular endurance (the kind of strength that is truly functional in a fight). Over the next three newsletters we will take a look at some exercises that will get you pumping.

Pushup routine: Want to build some significant upper body strength? This pushup routine is guaranteed to improve your strength significantly;

First set: Begin by starting in the normal pushup position at the top of the movement. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Then start to lower yourself slowly for 10 seconds to the bottom position of the movement. Hold yourself in this bottom position (only your hands and feet touching the floor) for 10 seconds. Then push yourself back to the starting position slowly for another 10 seconds. That's one rep in 40 seconds. Do this as many times as you can until you fail.

Second set: Once you complete your 40 seconds pushups rest for no more than 30 seconds before you begin your second set. This is where you now do as many regular pushups as possible, again until failure.

Third set: Once you complete your second set rest again but for no more than 30 seconds. Now do a set of pushups on your knees. Again, you will do as many of these knee pushups as possible until failure.

Fourth set: Once you complete this third set, get up immediately and go to a wall or table and complete another set of wall pushups until failure.

I guarantee if you did each set to total failure your heart will be pounding, your breathing will be labored and all those pushing muscles will be pumped!

Ok, someone asked me last week for a simple smoothie recipe they could make. Here ya go:

• 1 1/2 cups of your favorite 100% juice (I like to blend orange and red juices)
• 1 handful of strawberries
• 1 handful of blueberries
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup of plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup of ice
• **2 handfuls of organic Spring Mix lettuce
• **2 scoops of any protein powder

**mix these ingredients in while the blender is mixing.

This is way better than a cup of coffee, and the energy will carry you for hours!

This month's mantra is...

I am successful!

Success is driven by setting your mind to succeed. Have you ever noticed how when you expect to fail you typically do? That's because the universe listens and responds to your desire, and if at the core of your being your desire is to fail then you will. You are literally setting yourself up for failure. Why should we wasted one second embracing anything negative? Start right now to program yourself for success in every aspect of your life. Make this your mantra and watch the amazing results!

Now, sit or lie back comfortably. Take three deep autogenic breaths, pausing after you inhale and then exhaling fully and completely. After you have taken your three breaths, just breathe normally. Close your eyes and let any tension you may be holding in your muscles just begin to melt away. After you center yourself and you feel your breath quite down, repeat the mantra; "I am successful!" to yourself for the next five minutes. See yourself succeeding in everything you encounter no matter what you may be facing.

As many times as you can throughout your day, stop what you are doing, take one deep breath and repeat this mantra. You can do this when the phone rings, or when you look at your watch, or anytime you feel the need to just slow down for a brief moment and focus. The power of setting a positive intention throughout your day should not be underestimated. It can literally change your life. Make this short time commitment everyday and begin on the path of empowering yourself to survive.

Well, that's all for now. Next month we will continue to take a look at the hotel workout options you can complete anywhere and stay tuned for "The Russians are coming"!

Stay trained, stay tactical, stay safe!

Rodger.