Bootcamp

I'm sure most women, and maybe men as well, hear the word "bootcamp" and think to themselves, "How horrible!" Before I ever attempted to do Crossfit workouts with Mr. Balancing Act, I probably would have thought the same thing. Of course, Crossfit is WAY harder than anything I have ever put together for my own bootcamp workouts. But like anything else, you can achieve what you set out to do with tiny baby steps.

One of the greatest things about Crossfit is that all the workouts are available online for free. You don't have to join anything in order to gain access to the website. There are plenty of free tutorials which teach you how to complete each exercise. And there are several different levels, for rank beginners through advanced fitness pros. If you master even the most basic level of Crossfit, you will end up in the very best shape of your life. Just go to Crossfit.com to get started!

And one of the greatest things about bootcamp is quite the opposite: the camaraderie! Although parts of each workout might be grueling, participants always know that they are in it together. While we struggle up that hill or wobble through yet another plank, we can look around and see everyone else struggling right beside us. And my particular group of women is especially supportive and encouraging.

In my Monday and Wednesday morning bootcamps, I have women of all ages, ranging from teenagers to those in their 60's. Of course not everyone can do every single exercise exactly the same way, but we all show up and put forth our very best effort twice a week. We cheer for each other and notice each others' accomplishments. When we first began, over a year ago, most people could not run at all. Today, everyone is jogging from one area to the next. When we get to the hill, almost everyone can actually sprint up! We have gone from struggling to hold a plank for one minute to lasting over two minutes! Although the single-legged squats still make us want to cry, we do them anyway.

During the month of August, I am offering a bootcamp special for all my local Maryland readers. Anyone who has never tried my bootcamp before can attend one bootcamp class for FREE! If you are currently a bootcamp participant, you can bring one brand new friend to bootcamp for free. Pre-registration is required and the proper paperwork must be completed prior to participating. Please contact me through the comment section below if you would like to take advantage of this offer. And thanks to all my great students who make bootcamp a delight (although a sweaty one!) every time!