Please take a moment to read the SEALFIT testimonials submitted by our community members. Select a category from the navigation on the right to read Kokoro and Online Training testimonials.
SEALFIT is informally recognized as the best-in-class mental and physical preparation for SEAL candidates by BUD/s. From Command Master Chief Paul Tharp – as a personal, not official statement:
Hello Coach,
I just wanted to drop line that is strait from the heart ,thanks to you I,ve invented a whole new way to do my work. The work I do is vary physcically demanding , so through your teaching on meditation, breathing.and mental toughness – I’m working at a elite level.
My boss say”s I wish I had 5 more like you. And I think to myself, thanks coach, thanks for your emails, thanks for your truth, thanks for your leadership, thanks for SEALFIT, and most of all thank you for the sacrafice you made. Thank you straight from the heart!
Jerry Baird
Coach,
Just got back from the states….last week I completed the STO Phase II Assessment and was one of the candidates selected. I wound up having to push back my timeline by almost a year due to my job, but I finally got there and I made it! The lessons you taught us during the academy paid dividends throughout and certainly helped me survive some tough times! I am not sure exactly when I will begin the pipeline because I have to transfer into the Air Force before I can do anything. Hopefully, I will be back your way to get some WODs in before I get started. Just wanted to take the time to say thanks, I could not have done it without you and the training that you have put together for all of us aspiring Special Operations candidates. I can’t thank you enough for helping me to make a lifelong dream come true!
Mike
I’m really enjoying my 8-Weeks to SEALFIT book. I am using the “Loyalty, Service, Honor and Integrity, Leadership and Follower-ship, Responsibility, Discipline, and Innovation” in my classroom at school for Character Education. Also, the “Mental Toughness” and “Emotional Control” aspects of SEALFIT have actually helped me become a better teacher in the classroom. Thank you Mark Divine!
Alexander Mercieca
Hi Mark,
I just read your awesome Crossfit Journal article “Staying in the Fight“. I’m a senior citizen type and just started Crossfit a couple of months ago on my own.
I have to really scale things down, but I’m seeing improvement and enjoying the workouts.
This article applies to every area of life that I can think of, and I wanted to thank you for writing it. And we could indeed substitute the word “Love” for “Courage” (I John 4:18).
Thanks for the encouragement to Stay in the Fight, and live lives of Integrity.
Best regards,
Rob Christian
Hi Coach Mark,
I just thought I’d shoot you a quick update! I was secured from hell week with Class 291 this past Friday; though the road is still long, it is an unbelievable feeling. I still plan on writing a lengthy testimonial of SEALFIT and how it got me where I am today, but I plan to wait until after BUD/S, as I feel it will hold more water so to speak. Thank you again for the excellent service you provide.
Jake S (vertigo)
“Mark, As you probably know, you’re running a world class program – and by far the Best in Brand! I’ve seen what else is out there – there is nothing comparable or close to what you have . Every time I stop by there it gets better. Thanks for the opportunity to speak with your class last week – and looking forward to getting out there again. Most of the guys you’re mentoring there are doing well here in training”
–Paul Tharp
Mr Divine
Just wanted to Thank You for the SealFit Blogs and the wisdom of the Bushido. I have studied with a Sensei that taught us the Bushido, in a melding of different disiplines so that we are the ones going home to our loved ones. We bring our “demon” out to get the job done but must learn how to control and put him back until needed. Not easy, but goes along with the Sheepdog.
I now an involved with Adventure Racing in the Southeastern US. I enjoy the 24hr and longer races with 3 or 4 person CoEd division. Your emails and shared wisdom of developing the Team is so valuable. I use and give you the full credits for all the info you send out to me. I so enjoy that when younger or less experienced folks, that want to step up and challenge themselfs toe the line. I prep them with developing that we will finish and take care of each other out there. Your lesson’s have proved to be valuable study resource. Which lead to our successes. Sometimes it’s not pretty out there when people go past their precieved limits, but then they realize there are no limits. That is the reward!! Thru the year there are different people on the team, as we are not at the professional level. We all have jobs, family and committments outside of AR’s. I forward them your emails and info to study and go over. So that when we do get to do a training together we can put to practice the theory you have shared. It works!!!
I just wanted to Thank You and hopefully if I ever get out to the West coast I could check out your operation. Please keep the info coming as it is very valuable and rest assured that you and SealFit get the full credit. Ha, most know I’m not that smart anyway
Jim Kelleher, September 23, 2011
Mark,
I am sitting at my desk working on some reports, but all I can think about is the amazing weekend that just took place. WOW! That was truly (in your words) EPIC. You and your team of instructors pulled off an incredible task. The amount of logistical work and preparation that goes into Kokoro must be immense. I really appreciate all of your support and encouragement leading up to the event and during the final stages when I was definitely starting to physically hurt.
I knew you were heavily involved in the martial arts, but I never realized the extent of the depth of your study and knowledge until this weekend. My training in the martial arts and CrossFit, up to this point in my life, has been mainly physical. I am now starting to become much more interested in the spiritual path that all warriors must eventually walk. I thought your lectures onYoga, the Warrior Spirit and Leadership were outstanding. I would really like to learn more on those topics from you when I am in a slightly more “alert” state of mind!
Greg Amundson, CrossFit HQ and Amundson CrossFit
Mark,
Thank you for the amazing experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire weekend. The sleep deprivation completely wrecked me but it was worth the insight and awareness I gained about myself and my abilities. I’ve been involved in team sports my entire life and nothing comes close to what was achieved over that weekend. I’ve never seen a group come together so quickly and never seen so many people step up to a challenge in order to help their teammates. I hope the others gained as much from it as I have, I am a better person, father, husband, athlete and businessman because of it.
Thank you,
Tommy Hackenbruck, Rogue Fitness Athlete / UTE CrossFit
Hi Mark
I want to thank you for the experience of SEALFIT a few weeks ago. I learned a lot about myself, my abilities, and my preconceived limitations. As time is rolling by I’m finding value and lessons in the details. Thanks again for providing a testing ground for elite athletes. Because of SEALFIT I am considering entering a half marathon….Imagine that…a competitive strongman running 13 miles. Who would have thought?
Be well–
Rob Orlando, Rogue Fitness Athlete
SEALFIT Academy sample of PST improvements over 3 weeks:
| Name | Run 3 | Pull-ups | Push-ups 2min | Sit-ups 2min |
| Mike | 19:01/18:57 | 30/30 | 120/121 | 89/103 |
| Kyle | 20:40/19:21 | 19/25 | 70/87 | 66/81 |
| Trey | 18:21/17:53 | 27/30 | 101/103 | 106/111 |
December i was 5’8 220 the typical power lifter build, i got sick of it and got into crossfit for a good 2 weeks..THAT got boring and a friend refereed me to SEALFIT.com. with that including a 90% strict paleo diet i am now currently 182.4lbs. I started doing only 25% of the PT sessions and now I am at 100%. amazing workouts..thank you
I hope all is well with you, and thanks for all your hard work and dedication. I’m taking my PFT again soon, and I have very high expectations for myself after all of the gains I’ve seen using your programming. I was a three sport athlete in highschool and a D1-AA football player in college and I have never been in this type of shape. Your program has not only brought me to a higher level physically, but mentally and spiritually as well. The most beneficial thing I have taken from your programming is that I have come to realize that I can push my body so much further than what I had thought prior to Sealfit. The mental fortitude I have developed over the past few months has been invaluable.
Respectfully, Tyler
“This is day 41 for me on SF (I have missed a couple of day this year), I was a power lifter before, 6.2” 259lbs. Played football at UCLA in the mid 90’s. Had back surgery about 3 years ago and been lifting off and on up to now. My dad (age 62) got me into SF over Christmas on a visit, he kicked my butt (rings, wall balls, Squats, burpees all I remember was looking at the clock and thinking “what the heck is this!?” then the timer would go off and it was time for another round).. Down to 248lbs today and ran my mile and a half in 11.51 last week and my mile in 7.48. Thanks pops for introducing me to SF and thanks Coach Divine for putting this together, I love it and hate it. Thank you to the troops and veterans for your blood, sweat, tears, and sacrifice for this country’s freedom. My little church in Northwest Kansas supports and prays for you and is so thankful for you.”
–JRuckman — February 23, 2011
Hey Coach,
Those tips you gave today were truly inspiring especially after this winter time cold weather funk I have been in lately. I am going to take your advice and apply it every day towards getting to, and passing, BUD/s. Awesome advice, and as always a great WOD.
I just wanted to say that I did the SFAS (special forces assessment & selection) o-course “nasty nick” this weekend and i breezed through it. Granted, a lot of the obstacles are designed to expose fears of heights, claustrophobia, etc. but being a crossfitter I have benefited from the SEALfit workouts more than my old crossfit routine. I just want to say thanks for the awesome workouts and the mental toughness it takes (for me) to finish these to scale. I’m a cadet right now with aspirations of being a team leader for an ODA and know this is where I will prepare myself for future military endeavors
– Brett – February 16, 2011
First off i’d like to thank Coach Mark and all other contributers to the SEALfit program for dedicating your time and energy to helping people find, revive or create a part of them once never known, or lost. Personally, i am finding a power inside of myself i had no idea was there and had i not started this program i still would not know i posses. Before this program, i was a 19 year old high school graduate completely lost in what he wanted wanted to do with his life and going nowhere fast. As the time came to make a decision on what i want to accomplish in life, the idea of the military came up. My father spent 20 years in the Navy, so i thought i would follow in his footsteps and do the same. Little did i know that my heart would lead me in the direction of special forces. Once i was in DEP and figured out that this was real, i looked myself in the mirror and had a hard time telling myslef that i had what it takes. Then one day, one SEALfitter came into the gym i work at and turned me onto the program, and from then on i have not looked back. Thanks to SEALfit, i have gone from having hardly any confidence in myself, to knowing that there is not one challenge i can be faced with that, pass or fail, i wont give everything i have to complete. Everyday i bring myself to higher levels of mental strength that i did not know i had, doing things i thought only professionals were capable of. My mind tells me to quit, and my mind tells me im not good enough, yet my heart and soul persevere through and prove it wrong. Had i always possesed this trait? Yes. However, i had no idea that i did and that i was capable of retrieving it until i started this program.
Now i am in the DEP for the Navy and have a ticket to BUD/s, and thanks to Coach Mark and all other coaches and my “teammates” I have it set in my mind that it will be a one way ticket and for that i cannot thank you enough!
-Don Dirkin
Coach Divine,
I just wanted to check in with a quick e-mail. Although I did not finish the Kokoro camp I feel that it has change my mind set on life and workouts. I am disappointed I quit, but I learned a lot about myself and what I came to learn. For the first three evolutions I enjoyed it very much and had a great time. I would say one thing that really stuck out to me was how you led the hill runs and the run to the beach and into the water. That really said a lot to me personally.
If anything I have been shown just how far you can be pushed. I ran a 50k this week as a result. I ran this partly to show myself I am not a quitter and partly from the knowledge and experience from Kokoro camp.
I am strongly considering returning and completing a Kokoro camp. The quote about the pain of regret versus the pain of discipline has been echoing in my mind for this last week.
Thank you for everything,
Eric C
Dear Coach Divine,
I found out this morning that i was selected by the board to go to OCS with a billet to BUD/s! I was going to call you but i somehow misplaced your number. I really would like to thank you though for helping me on my path to achieving my dream. I realize that this is only the start of my journey but just getting my inital foot in the door is a big start! Again I can not thank you enough Coach, hearing this news is perhaps the best thing that has ever happened to me.
Trey – January 20, 2011
Dear Mark,
“Mark, just wanted to drop you a line and tell you how glad I am to see you guys at SealFit using that kind of exercise prescription for your clients. I’m glad to see the military community is slowly but surely catching on to the science of physical training. I’m one of the Strength & Conditioning coaches at the Naval Special Warfare Prep Course in Great Lakes, as well as a CrossFit Instructor, and a former U.S. Marine, so I’m always glad to see programs like yours doing well! Take care man.”
- Confidential Source
“I have been on all sorts of magic workouts in the gym but THESE are absolutely ball busting. I allocate my lunch break to try and get these in and i am getting my *** kicked. Looking forward to one of these days completing an entire workout. Cheers guys and big thanks to MDivine”
- Framina
“I have been following your sealfit workouts for most of the summer. I am a huge fan of crossfit and all its affiliates, especially sealfit. Almost every day i go home feeling that todays workout was the hardest thing i have ever done.”
- Stephen, SEAL FIT coaching program trainee
“I am a Marine Artillery Officer currently working out of Camp Lejeune, NC. Myself and other team leaders in the unit have been following SEALFIT for a while now; a handful of us are CrossFit Level 1 certified. We’ve used the prescribed workouts on the website for weekend ‘motivated’ sessions or as inspiration to supplement and assist in programming our WODs. We have our own ‘garage gym’ set up in one of our motor transportation stables and run several workouts and training sessions for the guys as the workday permits. SEALFIT has been a great resource in assisting our mission to maintain combat readiness through functional fitness.”- Marine following the Operator WOD
“My name is Kevin and i have been following SEALFIT for a couple months now. I just want to say that the website is great and the workouts are awesome!”
- Kevin – following Operator’s WOD
I just wanted to thank you for the chipper and also the WOD log! I really like how you take our comments into consideration and todays note really shows how much you care about the community’s input. Thanks for all the work you put into this.
Comment by randomfire — April 5, 2010
Mark,
I am a big fan of sealfit. In fact, I am currently a following the programming and expierencing outstanding resulting, both through the mind and body.
One day I hope to make it to a Sealfit Camp. Thanks for your hard work!
Semper Fi,Benjamin
I’ve got a fever….and the only prescription is more SEALfit.
I had to say it….
SEALfit is the best training I have ever come across hands down. I am in the absolute best shape of my life when it comes to overall strength, endurance, and with what has been referred to before as a titanium determination.
Just wanted to put SEALfit on the top of these pages so that people may be able to experience what I have. With a large portion or SEALfit in my weekly routine, I am confident in myself to do well in BUD/s.
Get out there, do the work, and do nothing but succeed.
My hats off to Mark Divine and all those who are responsible also for the creation of such a program. Thank you all for your time and effort.
Mark you are the man, thanks for all the wods and the now posting up the archives…this program is by far the best. and just gets better.
Comment by kid twist — April 5, 2010
Mark- Just a couple of days ago I was asking about the archived records and some chipper workouts. I have already told my buddies about SEALFIT and will continue doing so… You are the master of coming up with workouts and I look forward to seeing each workout every night.
I can now say that this is THE BEST workout website available! Thanks for all that you do and for keeping me in shape!
Comment by John — April 5, 2010
Mark, thanks for the upcoming changes and new information. I’m always hungry for new material. I think your concerns about intellectual property are relevant, but what makes a gym or program a real financial success is the community and atmosphere or energy in the gym.
Comment by Deadly Nedly — April 5, 2010
Coach Divine, I would like to thank you again for letting me drop in for yesterday’s SealFit WOD. It was an honor to work with you, and I have looked forward to it since I first found Sealfit.com. I do not usually operate in that time domain, but I learned that I have the mental capacity to keep moving when faced with an amount of work that would have seemed insurmountable just a few years ago. If I am in the area again I will certainly stop by, and I am trying to open my schedule to attend a Kokoro camp in the future.
Well fellas, I started the police academy a few weeks ago and felt like a rep for Sealfit. I’m one of the most fit there and I have to say THANKS A TON Sealfit and all involved. That includes all of you guys for your advice on the workouts as well as the nutrition. So thanks for putting me above and beyond expectations!!
Sealfit definitely is a huge influence and life changer for me as well.
Comment by flannagan — March 25, 2011
Seal Fit brothers, I have been doing SF off and on due to injuries for a year now. I have been going strong and steady since Thanksgiving now and am always loving it. I finally got my contract with the army squared away today and and was enlisted as a 18xray (Special Forces) recruit and am very excited about it. Thanks to Seal Fit and the Coach Divine I have been able to do this with confidence and did this in a place where I feel my body and fitness level finally are caught up with where my heart has been for years and am excited to start this journey. I will keep up the good work with Seal Fit and take pride in it for the next 5 months until I ship. Keep up the good work and keep on moving forward always.
Comment by Jeremy, aka JT 18x — March 14, 2011
Coach Divine,
The pre-training and basic training workouts were great and helped me achieve the most well rounded level of fitness I’ve ever had.
Also thank you for posting the operator wod’s everyday. They are a great resource. More importantly, thank you for the inspirational articles and professional reading list. The thing I missed the most when I left the military was the development of the intangible qualities that make a leader great. You’re website has been able to fill that hole for me. Thank you again.
V/R, Josh W
I wanted to send a big thank you to all the trainers working on the programming at SEALFIT. Last week I attended “Phase II,” an assessment for officers, and future officers, interested in the Special Tactics career field.
This was a physically and mentally demanding week, however, I felt prepared as I could have been for it thanks to SEALFIT. Your programming served as the base to my training (I tapered ~2 weeks out and began focusing on more running, swimming, and water confidence 3 months out). I was able to make it through each evolution strong and put out when others were just getting by. I was selected at the end of the week and will continue using SEALFIT as a base for my physical training. –JA
My daughter is an Academy grad and currently stationed in Norfolk but getting ready for a Germany tour. She has spoken with some of her chiefs and they endorse your operation very highly and even mentioned that some of your candidates fare better in their training after having been to one of your camps. That is certainly an excellent recommendation and thought that you would like to know that your program and its reputation has spread all the way to the east coast. — Linda, SEAL Candidate Mom
“Just got finished with the SEAL fit 8 week program … Everything complete – didnt miss a single rep, or meter…thanks for such a solid program !”
Michael Clarke
Mr. Divine,
Thank you for your team coaching emails. I just graduated with an MBA with a focus in leadership and teams. Your emails are spot on with what I learned from the leadership instructor. I look at your emails as a refresher course. Please keep them coming. One of these days, I hope to attend one of your camps.
Take care,
Chris Canon
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