I was little, probably 5 or 6 years old, and stuck up in a tree in our backyard. I’d climbed up, but now I couldn’t seem to figure out how to climb down. I was scared. Jack tried to tell me how to climb down, but fear had me frozen in place. Now he was telling me to let go and trust him to catch me.

Last year I gave my youngest son, Nathan, a “book” that I’d written for him. The book was to be one of his high school graduation presents. I’d taken 18 months to make regular entries in a journal that might serve as a guidebook about life and living, as best as I understood it. I wrote about all kinds of things covering a wide range of topics from money to relationship building to time management to decision making to confidence and insecurity. I wrote about lots of things. I even wrote about women! (That was a very short entry, given my lack of understanding of the subject!) Several entries in the journal dealt with the subject of fear and how to deal with it.

There’s a book out there entitled “Embrace the Fear and do it Anyway!” I haven’t read the book, but I love the title.

Courage is often mistakenly thought of as a lack of fear, but in fact courage is always accompanied by fear. Only crazy people don’t feel fear in a dangerous or threatening situation. Bravery is simply overcoming the fear and taking action anyway!

What are you afraid of?

Most of us are afraid of the same things. I’m not talking about snakes, or spiders, or the like. I think we’re all afraid of the unknown, death, rejection, and failure, to name a few. Those things are common to us all. But why do some people sit in one place and watch, while others do?

I’d like to encourage you to be a DOER!

Overcome your fears by acknowledging them and then DO IT! ENGAGE! EXECUTE!

Or as Larry the Cable Guy would say … “Git r dunn!!”

Today, look at your life though adventurous glasses and consider what you would you do if you knew you could not fail.

Ships are made for the ocean, not the harbor. You weren’t put here to “play it safe” but to live an “abundant life!” So set your course, weigh the anchor, trim the sails, hoist the colors, and get underway!

When I let go of the tree … Jack caught me, put me on my feet … laughed … thumped me on my head and called me a sissy!

And that was the last time he ever called me that!

Don’t y’all be no sissy!!

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Law Enforcement Memorial Week

This week we acknowledge those in law enforcement. In particular we honor those law enforcement professionals who’ve given their lives in the line of duty.

Our own David Townsend is a Lieutenant on the Collierville Police Department.

And new-ish Boot Camper Michelle Dunn is the widow of Shelby County Sheriff’s Patrol Officer Tim Dunn, who was killed in the line of duty in October 2004.

To David and Michelle, and to all of our law enforcement professionals, we thank you!

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FIRE SURVIVORS UPDATE

I want to thank you all for your continued support and the donations given to help meet the needs of the family whose home was burned down. Your donations are still greatly appreciated.

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SATURDAY RUN

Boot Campers Mike Barta and Anne Emmerth will be leading an informal group of Boot Camp runners on Saturday morning at 8 AM at the U of M. They’ll meet in front of the parking garage (Mt. Fuji) on Zach Curlin. This group will be going for 1 hour, 5 minutes “on” and 1 minute “off.”

Come and get your one hour of cardio with some fellow Boot Campers!

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SUMMER HOURS

Traditionally the 0830 class, which meets only on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, goes on hiatus for June, July, and August. If you’re a regular member of the 0830 class and you WANT that class to continue through the summer, you need to email me and let me know. If a significant number of you 0830 boot campers want to continue through the summer, I’ll keep that class on active duty.

In June we’ll begin a 0645 class at Christ Methodist. That 0645 summer class will go for June, July, and August, meeting on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

There are NO changes to the 0530 class or the evening class!

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CHEAP BOTOX

Every once in a while I need to remind you to increase the weight of your dumbbells. If you’re able to perform the exercises without “making a face” then you NEED to get some heavier ones. The grimace will help keep your face youthful and bright! (If you can scratch your nose while holding your dumbbells — I saw that this morning — you need heavier ones!)

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“When you stop moving, it’s over.”
~ Don Wildman, 75 year old athlete and adventurer

To your good health and fitness,

Tony

Sergeant Major Tony Ludlow
USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP, Commanding
5358 Denwood
Memphis, TN 38120
901-644-0145

www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com

www.shaklee.net/tonyludlow/main

The power of intention is pretty strong. It’s the power to live a life with a purpose and a direction, a plan and a goal.

I know some people who have some pretty detailed plans for the things they will do in the next year, 3 years, 5 years, and even beyond. (I have a Japanese friend whose company has a 100 year plan!) One of my best friends is a detail oriented guy who has very specific plans extending several years down the road. I also know people who don’t have much of a clue what they’ll be doing 5 minutes from now.

A few years ago I was asked what it was like being a divorced dad.

That answer took a while.

Later on I bullet-pointed my answer in a journal entry. One of those bullet points was “I learned to parent intentionally.”

Sometimes we parent “accidentally.” It happens, it just doesn’t happen with a purpose or a plan. In the day to day hustle and bustle of domestic life, filled with after school activities, the mystery of “what will we eat for dinner,” book reports, homework, and American Idol … intentional parenting can often be lost within that over extended family agenda. As a dad who had limited uninterrupted time with his kids, I had to parent intentionally. I had to have a plan and a purpose. I would often jot down things during the week that I wanted to discuss with my kids face to face on the weekends.

What are you doing intentionally? You’ve got a lot of roles to play within the many contexts of your life. Which of those roles are being addressed purposefully and which ones are hit or miss?

When you consider the plans for your life, are you taking charge or flying by the seat of your pants? I’m not saying that having detailed plans for every role is the right way to live. I’m saying that living with intention and purpose, with or without a detailed plan, is the right way to do it!

And of course you know that I’d have to challenge you to approach your health and fitness with purpose and intention. One of you told me that the reason you come to Boot Camp is so that you don’t have to think about what to do. You trust me to guide and direct you. That works too. (That’s one of Boot Camp’s best selling points. “Just do what Tony says!”) You’ve got a purpose and an intention. Coming to Boot Camp takes you from the plan and intention phase to the key phase, the main phase: execution.

Yesterday morning, Les Bonnett and I tag teamed the 0530 workout together. (I’m training Les to become a USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP instructor in Collierville.) I told Les that three things happen before each exercise we do. First I announce the exercise, often twice: “PICK UP YOUR DUMBBELLS FOR ALTERNATING BICEP CURLS … ALTERNATING BICEP CURLS!” After the announcement of the exercise, comes the preparatory command: “READY!!” followed by a pause. And then comes the command of execution: “EXERCISE!!”

Without the command of execution, we’re all just standing around with our dumbbells in our hands.

Without EXECUTION, your plans, purposes, and intentions are just mental gymnastics.

The power of intention is awesome, but the power of execution is life changing! Life rewards action!

Plan with intention, approach the day with purpose … and …

EXECUTE!

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SATURDAY MORNING RUNS!

Would you like to run with some Boot Campers tomorrow? There are two informal USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP groups running tomorrow morning. One group is meeting at the U of M at 8 AM in front of the Zach Curlin parking garage. That group is planning on running for an hour straight. Another group is meeting at 9 AM at Shelby Farms in front of the Visitor’s Center. That group will be running the 1hr 45 min @ 5 min “on” and 1 min walk break format.

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SUMMER HOURS

Traditionally the 0830 class, which meets only on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, goes on hiatus for June, July, and August. If you’re a regular member of the 0830 class and you WANT that class to continue through the summer, you need to email me and let me know. If a significant number of you 0830 boot campers want to continue through the summer, I’ll keep that class on active duty.

In June we’ll begin a 0645 class at Christ Methodist. That 0645 summer class will go for June, July, and August, meeting on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

There are NO changes to the 0530 class or the evening class!

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CHEAP BOTOX

Every once in a while I need to remind you to increase the weight of your dumbbells. If you’re able to perform the exercises without “making a face” then you NEED to get some heavier ones. The grimace will help keep your face youthful and bright! (If you can scratch your nose while holding your dumbbells — I saw that this morning — you need heavier ones!)

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WHATEVER YOU WANT

In the day to day of my job, I hear a lot of excuses. Very few from you guys. Mainly because you guys know better.

I hear a lot of excuses from people who tell me why they can’t do BOOT CAMP with me.

“Your 5:30 class is too early, I can’t get up in the morning for that.”
“I’m too tired after work to come to the evening class.”
“It’s too cold in the winter!”
“It’s too hot.”
“You’re too mean.”
“I’ve heard too many stories about how hard your class is.”

Blah, blah, blah …

It’s the problem of too many too’s. Too hot. Too cold. Too early. Too late.

People do what they want. Period.

People change when the misery of staying the way they are becomes greater than the misery, work, or fear of changing.

If you’ve got a friend or family member who needs to change their lives, point them in the right direction. Encourage them to get on the right path. But the bottom line is: they’ll only change when they WANT to change.

“A man convinced against his will,
is of the same opinion still.”

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“When you stop moving, it’s over.”
~ Don Wildman, 75 year old athlete and adventurer

To your good health and fitness,

Tony

Sergeant Major Tony Ludlow
USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP, Commanding
5358 Denwood
Memphis, TN 38120
901-644-0145

www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com

www.shaklee.net/tonyludlow/main

The only time you’re stable is when you’re dead.”
~ Mehmet Oz, M.D. and Michael Roizen, M.D.

You might recognize those guys, Oz and Roizen. They’re the co-authors of “YOU: The Owner’s Manual and YOU: Staying Young.

Doctor Oz, as he’s affectionately known in “Oprah World,” is ubiquitous, and deservedly so.

The questions he asks in the quote above are worth thinking about and considering.

What exactly are we after?

Sometimes we exercise and eat right for vanity reasons. We want to look good.

Nothing wrong with that … so long as our desires to “look good” aren’t obsessive and our self esteem and sense of self worth aren’t derived from our looks. (I’ve personally got some issues with cosmetic plastic surgery, but I’ll leave that for another day.) But let’s be honest here. We all want to look good, or as good as we can. We aren’t satisfied with looking good “for our age,” we want to look good … PERIOD!

But more importantly, I want YOU to be the envy of people MUCH younger than you are, not because you necessarily look half your chronological age, but because the conduct and quality of your life, the energetic level of your activities, and the dynamism of your abilities are those of someone half your chronological age! Chronological age and Real Age aren’t the same age. (If you haven’t taken the Real Age test lately to find out what your Real Age is, do that at http://www.realage.com/ )

Each of us knows people who live their lives years older than their chronological age. They whine and complain, gripe and groan, existing through their days within the narrowing and restrictive boundaries of their myopic view of life and living.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Change begins with attitude.

Any of us can spend our time making excuses, imposing life limitations, living within nearsighted boundaries, acting old, sounding old, living a life of daily diminished capabilities and capacities … or we can be positive, vibrant, and energetic! It’s a daily decision. We wake up everyday with a choice. Today is all we’ve got! Yesterday is gone, tomorrow hasn’t happened and today is the only moment that we have. How we live this moment in time is determined by our attitude. Attitude affects everything from our body language, the tone of our voice, the expression on our face, the look in our eyes, the course of our life.

It all begins with attitude.

Attitude is everything!

Attitude is EVERYTHING!

Adjust yours now. Crank it up! Pump it up! Jazz it up!

Breathe deep and let the frustration go … embrace the moment as the only one you’ve got. Smile more. Give that jerk in traffic the benefit of the doubt. He probably didn’t get in your way to annoy you or to make you late for your appointment. Maybe he just came from the hospital where a loved one is dying. Maybe he’s on the way to the doctor’s office to get the results of a test that they won’t give him on the phone. Maybe she just got fired from her job and she’s driving home in shock, wondering what she’ll do next. Maybe …

See?

Your attitude determines if you’ll be fit … and it determines if you’ll be happy. It’s a choice.

Attitude is everything. Choose a good one … right now!

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SUMMER HOURS

Traditionally the 0830 class, which meets only on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, goes on hiatus for June, July, and August. If you are a regular member of the 0830 class and you WANT that class to continue through the summer, you need to email me and let me know. If a significant number of you 0830 boot campers want to continue through the summer, I’ll keep that class on active duty.

In June we’ll begin a 0645 class at Christ Methodist. That 0645 summer class will go for June, July, and August, meeting on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

There are NO changes to the 0530 class or the evening class!

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COMBAT CHALLENGE — PROGRESS REPORT FOR APRIL 25, 2008!

The Combat the Fat $5,000 Weight Loss Challengers have completed their second month of the six month challenge! Here are the results as of last Friday’s weight loss, with the Combat Challengers identified by call sign. These results are the percentages of body weight each person has lost so far.

Puddin Head - down 6.70%

Rising Sun … down 4.73%

Lady Bug - down 10.38%

Gurkha Woman - down 6.5%

Dumplin - down 9.78%

Houdini - down 6.9%

Drake - down 9.13%

Lunchbox - down 8.25%

Bubbalicious - down 9.03%

Heavy G - down 11.67%

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NASHVILLE HALF MARATHON

Congratulations go to the following Boot Campers who ran and finished the Nashville Half Marathon (13.1 miles) this past Saturday: Wendy Ludlow, Margaret Caffey, David Caffey, Rob Norcross, Elizabeth Stacey, Tabitha Ottiwell, Cindi Pontoni, Patty Kallenburger, and Estelle Winsett! Way to go everyone!!

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GOLF ANYONE?

My friend, Karyn Waxman, is the Director of the local PKD Foundation (polycystic kidney disease) has an annual golf tournament and charity auction to raise money and awareness. Three years ago Team Boot Camp had a 4 man team that competed in this “best ball” tournament. We had a GREAT time and came in dead LAST!

Well, the sting of that day has subsided and I’m wondering if we might have a few brave souls out there to play again. The four person scramble is at 1 PM, Monday, May 19. Entry fee is $200 each and FEATURES: Welcome Gifts, Golf Clinic, Boxed Lunch, Mulligans, Putting and Driving Contests, Closest to the Pin Competitions, Beverages & Snacks, and the Dinner Awards Banquet.

Let me know if you’d be interested. You can get more info at:
http://www.pkdcure.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pkdchp_chapter_midsouth&JServSessionIdr007=5xd8osisk3.app45b

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STIMULUS PACKAGE

Our government is sending us some mad money. Spend it on a year of Boot Camp! Your Government will thank you and so will your Drill Instructor!

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When you stop moving, it’s over!
~ Don Wildman, 75

To your continued good health and fitness!

Sergeant Tony

Sergeant Major Tony Ludlow
USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP, Commanding
4888 Southern Cove
Memphis, TN 38117
901-644-0145

www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com

www.shaklee.net/tonyludlow/main

In 411 BC he wrote:

“We must remember that one man is much the same as another, and that he is best who is trained in the severest school.”

My newest hero is living proof of the truth of this adage.

Who is my newest hero?

He’s a 75 year old Californian named Don Wildman.

Don, a life long workout freak, leads — that’s right LEADS — a daily workout that he calls The Circuit. Mr. Wildman’s workout sounds much like our Storm Chaser. I read about Don in the May issue of Esquire magazine. (I’m pretty sure Don is my real father! Sorry Dad).

This man does it all … and has done it all, including 9 Hawaii Ironman Triathlons, the 3,000 mile Race Across America bicycle race, and lots of marathons. Name the adventure and he’s probably done it or is training to do it … at 75! He surfs, mountain bikes, snowboards, plays golf, rock climbs, bike races, runs, swims … meaning that’s what he DOES those things, not DID them!

And on top of that he leads The Circuit.

Here’s Don Wildman’s simple athletic/aging philosophy: “When you stop moving, it’s over.”

When you stop moving, it’s over.

Need the Cliff Notes for that one? Here it is: MOVE!

How simple is THAT? How incredibly accurate?

Just shut up and MOVE!!
Quit whining and MOVE!!
Check your excuses at the door and MOVE!

Don Wildman knows that Thucydides was right … and now you do too!

Just … MOVE!

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APRIL IS “BRING A FRIEND TO BOOT CAMP MONTH”

April is almost over, but it’s not too late! You can bring a friend to Boot Camp during April for a FREE DAY! No strings attached.

The Boot Camper who brings the most friends in April will get $100!!

Here are the rules:

1. You get one point for each visitor you bring.

2. Your visiting friends must be prospects for membership.

3. If your visiting friend joins, you get double points.

4. Repeat visitors don’t count beyond their first visit.

In addition, your friends can join USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP for only $90 in April! Only your friends and family can take advantage of this deal. New recruits taking advantage of this special discount MUST have a sponsoring friend who IS a Boot Camper in good standing. It’s for our friends and family only.

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WHAT’S ON YOUR iPOD?

It’s that time again, you runners who listen to your iPod!

It’s time to send me your 5 or 10 favorite song titles for running, or the last 5 or 10 that you’ve downloaded for the purpose of running!

I need some new tunes for the Nashville Half Marathon and I’m willing to download some of YOURS! Just send me the song titles and artists and I’ll check ‘em out!

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When you stop moving, it’s over!
~ Don Wildman

To your continued good health and fitness!

Sergeant Tony

Sergeant Major Tony Ludlow
USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP, Commanding
5358 Denwood
Memphis, TN 38120
901-644-0145

www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com

www.shaklee.net/tonyludlow/main

The high cost of health care (actually “sick care”), the cozy relationship of the drug companies with the federal government, and the increasing levels of slackerism in our community make Thomas Edison’s words more alarming. By now, according to his prediction, health care providers in white lab coats ought to be doing what Doctor Sergeant Tony is doing!

On a different note, but to the same point, the seasons are changing and the trips to the beach, the pool, and reunions will soon be upon us! Along with all of those shorts and tank tops will be opportunities to hike, swim, ride, run, ski, do fun and active stuff outside … plus all of that extra exposure!

Are you ready?

For those of you reading this who are out of shape … who used to be healthy and fit … who need to get back on the stick and who NEED to come to Boot Camp … I’m waiting!!

If not now … when?

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COMBAT CHALLENGE — PROGRESS REPORT!

Identified by their call signs, you can see the progress of our 10 Combat Challengers as of this past Friday, April 12!

Puddin Head - down 5.08%

Rising Sun … down 2.52%

Lady Bug - down 7.9%

Gurkha Woman - down 4.2%

Dumplin - down 8.02%

Houdini - down 6.9%

Drake - down 5.35%

Lunchbox - down 7.15%

Bubbalicious - down 8.18%

Heavy G - down 9.92%

Awesome job guys!

Here are some tips I gave the Challengers last week that you might be interested in as well:

1) eat less (duh)

2) work out more (mo duh!)

3) don’t eat after 8 PM

4) drink more water

5) eat slowly

6) don’t eat while watching TV or reading

7) eat more protein

eat foods that are nutritionally dense

9) workout with intensity and purpose

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APRIL IS “BRING A FRIEND TO BOOT CAMP MONTH”

Last year, in honor of my friend Tom Farrar, I launched the “Bring a Friend to Boot Camp Month!”

You can bring a friend to Boot Camp during April for a FREE DAY! No strings attached.

What’s in it for you?

The Boot Camper who brings the most friends in April will get $100!! US Legal Tender. Not 100 Dollars in Boot Camp Bucks!

Here are the rules:

1. You get one point for each visitor you bring.

2. Your visiting friends must be prospects for membership, so no out of town visitors will count toward your total number of friends for the contest.

3. If your visiting friend joins, you get double points.

4. Repeat visitors don’t count beyond their first visit - so you can’t bring your friend Bob 15 times during April and count it as 15 points!

In addition, your friends can join USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP for only $90 in April! Only your friends and family can take advantage of this deal. New recruits taking advantage of this special discount MUST have a sponsoring friend who IS a Boot Camper in good standing. It’s for our friends and family only.

Current Standings

Lale Adams with 4 points (her two friends actually JOINED, she gets double the points!)

Yvette Mock with 2 points

John Winford with 2 points

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RENT MY HOUSE IN EAST MEMPHIS!

My house on Southern, in the Colonial View neighborhood (between Target on Colonial and The Half Shell on Mendenhall) will be available for lease on April 1. GREAT LOCATION!

It’s a geographical oddity, 5 minutes from everywhere! (My apologies to the Coen Brothers!) More details and a picture are on the blog: http://usmcfitnessbootcamp.com/blog/

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HALF MARATHON TRAINING THIS SATURDAY!

Half marathon training continues this Saturday, April 12 at 8 AM @ Shelby Farms. We’ll meet in front of the Visitor’s Center. This Saturday we’ll be going 1 hr. 45 min.

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USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP — MIDTOWN!

The Boot Campers at Evergreen Presbyterian continue to march, averaging about a dozen boot campers daily!!! Invite your midtown friends to check out the Midtown location with Theresa and Holly at Evergreen, 0530 to 0630, Monday through Friday!

You can see the map and directions for Evergreen on our website: www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com

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2008 CHARITY BUSINESS EXPO

On Friday and Saturday, April 18 and 19, USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP will have a booth at the Paul Mitchell School near Wolfchase Mall at 8000 US Hwy 64. This will be a “fun-raiser” charity business expo for four very worthy charities. All proceeds go to the Leeza Gibbon’s Memory Foundation, The Larry King Cardiac Foundation, Food 4 Africa, and the Andrew Gomez Dream Foundation.

Would you like to volunteer to man (or wo-man) the booth for an hour or so? I’d love to put you on the list of awesome, A-1, incredible Boot Campers!

More details next week!

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Another Deep Thought by Jack Handy:
“I hope that someday we will be able to put away our fears and prejudices
and just laugh at people.”

To your continued good health and fitness!

Sergeant Tony

Sergeant Major Tony Ludlow
USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP, Commanding
4888 Southern Cove
Memphis, TN 38117
901-644-0145

www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com

www.shaklee.net/tonyludlow/main

Identified by their call signs:

Puddin Head - down 4.71%

Rising Sun … no report today.

Lady Bug - down 6.78%

Gurkha Woman - down 4.2%

Dumplin - down 6.46%

Houdini - down 6.64%

Drake - down 5.6%

Lunchbox - down 5.96%

Bubbalicious - down 7.03%

Heavy G - down 9.92%

Way to go everyone! As you can see, Heavy G is still in the lead at 9.92% down, followed in second place by Bubbalicious at 7.03% down, and coming in third this week at 6.78% down is Lady Bug! Awesome job guys!

Here’s how to determine if what you’re doing is working:

Are your numbers going down?

Are they going down at a rate of at least 2 pounds per week? (More than that is quite possible at this stage in your weight loss journey.)

Tips for success:

1) eat less (duh)

2) work out more (mo duh!)

3) don’t eat after 8 PM

4) drink more water

5) eat slowly

6) don’t eat while watching TV

7) eat more protein

eat foods that are nutritionally dense

9) workout with intensity and purpose

Don’t forget your one hour of cardio this weekend!

Have a GREAT weekend everyone!

Sergeant Tony

Sergeant Major Tony Ludlow
USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP, Commanding
5358 Denwood
Memphis, TN 38120
901-644-0145

www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com

www.shaklee.net/tonyludlow/main

- Dwight D. Eisenhower

That’s a GREAT quote from an outstanding President and an even MORE outstanding General. Who would have thought that the architect of the invasion of Europe and the defeat of Nazi Germany thought in terms of having fun everyday!

Are YOU having fun everyday?

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WRINKLED FACES — This is for the ladies. You men can scroll down to the next item.

Americans spend over $8 billion annually on cosmetics.

EIGHT BILLION DOLLARS on cosmetics!

And since I’m assuming that it’s American WOMEN buying the makeup, that means that … American women are spending hundreds and hundreds of dollars on makeup! It’s a HUGE business!

I know what you’re thinking. You think I’m going to come down on the cosmetics industry. You think I’m going to rag on the billions of dollars spent every year on female deceptive camouflage.

No way!!!

Throughout my life I’ve seen the benefit of artistically applied, reasonable, attractive, beauty enhancing makeup. Take a look at the Hollywood starlet’s drunk driving mug shot and you’ll see just how much Cover Girl helps!

No, the problem with cosmetics has to do with the illusion of youth and health. You can see how the increase in makeup use goes up with age. Women will attempt to paint on youth as their chronological age increases. They don’t exercise. They don’t eat right. They’re not active. They’re hoping that Maybelline will rescue them from themselves and the grip of Father Time. I’ve seen older female family members cake on the war paint in a scary way. They’ll pluck their eyebrows to almost non-existence and then DRAW them right back on! (What’s THAT about?!!)

Ever see one of those charts that show the muscles of the body? Rick Owings, 0530 Boot Camp veteran and excellent massage therapist, has several of those charts on his wall at his business, Body Mechanix ( 901.323.1220 and http://www.bodymxllc.com/ ). When I was a kid we looked at “The Invisible Man” in the Encyclopedia Britannica to get an idea of the internal organs and muscles of the human body. You can see an illustration of what I’m talking about here: http://catalog.nucleusinc.com/generateexhibit.php?ID=9658

OK, so what’s the deal with all of the talk about muscle charts and cosmetics?

We’ll get there in a minute.

Ever see someone’s face after they’ve lost a lot of weight, but didn’t do any strength training? They lost weight by just cutting back on their daily caloric intake. They look thin, sure, but they also look ill. Their face just sort of … hangs there.

What’s missing?

The grimace! The grimace is missing!

The charts show the nearly 60 muscles in the face. SIXTY!

Add that to the muscles in the neck and you’ve got a lot of musculature above the shoulders.

Muscles are muscles are muscles. If you don’t use it, you lose it. You’ve got to work the muscles in order to strengthen and tone those muscles.

So how do you work the muscles of the face? The grimace!

When we work hard, when we strain during pushups, when we lift weights heavy enough to cause us to make a face, a grimace, we work the muscles of the face! We tone those muscles in our face and that does what cosmetics can’t do!

Want a more youthful looking face, make a face!

Want a more youthful looking face, forget Revlon and buy some heavier dumbbells! Dumbbells are MUCH cheaper than Max Factor!

Feel free to work the grimace at Boot Camp! Your scary faces won’t frighten me, so JUST DO IT!!! The younger and healthier you look to your aging friends, putting on more face spackle, the better my business will be! They’ll see USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP as the fountain of youth … which … it actually … IS!!

For you men who didn’t scroll past this, YOU get a younger looking face too. So go ahead and cancel your makeover at the Mac counter!

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“A HEALTHY YOU” EXPO SATURDAY!

USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP will be in an expo at the Agricenter this Saturday, the 5th. It’s called “A Healthy You” and it’ll be full of health, wellness, and fitness companies, vendors, and services. The expo is FREE and goes from 10 AM to 6 PM. Make plans to stop by and say hello! Bring your slacker friends!

BOOT CAMP will have the stage from 2:15 to 2:30 for a short demonstration. If you come, with a USMC Fitness Boot Camp t-shirt on and participate in the demonstration, I’ll give you a free t-shirt! No dumbbells needed.

I also need volunteers to help me man the booth for an hour at a time. If you’ve been a Boot Camper for at least 6 months, you can man the booth! Email me and let me know which one hour time slot you’d like to work! (10 to 11, 11 to 12, 12 to 1, etc.) You’ll get $10 in Boot Camp Bucks!

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APRIL IS OUR ANNUAL “BRING A FRIEND TO BOOT CAMP MONTH”

My friend Tom Farrar was a great guy and an excellent CPA.

Former Air Force vet and a numbers genius, but an overweight, hyper-type-A personality that concerned me from the time day I met him.

I worried that Tom was a walking time bomb … a heart attack just waiting to happen. Tom was my CPA and I badgered him, sweetly invited him, tried to shame him, and attempted to humiliate him over the years in an effort to get him to take care of himself and get in shape. I tried everything.

“Tom, you need to come to Boot Camp … I promise not to kill you.” But he would always laugh it off and promise me that he’d come “one of these days.”

Tom ran out of days last April. Unnecessarily. Completely preventable.

He never came to Boot Camp. He never let me help him.

Tom walked out to pick up his morning paper last year, had a heart attack, and died in his front yard.

Last year, in honor of my friend Tom, I made April our “Bring a Friend to Boot Camp Month!”

You can bring a friend to Boot Camp during April for a FREE DAY! No strings attached.

What’s in it for you?

The Boot Camper who brings the most friends in April will get $100!! US Legal Tender. Not 100 Dollars in Boot Camp Bucks!

Here are the only rules:

1. Your visiting friends must be prospects for membership, so no out of town visitors will count toward your total number of friends for the contest.

2. Repeat visitors don’t count beyond their first visit - so you can’t bring your friend Bob 15 times during April and count it as 15 friends!

In addition, your friends can join USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP for only $90 in April! Only your friends and family can take advantage of this deal. New recruits taking advantage of this special discount MUST have a sponsoring friend who IS a Boot Camper in good standing. It’s for our friends and family only.

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RENT MY HOUSE IN EAST MEMPHIS!

My house on Southern, in the Colonial View neighborhood (between Target on Colonial and The Half Shell on Mendenhall) will be available for lease on April 1. GREAT LOCATION!

It’s a geographical oddity, 5 minutes from everywhere! (My apologies to the Coen Brothers!) More details and a picture are on the blog: http://usmcfitnessbootcamp.com/blog/

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HALF MARATHON TRAINING THIS SATURDAY!

Half marathon training continues this Saturday, April at 8 AM @ Shelby Farms. We’ll meet in front of the Visitor’s Center. This Saturday we’ll be going 2hrs 25 min. Last week we cut the run short and will launch out toward our LONGEST run on Saturday!

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USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP — MIDTOWN!

The Boot Campers at Evergreen Presbyterian continue to march, averaging about a dozen boot campers daily!!! Invite your midtown friends to check out the Midtown location with Theresa and Holly at Evergreen, 0530 to 0630, Monday through Friday!

You can see the map and directions for Evergreen on our website: www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com

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I am happy to tell you that my dog has come home! Gone for two weeks, she was found by some nice folks who took good care of her until we were all reunited! Thank you all for your kind words and your sympathy too! “Aki” (”Ahh-key” — Japanese for autumn) is healthy and fine, but she’s being very vague about where she’s been and what she was up to. Women!

To your continued good health and fitness!

Sergeant Tony

Sergeant Major Tony Ludlow
USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP, Commanding
4888 Southern Cove
Memphis, TN 38117
901-644-0145

www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com

www.shaklee.net/tonyludlow/main

How ’bout them TIGERS???

The last time we were in the Final Four I was an undergrad sitting in class with Keith Lee and Andre Turner! Well, I at least SAW them on campus! (How many of you remember the chat of “DOOM!!!” from those days?)

I’ve got THREE things for you on this Sunday evening.

#1

USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP will participate in an expo at the Agricenter this Saturday, the 5th. It’s called “A Healthy You” and it’ll be full of health, wellness, and fitness companies, vendors, and services. The expo is FREE and goes from 10 AM to 6 PM. Make plans to stop by and say hello! Bring your slacker friends!

#2

COMBAT THE FAT CHALLENGE — PROGRESS REPORT!

Our 10 Combat Challengers have completed their first of six months on the road to a new life and new lifestyle! All have lost weight and are doing really well! Say a word of encouragement to them!

Identified by their call signs, you can see their progress below:

Puddin Head - down 4.05%

Rising Sun - down 1.9%

Lady Bug - down 5.78%

Gurkha Woman - down 3.05%

Dumplin - down 5.10%

Houdini - down 5.97%

Drake - down 5.4%

Lunchbox - down 4.33%

Bubbalicious - down 4.06%

Heavy G - down 7.7%

Congratulations to all of you Combat Challengers!

#3

APRIL IS OUR ANNUAL “BRING A FRIEND TO BOOT CAMP MONTH”

My friend Tom Farrar was a great guy and an excellent CPA. Former Air Force vet and a numbers genius, but an overweight, hyper-type-A personality that concerned me from the time day I met him. I worried that Tom was a walking time bomb … a heart attack just waiting to happen. Tom was my CPA and I badgered him, sweetly invited him, tried to shame him, and attempted to humiliate him over the years in an effort to get him to take care of himself and get in shape. I tried everything to get Tom’s attention and help him. “Tom, you need to come to Boot Camp … I promise not to kill you.” Tom would always laugh it off and promise me that he’d come “one of these days.”

Tom’s days ended last April.

He never came to Boot Camp. He never let me help him.

Tom walked out to pick up his morning paper last year, had a heart attack, and died in his front yard.

Since last year, in honor of my friend Tom, I’ve made April our “Bring a Friend to Boot Camp Month!”

You can bring a friend to Boot Camp during April for a FREE DAY! No strings attached.

What’s in it for you?

The Boot Camper who brings the most friends in April will get $100l!! US Legal Tender. Not 100 Dollars in Boot Camp Bucks!

Here are the only rules:

1. Your visiting friends must be prospects for membership, so no out of town visitors will count toward your total number of friends for the contest.

2. Repeat visitors don’t count beyond their first visit - so you can’t bring your friend Bob 15 times during April and count it as 15 friends!

In addition, your friends can join USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP for only $90 in April! Only your friends and family can take advantage of this deal. New recruits taking advantage of this special discount MUST have a sponsoring friend who IS a Boot Camper in good standing. It’s for our friends and family only.

See you all on the Quarterdeck this week!

Sergeant Tony

Sergeant Major Tony Ludlow
USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP, Commanding
5358 Denwood
Memphis, TN 38120
901-644-0145

www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com

www.shaklee.net/tonyludlow/main

“Tony, how do you remember everyone’s name?”

I get this question quite a bit. The truth is, I don’t really know. I just try to remember.

Years ago I read what Dale Carnegie said, that “a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”

When my children were growing up I taught them some guidelines for developing social skills and relationships with others. We were living in Japan at the time and were planning a trip back to the US. I wanted them to be able to make friends here and to feel comfortable in their home country, though America was mostly foreign to them.

So I consulted Dale Carnegie again and made an acronym of some of his precepts to teach to my kids before we got on the plane to bring us back to Tennessee.

We all need to be reminded of the things that make for good people skills. Human Resource managers say that the number one reason for employee termination is “failure to get along with others.” Most of us live in a professional environment and personal environments that involve other people. And those other people have names and lives that are important to them. Knowing those things and caring about those things set people apart.

The acronym that I came up with was a made-up “name” of a man I called “B.S. Neti” It’s kind of silly, but it helped my kids (Matthew, my oldest, just repeated this to me the other day!) and it may help you too. I know that some of you are shocked that “Sergeant Tony” has any knowledge of “good people skills,” given my mean, rotten and nasty reputation and disposition. But I think I can at least TELL you how to do it, even if I don’t actually DO it myself!!

B.S. Neti

1. Become genuinely interested in other people.
2. Smile. Frowners are downers.
3. Remember that a person’s Name is all important to them.
4. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
5. Talk in terms of the other person’s interests.
6. Make the other person feel Important.

Now, if you want to know what the opposite of these things is, watch the Saturday Night Live skits about the “one upper chick.”

SNL cast member, Kristen Wiig, plays a character named Penelope Morris who chimes into other people’s conversations, or interrupts the conversations, only to brag about something that obliquely has to do with the topic, all the while constantly fidgeting with her hair. If one of the other characters in the skit were to say “I went to the store,” Penelope would reply with “Oh, yeah. I went to the store, to the hardware store, I went to all the stores, I own all the stores.”

No matter who you are, or what you do for a living, remembering the names of the people in your life, the major players and the minor roles, will pay huge dividends in your personal relationships.

How do I remember people’s names? I just make it a priority. You can do it too! Good luck, who ever you are!

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You Might Be a Boot Camper … continued …

“If it’s 5:30 AM in Memphis and you’re running as fast as you can in the dark, and you haven’t committed a crime, you might be a Boot Camper.”

“If your push-ups get you you’re accused of being Muslim or a member of the Taliban when doing push-ups, you might be a Boot Camper.”

“If you know what River-Dance-Side-Straddle-Hops are and aren’t embarrassed to do them, you might be a Boot Camper.”

“If you yell at your child, ‘It’s NOT crisscross apple sauce! It’s Indian style!’ … you might be a Boot Camper.”

“If nobody wants to ride in your funky-smelling car, you might be a Boot Camper.”

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USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP — Midtown continues to ROCK, averaging about a dozen boot campers everyday!!!

Invite your midtown slacker friends who think it’s too far to come to Christ Methodist to check out the Midtown location with Theresa and Holly at Evergreen Presbyterian, 0530 to 0630 AM, Monday through Friday!

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ATTENTION!!!

USMC Fitness Boot Camp is collecting necessities and
comfort items for Marines serving in Afghanistan and
Iraq. Please join us in collecting these items, cards
and letters that will be packed and shipped on April
12th from Madison, TN.

TN Marine Family is preparing for their annual
donation drive and is need of the following items:

Hot Chocolate
Tea Bags
Flavored Coffee
powdered Gatorade - small containers or pouches
Slim Jims/Beef Jerky
Crackers and Easy Cheese
Kraft Easy Mac
Instant Soups
Granola Bars
Pouches of Tuna / Chick en
Spices (onion powder, garlic powder, etc. Not large
sizes)
White Athletic Socks
Chapstick / Lip Balm
Small Packages Baby Wipes
Foot Powder
Writing Paper / Press N Seal Envelopes
Sunflower Seeds
Canned Spaghetti / Ravioli
Vienna Sausages (No Pork)
CD’s / DVD’s / Paperback Books
Travel Sized Hand Sanitizers
Inexpensive Hand Held Video Games
Bags of Hard Candy
Prepaid Phone Cards
AA Batteries
Eye Drops
Hand Warmers

Please bring items, hand written notes/cards or photos
that you would like to send to our troops to Boot
Camp. I will have a box in my car and on the
Quarterdeck for you to place your donations beginning Monday. Last
year, TN Marine Family packed and shipped 428 boxes
and they hope to do more this year!

Even just a thank you not means a lot to the men and
women serving our country.

We appreciate your support!

For more information on TN Marine Family, please
visit, www.tnmarinefamily.org.

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HONORING KEN

In honor of Ken Kenworthy, the Chickasaw Council of the Boy Scouts of America is hosting an annual fishing tournament to the Florida Keys. Ken was very involved in Scouting.

Proceeds from the tournament will go to the Ken Kenworthy Campership Fund.

Participants will fly from Memphis to Miami on Thursday April 17th. Lodging will be at the Boy Scouts of America’s National Sea Base on Islamorada, Florida. Participants will fish in two person teams with local guides on Friday and Saturday, returning to Memphis on Sunday April 20th. Cost is $3,000.00 for individual and $5,000.00 for a two person team. This includes airfare, transportation, meals and lodging, and guide services.

For information about the tournament contact Henry Kenworthy (cell 901-409-7196) or the Scout Office at 901-327-4193.

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RENT MY HOUSE IN EAST MEMPHIS!

My house on Southern, in the Colonial View neighborhood (between Target on Colonial and The Half Shell on Mendenhall) will be available for lease on April 1. GREAT LOCATION!

It’s a geographical oddity, 5 minutes from everywhere! (My apologies to the Coen Brothers!) More details and a picture are on the blog: http://usmcfitnessbootcamp.com/blog/

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HALF MARATHON TRAINING THIS SATURDAY!

Half marathon training continues this Saturday, March 29 at 8 AM @ Shelby Farms. We’ll meet in front of the Visitor’s Center. This Saturday we’ll be going 2hrs 20 min.

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This from Boot Camper Robert Milner:

Bomb Dogs Going to War!- Need Help!

My dad is training dogs that will be sold to the military. We need people to come and socialize the puppies. Our dogs need to be exposed to different types of people (big, small, scary looking, etc.) Some of these dogs will be shipped to Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. They will hopefully be saving some of our soldier’s lives. Come serve your country by playing with puppies! www.duckhillkennels.com

We are only 30 minutes east of Wolfchase in Somerville, TN. My email address is rrmilner@yahoo.com and my cell is 901-412-9489. Thanks! Robert Milner

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And speaking of dogs … BE ON THE LOOKOUT … my little dog is still missing. She got out over a week ago and I haven’t found her yet. She’s a chow and something(s) mix, orange-ish/brown-ish, medium sized dog who is friendly and sweet. Just like her owner. She ran off on the 5 year anniversary of me getting her from the Animal Shelter.

She would be wandering around near Walnut Grove and White Station, close to Richland Elementary School.

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Recently a new Boot Camper asked me if I thought they should come everyday. To which I said, “OF COURSE.”

Walker Hays expounded on this and gave me his five reasons why coming everyday is actually EASIER than coming three times a week. Walker said,

“In my opinion, going to Boot Camp 5 days/wk is easier than 3 days/wk because ……… (for those people whose schedule permits 5 days/wk)…..

1. Becomes “routine” (or a habit as you say)
2. No changing alarm clock daily
3. Never feel like you’re having to get up “earlier than normal” when it’s the same each day
4. Never an option to make it up later in the week when your goal is 5 days/wk -
5. No decisions to make on the issue at night, in the morning, or ever.

Well said, Walker Hays!

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“We cannot always control our thoughts, but we can control
our words, and repetition impresses the subconscious,
and we are then master of the situation.”
— Florence Scovel Shinn: American artist, metaphysics teacher, author

To your continued good health and fitness!

Sergeant Tony

Sergeant Major Tony Ludlow
USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP, Commanding
4888 Southern Cove
Memphis, TN 38117
901-644-0145

www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com

www.shaklee.net/tonyludlow/main

1. Fill out TWO identical brackets in PEN, all the way to your National Champion. Write your name in PEN on each copy. PLUS, guess a total combined score for the final game, to be used as a tie breaker. (Example: Gonzaga 50, Austin Peay 52 = 102) Write that number next to your name. The person closest to the final combined score of 102 would be the winner in the event of a tie.

2. Paperclip $20 to one copy of your bracket, filled out in PEN, and give both to me. I’ll turn over all brackets to Steve Jackson, the Official Tournament Director, and will keep up with the point totals. I’ll hold on to the money and the Tournament Director’s bracket.

3. The winner of the “winner takes all” pot is the person with the most points, determined by the following point system:
1 point for each of your picks making it to the second round,
2 points for each of your teams making it to the Sweet Sixteen,
4 points for each of your teams advancing to the Elite Eight,
8 points for each of your teams making it to the Final Four,
12 points for each of your teams advancing to The Final,
16 points for choosing the National Champion.

4. Lose your mind, it’s MARCH MADNESS BAAAABY!

You can print out your brackets from CBS Sports website: http://sportsline.com/collegebasketball/mayhem/brackets/printable_men