Irish Independent Article For Our Indoor Bootcamp In Westwood Clontarf 25Jan2010
CRAWLING along like a dog, with your hips and collapsing torso held just above the ground is bad enough, but your humility really gets tested when some guy in droopy shorts starts heckling you from up on a stair-machine.
“Come on. Will yez move it along,” orders saggy shorts. “You’d better hope we do, because we can look straight up from here,” retorts a breathless crawler. It’s session three of the indoor boot camp, and after 45 minutes of sprinting, push-ups,squats, swinging weighted balls and crawling along the ground commando-style, dealing with a smartass is no challenge – except for finding the breath to sling back the slagging.
The man goes quiet and just about retains his position on the stair-exercise machine, but with difficulty because he’s trying to do it with his legs crossed. Boot camps are becoming an established fitness trend, and taking part in one is a good way to push you out of your comfort zone.
This military-style form of exercising is big in Hollywood, where they try to keep their silicon straight while running. There’s even a sex boot camp (in California, of course).
Boot camps are often held outdoors, but during the Irish winter months an indoor-based programme is more appealing and with the brutal winter we’re having this year, you’d have to be a masochist to do outside training anyway.
Our boot camp, held in a north Dublin gym, starts out with a pep talk from the two “commanders”, Rachel Bolton and Gemma Bryan.
Don’t be fooled by their sweet smiles. This pair dreams up torture exercises that challenge every muscle, and they’re immune to bribery, abuse and pleading.
Most boot camps recommend a low-carb, highprotein diet, and failure to stick to the programme can result in public humiliation and 40 pushups for the whole group.
Although we all fail to maintain our eating regime 100pc, the camaraderie of my 10 or so fellow bootees is a great boost as we endure push-ups and burpies, a horrendous exercise where you lie down, push yourself onto your feet and hands, then jump your feet back and forth towards your outstretched arms.
This is followed by sprinting, hefting weights onto your shoulder to do squats for a minute, then another minute... and on it goes.
Food diaries are supplied as part of the six-week programme, and entries are checked regularly.
“I got into trouble for having two slices of toast – for the whole week,” groans Catriona Kenna.
One of the fittest in our group, she’s a slim-looking 11 stone (70kg). “I want to get down to 10 stone,” says Catriona (49). “But staying off the alcohol can be hard.”
Others in the group agree. And even though laying off your regular glass of wine or beer is tough, they all say they would never drink the night before a boot-camp session.
“You’d be destroyed by drinks the night before,” says Anne Miller (47), who is 54kg but wants to tone up her tummy.
Although she keeps off the gargle, her sweet tooth is a different story.
“I was at the movies with the kids last night and we had jellies, sweets and popcorn but don’t tell Gemma and Rachel,” she begs.
Most of the people taking part have lost a little weight, but all agree their fitness is improving, and with Christmas over they will get serious and sign up again for the new bout of torture due to start in February.
“It keeps you focused and on track,” says Catriona.
Anne agrees. “If you eat a bit unhealthily, it’s still better to be doing exercise so you can work it off.”
The Verdict
Did it work: Yes – improves fitness, group back-up and lost two kilos
Pluses: Craic, with the kudos of completing a sixweek challenge
Minuses: Paying to be tortured
Cost: €90 for six weeks
Contact: Gemma Bryan 087 7459172 or Rachel Bolton, westwood.ie (Clontarf)
- Amanda Phelan
