Yeah, some of those women who are into Crossfit and appear in the video clips and such on their website are just absolutely made of cast iron or something. Most of the Crossfit workouts are really good because whatever your fitness level (provided you're in good enough shape to do them at all . . .) they'll still smoke you as long as you hit them hard.

well kid, imagine doing similar thing's all Day and most of the night for Day's on end,.........that's BUD/S heheheh

Horsesoldier, you are right. I saw a photo of a Lady (maybe Eva, I think) doing Overhead Squats with 135lbs...and she weighes about 120lbs I'd guess...and the other guy in the picture was Overhead Squatting 135lbs and he weighed around 220lbs. I think Crossfit is extremely good for basic fitness (GPP), but I go Saturday to start a MMA class and I'll probably have to adding some SPP in. Mough, you are right...but if that is what it takes, then I'll get through it. I hate to sound like I'm "Talking big", but I have confidence in myself to suffer through BUD/S and make it through.

One of the favorite toys for training at Coronado Island is telephone pole segments. There is a very subtle reason for this, it's usually covered in wet sand and what it forces you to do is to develop very very strong hands and forearms. You'd be surprised how important these are in close combat and doing things like rapelling or cliff climbing. Take some skill courses. You summer continuing ed center probably has stuff like rapelling, kayaking. Try to stay well rounded. Also there are competitions in orienteering(?) which is a huge skill.

EW3, great idea...although I probably won't be able to find any telephone poles laying around :). For forearms I typically do towel pullups. As far as skill courses...this summer I plan on taking MMA (the place I am about to start, actually on this Saturday, has developed a MMA program for beginners that is highly recommended by several Martial arts websites); I also am planning on taking a rock climbing/rappeling course; and possibly (not sure) taking SCUBA along with going Sky Diving with my Bro-in-law. I love the outdoors, especially the water (lived on the water all my life), so I am excited about this Summer.

Here is Crossfit's wikipedia (web based encyclopedia) entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossfit ------------------------------------------ The only side effect I see of using Crossfit is using their methods in the gym. I am sure that the 'muscle heads' would probably laugh their butts off if they saw anyone doing jumping pullups followed by barbell thrusters. The funny thing is that my Dad, who I workout with at home, thinks I am an idiot for using their program. Back when I first started truly preparing for BUD/S, he told me I should quit wasting my time with the endurance "Crap" and continue to hit the weights...and he has already asked me "Why are you squatting today, you did Front Squats yesterday". I really don't have an answer for him, other than to prove these methods on the basketball court :)

GOP, a simple example of endurance training vs. strength training is watching a few UFC/Pride fights. Muscle heads are constantly at a loss to the skinny guys who train all day and all night in endurance style fighting/exercise. You will be a rock when the fight starts. Best of luck to you! TJrob PS~ another hand strength exercise is to take a simple wood stick with rope tied to it and a brick tied at the end of the rope. Simply roll the rope onto the stick until the brick climbs all the way up to the stick, and then slowly lower it back to the bottom. Do it a few times and you'll know what I mean by hand/forearm strength.

I know some swear by it, but it looks like a fantastic way to tear ligament,muscle and tendon. I gotta go with TJROB. you wanna harden up right go get yourself a membership at a real boxing or Muay Thai gym. You haven't lived till you've puked into the spit bucket. Cato

SKILL courses!? :) Look around for a FMA/Silat school in your area. It's oriented towards practical self-defense(ie the other guy has a knife), and it's used heavily by SOF types as it trains specifically for something an operator is likely to have on him...a knife. I'm amazed by how much it made me a better fighter overall. You learn how to "think" or maybe "feel" is a better word. Check it out...you won't regret it. Those SE Asian fighting systems are INSANE.

Kali and escrima are pretty cool stuff...if you've got a six inch blade or two '24 bamboo sticks. Those arts, while certainly effective combat styles, don't condition the fighter like the boxing arts (traditional, muay thai, sanshou). There is no substitute for working on a 3 minute clock, and lotsa rope jumping wrt hardening up. Are you familiar with LOTAR? Cato