Living with a SEAL: 31 Days Training with the Toughest Man on the Planet

Some people are very content with their lives while others will do crazy things to get out of their comfort zone. Jesse Itzler is one of them.
A former rapper turned entrepreneur with a lot of money, a lot of guts and a very healthy lifestyle, he decided to kick things up a notch.
Regular exercise, running marathons, and eating healthy were suddenly not enough so he went all the way and hired a Navy SEAL to come live and train with him for a month.
And not just any Navy SEAL, but David Goggins, the toughest man on the planet.

David Goggins is an entirely different breed of man. He has a strong mind and willpower and he can do things that many people will never be able to do. He broke the world record for the most pull-ups done in 24 hours, doing 4030 in only 17 hours. He is one of the top 20 ultramarathoners of the world.  He ran several Badwater marathons  (the toughest marathon in the world) which is a 135-mile non-stop race over three mountain ranges in the sweltering midsummer desert heat (raising up to 53 degrees Celsius) with a vertical ascent of 13,000 feet.  And Jesse decided to cold-call him, invite him to live with him and his family for a month and train with him. Goggins agreed but made only one request: Jesse would have to do whatever David asked, no exceptions. And Jesse agreed.

Overall, from the outside, the experience may seem funny but in reality it is something that not many people could have handled.


The book is interesting and funny because, first of all, Jesse decided to keep a humorous perspective and make constantly make fun of his struggles.
David came at his home one brutal snowy December morning, wearing shorts and a t-shirt and carrying a simple bag with enough things to last him for a month. And they went out for a run. In freezing December. In shorts.
They worked out two to three times a day regardless of Jesse`s work or travel schedule.
No equipment needed.
They ran each morning, in the snow, for six miles.
They ran again in the evening, also in the snow for three miles.
Plus they did a lot of push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups and burpees.
It may not seem that complicated but be aware that this training was directed by a man who has a very different understanding of human limits and loves to blow up his comfort zone.

To achieve his fitness goal he needed to take Jesse out of his comfort zone and push him beyond his limits. And he did this every single day for a full month. 

One great example is the burpee test: Jesse needed to do 100 burpees  as fast as he could.

In his office. 

During a meeting break.

With no prior warning. 

So Itzler stripped down to his boxers in his office and did 100 burpees as fast as he can. This is a fine example of what Goggins meant when he said that there were no exceptions to the training.
Also, to explain the extent of their training, one day while training at the gym in Jesse`s building they meet Jesse` nephew, a really fit guy who thought that it would be awesome to train alongside Goggins. He ended up throwing up his guts due to exhaustion.

The book is inspiring. 

Jesse and Goggins are a great example of how we can be more than what we are.
We just need to get out of our comfort zone, make a plan and stick to it.

The limit is only in our mind.

Amazon Book
David Goggins