The Squad Room

There’s a saying, “abs are made in the kitchen.” If that’s true, I’d better get cooking! Lucky for me, this episode’s guest is Joel Chapman, professional chef, crossfitter, and all-around good guy. These days, Joel makes food for several thousand people a day as part of a catering team for the University of California at Santa Barbara. When a guy cooks for that many people, he knows how to prep his meals. As you’ve heard me discuss on previous episodes, meal prep and diet have been some of my biggest challenges. From the emails I get, other police officers and law enforcement share the same problems. It’s not that I don’t want to eat healthy, or understand the obvious benefits. For me, it’s usually the meal prep. When I work 12-hour shifts 4 days a week, I’m looking at up to 8 meals I need to prep for the week. By my Friday, I’m pretty sick of whatever dish I’d prepared for lunch, regardless of how healthy, nutritious or ingenious it is. But here’s the thing: I LOVE TO COOK! I really do, and I cook the majority of the meals in my home. But it wasn’t like I always knew how to cook, or how to cook for my own tastes. It took a lot of time, experimentation and more error than trial. But, that’s part of the fun of learning. But if you don’t have much time, learning to cook is intimidating. So today we’re going to help you get started. Joel Chapman’s training and experience as a chef makes him a perfect guest to talk about how to start cooking for yourself. Joel spent 3 years at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris perfecting his cooking skills. If you’re not familiar with cooking schools, it’s like Harvard for chefs. Here’s a smidgen of what we cover in this episode: * What kind of utensils and tools do you need to have on hand. * How to prep your food, and plan your meals. * What spices you should start with. * How long can you keep various dead, cooked animals in the fridge before they’re dangerous. * Why it’s important to let your meats “rest” after cooking them, and how long should you do it. There’s a lot more too… We also talk specifics about what materials you should have on hand. Here are some links to the products we discuss (**disclosure: Amazon links are an affiliate link and we receive a commission on any sale. However, that is not why they are featured here. Joel brought his recommendations regardless of our affiliate association.) “How to Cook Everything” was the cookbook that got me started on cooking. It’ll teach you everything you need. 2000 recipes! Joel’s favorite intro cookbook is The Joy of Cooking. J.A. Henckel’s 18-piece knife set: This was on our wedding registry and they’ve held up well for 10 years. They need sharpening like any good knife set. Another set is the Wusthof Knife Set Cutting Boards – Here’s a good tip, and one my wife has been preaching for years (yes, Honey you were right). To minimize the risk of bacterial infections, separate the preparation of your meats and vegetables onto different boards. In my house, colored boards are for fruit and vegetables. Black and white boards are for meats. If you only have one board, make sure you prep vegetables first, then meat. A Cast Iron Skillet is great, and Joel agrees. Pans: This is a hot topic we actually didn’t get in to. However, this ceramic pan has been a favorite of mine. I have a decent set of Kirkland (Costco) brand steel pans but frankly they&...

Dr. Steve Politis has more acronyms after his name than anyone else I think I’ve ever met. So, you know he’s smart. But don’t just take it from me. Here they are: Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Fellow of Applied Functional Science (FAFS) Fellow of American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT) Certified Kinesio Taping Practitioner (CKTP) Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) Phew… Steve, er…Dr. Politis, was kind enough to come on the show and let me barrage him with questions about how police work and being a member of law enforcement affects your body, and what can we do to prevent some of that damage. It’s a great episode, and I walked away with all sorts of actionable lessons. We cover a lot of ground and you might want to grab a notepad. * What are his opinions on CrossFit and what he’d like to see added to the WOD’s * What are the biomechanic issues faced with being a police officer * Why your traditional running style is slowing you down, and why POSE running is getting popular * The importance of your anterior chain and WTF is your front butt? * How stability is sometimes lost in the efforts to seek mobility * Too ice or not too ice * How the vest and belt will affect your mobility and likelihood of injury * The importance of ankle flexibility and why it might be causing your neck problems * What your stretching routine should look like pre and post-workout. We touch on Dr. Kelly Starrett, a well-known PT in the CrossFit world. I’ve been using Starrett’s book “Become a Supple Leapord“ since it came out to help relieve a lot of the chronic issues we deal with. A new edition of the book just came out too. Steve has a very similar mindset to Kelly about how to treat and mend the body. In fact, I’ve posted a few of Starrett’s videos below specific to police work and you’ll see that Steve and Kelly line-up in their recommendations. This video from Kelly on his mobilitywod project is a great one for us – and it happens to have another famous podcaster as the test subject. Tim Ferris, author of the 4-Hour Workweek, 4-Hour Body, and 4-Hour Chef assists Kelly with demonstrating some stretches you can do throughout your shift.   And another great one on dealing with all that time we spend in the car. Steve has already agreed to come back onto the show so please send us your questions. I’d love to get the listeners involved. Email me at squadroompodcast@gmail.com As always, thanks for listening! Stay safe!

Change is hard…duh, right?  But when you’re trying to change a lot at the same time, I think it’s easy to get down on yourself for not seeing progress in all areas instantaneously. Even as a relatively sane and independent thinker, I think I’m subconsciously persuaded by all the marketing that I should have succeeded by now. I haven’t. Not by a long shot. I want 6 minute abs…but it isn’t going to happen. Damn. So now what? In this episode, Traver joins me and we talk about why change is hard, and what my obstacles to overcoming them. As I listened back to this episode, so many at first glance seem external. Meaning, I can’t control these factors, things like shift work, physical exhaustion from working in this current heat wave, cognitive fatigue from long shifts…I could go on. However, I’m realizing that even those are somewhat self-imposed. We also talk about how, as a parent, my social circle accepts and even encourages a lack of fitness. We all understand each other and we’re tired, so no one is whopping my ass out of bed to hit the gym. That’s why we all need a coach, and though he’s not hovering over my pillow barking at me at 0600 to get my ass up, he’s as close as I’ll get to that motivation. In this episode we discuss: * My experience this week with responding to my first “11-99 Officer Down” call. * The obstacles to change and why it’s hard. * The importance of treating yourself like a high-level CEO * Using schedules to maximize your efficiency and effectiveness * Basic home WOD’s for people who don’t have time to get to the gym. In this episode, I reference an excellent book called “The Obstacle is the Way” by Ryan Holiday. It’s an excellent book on overcoming adversity, and a good primer on Stoic philosophy, something I’ve talked about before. Another excellent read is Resilience by Eric Greitens, a former US Navy Seal, Rhodes Scholar, Humanitarian and current candidate for Governor of Missouri. Take care of each other and stay safe.

Thanks for supporting the show. Please, stop what you’re doing, open another tab in your browser and give us a review on iTunes. Just search for The Squad Room and you can leave a review on our landing page. If you subscribe to the show, you won’t be able to do it from your “My Podcasts” page. I don’t know about you, but I love talking to retired LEOs. I like hearing the stories of how it used to be, and the challenges they faced that are so foreign to me. I also like to get their perspective on how to succeed in the job, both personally and professionally. What better way to learn how to keep your sanity through this nonsense then to ask someone who did it. The guest for this episode is Ed Aceves. Ed is the newly retired Chief of Police of La Mesa, California. La Mesa is a town of about 60,000 people bordering the city of San Diego on two sides. Ed is a bit of a rarity these days in that he rose through the ranks of La Mesa to become chief, having started there as a reserve in 1985. Cops love side jobs, and Ed is now exception. Despite retirement and his ability to pull down a well-deserved pension for 30 years of service, Ed is now the Law Enforcement Liaison for Rx Smart Gear. If that name is familiar, it’s because you either have, or want, one of their awesome jump ropes. In his spare time, Ed travels to department’s on RX’s “Donuts for Double Unders” tour teaching jump rope skills at agencies and boxes around the country. Ed obviously has a commitment to fitness and he survived a long career relatively unscathed. In this episode we talk about a wide variety of topics. * How he works to find a balance between family life and his professional career. * His lifelong commitment to fitness and how he brought that passion to the department. * His efforts to develop a physical-fitness program for his officer. * His advice and opinions on leadership in policing. * How to have a successful career, however you define that. * The one thing that has kept him grounded and focused for his entire career. * How to handle adversity as a leader. It’s a great conversation with someone who knows what they’re talking about, and is passionate about helping cops lead healthy lives. Ed is a cop’s cop. That might be the highest compliment you can give someone in a command position. Rx Smart Gear is very friendly to law enforcement. In fact, one of their sponsored Games athletes is Deputy Sheriff Jon Pera, who not only competed at the 2015 Games, but did it while holding down a full-time job. I’ve been using the “Buff” weighted cable of Rx jump rope for the past 18 months and it’s the only reason I’m starting to get double unders. If you’re struggling with double unders, or just want to add some swag to your gym bag, check ’em out. As far as I know, it’s the only rope company that customizes the length and weight of the rope. To support the listeners of this show, Rx Smart Gear is offering 15% off any jump rope order to listeners of the show. Use the coupon code SQUADROOM15 at checkout to get hooked up. (Note: There’s no sponsorship here from Rx. I just love their product, their company and who they choose to associate with. At a time when professional athletes in some sports double as convicted felons, its awesome to see a company so supportive of law enforcement.). Be safe, and take care of each other. Garrett      

If this episode doesn’t scare the crap out of you, I haven’t done a very good job. I hate night shift. That should’ve been made abundantly clear in the last few episodes. I used to love it – when I was a young buck without kids and a lot of disposable income. But I’m not that guy anymore. I’m still a bit conflicted. I love the lack of traffic, the cooler temperatures, and the heightened activity levels, but I’d just prefer that all happen while the sun is out, my kids are in school and my wife is awake. In October of last year, after years of horrible sleeping, I was finally diagnosed with severe obstructive sleep apnea, a potentially dangerous condition in which you stop breathing in your sleep. How many times? For me, it was 31 times an hour – and that’s not bad.  A partner recently revealed his sleep apnea woke him up 92 times an hour. For good measure, they threw in a diagnosis of Shift-Work Sleep Disorder. When you’re waking up that often, you’re never falling far into sleep, and if you’re not falling far into sleep you’re not resting. Here’s the scary part: if you’re not resting, your brain cannot process events of the day and store them as memories and hence, those with sleep disorders suffer a nearly 200+% increase in dementia. Increases in heart disease, cancer, diabetes and many other conditions also sky rocket. Luckily, I got it figured out and with the help of a CPAP machine, I’ve been sleeping much better. But it could still be better. Sleep hygiene is something we all need to focus on, and spend some time thinking about. The problem is, your doctor is not likely to be the one to sit you down and lay out all the scary facts about sleep deprivation. Mine didn’t. When I went to my doctor and explained all my problems – heavy snoring that woke me up, constant exhaustion, foggy thinking etc. – I was given Ambien. When that didn’t work I was given Lunesta. What finally gave me an answer was the TEDx talk given by the guest on this episode – Dr. Kirk Parsley. That recorded speech (a great thing to show in briefing for you supervisors), finally led me to self-diagnose sleep apnea which was eventually confirmed through a sleep study and follow-up exams. Everything we do is interconnected, and the interplay between aspects of our lives is undeniable. In this episode, we get into some important information: * Why one night of poor sleep is like spending 5 years as a pre-diabetic. * That the World Health Organization now classifies sleep deprivation as a Type II carcinogen on par with asbestos. * Why one night of poor sleep increases cortisol, wastes muscle, makes testosterone and growth hormone plummet and increases estrogen production! * What supplements he recommends to help with sleep. * Why he developed the supplement “Sleep Cocktail” for the Navy SEALs that he’s now bringing to market. You can get 10% off your first order using the coupon code thesquadroom. * Why you might be pre-diabetic but still look to be in perfect shape. * Why just a few hours of missed sleep causes your brain to function as if you were intoxicated. We cover a lot of great information and go deep into the weeds on just how bad shift work is, and what it’s doing to your body. Here are some more resources on Dr. Parsley:

In this episode, Traver gives me strict instructions to punch myself in the crotch. But more on that in a second… In law enforcement, we have a lot of variables that are beyond our control.  – Do you know what calls you’ll handle when you get to your next shift? – Do you know that the next car you stop has a parolee with a gun?  – Can you control how your spouse is feeling, alone at home while you’re working night shift? – Do you know that tonight, you’ll get held-over and miss your workout, and be left without breakfast nearby? – Do you know that you’re going to get woken up by the UPS guy after 3 hrs and not be able to get back to sleep, dragging yourself into the locker room scattered and sleep deprived? – Do you know that tonight is the night when you have to make the most important decisions of your life? No…no you don’t. None of us do.  So much of our life is beyond our control. That’s true for anyone, but doubly so for us as we navigate the world’s most challenging job, interjecting ourselves into the worst moment’s of other people’s lives. So, we need to be mindful of these challenges. Sure, there are plenty of other people who work shift work and share those struggles with us, but very few also share the mix of danger and stress that we face. We need to remember that some days, progress is defined not by the advancements we make, but by the ground we hold. Honestly, some days successes might be measured by the scale of the retreat (i.e. “it could’ve been worse). That’s okay. But are you okay with it? I’m a father, husband, law enforcement officer, podcaster, friend, brother, son, amateur CrossFitter, surfer, neighbor, supervisor, blogger, avid reader, and probably a dozen other titles I’m sure I could come up with if I thought more about it. Do I do each of them equally and perfectly every week? Of course not. No one can. The quality and/or quantity of my focus on any combination of these ebb and flow not just from week to week but from day-to-day, maybe even by the hour. So, I have to cut myself some slack – and so should you.  “Better is Better” is a phrase Traver used with me during a phone conversation while I was bemoaning the difficulties I was facing in being awesome at everything, every time. It struck me, calmed me and also inspired this episode. What he means, is that simple progress – however slight – is still progress and we must shake our Type A insistence on perfection at all things, and dismiss the need for linear progressions in our improvements. To date, I’ve lost 20 pounds. But, the first 15 came fast at the start of this project. That’s only 5 pounds in the last three months, which isn’t impressive and frankly demotivating until you see the other perspective. – I’ve been on night shift for 3 months, and I usually gain 5-15 pounds during a 4 month rotation to nights. – I have maintained many of my good habits, and added some new ones too that aren’t seen on a weight scale in the bathroom but are felt in my head and heart. So, considering that I’m usually up 15 pounds around this time, and in fact, I’m down 5 more so I’ve practically lost 20 more pounds! Ok, that’s fuzzy math that only Wall Street gets away with but you get my point. Accept the wins you’re given, and be a gracious loser when you aren’t perfect. I’m progressing because I’m not regressing.  Oh…so back to Traver’s desire to see me self-flagellate my groin. I’m under strict orders that I am not to set foot in a Taco Bell again…ever. Ouch. See, if I don’t plan my meals correctly,

Do you ever feel like this after a shift?     When I was recovering from a t-12 compression fracture in my vertebrae in 2011-2012, I was dealing with chronic pain in my thoracic spine. My back muscles were overcompensating and in constant spasm. That created a real problem, because I needed a strong back to prevent overcompensation, but I couldn’t develop that because I was in spasms which didn’t allow me to lift which kept me weak. The vest and uniform didn’t help, limiting my flexibility and pulling down on spine causing it to stay in a constantly rounded position. I was also given strict orders not to return to my chiropractor for any manual adjustments or “cracking” movements. Damn. What am I to do? Enter Foundations Training Dr. Eric Goodman is a chiropractor by trade and schooling, but you’ll he’ll share with you his own story of debilitating back pain in this episode. Dr. Goodman created a program known as “Foundations” which he now teaches all over the world. I picked up his book in 2012 and began doing the exercises, many which are variations on core work you’re likely already familiar with. Guess what? It worked.  Foundations Training is a mix of yoga style poses, body weight exercises, and core work. But, the emphasis is on the back and posterior chain, not your gut and stomach, and he explains why “core” is often a misused, and misunderstood concept that causes many people to focus on the wrong areas of their body. If you have back pain, you have something in common with Matthew McConaughey, Rob Lowe, professional surfer Lakey Peterson, LA Laker Derek Fisher, MLB player Bryan Peterson, Lance Armstrong and “the Dude” himself Jeff Bridges. And they all sing it’s praises and I don’t know about you but if the dude abide’s, so do I (sorry, I love that movie). When I started The Squad Room, I created a list of guests I’d like to have on the show. Dr. Goodman was high on that list and I lucked out. He came through town to teach his certification course and he was eager to chat, and it turns out that not only is he a genuine and caring guy, but he’s very pro-law enforcement and he really understands the rigors of our work. In this episode we dive into a lot of great stuff: * His recommendation for pre- and post-work stretching (video link) * His TEDx talk (video link) * The relationship between pain and low grade inflammation * Why he chose to go gluten-free * The importance of gut bacteria for your back and health * Your diet’s effects on your pain * His opinion on the current “ice or not to ice” debate * Why you might be in a co-dependent relationship with your physician * What vitamins and supplements he recommends and uses, or doesn’t use * His morning and night time routines * The importance of decompression work and his prescription (video link) Additional Links: Foundation: Redefine Your Core, Conquer Back Pain, and Move with Confidence by Eric Goodman Foundations Training DVD set Dr. Joe Mercola’s website (www.mercola.com) Check out foundationtraining.com for a ton of free videos and a lot of free advice and plenty of exercises to get you started. Follow his adventures on Instagram (@foundationtraining) or on twitter (@DrEricGoodman)...

This episode is awesome, if I do say so myself. And because I write this blog and ask the questions, I can say that. The problem is, it’s not a fun episode, but it’s an important episode. We don’t talk about “gainz” or any of the fun stuff like me pissing myself (see episode 1). We talk about the hard stuff, and the mental side of police work – the side of police work all of us wish didn’t exist. The side that we all know exists out there, lurking in the darkness of the closet like the bogeyman. If you’ve been a cop for any length of time, you’ve seen things and experienced things that are hard to articulate to family and friends.  You’ve seen all the creative ways people manage to hurt and kill themselves, harm each other, show extreme depravity towards defenseless children, or harm us or our partners. Just a few days before typing this post, I was on scene of a fatal collision yanking a dead guy with a broken neck – and god knows what dripping on my boots –  out of the backseat of a car while my wife was blowing up my phone about the kids not going to bed on time. I was not sympathetic, but it’s not her fault. She had no idea. It’s a weird parallel universe we live in — one we can’t expect our loved ones to occupy. But if we’re not careful, the isolation will rear it’s ugly head. About two weeks ago, an idiot pulled a shotgun on my partner in what can only be an attempt at suicide-by-cop. The shooting for this deputy, a fellow sergeant, was his second. The first was a mass murder rampage that he helped stop almost exactly a year to the day prior to this. I sit in my briefings and I see a group of people of ridiculous courage. Seemingly ordinary people tasked with extraordinary obligations. In my nightly briefings, I have guys who’ve saved lives, at times shoving their bare hands into the open thigh wound of a femoral gun shot wound. Others have gone beyond their skill and training to try and save someone but have been unsuccessful, only because the bullet got to the victim first. Others have been shot at. All have tracked down violent predators and abusers, kicking in the door with the abyss on the other side. In the halls I pass partners who discovered a gruesome scene a few months ago where a father killed his two young boys, his parents, and the family dog and then calmly waited on the porch for the police to arrive. Two weeks ago I went on-scene of an infant not breathing. The child had some medical challenges already, and the father woke up to the oxygen alarm sounding. In a move that can only be described as panic, he spent 5-10 minutes trying to call baby’s mother to find out what to do. No call to 911, no request for assistance. By the time we got there, not much could be done. You know it’s bad when you see the medics panicking. Nobody wants to be on scene of an infant’s death. To keep company with these heroes is the highest honor of my life. But it takes it’s toll, and if we’re not careful it could ruin us. Meet Dr. Joel Fay Dr. Fay (www.joelfay.com) spent a full career with the LAPD, then lateraled up to the Bay Area and completed his career with the San Rafael Police Department. He’s worked patrol, FTO, Detectives, SWAT, and Hostage Negotiations Team among other assignments. Towards the end, he finished his Psy. D. in Psychology and he retired and went to work treating cops and first responders who’ve suffered anguish and harm through no fault of their own. I first met Dr. Fay a few years ago and he’s a wealth of knowledge about the trials and tribulations of law enforcement work. Even better,

Welcome back for episode 6 of The Squad Room. We're taking a little turn into the realm that is going to make some of you squirm in your patrol car seat as you listen. Today we're talking about the "M" word - that's right. We're going to try and get you to meditate. But it's not just me that thinks there's some value in this. Top performers in the military, high finance, famous artists, and even other cops really endorse meditation - and I'm beginning to think they're right. Traver joins me again on this episode to talk about his tips for goal setting, and his own meditation practice and how important it is in his life. Keep in mind, Traver is a former professional MMA fighter, collegiate athlete, and general athletic badass. So, if a guy who used to get kicked in the face for a living can do it without running out the front door to hug a tree then there's probably something to it. Keep an open mind and explore new things. It's one of the beautiful things about being alive.

f you work in police work or corrections and you haven't thrown out your back at work, you might consider yourself lucky. If you happen to do that, and then immediately suffer a serious bout of the stomach flu, then you might be me. It's been a long month... Traver Boehm from Gravitas Life and CrossFit Pacific Coast joins me again for this recap of my first 30 days following his advice - plus a promise I made to him that I broke. In this episode, we go deep on some heavy topics. - Traver reinforces the fact that you need a team. - "It's always going to be something" and why you'll never be free of resistance and obstacles. So how do we deal with them? - Traver's response to my excuses. - Is Facebook killing your fitness and other time management lies we tell ourselves. - What benefit do you get from avoidance? (hint: there are real tangible benefits) - Why achieving your goal might be more terrifying than the fear of living an unhappy life. - The gifts of abstinence and the lies we tell ourselves and others about alcohol.

As Greg Amundson talked about in episode 3, you and I are professional warrior athletes. Listen to the podcast for his explanation but I believe it. We wear the gear and uniform that marks us as part of the team. There is no arguing that what we do is physically demanding, and the salty vets hunched and limping around the halls of my station that look like a NFL Hall of Famer prove that. I don’t want that. I’m scared of that. But what would that team look like? The Biggest Change You Can Make: Get a Coach In this scenario, I’m the star quarterback and even despite what Peyton Manning might say, a star quarterback still needs a coach. I got a coach (actually two) when I met Traver Boehm and asked him to do this project with us. His business partner Eric Malzone talks about how to pick a coach in this episode of The Squad Room. His tips include: * The importance of finding a coach who will meet you where you are (this’ll make sense in the show) * The difference between a personal trainer and a coach * The benefits of a traditional gym vs. a CrossFit gym * 1 simple step to finding a coach * The importance of mentors * The importance of a morning practice. When you watch any sport – from high school varsity to professional ranks – you see something in common on the sidelines. There is an entire support staff of professionals who aren’t in uniform who are also part of the team. They’re the physical trainers, coaches, doctors, equipment managers and others that support the team on the field. That got me thinking. When I show up for work, what is my support staff? Who helps me put on my gear, stretch out the tight spots, helps me get warmed up, or helps me monitor my health at halftime? If I pull a hamstring on a call, I don’t have someone dressed like a zebra blow a whistle while a group of trainers run to my aid with a water boy in tow to squirt Gatorade at me. I either suck it up and limp back or leave in an ambulance. Not ideal.  That’s all on me. That’s a lot of expertise to ask from one average cop. So, maybe I need a team. A football team comes together with the pre-determined goal of winning the game. A team full of cornerbacks would be unsuccessful, so the team fields a group that all have unique skills and abilities. A quarterback, a running back, a defensive lineman etc. Likewise, a SWAT team is comprised of different positions that each achieve the common goal. A SWAT team of snipers would be highly ineffective (despite what the snipers would tell you) without a breacher, an entry team, a perimeter team, a hot-gas guy and so on. Who is On My Team? I’m still out recruiting members of my team, but it’s growing. Here’s who is on the starting roster. * My wife – Yup, not much happens without her input and blessing. If Traver is my coach, my wife is my General Manager (I’m still holding out that I’m my own “Owner/President”). * My Coach – I got my coach, and a lot of this stuff started to fall in line. Everyone needs a coach. Listen to this episode to find out why. * A sports-medicine chiropractor – “Sports medicine” are the key words here. Look for someone who works with local sports teams – the higher the level the better, but someone who takes a systems approach to the spine and the posterior chain. * A sports-medicine physical therapist – I went to 4-5 physical therapists who all sent me through the same routines over and over. Just like an M.D., they addressed the symptoms and not the cause. Once I found a sports-medicine P.T., my life changed in immense ways. Ask around and look for someone who does myofacial release work. It’s a lot like deep tissue massage. It’s not relaxing in the spa weekend kind of way, but it works out the kinks. Who Do I Want On My Team? I’m still recruiting and looking to add people to h...

A few weeks ago I traveled up to Santa Cruz, California, the birthplace of CrossFit. I wasn’t there to interview the father of “The Sport of Fitness” Greg Glassman. Instead, I wanted an audience with one of his students; a guy that I’ve followed for years and have watched from a distance. Greg Amundson started CrossFit in 2001 at Glassman’s original gym in Santa Cruz. Greg quickly made a name for himself at the gym and he populates many of the early videos on YouTube about CrossFit. This episode is chalk full of great actionable tips. Here are some of the topics we cover: – Why I am a professional athlete and so are you. – The importance of mentors, and who are mentors in Greg’s life. Greg also shares tips on how to find a coach or mentor in your life. – The importance of teams, and law enforcement as a team sport. Greg’s tips on how to build your team. – Avoiding decision fatigue and seeking “the space between.” – Greg’s morning routine. – Greg’s tips for goal setting – The power of positive talk and using the positive tense. – Greg’s 3 truths of life. For me, this interview was a treat because Greg’s video on the law enforcement officer as an athlete was my first motivation to seek out consistent physical fitness. Greg has a lot of great content online. You can see most of it here. Greg served 9 years with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Department, During that time, he was gifted ownership of the original CrossFit “box.” Eventually, Greg decided to move onto the Drug Enforcement Agency. He spent several years working the Southwest border where he and his wife at the time opened CrossFit Amundson in the Imperial Valley, growing a 400 square foot garage gym into a 4000 sq/ft facility. Eventually, Greg moved back to Santa Cruz and opened CrossFit Amundson in Santa Cruz. During his time along the southwest border, Greg experienced an unexpected divorce. When he was able to recover, he began putting his thoughts on paper and out came the book Your Wife is Not Your Sister. There are a lot of valuable insights, takeaways and action steps in the book. I read it before meeting Greg and I identified so much with his experience. Those of us in law enforcement have some unique challenges and we share many characteristics. If you’re married, or one day expect to be in a committed relationship, I can’t recommend his book enough. Here are some of the other resources we talk about in this show: Jeff Martone – Kettlebell trainer and founder of www.TacticalAthelete.com Mark Divine (Cmdr. U.S. Navy Seals) – SEALFIT and Unbeatable Mind Book: Viktor Frankl’s “Man’s Search for Meaning” Video: Opening Day at Crossfit SEB Greg’s Article Diet Secrets of Tupperware Man (meal prep and nutrition. Crossfit Journal membership required) Photo: Child’s Pose (this will make way more sense after you listen).     Please take a few minutes after you listen to leave a comment here, or post a review to iTunes about the show and let us know what you think. We’re listening to you and we want to hear from you! You can always email us at squadroompodcast@gmail.

Fortune favors the bold, but strength favors us all. — Traver Boehm Welcome back for episode 2 of The Squad Room Podcast! We made it through episode 1 unscathed. Here in episode 2 we pick up the conversation with Traver Boehm, my coach. In this episode you’ll learn: * The importance of congruity and why I’ll never do cocaine * How I found my congruity in law enforcement * Why my relationships, work, and attitude are all suffering due to poor fitness * Why that voice in your head (dispatch) might be stressing you out. Links and Resources:  WellnessFx – Traver talks about Wellness FX in this episode. If you’re curious about getting blood work done (you should be curious, it’s important), Wellness FX might be a good option for you if you’re health care provider won’t sign off on the tests. It’s not cheap but neither is diabetes or a heart attack. The Power of Habit – Charles Duhigg’s excellent book on why we do what we do. My letters to my children:  Traver tasked me with writing a letter to both my children about the importance of the transformation that I’m trying to undertake. It was uncomfortable to say the least, but important to crystallize some of the generic thoughts running in my head about the importance of this project. I don’t include their names here but my daughter is first, followed by my son. You can find them here. Letter to Daughter and Letter to Son After completing the exercise, it actually inspired me a bit to double down on these efforts. I spoke truths to my kids in these letters, truths they’ll learn in life. I’d rather they learn those lessons from me and the example I set than from anywhere else. What’s My Why? Ugh, that’s a tough one. We’ll tackle that in a later post. Coming Up Stay tuned for Greg Amundson in episode 3. It’s a great interview and we’re just getting started. If you’re enjoying the show, please leave us a 5-star review on iTunes. If you hate the show – well, just stop listening. The reviews really help our exposure on iTunes and help us spread the information we’re trying to share. Comments, Questions, Concerns?  Please, leave a comment or send us an email. We’d love to hear from you. Until then, stay safe!

We’ve finally made it to episode 1 of The Squad Room Podcast! Thanks for coming by the site. If you’ve already listened to the episode, you’ll find links and information below. Today’s guest in this inaugural episode is Traver Boehm. Traver will be a frequent guest on the show and contributer to the entire project. He is my “coach” for this project. He’s not just a personal trainer, and more than a “life coach” – because I really hate that term. “Life coach” ugh. But think equal parts Tony Robbins, Tony Horton (the P90x guy) and George St.-Pierre (he even looks like him) and you’re getting close. If you found this first, here’s what you’ll learn in this episode: * How pissing my pants was the inspiration for starting this podcast. True story. * The goals of The Squad Room podcast and blog * How My Fitness Hit Rock Bottom * My introduction to my coach, Traver Boehm * Traver’s history as a professional MMA fighter, bodyguard, and coach * Why you can’t start any program without an honest self-evaluation. You’ll hear mine, and it’s embarrassing! Traver is the co-owner of Crossfit Pacific Coast and Gravitas Performance Lab. Learn more about him here. Traver is a former professional MMA fighter, and college-level water polo player and swimmer. Traver graduated from Boston College with a B.A. in Philosophy and Asian Studies.  Not surprising since he spent much of his childhood living in Japan. He then enrolled in the masters degree program at Yo-San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and halfway through the program, while looking for a way to cross-train in preparation for MMA fights, discovered CrossFit Los Angeles, Andy Petranek and his team of world-class coaches. For Traver, CrossFit was the answer to the myriad questions that were left lingering about his own fitness – even after reading countless fitness magazines, getting certified as a personal trainer and continuously developing his own workout routines. He has studied under coaches such as Mark Rippetoe, Jeff Tucker, Bob Takano, Tony Blauer, and countless others. When he’s not checking in on Garrett to get him off his ass, he’s usually near an ocean swell or a jiu-jitsu mat. I want to reiterate that this is not a CrossFit podcast. This podcast covers all aspects of optimizing the lifestyle, health and wellness of peace officers and first responders. For Traver and me, the method of physical conditioning we’ve found that’s most effective for us is CrossFit. But, that is by no means the only option, and it’s not the only methodology we’ll explore here. But, it does come up…a lot. If you don’t currently “do” CrossFit, you probably have some preconceived ideas. Just keep an open mind. But, if you’re here and reading this, I’m guessing that won’t be a problem for you. Please leave a review on iTunes about the show. I want to hear your comments. As always, shoot us an email at squadroompodcast@gmail.com to reach us. Thanks, and stay safe!