O2X Human Performance
O2X Human Performance was born from more than 50 years of combined experience in special operations. In the SEAL teams, we benefited from a tremendous wealth of human performance (HP) resources to support our units and maximizing performance was an essential part of our lives. Upon separating from service, our passion for elite performance, service, and helping others drove us to build O2X.
Through the company’s development, it became clear that the issues plaguing the Special Operations community were also prevalent in other tactical communities like the fire service, law enforcement, and conventional military as well as various elite organizations and we were uniquely positioned to do something about it. We looked hard at the programs we had in the military, both the successful elements and the gaps, and used that as the roadmap for O2X Human Performance. Before getting too far into what we do, here is the brief story on why we are writing this book.
The company’s first outward manifestation of helping people maximize their performance was a series of base-to-peak mountain running races. These races—Summit Challenges—took place in rugged mountain towns across North America and attracted people who wanted to tackle an unknown challenge, beyond their comfort zone.
The Summit Challenges were unlike anything else. The physical aspect of running up a mountain was only one element of the two-day event. The heart of the Summit Challenges was Basecamp, a gathering place for athletes that included healthy food, a bonfire, mountainside camping, and a fireside chat the night before the race start. The fireside speakers acknowledged the mental side of performance and were select people who had chased maximum performance in their personal pursuits including athletes, veterans, and scientists who shared experiences of overcoming obstacles; you will hear a few of their stories later in this book. These lessons on the pillars of human performance were effective and powerful. Elite specialists discussing their areas of expertise to an audience that stood to benefit directly from it—we were on to something. From here the O2X program began to take shape and our holistic curriculum was born.
We knew that tactical athletes also wanted and needed comprehensive human performance training. Based on our military DNA, our desire to help others, and our collective passion for pushing boundaries both physically and mentally, the connection between O2X and tactical athletes was (and remains) a natural fit.
During our ongoing evolution, we made other important progressions. We decided to focus exclusively on HP education, geared specifically for tactical athletes and elite organizations. The need was obvious, the demand was high, the connection felt right, and the reception was overwhelmingly positive. We were working to increase sustainability, durability, and performance in groups that needed it most. During this time, we bucketed the five pillars—conditioning, nutrition, sleep, stress management, and resilience—into an EAT SWEAT THRIVE framework. This book is the guide to that unique, cutting-edge curriculum, designed as a resource to improve the health and lives of our nation’s heroes.
Firefighters, law enforcement officers, EMTs, and other tactical athletes are experiencing a national health crisis: elevated cancer rates and mental health issues, high incidence of cardiac events, and painful orthopedic injuries specific to their professions. On top of all that, first responders must be mentally and physically prepared daily, for decades, to deal with the most challenging jobs in the country. These tactical athletes are required to perform physically, face consistent life-or-death decisions, deal with extreme trauma, and do it all in dangerous environments. When tactical athletes leave work, they must relate with family and friends who may not have a full appreciation for the daily demands of the job. Finally, in addition to planning for retirement, tactical athletes must also focus on getting there in one piece and being able to thrive in it. Their duties, their career trajectories, and their lives are uniquely dangerous. They need and deserve a resource to address these adverse conditions.
This book was the next natural step for O2X. The objective: to write a practical, comprehensive, world class book on human performance—tailored for tactical athletes—that reflects our passion, complements our training, and serves as an ongoing reference. It’s our goal that it teaches the fundamentals and key principles of a complete Human Performance program, in a practical way so you can finish your career as strong as you started.
—O2X founders: Paul McCullough, Adam La Reau, Gabriel Gomez, Craig Coffey
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