Exercise Scientist Critiques ALPHA MALE BOOT CAMPS- Good For all Men?
In a Nutshell
Dr. Mike argues these $18,000 boot camps can work for some men by providing intense challenges that build toughness, but the benefits fade without ongoing progressive training and long-term lifestyle changes. He recommends cheaper alternatives like BJJ or Muay Thai gyms over paying to get humiliated in chaotic, military-style events. The camps aren't inherently dangerous but represent poor value for most participants since they don't address deep-seated issues in a weekend.
These notes were generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies.
RISE is a 55-hour live event where men come to be challenged across all domains. The introductory footage shows an instructor stating "You got to see it in your eyes that most of you don't belong here. I see IT IN YOUR EYES ALREADY. YOUR FUCKING SOULS ARE MINE." The program costs $18,000 per participant.
Dr. Mike introduces himself as having been known as "sexually confused, irrational, pathetic," but identifies as a man. He claims to have started as a "completely biological female" before attending a male boot camp that transformed him into an "alpha man." He states that "that's the only Greek letter I'm interested in knowing."
The boot camp video makes several claims including that "Men have been raised to be weak and feminine" and promises participants will "Become better friends, better fathers, better leaders." The promotional material describes men who are "stuck in a rut" and have "lost that fire" and "lost that edge as a man."
Dr. Mike directly addresses the claim that "men have been raised to be weak and feminine," stating "No, that's not true at all." He suggests men may be raised to be more civilized, but questions whether this equates to being weak and feminine. Scott confirms he was encouraged to do sports and throw rocks rather than play with dolls.
Dr. Mike contrasts the boot camp approach with "paying thousands of dollars to larp as a Navy SEAL and have other men humiliate you." The program promises participants will "become more of a man" through suffering, with the claim that "Suffering leads to those superpowers."
Dr. Mike explains that suffering alone does not lead to superpowers. Instead, he states that "Incrementally surmounting progressively more difficult goals does." He notes that if participants experience enough suffering that they overcome in a boot camp, and then "take that empowerment and you continue to thread it into your life," it can be beneficial. However, he warns that if it's "just people making fun of you and calling the R-word all the time and then dragging you through the mud," the toughness gained "will recede mere weeks after you're gone."
Dr. Mike recommends that participants "pay way less money and just join a BJJ or Muay Thai gym, build an actual skill set" which "works way better" and provides "plenty of fighting where that came from." He emphasizes learning how to fight rather than getting beaten by random participants.
A participant died during a boot camp session in June 2020, leading to a wrongful death lawsuit alleging failure to provide necessary medical care. The parties settled a few years later. Dr. Mike notes that while such incidents occur occasionally in hard training, including weight training, "one case doesn't prove a whole lot" about boot camps being inherently dangerous.
The RISE program costs $18,000 with 37 participants generating $666,000 in revenue. Dr. Mike jokes that "we're in the wrong business" and suggests they could "start a boot camp tomorrow."
The boot camp is described as starting "very loud, chaotic, and violent" with participants forced to fight each other. The instructor wears a knife and makes intense statements including "I'LL TAKE THIS KNIFE OFF MY WAIST AND CARVE THIS TATTOO OFF MY FUCKING HEAD BEFORE THAT IDIOT." Participants who quit must "ring the bell in front of everyone" with "No refund."
Dr. Mike notes that the experience can seem "slightly disempowering" when participants get "shit on." However, he acknowledges that if participants "don't break or if you break and pick yourself up again," they may feel "I fucking survived, I'm a real man" after completion. He warns against experiences where "everyone kind of did better than you at camp" and "you like had five emotional breakdowns."
Dr. Mike questions the ethics of the program, comparing it to paying "780 pound dominatrix, a significant amount more than $18,000, to get this exact thing done." He notes that the boot camp becomes "a kink fetish fantasy for these military bros" and asks "what's wrong with that?" regarding kink preferences.
Participants are required to crawl up a hill while others pull them back down. The instructor states "If you stop moving, you're coming back down the hill." Dr. Mike compares this to summer camp experiences, noting fewer instances of physical defecation than he experienced.
Dr. Mike announces that RP is "starting an RP cycle bootcamp where you could die or become a real man" with "no money back guarantee and you waive all of your rights right up front."
The program claims participants "cannot go back to life the way they knew it because they are a different man." Dr. Mike acknowledges that "if the shit hits, this actually works" and states it "can be a transformative experience" if it matches the individual and coaching style properly.
The program emphasizes "the opportunity to have men that they bled with, that they were tired and hungry and wet and cold with" creating bonds "unlike any other." A participant named Aiden states "My name is Aiden. I am a man" and declares "I'm a man and a warrior" during exercises.
One instructor explains that "the way to defense represents everything you've carried to this point" including weights placed upon participants' hearts, bodies, and minds. Dr. Mike questions the effectiveness of physical events as metaphors, stating they have "limited in effect" despite being "dope."
Dr. Mike explains that "all the shit you're carrying, there's nothing a weekend of anything can do to delete all that shit out of your head." He states that participants will "still be carrying basically the same amount of shit" after a weekend program. He recommends "long-term lifestyle transformation" including combat sports, lifting, tough careers, and "raising a family properly" as more effective methods.
Dr. Mike concludes that "these camps work for some people" and that "the vast majority of the folks that run these camps are really good people trying to help other men." He notes that the approach involves giving men "profoundly difficult experiences, break down everything in your brain that is resisting anything, build you back up." However, he acknowledges that "a lot of this [is a] gigantic fucking waste of time and money" and questions whether programs are "worth $18,000."
Dr. Mike emphasizes that "the boot camp can kick you into high gear" but stresses the importance of continuing to "progressively challenge yourself over time." He advises against beating or insulting yourself, instead recommending to "be gentle with yourself. Be patient. Be kind." He states that "progressive exposure of doing more and more and more harder stuff" creates real toughness, not "a goddamn thing you can do in 3 days."
Dr. Mike rates boot camps as "good for some people, terrible for some people out of 12."
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