Boot Camp Adventures

[Tuckervill]

I gotta say, it works! In just a few weeks I lost significant inches and body fat though I lost very little weight. While I need to lose weight, my focus was on strength and fat percentage. One of my benchmarks for strength is the plank position because it involves so much code body muscles, especially the lower back and abs. I'm back to being able to hold a plank and very slowly lower to the ground and back up. Seems so weird, but this excites me no end. It's just my personal measurement for strength. The impingement in my left shoulder has also improved dramatically. I still do a lopsided downward dog, but it's coming along. I couldn't do it at all 2 months ago.

The plank is one of my benchmarks, too. But we don't just do planks; we do "ab-dogs". (I don't know if that's a term the guys made up or what.) Plank on your elbows, then move into the down-dog position, staying on your elbows. Do that about 30 times. When you get good at that, alternate raising a leg as you raise your butt. Side planks include an oscillation of the hips, then advancing to raising the top leg during the oscillation.

When I started back in October, I couldn't hold the plank for 15 seconds. Now, FINALLY, my gut doesn't stick out as far as my bust anymore.

I envy that huge space you have to work in, and the sprint thing sounds like fun.

My boot camp is 12 weeks, 3 x a week at 6:00 a.m. (I should be there, now, but I can still go to the 8:00 today.) Since it's January they had a big response so they have an 8:00 a.m. class, too, until it peters out.

It's run by a couple of physical therapists, who also do performance and physical training (the name of the place is 3DPT). The gym is the size of a typical retail shop in a strip mall (which is where it is) with no "back room". Nice rubber floor, big mirror, lots of toys all the way around it. A couple of cardio machines--an arc trainer and a Versaclimber, which is a mountain climbing machine that kicks my butt.

We usually warm up with the book they wrote (http://www.andycore.com/master_body_book_store.php) and do 100 jumping jacks. Then it may be a cardio day using their performance toys like ladder drills, dot drills, hurdles, jump rope, etc. We sometimes do the "3DPT loop"--6 minutes of running, skipping, side-to-side, grapevine, frontwards and backwards, and 6 minutes of jogging. Their goal is for us to be able to run a mile in 12 minutes. Another goal is to be able to jump rope for 6 minutes, and then of course, the 100 JJs. They consider those basic fitness standards.

They have a big emphasis on balance, and being fit without any equipment, so there are some specific exercises--one called "balance bird" wherein you stand on one leg and dip down like one of those drinking bird toys, letting the raised leg come up behind you, and trying to touch the floor with your hands. It's harder than it sounds, especially when you get up to 30 or 40 reps, and when your heart is beating fast after JJs.

On Mondays we do a circuit, and it could be a lower body circuit or an upper body circuit. They have all kinds of medicine balls, tramps, and other torture devices to get this done. On Fridays we lift, but they always think up new ways to do it. It's all a lot of fun and keeps it from being boring, for sure.

Every day is wrapped up with mat work, usually the planks and some leg lifts, and stretching, of course.

The two guys who run the place are very hands-on, and such inspirations. Noel is especially impressive--he can outdo anyone on any activity. He's quiet and has a kind of intimidating presence with his shaved head, and doesn't cotton to complainers. The other guy, Ty, is the one with all the personality, and is also a fine physical specimen. I live in a very small town, and I consider it a miracle that they landed in the same town I did (especially since they came from Memphis, like I did, and at about the same time, too). You couldn't find any place more professional, knowledgeable, or innovative in a big city. I think I'm starting to feel addicted to exercise!

I, too, have lost very little weight (well, maybe about 10 lbs since I started in October), but I've lost inches and on top I'm down two sizes. My arms are getting defined, and my legs are smaller. My knees don't hurt anymore. I can run--I never liked to run, but at least now I CAN.

Karen

[SadieKate]

Another test day, another boost!

--Increased # of push-ups in 1 min by 2
--Increased # of squats in 1 min by 6 (12.5%)
--Shoulder press improved by 5 (another 12.5% improvement)

And the best???
--I took 40 secs off my PB on our timed 1 km run!
--Held plank position for the full 2 mins (12 secs longer than last time and 55 secs longer than 6 weeks ago - nearly 100%!)

I think I'm acclimating better to the altitude but I don't think my improved speed is just attributable to that. At least let's hope not. My numbers on some of the tests are staying the same but I know my form is better and I'm accomplishing far more range of motion so I'm very satisfied with the same numbers on some. A dip all the way down and up takes a lot more time and strength than weenie little bobs.

I think my legs are getting strong enough to protect my knees skiing so maybe a little experimenting with some backcountry nordic this weekend. Wish me luck! Or rather, wish my wimpy knees luck.

--SK, feeling pretty darn positive this morning.

[Veronica]

That's awesome! You should be pleased as punch!

V.

[Tuckervill]

That's great!

My boot camp has turned to a slippers camp, I think. Everyone's new, except me and one other person, and she hurt herself last week and hasn't been back. (She'll be back next week, while I'm on my cruise.)

On Wednesday we did a cardio circuit, and in the middle we checked heart rate. Mine was 120! I was barely even sweating. Everyone else's was in the 150 range. I choose to interpret that to mean I can do the same thing they can and not get my heart rate so high. Improvement, right??

I also noticed a woman who looked a little like my type who was doing some of the same newbie stuff I did, but no longer do. (Like putting my hands out wide to hold myself up during down dog--because my arms were weak.)

Tomorrow's my last class before the cruise. YIPPEE!

Karen

[teigyr]

I love reading about all of this!!! I looked at the local boot camps and really want to do it but I have a half-marathon to train for and I've spent kind of a lot of money on my, um, hobbies. I'm thinking next early winter/late fall would be perfect I really like hearing about the tangible improvements though. Is so awesome that you can make such a huge impact in such little time. Congrats!

[SadieKate]

On Wednesday we did a cardio circuit, and in the middle we checked heart rate. Mine was 120! I was barely even sweating. Everyone else's was in the 150 range. I choose to interpret that to mean I can do the same thing they can and not get my heart rate so high. Improvement, right??

You go! Sounds like the perfect rationale. Now figure out how to make it harder.

teigyr - some of the boot camps have options that let you go only a couple days a week. If you are using it to supplement other workouts, it could really help your training. Whenever I suddenly got the wild urge to try running again, I always went through a period of sore back and ribs. My back always seemed to be a weak point with running. I haven't tried running any kind of distance lately, but the workouts have made my core so much stronger that I think I could start running again without the pain. We rented BC nordic skis today so tomorrow's ski workout should be a good indication of overall body strength. I'll report back. But see what the couple day a week packages cost. Perhaps you could squeeze those into your budget. You might even just be able to buy a couple classes just to try it out and plan next winter's budget.

I'm going have to try Tuckervill's ab-dogs . . .

[Starfish]

Teigyr, I'm telling ya, nordic skiing is great! Tell me when you want me to come get you in the new E and go up for some skiing!

All this boot camp talk is awesome! Very inspiring!

I have just started a class that is not really boot camp, but it is an hour 2x week of a huge variety of muscular and core expercises...always different, surprising the body. It doesn't do cardio, but it comes right before the spinning class 2x week.

In the past, I have done equestrian stuff, tae kwon do, swimming, skiing, etc. that seems to get certain muscles not in other exercises. But, this class hits lots of those weird, hidden muscles.

[kjay]

Thanks for all of this great information! It's all very motivating.