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Nathanael “Lalo” Roberti
leads a grueling SEAL-esque
bootcamp in Encinitas.
Sealed with an iron fist
Extreme fitness course gives civilians a chance
to prove their mettle on the beach
By Pat Sherman • Photos by Brian Bartolomei
People who have mastered taekwondo, powered through Pilates the crap kicked out of them, and there’s nothing positive that came out of
and turned themselves into human yoga pretzels may think it other than sore legs,” he says. “We’re Navy SEALs, but we have a heart
their bodies have endured the ultimate test.
and we’re going to motivate you and get you through this course—and
Not so, says Nathanael “Lalo” Roberti, a retired Navy you’re going to be a better person for doing it.”
SEAL who gives civilians a taste of the grueling physical and The three-part course begins with an intense warm-up borrowed from
psychological drill SEAL recruits endure while being rebuilt as the ultimate the Basic Underwater Demolition SEALs (BUD/S), including jumping
fighting weapons at sea, in the air and on land.
jacks, flutter kicks, sit-ups, push-ups, lunges and other exercises.
San Diegans seeking their next adrenaline fix can go mano a mano with After participants are ranked and placed into groups, they spend 45
Roberti and other SEAL instructors during an Extreme SEAL Experience minutes hauling a giant log around the beach and completing relay races.
boot camp offered by Frog’s Fitness of Encinitas, Saturday mornings at “Log (training) is a beat-down,” Roberti says. “The second I tell them to
Moonlight Beach.
get underneath the log, they’re just complaining. They’re like, ‘There’s no
Participants spend two-and-a-half hours hoisting 220-pound logs, way we can do this.’ When they’re done, they’re all smiles, and they’re like,
rowing against tidal currents and being pushed to the limits of their ‘I can’t believe we just did that.’”
endurance—all while being yelled at. In the end, they are left drained, yet Though the focus is on individual accomplishment, teamwork is crucial
exhilarated and confident in their ability to take on challenges.
to completing the course. Well-deserved water breaks and periodic rests are
Though the instruction is loud and intense, the words are meant to provided throughout the training.
encourage, not belittle.
When the teams are done with the log and left panting and gasping on
“We don’t have enough time to break them down and build them back the beach, it’s time for them to get into a rubber boat and paddle a quarter
up,” says Roberti, 27, who also works for Virginia-based Extreme SEAL mile through choppy surf to a buoy.
Experience, which offers a more intense, two-week boot camp.
“That, right there, is the deciding factor,” Roberti says. “They have
“I don’t want guys coming through feeling at the end like they just got to work as a team to get that boat out through those waves. You can’t do
32 pacificsandiego.com { March 2011}