My name is Mike Gillette, former Army paratrooper, SWAT commander, Homeland Security consultant, armed forces tactical trainer; current executive bodyguard, performing strongman and martial arts expert. AMA!

Have you ever fired two guns whilst jumping through the air? Have you ever fired one gun whilst jumping through the air? Ever been in a high-speed pursuit? Have you ever fired a gun whilst in a high speed pursuit?

No. No. Yes. No.

I used to serve in the US Army before an IED took my lower legs. I'm fairly active now, and can walk and do things without the use of canes / crutches / chairs, etc. I would really like to get back into shape, but a lot of the workout programs out there incorporate a lot of intense movements like burpees, the old front / back / go's, side straddle hops, and just vertical jumps. Problem is, I don't have ankles anymore! Have you ever worked with any disabled Veterans, or know of any good programs where I can get started at? Any help would be greatly appreciated! - Former SGT 4th ID, 1BCT, 1-66th Armor

A friend of mine was an athletic for Wounded Warrior. I would start there and see what resources they have available. And let me know how you do. You are an outstanding American! Message me and I'll give you my contact info.

Can we make a kickstarter to turn this guy into Batman?

Yes please.

Do you think your son needs to get in shape?

Round is a shape.

I want to meet you when you're drunk. You seem quite fun.

Won't happen. I party like a Mormon. (but I'm not Mormon)

[deleted]

My daughters have found outstanding young men and are happily married.

How does it feel to have the most bad-ass resume imaginable?

I hang out with other bad-asses. I don't feel that special.

How many requests did you turn down for The Expendables?

No, bad question.

Good question: Are you part of real life Expendables?

Are you saying The Expendables AREN'T real?

Are you... the best a man can get?

I think that's the Dos Equis guy.

what's the craziest thing that's ever happened to him?

I got into Ripley's Believe It or Not.

Proof: http://i.imgur.com/msLgAVN.jpg

What's the one big misconception people have about SWAT? What's one thing you wish they knew?

Everything about SWAT looks aggressive. But the objective through a conspicuous show of force is to encourage people not to make bad decision.

has he ever had to use his extensive " ass kicking skillset " on the streets? In other words, i wanna hear about the time some guys tried to jump your dad and he went all liam neeson from taken on them

Too funny. Don't have too many good stories, but as a smaller cop a lot of people tried to fight me. Plenty of skirmishes, nothing that looks as good as the movies.

What's the hardest thing you've had to face in either the Army or as a SWAT commander?

Also, you sound awesome.

Fear in various forms. The fear of letting my team down or letting myself down.

Has he always worked out? Does he take steroids?

Steriods? No. I'm 5'9", 178lbs.

I was very small and weak as a kid and I started training hard when I joined the Army at 19.

I'm 24 years old. I'm 6'2 142 and I can't join any branch of the armed forces due to a permanent metal implant. How can I train as hard as you did and see results?

halfbrit08's response seems pretty spot-on.

Dragon Door Publishing has an excellent foundation program for training called "Convict Conditioning" available here: http://www.dragondoor.com/b41/

Since you said he was 51. I'd assume he was in the military in the 80s/90s? What were some of the places he dropped into. Also, what was your most exciting/pant-shitting experience? Thank you!

Active duty 82-84. Nothing exciting during peacetime military. My hairiest experience was surviving a climbing accident and the 4 years it took to recover from a broken back and two broken ankles. I was told I would never run again back in 84.

What agency did you command SWAT for?

Just a small suburban police dept. We mostly did meth lab raids.

Have you seen an increase in Meth since Braking Bad?

I've been out of law enforcement since 2001.

What was the most rigorous training he had to encounter?

Training for performing feats of strength. It's harder on the body because of the varied types of strength involved with various stunts i.e. pan-rolling, brick breaking, bar bending

Tricks for coping with incredible soreness? I can barely move right now. Hell, even not moving hurts.

Alternating hot/cold soaks. But be prepared, it's not pleasant.

What was the most intense encounter you've ever had in SWAT or executive protection?

When I came close to exploding in a meth lab. Guy was cooking a batch while smoking near a jar of ether. I didn't know whether to take his gun away first or take the cigarette out of his mouth first. I hit him so hard they both got taken care of.

If/When you seriously damage a part of your body, and you are not able to do your normal duties...do you have sit down hobbies?

I'm a big music fan. I like to plink on the keyboard from time to time.

[deleted]

There are two chains. They are 45 lbs each.

What's the worst pain you've ever experienced?

Falling down a canyon in 1984. Climbing accident.

What does being an "Executive Bodyguard" entail?

Lots of planning. Lots of travel. Lots of errand running. If the day is uneventful, you've done your job right.

Follow up question: Have you ever guarded anyone famous? Celebs, politicians, etc?

Most of our clients were on NDAs. A couple people I can mention were Vince McMahon and Sylvester Stallone.

[deleted]

Not a weapon snob. I prefer a Glock. I'm a tactics guy, not an equipment guy. A Glock is intuitive and reliable.

If he could do his career all over again, would he change anything? What's his favorite drink?

Not a thing. Diet Mountain Dew before they starting adding GMOs. Now it's black coffee.

Whats the best way to gain muscle weight? Currently take whey protein after workouts and been eating more but gained 10 pounds (currently 165) pretty fast but has been hovering around that area.

I am the least successful person I know in terms of gaining muscle weight. I have a small frame and have always been a hard-gainer. If you find out, let me know.

What's your exercise routine, and what martial arts have you taken?

Certified trainer in: American Combat Kempo, Japanese Ju-Jitsu and Arnis.

My workout routine is max effort work, gymnastic movements, partials, isometrics.

It's available in excruciating detail here for purchase (shameless plug): http://www.criticalbench.com/gains/savage-halfoff

You sir, are a beast. Follow up question, what is your favorite body guard experience?

The nicest people I ever worked with was the Duggar family from "19 & Counting". They were the only ones who took me on an amusement park ride.

Sir, how much to hire a bodyguard like you? Is it per 24 hours? or per hour?

I don't know how much it costs to hire someone like me. My boss would know.

The duration is always dictated by the client.

Seriously the last question, I just started doing boxing, and though I really enjoy the sport, I don't think its the most effective form of self defense. Which martial art do you recommend the most, and why?

Krav-Maga. It's very to-the-point.

I'm the smallest one in my jujitsu class (also the only girl). I know my lower center of gravity is good but the benefit is offset a bit by my comparatively light weight. Any other advice for the shorties? :)

Lift weights and squat. Do whatever you can to get stronger.

Was it harder to stay in shape after you hit 40 or is it really a mind over matter kind of thing?

Very hard after 40. Had to eat much stricter. Had to find new ways of training because the old ways started to hurt.

What are some of those new ways of exercise that you incorporated into your routine?

Lots of ring work with the variable being that I do a lot of weighted ring training. The rings are a lot easier on my joints.

[deleted]

http://i.imgur.com/eAoJsN7.jpg

Does he diet or just eat what he wants?

I eat pretty strict. Low carb, high protein.

paleo?

Pretty close to paleo, but light on the fruits because of the sugar.

If you could only do one workout for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Dead-lifts. Front squats. Overhead press. Ring dips.

What's the most practical martial art that someone can study for effective self defense?

It's less about the style and more about the teacher. Lots of my friends like Krav-Maga. I've taken a lot from many styles; I favor the Filipino arts because of the emphasis on weapons.

Is your redditor son beefy too?

(me): Hecks to the naw.

When I saw the original "dad" post, I said "That dude's definitely a cop." Source: I'm a cop.

Keep up the good work.

is there anything you CANT do?

I can't open the safe.

What motivated you to keep going when you didn't think you had anything left? Did it change over time? And what is your favorite dinosaur?

Philippians 4:13.

Dimetrodon.

What are you afraid of?

Being a lame old guy.

Did he do Krav Maga?

No. Arnis, Ju-Jitsu, and cross trained in Judo, Jeet Kun Do etc.

I'm a Masters student in Criminal Justice hoping to pursue a career in Federal LE, are contacts and a good resume still my best bet?

Regarding exercise, I imagine you have been lifting for at least 30 years. Any advice or routines you favor? I've been lifting about 6 years. Right now I favor free-weight and the big three plus military press, but am having to do simpler lifts due to an unknown shoulder issue (possible exploratory surgery in July). Anyways sorry for the rant, you're an inspiration considering all the things you have accomplished.

Yes. Develop relationships and look for opportunities for internships. And dominate every test you take.

I have to stay ahead of injuries and ongoing pain so I preform a variety of movements to minimize repetitive stress.

Thanks for the kind words. Put the barbell down and play around with dumbbell presses for a while and see if it helps your shoulder.

What does it feel like to be Liam Neeson?

I wish I was that cool.

[deleted]

Did some consulting for Cellucor. I like C4 a lot.

what's his coolest story?

http://i.imgur.com/msLgAVN.jpg

I'm currently 19, and planning to join the U.S. Army after I get my associates next year. How much did your military past (discipline) influence you to stay devoted for so long? I ask this, because I have a tendency to become very inconsistent with certain things after 4-6 months of hard dedication and I really feel like it's because my lack of quality discipline while growing up, since I mainly had to teach myself that.

I don't expect to enlist and then magically get over my bad habit, but I'm more so wondering how effective it will be for a person who just needs a certain tool to really break that horrible habit. I should also clarify that this is not my sole reason for wanting to enlist.

You will be exposed to the tools of discipline. It will be up to you to put them to good use. If you want it, it will happen.

Thanks for doing this AMA. Here's my questions:

Why did you join the army? If you weren't there, where could you be now?

I joined the Army to get money for college. I wanted to be a police officer at the time. I believe I would be right where I am now. The passion for training other is what drove me to where I am now.

Out of the movies or shows featuring people like you--'special operators'--which character or depiction is most accurate for how they act--tactics, fighting technique, behavior, etc, and why?

Examples: McGarret in new version of Hawaii 5-0, Jack Bauer in 24, Jason Bourne, etc.

My former boss was the tactics consultent for the actors who played Delta OPs in "Black Hawk Down". They pretty much nailed it.

Are you a powerlifter? If so do you prefer conventional deadlift or sumo?

Not a powerlifter. As a trainer I like them both. As a user, because of my back injuries (see above) I dead lift with a trap-bar.

How much can you squat? (Please specify if high bar or low bar).

I don't back squat on account of my back injury (see above). I only front squat a few hundred pounds and go for reps and even then it's still hard on my back.

What are your current numbers for your lifts? How long have you been lifting?

I don't do a lot of standard lifts. I haven't benched in seven years. I've been training since I was 19, just before I went into the Army.

I saw an article once suggesting a lot of former military that go into private security abuse steroids. The article gave the impression of a jacked up, reckless subculture of alpha persona's. I've known only a few ex military in security and it couldn't be further from the truth, but I have no real insight.

Is this alleged stereo type accurate at all?

Not in my experience.

What was your motivation to not stop working out as you aged?

You do something long enough it becomes a part of you. If you like that part of you, you don't want to let it go.

How do you feel about the backlash against law enforcement recently? Also what do you think about filming law enforcement?

When you say "backlash" are you referring to the Boston bombing investigation?

What is your opinion on filming law enforcement?

Hard to answer that without it turning into a real tangent for me. It has been a good thing at times, but sometimes it gets in the way of guys trying to deal with chaotic situations.

What supplements do you take?

Whey protein. BCAAs. Kre-alkylin (spelling?) creatine. Magnesium. Vitamin D3. Lots of meat. Lots of eggs.

What was your highest PT score in the Army?

Every one was a 300.

Do you even lift?

http://i.imgur.com/jI8gczi.jpg

Here's one just for fun: would you rather fight a hundred duck-sized horses, or a horse-sized duck?

Horse-sized duck because that would be awesome.

Executive bodyguard? What kind of threats do executives regularly go under?

When you're worth over a billion dollars, everything changes.

a 180lb strongman? What?

Performing strongman. Not competitive.

I read a book written by a former special operator (ST6) and he said one deal-breaker for him that made him not want to join the army was that as long as they get 70% of the jumpers on the ground alive and good to go, then that's a decent jump. what the hell is that all about? losing 300 men if 1000 jump is ok?

Those percentages are worst-case estimates for a combat jump for the 82nd Airborne division. That hasn't been put to the test because the 82nd hasn't done a combat jump in many years. And you can't compare those stats with a Spec Ops unit, different styles of jumping.

What makes you an "expert" in martial arts.

Because other people say so. I was inducted into the Martial Arts Masters Hall of Fame in 2010.

What do you feel is the most practical martial art for self defense, and then which one for minimum harm subdual? I practice Krav Maga, have you heard of it and if yes, do you have an opinion?

Thoughts on MAs in general?

It's less about the style and more about the teacher. Lots of my friends like Krav-Maga. I've taken a lot from many styles; I favor the Filipino arts because of the emphasis on weapons.

Have you ever killed a man with hand-to-hand combat?

No.