The Squad Room

This show has an awesome giveaway – more on that below!  If you’ve been waiting for an episode that will give you tips and advice on how to combine your nutrition and your training, this is it. If you’ve been waiting for an episode where we don’t talk about CrossFit the entire time, this is it too! Nick Shaw is a competitive body builder and CEO of Renaissance Periodization – better known as RP Strength. Nick’s company takes a scientific approach to nutrition and training, applying those principles and rigors to their products. When I say “science” I don’t mean high-school level biology. Nick’s staff includes 9 Ph.D’s, 3 professors, 2 research scientists, an M.D., a Division 1 Strength & Conditioning Coach, 2 registered dietitians, 4 college level coaches, and 2 world champion athletes. Nick has five nutritional “priorities” that are going to make the difference in your diet. They are: * Consistency * Caloric Balance * Macronutrient Distribution * Nutrient Timing * Food Quality In this episode, I get a lot of questions answered, such as: * How do I lose weight without losing the strength I gained in 2015? * How should I look at cheat days. Should I limit to a cheat meal? Or none? * The importance of timing carb intake. * What macronutrient do you need to cut to lose weight? (hint: it’s not in the pasta!) * The benefits of casein protein. * The myths of eating carbohydrates before bed. I learned about them when Freddy Camacho was on the show and he had his wife Chyna Cho are both clients. Freddy was raving about his results and how he feels, and that he drinks Kool-Aid during his workouts on the orders of his RP Strength program. Wait, what? – Kool-Aid? In fact, many top level CrossFitters, Olympic lifters, and power lifters are all clients. Since we too are athletes – tactical athletes – I thought it’d be good to have him on the show to pick his brain. ENTER OUR CONTEST! WIN A FREE RP STRENGTH NUTRITION PLAN To win a free RP Strength nutrition template (a $99 value) text RPGIVEAWAY to 44222. You’ll select from any of the template diet plans. They take your current body weight and your goals and they give you a detailed 3-month plan. Follow Nick and see some seriously motivational meal prep and workout photos on the Instagram page. Renaissance Periodization website Instagram @RPStrength  Our Instagram and Twitter is @thesquadroom Thanks for listening. Stay safe.      

This episode is an 8 minute guided meditation run by Traver Boehm. I’m doing it along with him. It’s a great “starter” session for someone looking to try it, and not sure where to start.

In this episode you’ll get a chance to learn  more about how Traver taught me to meditate, and he’s going to help you too. After a few minutes of amusing ourselves, we jump into a guided meditation together. Give it a shot if you’re “meditation curious” but still identify as a non-meditator. Also, in episode 27b, we cut out all the witty banter and leave you with just the guided meditation. So, if you find it useful, keep that episode on your phone and you can always go back to it. Resources we talk about in this episode: Headspace: I love this app and I use it most times I’m meditation. The narrator’s voice is like a warm hug and the first 10 sessions are free. It’s also a guided meditation program. Insight timer: This is a simple, and free app for your phone with – you guessed it – timers that help you keep track of your time. The alerts are nice and calming, not jarring like the native sounds on the iphone timers. Muse:  I’ve never used this headset but I’ve heard others rave about it. It’s pricey. Through some sort of science I must’ve failed in high school, it reads your brain waves and gives you audio feedback about how well you’re slowing your thoughts. Normally I’d call B.S. but like I said, I’ve heard too many people give it props to think it’s a scam. Traver’s blog at traverboehm.com has a lot on meditation and so too with his Facebook page. You should really “like” it already and get some value. In fact, as this episode is released, he’s halfway through a 30-day meditation challenge with daily tips and motivation so really, there’s no better way to get on top of this. Good luck!

I first heard of Chief Jim Band as some of you did, through a video posted to the CrossFit Journal website. You can check out the article here and the video here. This was long before this podcast was even a shimmer in my eye, but even then I thought that I’d hope that someday I’d have a reason to have a conversation with Chief Band. He just seemed like a genuine, caring leader and someone I could learn from. Well, then I start my very own podcast and lo and behold, I know have an excuse to get some of these people to talk to me! Chief Band was one of those – and he was a recommended guest by many of you too – so I knew I had to pick this guy’s brain. Chief Band is also Coach Band. His department, Oregon City PD (in Oregon, duh!) has a CrossFit Affiliate, CrossFit 1850, inside their headquarters. He has, among other things, his L1 and L2 certificates and he programs a weekly workout for the CrossFit classes. You’re more likely to see the chief at the squat rack then in his office – and that’s always a good thing! It’s easy to say that a leader should “lead from the front” but it’s harder to actually put that into practice. When it comes to the health and wellness of his employees, Chief Band is truly leading the fight against the maladies that afflict law enforcement and he’s setting the example. It’s hard to make excuses when the top cop is sweating out the burpees next to you. We also talk about the experience of losing an officer in the line of duty in 2013, when he was a new chief. It’s really interesting to get his perspective on that event, and how he had to fortify his own strength to serve the rest of his organization. Thanks for listening. Please leave a review on iTunes or Stitcher. This episode of The Squad Room is sponsored by SB Tactical and the iCombat Training System. The iCombat system is an active shooter response training system that replaces SIMS and other types of training that require site prep, special protective gear and compromised training environments. Check them out at SBtactical.com.

This mini-episode is an essay I wrote after a horrible week of line of duty deaths recently. Rest in Peace Sergeant Jason Gooding Seaside (OR) Police Department EOW February 5, 2016 Sr. Deputy Patrick Dailey Deputy First Class Mark Logsdon Harford County Sheriff's Office (MD) EOW February 10, 2016 Deputy Derek Greer Mesa County (CO) Sheriff's Office EOW February 10, 2016 Deputy Scott Ballantyne Tulare County (CA) Sheriff's Office EOW February 10, 2016 Major Gregory Barney Riverdale (GA) Police Department EOW February 11, 2016 Officer Jason Moszer Fargo (ND) Police Department EOW February 11, 2016

Check out our first t-shirt to support the show at teespring.com/thesquadroom   Diane Urban is the Chief of Police of Hayward, CA. Obviously she wasn’t appointed chief straight out of the academy. So how’d she get there? She busted her ass and worked hard. It’s the same work ethic that got her to the CrossFit Games as a masters athlete. Even in 2016, being a woman in law enforcement often means that your career is filled with firsts. For Diane, that meant: * First female officer on San Jose PD SWAT Team * First female sniper in the department * First female assistant chief at San Jose * First female chief of police in Hayward * First female guest of The Squad Room podcast I’m pretty sure that last one is her proudest moment. I’m almost positive. Diane came on the show to talk about how she persevered through the challenges of being a female in a career dominated by men. We also talk at length about leadership, and the challenges when she and her department lost an officer in the line of duty last year. Sgt. Scott Lunger was killed on a traffic stop on July 22, 2015, only hours before Diane was set to compete in the second day of the Games. Diane was very honest and open about that experience. It provides great insight into what that experience is like from “the top.” Diane was first exposed to CrossFit while at San Jose PD where they have a robust CrossFit-based physical fitness program. When she made chief in Hayward, she brought it with her and got her command staff on-board. Something tells me they didn’t have a choice. But she’s seen the benefits of what fitness can do for your career, and what it’s done for hers. Diane is a leader. That’s obvious. Listen to how she talks about the people she works with, and who work for her. She’s a natural. This episode is sponsored by SB Tactical and the iCombat Active Shooter Training System. Check out the videos on their website to see the system in action. There’s no site prep, no mess, and a drastically reduced chance of injury over paintball, simunitions or live-fire training.

This is a unique episode because we’re turning the tables on Traver as he becomes the subject of the episode. This episode is also going to require that you keep an open mind. But more on that later. Almost a year ago to the day of this release, I came to Traver with the idea of starting this podcast to dive into the issues of health and wellness that affect first responders, using myself as a physical guinea pig of sorts and an emotional punching bag of another sort to navigate towards better health and in turn share that information in hopes that others can benefit as well. Traver was the only guy I considered to be a part of this. If you ever get a chance to meet him in person, you’ll understand why. Traver has an energy inside him that is hard to describe but easy to see. Its as if his skin can barely contain the kinetic energy of a guy who wants to change the world. I told him during that meeting that I had a complete belief that he was destined for things bigger than owning a gym and that I wanted first crack at his wisdom before he got too famous for me. I still believe that. I intended for Traver to be my guru, my swami, my coach and trainer and mentor in all things health and mindfulness. After all, what’re the chances I’d find another former pro MMA fighter, professional bodyguard and CrossFit coach who also has a graduate degree in acupuncture, studies Eastern religions and meditates daily. To say that the last year has been transformational for me is an understatement. Judging by the emails I get, the same can be said for many of you. But it’s also true for Traver. During that initial pitch of the idea of The Squad Room, I didn’t know that Traver was in the midst of a transformation of his own, one that was going to closely mirror my own over the next year. I’m not going to give anything away. You’re going to have to listen to the episode. It’s pretty dramatic. Traver fulfilled his role as my coach this past year in the exact way I had hoped, and that I needed in order for The Squad Room to be the kind of introspective podcast I wanted. On keeping an open mind. If you listen to this podcast, I tend to think you’re already someone who has the ability to find perspective and keep an open mind. After all, you’ve put up with me talking about meditation, mental health, and peeing my pants. That said, Traver talks about some deeply personal issues in this episode. Traver dealth with those issues by smoking a lot of weed.  If this strikes you as hypocritical for a health and wellness coach, you’re right. Because you’re a cop, it might also occur to you that this is criminal behavior (depending on the state you live in). You’re right there too. In California, where medical marijuana is essentially legalized marijuana, the reaction is likely a resounding…“meh.” But I know that’s not the case in other states, or regions, and that we in law enforcement still have a general dislike and distrust of marijuana users. I still do. I get it. Traver does too and he knows he’s on a podcast listened to by a lot of cops. That takes guts. I have to respect that he’d prefer to be honest than pretend a part of his story isn’t his. But to dismiss Traver’s insights about all things, based on this one choice would be to miss an opportunity to learn. And, when you hear Traver in the early episodes talking about the importance of your life decisions and health being in alignment, he knew that he had in recent history himself been out of alignment. So, his lesson was one of personal experience. By the time we hit ‘record’ on episode 1, he was in alignment – in a big way. I don’t know about you, but I always prefer to learn from people who’ve had personal experience,...

In this episode, we recap 2015 and my plans going in to 2016. Traver joins me again to talk about all the gritty personal stuff we haven’t covered with recent guests. Some highlights: * 2015 was my year of getting waaaaay strong. Like scary strong – at least for me. * But, I’m still too big. 2016 is the year to banish the extra body weight. But can I do it without losing the strength I’ve gained? * New habits have been implemented. * I’ve learned it’s all about the planning. Planning is more important than working out, stretching, or meal prep. I am someone who has to plan. * I go back to my “why” and how it relates to my job, my family, and this podcast. I share a recent experience that helped reinforce the power of my why and the importance of being in law enforcement. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @thesquadroom. Sign up for our mailing list by texting THESQUADROOM to 44222 and get signed up from your phone. Follow Traver on Twitter and Instagram @traverboehm and his website traverboehm.com This episode of the podcast is sponsored by SB Tactical and the iCombat Active Shooter Training System. The iCombat system is a real-world training system that allows you to take your training anywhere. Think of it as laser tag for cops. The system has replica AR-15 rifles and Glock 17 handguns that function like real guns and provide immediately real time feedback. The way the system is designed, you can take it anywhere without site prep, clean-up, or risks of other live fire or sims training systems. Agencies that have use the system include LAPD, Boston PD, my own department and many others. Go to SBTactical.com for  more information.

Our guest for this episode is Clint Bruce. I’m not sure where to start with Clint’s resume. * U.S. Naval Academy graduate * NFL football player * Navy SEAL officer (SEAL Team 5, BUD/S class 217) * Veteran and first responder advocate. And frankly, that just scratches the surface. I had the fortune to hear Clint speak on Marcus Lutrell’s Patriot Tour this past fall. I cornered him in the lobby and he agreed on the spot to come on the show. These days, Clint speaks on leadership and how to be elite – a level he argues that is above excellence. Clint suggests there are 5 habits of elite achievers. They are: * Curious * Balanced * Tribal * They know their “why” * They share their scars Clint shares his suggestions on how to develop your own leadership skills, and how to be a leader when you’re not in a formal position of rank. Clint argues, and I agree, that leadership is not about the formal designation given to you by your agency, but the mindset you bring to any position you fill. Despite his resume, Clint argues that he is average. Not that he is an average achiever mind you, but that he surrounds himself with elite performers like his teammates in the NFL, and the SEAL teams, and as a result, that community makes him average in that group. It’s a great articulation of how I feel about my partners. Take a listen to Clint. He’s very genuine, and clearly a guy that cares deeply about his communities. Clint is also the founder of Carrytheload.org. It’s a fantastic organization devoted to bringing the meaning back to Memorial Day. Clint and his organization put in a lot of effort to include first responders in their events and they’re active in Police Week in D.C. You can follow the on Instagram at @carrytheload. In the interview, I reference a speech he gave at a Naval Academy leadership conference. It’s awesome, click here to watch it. This episode of the podcast is sponsored by SB Tactical and the iCombat Active Shooter Training System. The iCombat system is a real-world training system that allows you to take your training anywhere. Think of it as laser tag for cops. The system has replica AR-15 rifles and Glock 17 handguns that function like real guns and provide immediately real time feedback. The way the system is designed, you can take it anywhere without site prep, clean-up, or risks of other live fire or sims training systems. Agencies that have use the system include LAPD, Boston PD, my own department and many others. Go to SBTactical.com for  more information.

We made it to 20 episodes!  That’s at least more than that stupid Ferris Bueller’s Day Off television sit-com from the 90’s. But it’s still not as much as Matt LeBlanc’s post-friends spin-off “Joey.” That made it to 22 episodes so I guess we have to keep going. Andy Petranek is our guest on this episode. Andy isn’t a cop but he’s very understanding of the challenges we face. Andy has an interesting history: Marine Corps officer, professional adventure racer, trainer, and one of the first CrossFit affiliate owners at CrossFit LA. Andy is actually Traver’s first CrossFit coach, and the guy that Traver first learned from, in some sort of Yoda/Obi- Wan Kenobi relationship. More recently, Andy has been focusing on running his creative baby, the Whole Life Challenge – or the WLC for those in the know…ok, I don’t actually know anyone that calls it that. The WLC is a lifestyle and habit game/contest that’s done online. When you sign up, you’re guided through an 8-week scored event where your nutrition, exercise, sleep, mobility, and other lifestyle choices are scored. You end each day with a total that goes to your overall score and at the end, you have the ability to win prizes. But the prizes aren’t really the point. You can play the WLC by yourself, create teams, or enter as groups. CrossFit gyms often do this and it adds to the accountability. I did the WLC a few years ago and had great success and learned a lot. Come to think of it, I’m not sure why I haven’t done it again since. And for the record, Andy’s appearance on the show, or my talk about the WLC isn’t a sponsorship or advertisement. I just like the idea, and think that Andy has come up with something really unique and fun that can benefit people’s lives. A new round of the WLC starts on January 16th 2016. If you sign up before Jan 4th, you get $10 knocked off your registration. If you’re looking for something to give you motivation and direction to start of 2016, a WLC might be a good fit. Check out the website. They have a lot there to help you out. Follow Andy on Twitter and Instagram at @AndyPetranek. Follow the Whole Life Challenge on Instagram at @wholelifechallenge and on Twitter @wholelife. This episode is sponsored by SB Tactical and the iCombat Active Shooter Training System.  The iCombat Training System is an active-shooter and firearms qualification system. Think of it as laser tag for cops but with an edge. This is not a simulation system, it’s a replication system. Because of this, you can take it anywhere. There’s no site preparation, no ammo costs, and none of the safety issues that come with live-fire or SIMS training. I hate SIMS training and to me, this system has all the benefits and none of the liabilities. To prove that point, watch the video at sbtactical.com where they used a functioning terminal at the Burbank Airport for active shooter training with real as you can get concealment and cover and multiple agencies went through the training scenarios.   As I said in the past, I’ve used this equipment in my own department’s training and I think it’s fantastic.

Freddy Camacho is a couple things:  *  A complete badass * A laid back guy with zero ego. That’s a hard combination to come by, even in law enforcement Freddy is a newly-promoted sergeant for Union City PD, a good-sized city in the Bay Area and it’s a hoping area. He’s also a sergeant on their sniper team and has been on the SWAT team for quite some time. Freddy came to law enforcement later than most, and almost on a whim which is kind of funny. But he had a history of fitness long before law enforcement that he brought into the career. So here’s a guy who is 50, working nights and that’s only half the story… Freddy is also a co-owner of CrossFit Freemont, and was a previous owner of CrossFit One World, one of the first 100 affiliates in the world. Freddy is also married to Chyna Cho, the fittest American in this year’s CrossFit Games where she came in 6th. With a wife that’s performing at the elite levels, it’s easy to see where he gets his motivation. But he also makes time for a nightly Sierra Nevada because he has his priorities straight. A cop, working to stay fit, who loves IPA’s? We’re going to get along juuuuuuust fine. In this episode: * How Freddy found CrossFit after a successful career as a ring fighter and boxer. * The random conversation that turned him into a cop. * How police work has changed his outlook on fitness. * How he manages 2-3 hour training sessions with shift work and nights. * Bedtime routines * Why nutrition was never a big deal for him, but what he’s doing now to get it dialed-in. * His one major force multiplier for his fitness (hint: it’s his wife). Links and Resources: * RP Strength – Renaissance Periodization Strength is the nutrition performance coaching service that Freddy talks about. They’re giving away a free auto-template to a listener of The Squad Room. See the rules below. * Freddy’s Twitter: @freddycamacho65  * His gym: CrossFit of Freemont How to enter the RP Strength giveaway: * We’re giving away an auto-template from RP Strength. A $99 value. * What you’ll get is: – 4 Excel spreadsheets of diets, each for hard, moderate, light, and non-training day options – 4 Diet progression sheets within each Excel spreadsheet (changes to your diet as your body adapts) – A “how to” guide to using the diet templates to reach your goals – A “common Q and A” document for the particulars * Here’s how to enter: * Go to iTunes or Stitcher and leave a review of The Squad Room. To do this, open your podcast app (or iTunes directly if on a computer). Search for “The Squad Room.” Then, click on “Ratings and Reviews” and then “Write a Review.” * Send me a photo or screenshot of your review to squadroompodcast@gmail.com. * Sign up for the mailing list. You can do this by texting THESQUADROOM to 44222 or visiting thesquadroom.net  * A winner will be picked at random in about four weeks and I’ll notify you by email. * Good luck! This episode is sponsored by SB Tactical and the iCombat Active Shooter Training System.  The iCombat Training System is an active-shooter and firearms qualification system. Each officer is outfitted with a molle-style tac vest, headband and receiver that all have sensors on them.

There is an old parable, attributed to the Cherokee Indians of the Two Wolves. An old Cherokee Chief sit with his grandson and tells him, “A terrible fight is going on inside me.” “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, sorrow, hate, greed, self-pity, lies and ego. As his grandson looks on, the Chief continues. “The other is good,” he says. He is love, compassion, joy, peace, serenity, generosity, truth and faith.” “That same fight is going on inside you” the Chief said to his grandson. “And it’s going on inside every other person too.” The young warrior thought in silence for a minute before asking the chief, “which wolf will win?” The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.” I like this parable because it seems so perfectly suited for us in law enforcement. It’s a reminder not to become that which we are surrounded with. With our work, it’s easy to feed the evil wolf off the table scraps of our shift. The domestics, the child abuse, and the general stupidity of the human race make the evil wolf salivate for an easy meal. We can’t feed that wolf. We are, at our core, a good wolf. We come into this job with that heart. You may not be comfortable being all touchy-feelly so I’ll do it for you. Despite any gruff exteriors you may impose, or walls your build, you as a peace officer have immense love in your heart for your fellow human beings – even the stupid ones. With the exception of our military personnel, there is no other calling in which you will be asked to potentially lay down your life in violent defense of complete strangers. You may not see it, but if that’s not love, compassion, joy, peace, serenity, generosity, truth and faith then I don’t know what is.  You are a good wolf. But that wolf has to eat. Even the best intentions fall apart when the body and mind begin to starve. So we must feed the good wolf to stave off — and starve off — the evil wolf. But how do we do that? We all have different ways of recharging our batteries. We might seek fellowship or solitude in the outdoors. We focus our off-duty time on family, kids, and loved ones. We have hobbies to take us away from the places where the evil wolf might eat. The poignancy of this parable should be doubly impactful when considered through the lens of our favorite nickname – that of a sheepdog. That lesson by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman needs no retelling but the commonalities and correlates to the One You Feed parable are striking. Both have a wolf that is good – the sheepdog in the sense of the police. Both have a wolf that is bad. It’s interesting…and I don’t think there’s a more appropriate commentary on the challenges of police work. It works on many levels. First, is the most obvious one. We fight the good fight against the bad wolf. But if the parable is correct, we must be fed, satiated through some means. This is obviously a metaphor and not a literal feeding –although my wife will tell you how I quickly become a hangry evil wolf if I skip a meal. So how do we feed? Accolades, awards, recognition, stats…sure, those things will feed us temporarily. But what about honor, purpose, service, and strength. Those are far more satiating to the heart of the good wolf. As noted, the good wolf is full of love, compassion, joy, peace, serenity, generosity, truth and faith. When that wolf is fed with honor, purpose, service and strength, I suspect it is invincible to the deceits of the evil wolf. The challenge for us all in the current climate is to resolve to continue to feed the good wolf a healthy diet. Much like my old yellow lab, a change in diet is disastrous for both the canine and the lawn. So to, is a change in what we feed our good wolf. If the good wolf is allowed to now subsist on media scrutiny, confrontational cop blockers,

Mikal Vega is an interesting guy who has led an amazing life. Unlike the last few guests, he’s not in law enforcement though he is certainly a supporter of our profession. If his face looks familiar, it’s because you might have seen him on TV or in movies. He’s actually a professional actor, and he’s been in movies like Transformers 3 and 4, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, and TV shows like Dallas and Chuck amongst other projects. He is an action movie star. But really, that’s not why I wanted to talk to him. Long before Mikal was standing in front of the cameras, he was standing in front of IED’s and other bombs as part of the U.S. Navy’s EOD Team. Mikal spent 10 years in EOD before deciding to try his hand at BUD/S, the qualifying course to start towards the SEAL teams. Mikal graduated with class 224 before being assigned to Seal Team 8 on the East Coast. As you’ll hear in this episode, Mikal suffered through some amazing trials. What’s amazing is, Mikal, took control of his own life and his own diagnosis and solved his problems without, and actually in spite of, professional medical interventions. Navy EOD, Chief Petty Officer in the SEAL teams, awarded the Bronze Star with Valor TWO TIMES, a Purple Heart, and over 22 years of service…and an action-movie star…it’s a great conversation., Mikal is the founder of Vital Warrior, a non-profit devoted to alleviating the detrimental effects of acute stress through non-pharmaceutical re-balancing methods. Through his own interventions, experiments, and searching, Mikal developed 8 modalities that he used in concert with each other to relieve his diagnosis of Traumatic Brain Injury and PTSD. Mikal earned his Purple Heart when the convoy he was traveling in was struck by an IED. What Mikal didn’t know was that his neck was broken. It took 4 years before he was able to figure that out. Soon, he began to suffer the signs and symptoms of serious psychological impediments. Suicidal, he sought a better way out than pharmaceuticals. He found it. Follow Mikal on Twitter and Instagram at @mikalvega and check out Vital Warrior at vitalwarrior.org. This episode is sponsored by SB Tactical and the iCombat Active Shooter Training System.  The iCombat Training System is an active-shooter and firearms qualification system. Each officer is outfitted with a molle-style tac vest, headband and receiver that all have sensors on them. You’re also given a replica AR-15 and a replica Glock pistol. Now, replica isn’t really a good word here because the AR-15 and Glock both cycle like real guns, emit gunshot sounds and muzzle flashes. They each have ammo accountability too, meaning that you have to keep track of your shots like a real firefight. What I really like is there’s even a mag release and it’s weighted like a Glock. You don’t feel like you’re holding a water gun. The AR also has a functioning safety and can be used in single shot, or burst modes. This is not a simulation system, it’s a replication system. Because of this, you can take it anywhere. There’s no site preparation, no ammo costs, and none of the safety issues that come with live-fire or SIMS training. I hate SIMS training and to me, this system has all the benefits and none of the liabilities. To prove that point, watch the video at sbtactical.com where they used a functioning terminal at the Burbank Airport for active shooter training. They used a functioning terminal, with real as you can get concealment and cover and multiple agencies went through the training scenarios. So, if you’re not getting shot at like SIMS, and you don’t see holes in a paper target, how do you know you succeeded? Well, 5000 volts is how. This is what adds the last element of replication, not simulation.

I first met today’s guest several years ago, in the way that we seem to meet people these days – by email. Scott McGee is a well-known police officer in CrossFit and is definitely one of the O.G.s in getting CrossFit adopted by law enforcement agencies. Scott is a member of the Santa Monica PD SWAT team and he was instrumental in getting CrossFit adopted as their team’s methodology. In fact, the qualifier for the team is a full Murph WOD. Scott is featured in a few CrossFit videos (links below) and I reached out to him when I first made attempts to bring an organized CrossFit gym to my agency. I failed miserably but Scott’s help was invaluable and he was incredibly enthusiastic and supportive. When I discovered podcasts, one of the first ones I found was the Wodcast Podcast. A funny, informative podcast about all things CrossFit. The show is hosted by comedian Eddie Ifft, CrossFit blogger and box owner Armen Hammer, and one Scott McGee. Hmmm….a cop with a podcast huh? When I got up and running with the show, I reached out to Scott who quickly accepted my interview request. However, having kids and summer breaks being as hectic as they are, well it took us a little time to finally connect up. Scott has an even better explanation for how he spent his summer but I’ll leave that to him to tell in the show. It’s pretty mind blowing. Scott is one of those guys that is just absolutely “alive” with energy. I don’t mean he’s spastic and full of ADHD, I just mean that he has such a presence and character that is undeniable. Greg Amundson, our guest on episode 3 and a good friend of Scott’s was the same way to me. Both literally glow from the inside out. It’s awesome. We get into Scott’s work, habits and philosophy on the show so I won’t rehash it all here but here are some major points we hit on in the show. * The power of optimism and how he stays positive in a tough job * How personal responsibility is his freedom, not his burden * How physical fitness and the capacity for work are his blessings. * The importance of SISU It’s a great conversation and it might be my favorite episode yet. Here’s Christmas Abbott working with the same sandbags we talked about on the show. Scott’s CrossFit Journal video of the Santa Monica SWAT team doing Murph. CrossFit Journal – SWAT Team Goes CrossFit CrossFit Journal – Adopting CrossFit for Police Training  Pat Croce is one of Scott’s favorite authors. Find Scott on Instagram at @1ScottMcGee This episode of The Squad Room is brought to you by SB Tactical and the iCombat Active Shooter training system. I got to experience this system in my department’s quarterly training long before I got to know the guys over at SB Tactical and I have to tell you it is the BEST training system for law enforcement in active-shooter scenario training.   Each officer is outfitted with a molle-style tac vest, headband and receiver that all have sensors on them. You’re also given a replica AR-15 and a replica Glock pistol. The AR and Glock both cycle like real guns, emit gunshot sounds and muzzle flashes. They each have ammo accountability too, meaning that you have to keep track of your shots like a real firefight.  The AR also has a functioning safety and can be used in single shot, burst, and full auto modes. This is not a simulation system, it’s a replication system. Because of this,

I have 24 hours in a day. Anyone have anything different? Any secret advantage? Nope, didn’t think so. Here are all the things that Bryan Wadkins and I have in common: * We’re both fathers * We’re both sergeants, and veteran police officers (deputy sheriff in my case) * We both live in California That’s about it. Well…we both “do” CrossFit for our exercise but….um, yeah… Bryan Wadkins is a sergeant for the Costa Mesa Police Department, currently assigned to the motor unit. Oddly, for a podcast for and about law enforcement officers, that might be the least interesting thing about a pretty interesting guy. He’s also a two-time CrossFit Games athlete in the Masters 40-45 division, finishing on the podium in 2014 and #7 in his division in 2013; he’s a parent; and an entrepreneur as the co-owner of CrossFit RXD in Anaheim, California. Oh and he’s a 3-time CrossFit Regionals athlete in the Team Division. But…NBD. He even placed 4th in the 2015 Open in his division but eventually pulled out of the competition due to a family emergency. I was curious how a full-time police officer was capable of juggling so much. How does he do it? I mean, seriously! We actually have so much in common that I wanted to spend time with him and find out how he succeeds in managing so much. We have the same 24 hrs in the day. He’s got the same family obligations, a stressful job, and a second job owning his own box! So…WTF? What am I missing? As it turns out, Bryan’s regimen was pretty relaxed. Like, shockingly so. It was actually a relief and as a result, super motivating to hear from him how he does it. He makes it seem attainable. To be fair, when he does get to the gym, he’s there for 2-3 hours at a time so he devotes some serious time but he freely admits to missing days. His diet? Eh…not strict, not ridiculous, just sensible and clean. But does he indulge? Yup. So here are my takeaways from our conversation: * First, Bryan is a ridiculously gracious and all-around good guy. * Though active in high-school sports, Bryan was not a life-long athlete dedicated to 4am wake-ups and two-a-days into his 20s. He was and is, by all accounts, a normal guy. * Like many of us, Bryan enjoyed the physical results of his academy experience for a few years. But, weight started to come on as he got longer into the job. He decided to get back into the gym to stave off the weight gain. * That desire to just stay in shape lead him to CrossFit, where he found that he excelled. * He allows himself to be human. He’s diet is so consistently…consistent that when he chooses to indulge, it’s not a cheat because he allows himself to enjoy the normal things we all enjoy. * He has the support of his wife, who is also active in CrossFit and running their gym. Bryan readily admits that without her support he wouldn’t be able to achieve the results he has. * His meal prep is seemingly non-existent, as he subsists during his shift on leftovers. The key here, is that his leftovers aren’t pizza or pasta. He and his wife both cook clean together and as a result, leftovers are naturally clean as well. It’s a great conversation with a fantastic role model for everyone in law enforcement looking to make a change. Guys like Rich Froning or even Jon Pera, though amazing and inspirational, often seem out of reach or unrealistic for our own lives. Bryan will show you that it’s still very possible. After talking to Bryan, it was encouraging to see a guy 6 years older than me, in better shape than I have ever been in. I’ve still got time…we all do. It’s a matter of how we spend those 24 hours. Stay Safe,