Written by: Staff Reporter
Exercising outdoors in a grassy field, as the sun rises over Johannesburg feels just as good for your mind as it does for your body, and has convinced me that the time may have arrived to start trying to become a morning person.
I hauled my sleepy butt out of bed before dawn so that I could find out what this ‘Adventure Bootcamp for Women‘ that I had seen emblazoned on a car in traffic, was all about.
My fears of obstacle courses with mud pits were put to rest when I arrived at a school in leafy Houghton, and joined the group gathered on the field. The bootcamp leader – who was reassuringly not clad in camouflage gear, greeted me warmly, and throughout the one-hour training session she maintained just the right balance of GI Jane, and good-natured encouragement.
The encouragement is needed, because as the name suggests, bootcamp is not a stroll in the park – it is hard work. But the kind of hard work that leaves you feeling like you have achieved something worthwhile.
The next morning, again rising before the sun, I hurt in places long forgotten, and headed to a school in Bedfordview this time. I once again marveled at how the meet leader managed to be awake and enthusiastic so early in the morning.
It is evident that the ladies who attend get addicted to the bootcamp, and there are many repeat offenders. More than the fresh air and the happy hormones that the exercise releases, the ladies are addicted to the results – the stories of fitness and weight loss are numerous.
“You see that lady over there in the black – she used to be fat fat fat!” said my new-found buddy in Bedfordview at one stage. She seemed determined to remind me why I was there – a summer body was within reach if I just hang in there and hold that plank position.
The kind of camaraderie that builds between the women as they work together at the camp seems like a very healthy way to start the day. The Boot Camp sessions are an hour of intense physical training, and yet everyone leaves with a smile – this must be the proof of the existence of the endorphin rush. The Boot Camp team outline some ambitious achievements that can be expected when taking part in the programme, such as a 3-5% reduction in body fat; better relaxation; 3-9 cm decrease in the midsection; 25% increase in strength; greatly improved posture; 2-6 kg of weight loss; and 25% improvement in endurance.
Perhaps being a journalist makes one naturally skeptical, so I started chatting to some of the women at the camps, asking about their experiences. Every single person I spoke to was happy. The claims are true, and women who had all but given up on losing weight, are seeing results. Having taken part in the programme for only two days, I can tell that this would be the case – it was a truly invigorating experience.
The Adventure Boot Camp team says that the exercises are specially designed for women who want to exercise outdoors and take in the beautiful surroundings of their neighbourhoods. It is a four-week outdoor programme that includes fitness instruction, nutritional counselling and motivational training.
Classes vary and offer exciting alternatives to everyday exercise routines. The classes combine short distance running, skipping, strengthening of the abdominal and core muscles, pilates, obstacle courses, circuit training, weights, mat work and games.
The programme also encourages participants to maintain a balanced diet, and a personalised eating plan from the Adventure Boot Camp website, can be downloaded.
The liveeco team
