I really do love helping people

I know. This sounds like a load of hogwash.

But after dreaming huge, taking on unwinable battles and realizing that I am the only one that wants my dream, I stumbled upon six really big dudes. These six guys, have reminded me why I get out of bed every day and have been a catalyst for me to begin to love my job again.

And so I do. I love my job helping people reach their health and fitness goals.

I love the people that work their butts off each morning with me and I love those individuals that get up each nmorning to support and follow me into battle ( my instructors).

Their "loss" has become my gain.

Food for the spirit

Every day I educate my outdoor fitness participants about the importance of fueling their bodies with the proper nutrition. Today as I watched the womans gymastic competition that I TIVOed from last night, I remembered why the olympic competition is so important to our country and to me. I watched the faces of each young American athlete filled with determination, their nerves like steel and their bodies trained for perfection. And I thought about their paths to the Olympics. They are so young, yet they sacrifice all semblance of normal lives to reach those goals and live their dreams. Many of them don't go to regular school, or workout like regular people. Their training is their life. As an American, living my American dream, I understand that drive as many entrepreneurs do. And I am inspired by it. The dedication of these athletes and sheer will to win nourishes my spirit and reminds me to keep working hard . So today and for the rest of the month, I will watch the Olympics and take every bit of inspiration and fuel that my spirit can handle and I will put that in every thing I do. I challenge every American to do the same! Ladies and gents of the 2008 Olympic team, thanks for the inspiration!

A taste of my own medicine

I wanted to recount an experience I had this morning at Chastain Park with each of you to remind you how awesome you are at what you do and how you constantly change peoples lives. Thank you for everything you do!

So this morning I got my butt kicked at Chastain Park, by a 23 year old instructor with a quiet demeanor and a mind like a serial killer. Oh, that’s Erin by the way – the Fuller’s Park lead instructor currently filling in at Chastain.

When I got to the park for my Thursday workout, I thought, “Oh, Fartlek – this should be fun (and in the back of my mind I also thought, fun and easy). Well I asked about what the span of the fast group was and she said the slowest was 7:15 for a mile. I thought…hmmm I might be right past that, but I’m a sprinter, I can hang…ha! That was my first mistake.

Then I say HER – my nemesis. She is a machine. I love her and hate her at the same time. She has three kids, can hold an ab bridge for 8 minutes and wins her age group (older than me) at triathlons. Amazing. Well anyway, I see her and think, “Today’s the day. I feel strong, I can beat her. (Or at least hang)”. HA! That was my second mistake.

So off we go. Erin at the front, Tiffany at the back. We did a normal warm-up down the hill and then an Indian run and then continued down the hill. Well that was the third error in my “easy fartlek” thought pattern. Guess what? Oh you know, you’re all torturing boot camp instructors. Yes, we had to Sprint back up the hill and then do some crazy frog hops and then back down for more fog hops. Shist. So I think. Ok, I got this and I take off, sprinting up the hill. Well this particular hill at Chastain is the VERY steep twisting U-turn hill that used to be pitch black, but now has lights – wonderful. (If you can’t sense the sarcasm, you should start to soon). Four repeats, pushups, squat turns and tucks jump later, I was toast. But that was only 20 minutes into the workout.

At that point I remembered how awesome support instructors can be. If it wasn’t for Tiffany, I would have gone home or sat down at least. But she was right there with me (and I wasn’t the only one – actually there were 1 or 2 dudes that took turns eating my dust –ha! At least someone did). So the next set of torture came in the form of suicides. Now I am bizarre - I hear that word and I think – I can do this. I LOVE to sprint. So off I go. Sprint 1 – I won! I beat HER! HA! Sprint 2 – She beat me down and we tied coming back. But unfortunately that is when I discovered why SHE participates in boot camp. Because she has 2X the endurance that I do. As an instructor this is where I normally stop and rest while the campers keep going. (Mental note in plan to beat HER – do one more than I want to next time). Then the pushups got harder and then next sprint got slower and then I couldn’t breathe. But that was when I heard the voice of an angel – Tiffany was right there encouraging me to keep going. And I did!

But that wasn’t it, folks, we also did more sprints, shuffles, dips, crossovers and even an Indian run on the way back. This is where I realized how awesome The AMERICAN Boot Camp Company is! Because as I was getting my butt handed to me on the way back up the hills for the final 10 minutes, my instructors wouldn’t let me quit. Oh I wanted to! But they didn’t and I didn’t and I feel Awesome today because of that. But the workout doesn’t end here. NO, remember I said Erin was a serial killer. So we get back to the lower field and that is where she destroyed me – bear crawl backwards up hill. My body wouldn’t do it. I saw stars and I actually had to stop and go forward. I officially had my butt kicked! AND I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!

Reality Check - Why Can't I lose weight

Every day, I see clients that are successful at reducing and maintaning perminant weight loss. And every day, I have a few clients that look at the success of others and say, "Why can't I lose the weight? What are they doing different than me?" These clients appear to be on the same program, following the same path. However when I look closely, there are several things that seperate the successful from the unsuccessful. If you are struggling with your weight loss goals, ask yourself these questions:

1. Are you being honest with yourself? Weight loss is actually a simple concept. To lose weight you have to eat less and move more. Being honest with yourself is the first step with weight loss. In my boot camp program, I make all new participants start logging their food several days before camp begins - even though many of them choose not to follow the food plan until camp begins. This is because it starts them on a habit of being honest.

2. Are you moving more? Do you exercise 5-7 days a week with an increased heart rate. Not only will this help you burn more calories, but it will help you have more energy to do other fun things. Exercise doesn't have to be boring! Going to the gym and stepping on a treadmill is not always the best solution. Try a group fitness class, such as kickboxing or a results based fitness program. Whatever you do, get moving!

3. Are you making excuses? I often hear from my clients that they don't feel well, or they have to help a friend, or they just couldn't get out of bed, or they didn't get a good nights sleep. All of these are excuses and often it take the tough love of a regimented program such as boot camp to help people move past their excuses. Many of these excuses are directly related to the LACK of regular exercise!

4. Do late afternoon meetings and dinner meetings inhibit your ability to stick to a routine? Try working out before the day begins. And try making an appointment to do so. Whether you sign up for an accountability based program such as boot camp, or you make an appointment to meet your best buddy at the gym, having someone to hold you accountable will help motivate you to get your workout in before the day gets away from you.
To be successfuly at long term weight loss, you have to make the decision to change your habits. You need to commit to yourself and then find a program that works for you. If you can do it on your own, you will need to eat a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein sources and combine this with a regular exercise routine. Finally, if you know you need help, ask for it! There are countless personal trainers and companys like my own that specialize in motivation. And although you might pay more for their services, it will be worth every penny in the long run. You are worth it, aren't you?

For more information on Mari Garner or The American Boot Camp Company go to www.TheBootCampCompany.com.

Me Trainer. You Client. Part 1 of 3 in a series of posts on finding a quality trainer in todays fitness craze

Me Trainer. You Client.
In today's growing fitness market, people will do almost anything to get into shape. The pressures have moved from purely looking good to feeling good to. Historically magazines and media protray perfect looking people as happy and successful and often create a distorted image of what happens in real life. If we see it on TV or read about it in a magazine, it must be true and correct, right? And people would do anything, including subject themselves to hours in a gym, painful surgery and even poor treatment by a drill instructor to look like the happy people on TV.
While the main reason for working out today is still looking good, we are finding more and more people beginning a fitness routine because of increasingly poor health stats from their doctors. With more people than ever in the overweight and obese catergory, more people than ever are joining the quest to get those people fit and healthy.

Unfortunately, the fitness industry is not set up for this. Doctors, nurses and dietitions go to school for many years, obtaining a 4 year degree then medical school, nursuing school and grueling internships. They have a tried and true training system in place that weeds out those that are not serious and does a fairly good job at creating knowlegable professional capable of living up to their high salaries. People put their lives in their hands, so this should be how it is done.

But what I am seeing every day more and more is that people are putting their lives in the hands of fitness trainers every day as preventative and prescriptive measures to lose weight, get healthy and stay healthy. So why don't ALL trainers have to go through the same type of certification and training that doctors and other health care providers do?

We see trainers with certifications that they got on the internet and many trainers with no certifications. The number of clients that I see that realy stories about how their trainers caused them to have perminant injuries is unacceptable. As a Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Group Instructor and trainer for other fitness professionals in the outdoor fitness arena, I see many trainers with a passion for helping others that know and understand the need to continually educate themselves. But I also see many trainers with little experience, poor customer service skills and little to no knowlege of the body, giving advice to people on nutrition and fitness.

So how do you make sure you have a certified trainer?
Ask. Before giving anyone your money, ask to see a copy of the certification. Ask them where they are certified through and if they are personal trainers, how many hours of actual experience they have training clients with you. Ask for referrals and contact them. If you are joing a group program such as a boot camp, make sure you instructors have a group fitness instructor certification. If the clients begin to hold the trainers to a higher standard, the trainers will be forced to continue to educate themselves.

How do you know which certification is better?
The National Commission for Certifying Agencies or NCCA accredits programs that meet certian standards. Choose a trainer with a certification from a certifying body on this list. The following are the most popular certifications that you will see: NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine), NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association), ACE (American Council on Exercise), ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine). If your trainer doesn't have one of these, make sure to take extra precaution when interviewing them. Don't just believe that because they call themselves a trainer, that they can help you! More on this in Part 2.

Remember that you often get what you pay for. If you are using a trainer that gives you a "free" session at a big box gym, they are not getting paid very much and therefore may not be of the same quality as a trainer that has ventured out on their own.

Finally, look at how your trainer is running their business. If they are using illegal road signs, negative adversiting or are operating without permits, business licenses or insurance they may not be the type of person you want to rely on for your long term health needs.

The "boot camp" girls next door

The American Boot Camp Company is made up of an amazing group of men and women. Those that are leaders and followers. Instructors and clients. Everyday, I am amazed that the ability of so many people to stay positive, achieve their goals and make amazing self discovery. So when I tell them that "I believe in them", it is more than just words, it is the truth.

Every now and then a couple of people really make a mark and do more than just remind me why I get out of bed every day - their actions and choices help me to get out of bed. So this post is for them - the boot camp girls next door!

Thanks girls!
For being such great role models For showing that you can do it ALL and still get in a run.
Thanks for being a super smilely, whistlin', single gal on the prowl with a super cool day job and still finding time for your friends and making time to help folks get in shape before dawn each day.
Thanks for being a beautiful bride to be that choses her words wisely and never stops smiling all the while managing a career, one of the most eligible bachelors in Atlanta, being the new girl in town and a new love for the crazy sport of running. Thanks for running because you can!

Ladies, you reminded me why I do what I do, but more importantly you were there for me when I needed the same support and belief that I give my clients every day.

So Thanks!

Is your boot camp legit?

Earlier this year I heard about a news cast where the Atlanta City Council was going to vote on reducing the programs offered in Piedmont Park because the fields were becoming degraded from overuse. Immediately I felt the need to write to the council people and explain to them NOT to cut the programs, but to begin to regulate the use of the fields in off hours. That means, regulating Boot Camp.The regulation of Boot Camp, or outdoor fitness, is a cause near and dear to my heart. As a pioneer in the outdoor fitness boot camp arena, my company was one of the first to obtain permission to use the public parks through obtaining permits and paying fees to the counties. Yes, that’s right; we have to pay fees to use the parks as a “for-profit” company. No, this doesn’t upset me. It actually seems very logical.As a business owner, I need to obtain a business license, file for a tax ID and pay rent for the space where I run my business. Just because my business is run in a remote location, doesn’t mean that “rent” isn’t necessary. When I use the park four days a week to run my boot camp, I should be helping to pay for the general maintenance of the facility I use. Although my customers are local residents and their tax dollars go toward park upkeep, so should some of the profits that I make while running my business on that land.Additionally, as a business owner, I have to think about how to keep the space where I run my business it tip top shape. So I try to use a different field every day, not running down the same space with 100’s of jumping jacks in the same 10’x10’ space. By doing this, I save on wear and tear on the field and I provide a safe place for my clients to workout. Overused fields are the number two cause of injury (dehydration is number one) in an outdoor workout because participants can easily turn an ankle in a field with holes. When we come across such a field we immediately report it to the parks department and then we don’t use the field. Because we pay fees and have relationships with our parks departments, we can do this.When companies squat on park land and don’t obtain permits or pay fees where necessary (not all counties are the same), they can’t call the county and complain or report the holes, thus creating an unsafe environment for their participants. The lack of permitting in public parks also poses another threat – serious injury with no insurance. Because many of the companies running boot camps in public parks are just personal trainers, they don’t have liability insurance. Some don’t even have business licenses. Furthermore, some personal trainers don’t even have a simple certification on the basic principles of training and human physiology. Without regulation, you won’t know who you are dealing with until you are injured. God forbid should some become seriously injured – who would be held accountable? The trainer with no insurance? He doesn’t have any money. So you sue the county. Now all of your fellow participants have to pay through higher taxes and programs like mine that follow the rules also suffer because then the parks become more stringent. So how do you tell if your boot camp is really legitimate?Ask to see their business license. If they have a physical location, all you have to do is look for the county permit on the wall.Make sure your trainer(s) are certified in group fitness and have experience. The best trainers will have multiple certifications. Our trainers go through a nationally approved certification for Outdoor Fitness. Look for NASM, ACE, AFAA, NSCA, and ACSM. If you don’t see one of these initials next to your trainer’s name, make sure they have coaching experience or a long list of references.Make sure the company you choose for your boot camp follows the rules. Do they have permits? If they don’t, you could be fined for being at the park/facility when you are not supposed to be. If the boot camp program has a food plan, which most outdoor programs should provide some guidance due to the rigorous nature of the workouts; do they follow the USDA guidelines? Unless your trainers are also dietitians (not nutritionists), you should be getting a lot of education, but not specific meal plans to follow. Check out myfoodpyramid.com to see the limits of the USDA plan.

The Biggest Loser - The Problem with Reality TV

So as are many of you, I am so very interested in The Biggest Loser TV show. I love to watch the 2 minute out takes at the end of each season, all in a row and see how determined the people are and how even more determined they are when they get kicked off or make the cut to lose weight. The stories of each person are inspiring to even the most insane fitness enthusiast.

But what worries me is the thought that many people actually think it is safe and possible to lose the amounts of weight those people are losing in such a short period of time. The show alludes to double digit weight loss in a week and if the participants don't lose that weight, they are shunned and kicked off the show. What are we teaching our country?

All fitness and nutrition guidelines say that between 1-2 pounds a week is healthy weight loss, yet these people workout 4 hours a day and under insane conditions. We think it is cool that they have personal trainers that swear and scream at them while they scream right back.

Reality is actually not like the Biggest Loser. Reality is a struggle to lose the 2 pounds that are safe each week while balancing work, family and life. Reality lies in develop a supportive group of trainers that encourage you to be healthy and to not overtrain and to eat the right foods in the right amounts. In my opinion, reality is boot camp.

And how much fun can that be! With The American Boot Camp Company you get a 5 to 1 client to instructor ratio, much like The Biggest Loser TV show, but none of the drama from the trainers or other participants. You get only encourage trainers that believe in you. You get a healthy eating plan that teaches you about portion control, proper food choices and keeping your energy levels even. And most importantly you get one workout a day in only 45 minutes that kicks your butt beyond the need to workout again. Who needs Reality TV when you have The American Boot Camp Company?

Throwing the first stone - the price of being a leader

Something many people don't know or understand about me is that growing up in a lower middle class neighborhood in Western Pennsylvania, being younger than most of the kids on the street, and being the minority in a black/white world gives you a certain outlook on the world and forces you to see people in a different light. Couple that with having a mother that never judged anyone and paternal family that believed the world was theirs for the taking and you get me, Mari Garner, the girl that nobody gets. I know my flaws and my gifts and I try my best to focus on the positive. I know that I possess a passion and a drive that is unique and that many times runs hot enough to burn - and does. It is my battle in life to fight the negative side of passion and to channel it into something good. That battle I fight every day and sometimes I win and sometimes I lose. And as many people feel the victory, some also feel the brunt of defeat. And in analyzing each defeat, I realized that because people get so caught up in seeing only whats on the surface, they miss out on ever meeting the real person behind the drive.

So here goes. The neighborhood that I grew up in shaped the type of people I relate to and especially the very type of people I trust and consider friends. I learned that loyalty and being there when times are tough far outweigh being invited to the Saturday night bash. And that everybody that has an "attitude" or a "chip on their shoulder" has one for a reason and to try to look past that to see the real person. I have met some many wonderful bullies, pushers and wall flies because I looked past the exterior and because so did they. So as I have ventured out into the world, I have always tried to look past peoples apparent flaws, to try to understand why they act the way they do and to try never to judge them for it. But is just amazing to me that so many people cannot do the same for me.

Yes, I am a tough cookie. My mom died when I was 23 and I don't have a female role model to show me how to curtsie and laugh sheepishly at the boys or even how to shop or cook. Even when my mom was alive she pushed me to be independent and self sufficient so I never had to rely on anyone. And furthermore, both my parents taught me that to be a leader I had to march to the beat of my own drum.

So being 32, the owner of a very successful business, a wife and a leader of many puts me into a unique place. That place is not one that I really love to be in but I am in nonetheless. As people watch my every move, from the look on my face when they make a silly comment to the amount of sweat I wring out of my shirt after a workout, they are constantly measuring me against some imaginary standard. Every word out of my mouth, in every conversation I have is analyzed and judged. Even in social situations, a comment made in jest or a phase said in exhaustion is held against me. And so I have been labeled aggressive, abrupt, harsh, hardcore, and direct on a good day. And because I am a female, all of those descriptions are negative.

But what I find offensive is not that someone calls it like they see it, no, that I admire. Its that they don't have the gumption to actually say what they need to say, or the intelligence to look past that rough exterior and see the real person behind that unyielding personality. If they did, they might see that with all the fervor that I use to keep up that exterior, that I am a dedicated friend with a might to help my friends that goes above and beyond. They would see that the same passion that I run my business with is carried over to the way I view each persons ability for good in their own lives. They just might see that I truly believe in the human spirit so much so that every time they judge me, I just turn the other cheek and try to understand what it is that makes them feel that they have to analyze me. And that although I will ALWAYS call it the way I see it, that I know my opinion shouldn't define another person and is only an opinion and that I even celebrate when others present differing opinions. Most importantly they would know that being "right" isn't a goal for me, but rather I constantly challenge people to figure out what is "right" for them.

The point of this posting is that everyone should take a hard look in the mirror each and every time they point out a negative trait in another person. They should understand what about themselves causes them to see that negative trait. Then they should consider that they also have flaws and maybe they should try to find the good in each person. That search for positive is a conscious choice that we can make that can really make a difference for the better in each of our lives.

Who believes in instant gratification?

Every year I close my outdoor operations down in January and people normally assume that is because it is too cold even in Atlanta to run outside fitness. But that is not really it. It has more to do with the type of client I want to attract. My ideal client knows that they need extra motivation and knows that they need support, but doesn't make "resolutions".

So in a world of "get fit quick", my company promises "results in 30 days". But doesn't that mean I want those clients seeking instant gratification? No! Because the kinds of results that I am promising are those that lead to long term changes to a person and help them to find a perminant path to fitness and health success. More energy. Glowing skin. A general sense of health.

But will they also SEE results. You know - weight loss?

If they follow my plan, yes. They will see that and more. They will see a perminant increase in their energy which will allow them to do more, experience more and both look AND feel better.

By eating healthy and exercising regularly, they can fight of multitudes of health issues and they can set an example in their community. But they can't always do it alone - which is why independant operators, like myself, look for clients that are not seeking instant gratification, but rather those that want to make a long term change.

My boot camp instructor is not an alien...

This morning I proved that I am not an alien owner of a fitness boot camp company, but indeed a human being. Whew! Now everyone knows my secret.

The story is I was late. My alarm didn't go off and one of my instructors had to kindly serve me a wakeup call as 40 of my boot campers patiently waited in the parking lot for their fearless, and now human, leader to arrive at Blackburn Park Boot Camp.

I don't have an excuse, because there shouldn't be one. I live accountability, so I should stand by it even when it is not convenient. So I gratiously did my 45 pushups for being late while my boot campers happily counted them out.

But this brings up a really important fact about being a boot camp owner and operater. As the leader of many people, your example is what sets the tone of your business. If you stand around and bark orders, your clients will see you as unforgiving. If you get down and dirty with your clients and feel the same pain that they do, they will have a certain amount of respect for you that placed you in that "alien" category.

But the best part about this morning was that by re-joining the "human" group, my clients realized that my success isn't so unattainable. That they goals and thus their success might just be possible. I am not sure I could have planned for a better lesson in believing in oneself.

Serious Results for the Serious Man: The Evolution of Group Fitness

Outdoor fitness expert, Mari Garner who extended group fitness beyond the gym and into the parks, now explores a new avenue – Group Fitness for Men. As founder of The American Boot Camp Company, Mari is constantly innovating her outdoor workout regimen and indoor group ex programming to meet the needs of an ever growing population of men that want the accountability and motivation of a group, but not the frou-frou dance classes or step aerobic classes offered at the local gym. “Most guys can’t and don’t want to dance at the gym. They want simple movements that are real, not choreographed and most gyms don’t provide that type of programming,” offers Garner. “We appeal to men with loud, fast beat driven music in classes where it is ok to sweat, perform power jump squats or do slow pushups to build muscle mass.”

Painting a new image of group fitness in the minds of the male client is a number one priority. Class titles like “Buns and Glutes” have to be replaced with “Boot Camp” and “Interval Training”. Class programming needs to become less choreographed, movement patterns need to become more athletic and workouts need to become shorter and geared toward a total-body experience. Most importantly, long cardio routines that build upon memorized dance steps have to be replaced with more dynamic and explosive movements to keep the interest of the males and to constantly keep them challenged physically.

The American Boot Camp Company is proving that group fitness is not just for girls. By creating workouts using athletic drills, agility training and functional movements a tough full-body workout can be achieved in every kickboxing, interval and core conditioning class. And yes, this training is done in a group. But Jane Fonda beware. There are no leg warmers, just a serious group of fitness enthusiasts – everyday athletes as they are often referred to, led by a certified, athletic instructors that are tough enough to challenge any man to a pushup contest.

But don’t equate group fitness to gym class either. There are no teams to be picked, just a group of people with the same goal of getting in shape. At The American Boot Camp Company Fitness Studio in Atlanta, GA, every member is there for one reason only – to get their butts kicked. They don’t put on make-up to come to the gym or wear jog bras or tight shorts. And the guys that come don’t look like Richard Simmons.

Check out this line up for the best group fitness classes for men:

Kickboxing: Interval training and heavy bag work combined to maximize calorie burn. Each class incorporates the functional movements of kickboxing with strength elements such as squatting and lunging and core elements such as pushups and ab work. See results in no time.
Female to male ratio: 15:5
Bottom line: In a society based in efficiency, this is the best full body workout. Get out all your aggression on the heavy bags and keep your nice guy reputation. Burn up to 750 calories in 45 minutes and look like a boxer. Who wouldn’t want that physique?
Try this class for a major kick in the pants: Tara’s 6PM class on Monday or Ricardo’s 10:30AM class on Saturday

Interval: Constant action of cardio based intervals, plyometric & agility exercises and strength training using free weights, medicine balls and heavy resistance bands
Female to male ratio: 12:8
Bottom line: This is perfect if you are not a fan of weight lifting or if you want to burn some fat to show a little bit more definition. You will not be out of place in this group class.
Try this class for a major kick in the pants: Mari’s 6PM class on Tuesday

Core Conditioning: Think you abs are strong? Think again. This is more than just an abs class and is guaranteed to give you that six-pack you have always wanted and make you a better athlete.
Female to male ratio: 10:4
Bottom line: Try it if even once a week to stay injury free and to improve your golf swing. Great for cross training, too.
Try this class for a major kick in the pants: Chris’s 8AM class on Saturday or Mari’s 6PM class on Thursday

Outdoor Fitness Boot Camp: 4-Week results based exercise and nutrition program designed to jump-start any fitness routine. All fitness levels are welcome, but participants are usually broken up into smaller groups based on their cardiovascular and strength levels. Workouts combine athletic based drills, interval training and core conditioning with running and strength training to provide ultimate results.
Female to male ratio: 20:12
Bottom line: This is the best workout in town. With multiple fitness boot camp locations across Atlanta, The American Boot Camp Company does fitness boot camp better than any others.

Live, Work Hard, Play the entire time

I am so proud to announce the wonderful work that our Midtown Owner, Lauren DiNatale, has done to secure a new relationship with Atlantic Station! She has worked to make The American Boot Camp Company the Official Boot Camp in Atlantic Station. This relationship will help our entire organization to grow and generate new clients but will specifically help the Midtown area to begin to take some market share in the boot camp industry. With free workouts twice a month in Central Park, we are sure to attract many people for fun, yet challenging workouts.



But what is very exciting to me is that the Live, Work, Play mentality that Atlantic Station builds its community around is the very same premise that The American Boot Camp Company follows. We want all of our clients and instructors to work hard, but to play harder. Even in our instructor group, we can be found many mornings starting to "play" before we even get to work. Check out this post from several months ago on how our Happy Hour begins before work. We think life begins over coffee and that we should play the entire day.



Now I know that many people believe that all I do all day is workout and train people. Although I wish that was true, it couldn't be farther from the truth. Check out a Day in the Life of The American Boot Camp Company owner. I, too must go to a job every day where I deal with clients, sales, marketing, financials and have goals and must manage employees. Fortunately for me, I try to make this as fun as possible by building my business around my passion. If everyone could do this, I think the world would be a much more productive place. But until then, I will settle for playing at 6am, happy hour at 7 am and then heading off to work!

Getting "Schooled" - Part 1

Even as adults we continue to learn. As a leader in the outdoor fitness industry, I have to make sure to stay on top of new techniques, laws and trends to keep everyone that I educate operating at the highest level. This goes for my boot camp instructors and licensees, too.



But sometimes we forget that often the best lessons are the ones we already learned. So let's go to study hall...



Several months ago, I posted about the trials of breaking campers up into groups in my Picking the Team post. Yesterday at the boot camp workout, we saw the true reality of what happens when someone feels that they are in the wrong group. They feel dejected, like less of a person and even depressed. As their coaches, we can avoid this. First by doing a better job of breaking up the group. It is my job as the lead instructor to be aware of every single detail of every person's personality - especially my clients that have been working with me for several months. I need to know they want that extra push and I need to know when to give it to them. As a support instructor or the instructor leading the group for the day, you can also help. Support instructors can challenge that person to go faster to run an extra lap or do perform a more advanced level of the exercise. Leaders can see that one client is faster or stronger or needs a great push and can group that person with the other clients that are at the top range of the group. But we must be aware that we will make mistakes from time to time and that is how we learn.

Ring>>>Ring>>>Ring>>>

Class dismissed...

The benefits of rising early with a clear head

I'll admit it. I am a boot camp instructor and I like to drink wine. I like to crisp fruit taste of a white wine or the bold spicy taste of a red wine. So much so, that I decided to start a wine tasting club with my friend, Emily.
So last night was our first club outing and man was it fun. We brought together girls from all different backgrounds, with all different career paths. Some married, some single, some tall, some short, but all of us united in wine. And after several bottles and lots of fun tastes and maybe a little to much of one particular variety we closed our first official wine club meeting and went home to our comfortable beds.
When my husbands alarm sounded this morning, I realized that I probably had 2 too many glasses last night and desperately needed water. But unlike most people, my second thought was that I needed to get hydrated so that I could go on my Thursday run. If I was too dehydrated, I might pull a muscle or something worse. So after a bottle of water, I decided to lay in bed a little. You see, Thursday is my day to sleep in to the late hour of 8am.
Now sleeping in to me, is not the same as it is to most people. Every morning, I rise before 5AM, quickly get dressed, brush my teeth and head out to boot camp at Blackburn Park. My job begins at 5:40am every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. So on Thursday I sleep until 8am. And that is late.
This morning when I rose with a foggy head, I realized why I quit partying and boosing it up on a frequent basis several years ago. I felt like I was waisting time. Like I had just wasted 2 hours of precious daylight and that I could have accomplished so much more. That is when I remembered how much I love to get up early and get things accomplised. And one saying kept popping into my head that a former boot camper once said, "At boot camp, we accomplish more by 7AM than most people do all day."

Lesson of the day - a wine tasting should be limited to one pour a bottle.

A Day in the Life of The American Boot Camp Company Owner

If owning your own business and being your own boss was easy, everyone would be doing it. But owning and operating a business is an even bigger challenge. For all those that think I workout all day and have fun, here you go.

4:55AM - Alarm sounds. Roll over and hit snooze
5:00AM - Alarm sounds. Grab cell phone and head to get dressed, brush my teeth and get to camp. I also check the weather on my cell phone and by opening the door to my deck.
5:18AM - Take dog out and feed.
5:20AM - Head to studio to pick up equipment/print updated attendance sheet

5:28AM - Head to Blackburn Park to daily Boot Camp Workout
5:33AM - Begin taking attendance and welcoming each client as they arrive.
5:40AM - Support Instructors arrive and help with daily nutritional counseling. I continue to take attendance and check food logs as I can.
5:55AM - Daily meeting with instructors to review upcoming workout and their rolls.
6:00AM - Workout begins!

6:00AM-6:45AM - FUN

6:45-6:50AM - Return to car and extra credit
6:55AM-7:30AM - Daily post boot camp coffee at Starbucks

8:00-8:45AM - Get ready for my day job - running the sales and marketing of The American Boot Camp Company.
9AM - Arrive at the office and check email.

9AM - Breakfast: dannon lite and fit yogurt and Nature's Path optimum granola. 1/2 cup of pineapple.

9AM-10AM - Return emails, correspond with instructors, current month boot campers and follow up with clients that didn't attend the workout and didn't let me know ahead of time.
10AM - meet with Katie, my assistant, and get her started on a new project with constant contact email and with updating my office files.
10:15AM - follow up with Team in Training about an upcoming event.
10:17AM - contact web/ad designer about printing more brochures for upcoming conference
10:20AM - contact my SCW Fitness contact about shipping manuals for certification from Atlanta rather than paying shipping costs twice. Follow up with her on outstanding invoice for teaching in February.
10:20- Mid Morning Snack - banana and almonds

10:30AM - Begin to process quarterly taxes. Pay March payroll taxes online and print out all Q1 forms. Write checks for state taxes paid quarterly. Fill out new employee forms and enter newest employee into quickbooks.

11:30AM - Check emails and return important messages. Organize upcoming instructor continuing education series for Q2, organize New Licensee email newsletter education series and make list for questions for Tara and Katie to address via email later.

12:15PM - Return sales calls to potential licensee in South Carolina and followup with new sign ups for Chastain PM and East Cobb.

12:30PM - Update homepage on the website with new information about upcoming Big Peach 5K. Remember to contact Todd about race bags.

12:45PM - Get ready for Junior League Fashionist Week where we give all Junior Leaguers 20% off boot camp and studio. Note in day planner to update Tara and Courtney on details.

1PM - Meeting with sales rep from SKIRT magazine to work on 3rd Quarter 2008-3rd Quarter 2009 budget and strategy. Looking to get rates and added value.

All this before lunch...

Decisions

Most of the life changing decisions that have occured in my life have been made for me. Usually when a change is necessry the powers that be get involved and make it so that there isn't a decision. I am ok with that, too. Just as long as I continue to live right and try to be good and just in all the daily choices I make, my good intentions usually lead to that right choice.

But for once I am at a juncture in my life that I have to consciously choose. I worry that if I choose one way I will regret it in the future. But if I choose the other way I may regret that too. And so for the past month or so I have made no decision. I have put it off using this past weekends trip as an excuse. But now that the trip is over I have to decide how to proceed. And I think for once in my life I am going to proactively make a decision.

It will be life changing for me and for many others. And every second I am second guessing myself. I try to remember all of the people that inspire me to be better, my husband and family, those clients that so generously allow me to be a part of their life changing experiences, who make me truly want to be a better trainer. And for those who can't be part of my journey. I just don't want to dissappoint anyone.

And so over the next few weeks my decisions will play out. I have this little placque on my desk that says, sometimes you just have to take the leap and build your wings on the way down.

So here's to the hope I have wings.

Courage

Today one of my favorite clients told me that 'my courage to follow my dreams' gave her a new purpose in life. And as I head back out on the road again, I realize that courage is definately needed everyday in my life. This journey is a scary one and a very lonely one. Even though I see people every day and it always seems like there are many people around me, it isn't so. I am not sure that anyone I know understands what is happening. I know there are others out there in my same boat, but in my circles they don't get it.

I am only 32. I'm a kid, really. I know that, but I can't admit it every day or I'd get bulldosed. Most people my age are having babies (as I am reminded every day) and going on vacation with their families. Not me. My business is my baby and my very patient husband bides his time on the couch while I follow my dream. It's not glamourous or much fun these days. Just alot of lonely work.

It's during weeks like the past couple when I question if I have enough courage to reach my goals. Alot of people think so. Deep down, I know so. But so did that crazy lion. Let's hope my yellow brick road appears soon.

Life is like...

a basketball game. But not just any game. That game where something is on the line - an undefeated season, a scoring record, a championship or even just the ability to say you beat a certain opponant. As March Madness is in full swing, basketball movies fill the cable stations and while wathcing "Glory Days" last night, my own childhood glory days quickly fill my mind.

It's 1989 and our 8th grade team has gone undefeated in conference play - a first in school history. Being only 13, a girls mind is already spinning, but the pressure to win and not let anyone down was incredable. As we headed to the state championship tournament our coach said something that I will never forget. He said, "This opportunity only happens to most people once in their lifetime. You should remember every moment and be extatic that you have made it this far." At that time we had no clue what he meant. Again, we were 13 - we thought we knew it all and we were SURE we would see a winning season like that again at SOME point in our lives. Little did we know. What we were also sure of was how incredibly nervous we were to be playing against the best teams in the state. Against girls that would go on to be leading scorers and all time blocking champs in high school, not to mention the future college and even WMBA stars (the WMBA didn't even exist then). We knew we were out of our league, but we played with all our hearts. When our leading scorer got hurt, we fell apart as a team.

I think back to how scared I was. How mortifying a loss in the first round was going to be. But I also remember how helpless I felt because I couldn't contribute to the win any more than I already was. At that moment I vowed never to let one player cause me to not reach my goals again.

Little did I know that my future would be much like that basketball competition. Today is quite similar in that I am a bit out of my league trying to take a company national in an industry full of giants and companies with more history. But this time there will be no one to depend on but me. This time my destany is in my own hands and my ability to sprint up the court and hustle is the only limiting factor. I am still nervous, terrified and sick to my stomach on a daily basis. But then I remember my coaches comment about this only happening once in a lifetime. And he was right - this is a once in a lifetime deal that I have. And I don't intend to lose this time.

Good thing I have been practicing.

The dirty line

So every year since we began operating it never fails that we "catch a boot camper" doing something they are not supposed to. Something that will derail their progress during the cours of the month.

The first time it happened was in the third or forth month of our first season and I got a call one Saturday afternoon. I was driving with my husband and two of our instructors who lived in Brookhaven called me. "You have got to get over here to Brewsters, there is a boot camper eating an ice cream cone!" And that is how it began...every where we went, we ran into campers. Sometimes doing regular things like going to the grocery store, other times doing not so regular things when participating in the boot camp program, like walking out of the pizza joint, or drinking a beer.

So last night when I got the call, it came from another lead instructor at a different camp. She and a friend overhead the girl at the next table talking about one of our workouts. And then they saw the beer. Immediately they called me and described the girl. I knew it would be one of two people based on the description. So now I had a decision to make. Wait until the girl wrote it down in her log, ask her directly or do nothing.

Being that this is the first week of boot camp and that St. Patrick's Day is coming up, I decided to see how group persuasion worked on her. Now this is a very delicate situation that sometimes can go very wrong. So a few minutes before the workout began and after I checked through the books of both candidates, I started to talk about food and good restaurants to eat at. I cautioned against drinking green beer and partaking in other alcohol related activities this upcoming weekend and then transitioned into the idea that drinking a beer at the restaurant just down the street from our neighborhood probably wasn't a good idea. And then I asked if anyone did so last night? I gave them plenty of time to answer and then I laid down the law - 60 squat thrusts for the group. That was enough to put this girl over the edge. She cautiously admitted it and saved the group extra work. And I let her off with only extra credit. Then I joked with her that she should find another watering hole for the next 30 days or maybe even give the program a try and not drink at all.

I thought I was being a pretty good sport about it and she laughed, too. But when it came time for the extra work at the end of the workout that she agreed to do, she quickly had an excuse why she couldnt' do it. I have to be at work at 7:30. Well that is where my patience ended. So 20 squat thrusts and 1 minute later she was on her way.

The point of this story is that The American Boot Camp Company's boot camp is an accountability based program - not just a workout routine. Without the nutritional plan, hydration check and asbtenance from junk food and alcohol, the program doesn't work. And as a lead instructor, it is often hard to convince people of that. Unfortunately it usually takes about two weeks. The frustrating part to me, is that for this girl, I didn't get two weeks because I am certain that she will drink this weekend. And that is so disappointing because on Monday, she won't see the progress that everyone else will. And on Monday, I will have to fight hard to not let her cross that line and give up.

So how will I do it? I will smile through the squat thursts and do them with her (and the rest of the group). Maybe no one will give into the temptation of Green Beer this weekend... I guess we will just have to wait and see.

Letting me down

So I was reminded today about how diverse a lead instructor needs to be when leading a group of multiple fitness levels in a results based program. Another instructor mentioned that a camper told them they felt like they were "letting me down" in their performance. My initial reaction was that I didn't want the camper to feel that way and that I should talk to them because they really weren't letting me down.

But then I took a minute to consider my role as a leader of the group. I have to make sure first that everyone is safe each day. From where we do the actualy workout (are their holes in the field, is there enough light, is there any traffic to consider), to how we transition from place to place, to how each exercise is explained and demonstrated with proper technique. I have to them make sure that everyone is challenged from the fittest person to the very out of shape person to just the right degree that they are uncomfortable constantly, but not so far that they get injured or demotivated. Then I also have to make sure the mentally I am motivating each person. Do they get enough education, positive support during the workout and firmness when necessary? Does each person feel good about themselves when they leave the workout and for the rest of the day when they are not with me, are they recovering properly? Then I have to consider if they are treating their bodies right. Are they eating enough of the right things when they leave the workout to refuel their bodies? Are they drinking enough water to stay hydrated? And I won't even touch on the support, organziation and training for the instructors that help me, or the sales to fill the camp or the administrative duties.

So as a lead instructor, I have alot to think about just during the 45 minute workout. And I always have to keep in the back of my mind - how do I help each individual reach their goals in the time they spend with me?

So what does this have to do with a camper feeling like they, "let me down"? Everything. The way you present yourself as an instructor each day is key to making all of the above responsibilities flow and mesh. Building up the raport with the client and causing them to trust you to help them is the ultimate goal for an instructor. Once you do this, they listen to every word that comes out of your mouth, so you have to come "game on" to every workout.

So at the conclusion of yesterday's workout, I carefully mentioned to a client that I know has been teetering on the edge of her comfort level and is ready for that next level that I think she has more to give. And she knew it. She just needed someone to tell her. She in turn mentioned to another instructor then that she felt like she was letting me down. And in a way, she was. By not giving her all she was letting me down, but more importantly she is letting herself down. However, she would not have know this before I mentioned because she has not been to this point in her journey before. Now that she knows, she will change her actions. She will bring her best to every workout and try just a little bit harder to not let me down and in turn to not let herself down.

Now had I gone with my first instinct, I may not have been able to demonstrate the importance of a firm yet fair approach to being a lead instructor. As a lead instructor, we can't always be their friend or their "mom". We have to show the clients that we believe in them by our tone of voice, not by physically holding their hands and patting them on the back. We have to be firm with them when they need it and not let them stay comfortable because we think they are out of shape. We have to show them that we care about their safety and will not let them get hurt, but we can't baby them by allowing them to walk when they get tired. We have to keep an eye on the back of the group at all times no matter where we are and show those people at the back that we will not let them off the hook because they are not in the great of shape. And at the same time, we must let these people know we care about their progress by spending a few seconds each day one on one with them, telling them how great we think they are doing. We don't need long speaches, just a quick acknowledgement that we see them working hard, but we know they can do just a bit more.

And when they give us more, we have to throw a party so big that the entire park heres you.

All that, just so one more camper can trust you, and so one more camper can think they let you down. And one more camper can begin their journey outside their comfort zone into a new zone of results.

Firm yet fair.

The choices we make

Every day each of us makes some type of choice. Some choices are good, some are not so good. In boot camp, sometimes it is the difference between choosing to have a good attitude and choosing to not give up that makes all the difference between whether a camper sees progress or not.

So each day during the session I send out emails and today's email is my favorite because it is about making the choice to be positive and give it your all. In the competitive environment that I face every day as a boot camp owner and with the fitness industry in general, staying positive can often be very difficult. But the email I sent to my campers below says it all.

See for yourself.

Your Choice Today

There are two primary choices in life; to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them. Denis Waitley

As you continue with what is possibly a new way of life (even if it is only temporary), please try to embrace it. Your instructors were not always leading the pack, but were once in your shoes. We are here to help guide you and to help you learn to make better choices. We understand that you might make a bad choice now and then, and we ask you to understand that we are going to point it out when you do. We question some of your choices to make sure you fully understand what might be new concepts on food and exercise. We are here to help you! So let’s try to look at the following as choices that we consciously make each day:

Please make the choice to be honest in your books, regardless of the extra encouragement that might come with that honesty.

Please make the choice to participate to the fullest in all the workouts. Sometimes you get tired or sore, but try to push through that and use the energy of the other campers and the instructors to help you.

Please make the choice to engage the help of an instructor when you need it. If you have a question, ask! We want to help you!


Remember, where you started…

"Right now you are one choice away from a new beginning - one that leads you toward becoming the fullest human being you can be." Oprah Winfrey

…you have already made this choice!

This is where you should be each day…

"Your decision to be, have and do something out of ordinary entails facing difficulties that are out of the ordinary as well. Sometimes your greatest asset is simply your ability to stay with it longer than anyone else." Brian Tracy

And don’t forget this about your choice to join this program and start down a new path to a healthy and fit lifestyle:

It's in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.
Anthony Robbins


See you soon! Make the choice to be there, be on time and have a great attitude!

A sign of things to come or a missed opportunity

So as I come to the end of the first chapter in this new adventure of expanding The American Boot Camp Company, I found it only fitting that I take a run in Rocky's footsteps up the down the avenue and up the stairs of the Philadelphia Museum. Rocky's statue isn't standing at the top any more, but rather off to the side. What I did find at the top was rather ironic.

As I ran up the stairs making sure to hit each step just like I tell my boot camers, turning over my feet faster with every set of stairs, I thought about the movie that was made there and the recognition that the city received from one single scene. And as I completed the last flight, sure enough I looked up and there was a group of people in a down dog position with two men standing over them calling out commands. A boot camp. Sunday morning, 6:50AM.

And all of a sudden the thoughts of opportunity returned to my head along with thoughts of missed opportunity. Am I too late? Have I missed the boat? Or is this a sign of things to come? Where being outdoors on a 30 degree morning isn't just for us crazy people, but a way of life?

I sure do hope that the future holds more Sunday morning boot camps, many of which are called The American Boot Camp Company.

HOOHAH! Can't wait to get back to Atlanta.

Giving Away the Farm

That is what alot of people thought I was doing by offering a Boot Camp Instructor Certification Class around the country. They thought that I might give away too much and then they could just go out and start a boot camp. Wouldn't that cause more competition?

And in fact that was a question I received in my training class last night. Last night I offered the first ever nationally accredited Outdoor Fitness Boot Camp Instructor Training class. And yes, those people could one day be (and in fact currently are) my competition. And yes, by training them they can compete better. But better compeition is what the outdoor fitness boot camp industry needs.

I want fitness professionals to offer SAFE and effective workouts. I want to stop hearing the a client got hurt doing someone else's boot camp workout. That makes me sad. I want some real competition head to head. That makes me better. That makes our company better and it makes boot camp a more long term valid form of fitness in the eyes of the general public. Then when I win, which I will, I REALLY WIN. I just don't get it by default.

Now I am not really giving away the farm. But when I was a little girl, my dad taught me a very valuable lesson in business. Always smile when you don't like how something is going or when you don't like a person. Keep your "enemy's" close and in fact, embrace the challenge that they bring to you by showing them that you are a kind, generous person. Get to know your competitors, laugh with them and give them just enough information to be dangerous, but not enough information to hurt you. And that is what I am doing. I want the level of fitness instruction to increase in this country. I want fitness professionals to start operating like business professionals and not just former jocks and bodybuilders with nothing else to do.

Last night, I met quite a few potential leaders (although none quite as good as my instructors). They were very anxious to learn. They were eager to see how it was done right. Because The American Boot Camp Company is doing it right. Last night, I have never been more proud of the hard work that has gone into our company. So to all my volunteer instructors, all my paid instructors, all my kickboxing, interval and core instructors, and especially Tara and Chris G. - Thank you for helping to make TABCC an awesome company. And a special thanks to my dad for teaching me to be a leader through example.

The day the lightening struck

This mornings workout will live on in TABCC's history. And we were lucky and crazy enough to be part of it. Today, every instructor that was at the Blackburn workout earned their stripes. You earned the ability to say, "Remember when". But most importantly you earned the respect of your campers and of each other.

It has never been more clear to me why I am traveling across the country for very little money to educate fitness professionals about leading outdoor workouts than it was this morning.

Around 6:35am the first cloud to ground lightening struck about 2 miles away from our group. Less than 10 seconds later the second bolt hit, but much closer this time. We had already made the decision to head back from our end of month long run early and were just a football field or so from the cars when the wind picked up and the sideways rain started pounding so hard and fast that we could barely see.

Branches were falling and more rain was coming down than I think I have ever seen. Just as the front of the group made it back to the cars the first bolt of lightening hit a nearby tree. It was still raining with such fury that we coudnt tell how close the tree was, but could hear the tree crack. In response we sprinted away from the tree above us and as that happened the second bolt hit the transformer less than 50 feet from me and much closer to several others just getting in from the run. We got everyone into the safety of their cars and home safely, but all day I have been receiving stories about this workout that will live forever.

Please take a minute to see why the instructors trained under The American Boot Camp Company Training Program are the best in the country.

From an instructor: "Wow – that was intense. I think if you look at every other workout that we do, obviously the weather/workout combo today was the issue. If we had been doing cone sprints or even the PT test, getting back to the cars wouldn’t have been such an issue. But it was and thankfully nobody got hurt so we should be conscious, in the future, of what to do.

It’s funny – we saw what this instructor team is made of today. People hung in there and made sure that the campers got back to their cars."

From a boot camper: "This morning was awesome! I am registering for next month right now!"

From a boot camper: "I want to share with you what I went threw this morning. Ever since boot camp started, I park my car in front of that light poll that was struck this morning. I always lock my car and throw my key underneath the car inside my right tire. I have done this everyday since we began. This morning I got out of the car and ran to where we gather b/c I thought I was running late. I forgot to put my keys in the regular place which is underneath my car. I realized I still had my keys when I met up with the group so I placed them by the big tree by your car.

After our run and as we all got back to the parking lot, I was running towards my car b/c of the heavy rain and when I was about 20 yards from my car I realized that my keys are at the tree near your car, so I started to turn around to head in that direction when Suddenly that lighting struck twice at that poll where I was parked. I froze for a good ten seconds in shock b/c I have never been that close to lighting before. I then ran to the tree, got my keys and ran to my car.

I'm not the most religious person but that made me think... If I had placed my keys that morning underneath the car, I would have been there on my hands and knees in a puddle of water trying to get them when that lighting struck. But today, THANK GOD I forgot to put my keys there. Isn't that weird. I have always placed my keys there but today I did not and lighting struck that area.. What are the chances of that.... I would be fried chicken right now. "

From a boot camp instructor: "I am actually glad I was with the camper at the back--- she told me before the run she was trying not to psyche herself out about the long run. I responded with - of course- she could do it , that she would be surprised at how far she runs everyday at the park and she would be thrilled at the end when she found out how far she had gone. So, I was glad I was with her at the end.

She seemed fine until we were almost at the little grassy hill we ran up to cut through to the parking lot. Josh was there waiting and directing us and by this time I was actually holding under her arm as she kept saying she couldn't see very well. Josh grabbed her other arm to assist in helping her up on the curb and she seemed to start panicking a little. I told her she was fine and I could see everything and I just kept talking to her saying, Mother Nature is giving it to us but we are going to finish strong, we are almost there and I told her she should go home and sign up for next month b/c if she could run today she can do anything!

She seemd to get calm just as fast as she seemed to panic, which was good. I made sure she got right up to the door of her car and said - good job and I will see you tomorrow. Driving home I couldn't believe all the tree stuff on the road and nothing fell on us. ...Nice job by everyone."

Instructors - Thank you for all that you do. Thank you for caring about the clients as much as I care about them. Thank you for treating each other with care and friendship. I am so proud to be on your team!

The Fear of the Known

So this week is a big week for me. Not only is this the last week of our February Camp where we want everyone to make big strides and end their 4-Week Camp on a high note, but it is the big sales week for our March Camps that begin on Monday, March 3rd.

Additionally, this week is our first brush with The American Boot Camp Company as a national brand. I have been working for the past year gaining additional certifications and tweeking our program offering so that nationally accredited companies ACE (American Council on Exercise) and AFAA (Aerobics and Fitness Association of America) could bring me on as a faculty member. I have also been working on a business model to take The American Boot Camp Company national by licensing our program, brand and web based tool. Wednesday, February 27th will be my first presentation of our Instructor Training Program and Friday-Sunday is our first trade show to sell the Licenses in the Philadelphia, New Jersey and Deleware area.

It is a very exciting time, but also a very scary time. I sort of image that this is how the campers feel after orientation. They are very excited to get started, but have no idea what is coming. I sort of like it that way better because you can only prepare for the worst or hope for the best at this point. Without knowing what lies ahead, there is room for excitement and hope.

Veteran campers have the hard because of this reason. Many clients will come through our system and get into great shape after a couple of months of boot camp. Then they head out on their own to try to stay healthy and life hits them head on. They really want to workout, but can't fit it into their day. Then the excuses pile up and become weight. Then they say - I am too out of shape to come back to boot camp. Why? I think that is ludicrous. Crazy even. But it is really fear of the KNOWN. They know how hard boot camp was the first time when they didn't know what was coming. They know how sore they will be. They know it will be harder than it was the first time.

But what they forget is that the rewards are HUGE. It's easy to forget the achievement when you can't see it. One wise boot camper turned instructor once said - 'Expect boot camp to be harder than you think, but expect the rewards to be greater than you can imagine."

I will hold onto that as I venture out this week into uncharted territory and hope for rewards beyond my imagination.

The importance of cheerleaders

Today we played a small part in changing the lives of several people and they may not even know it yet. Just like many years ago when Mrs. Kravoch change mine.

Aside from my mom, this woman single handedly set me on a different path. I was in 5th grade and got it in my head that I could try out for cheerleading. I always had a big mouth, but was never "the pretty one" or "the cool one" or "the cheerleader type". I did have some coordination and so I went for it. Out of all the girls that tried out, they only picked three. And for some strange reason for which to this day I do not understand, I was one of them. The experiences I learned from my grade school cheer days are a big reason why I have the confidence that I have today. Someone believed in me. Someone saw something in me, that I didn't see in myself. That changed my life.

For those people that know me today, I am still a cheerleader, but in a different manner. I don't do basket tosses or human pyramids (except at the instructor olypmics) or support cliques or gossip. I cheer for all of the people that never got to be "cool". I cheer for all of the people that don't have anyone to believe in them and that may not believe in themselves.

So today was extra special for me because I am certain that my cheers and belief in others made a difference. Today The American Boot Camp Company sponsored the Chastain Chase 5K and we encouraged all of our campers and instructors to come out and run the 3.1 miles around Chastain Park and help us kick off our "Regular Guy" race team. My goal with this race team is to encourage people of all fitness levels to get out and run. To try their best. I want them to feel like they are part of something and by being part of our team they will get the support they need to better themselves.

Racing boot camp style - we yell, hoop and holler the entire race. Many people think we are crazy. Someone even told me to save my breath today. Little did he know that I couldn't win the race even if I wanted, I am not the fastest in my age group or the fastest female. But I am Ok with that. I have other things I do well - like cheering. I would rather support the people that I knew could win the race. I would rather cheer them on, encourage them to run faster and remind them to breath and use proper form on the hills. I would rather represent the heart of The American Boot Camp Company - believe that everyone can give a little more with support.

And we seriously represented today. Thank you to everyone that came out and participated, cheered and showed everyone that The American Boot Camp Company is the most positive, most fun boot camp and that we don't quit until EVERY person in our group crosses the finish line.

The best news of this entire day is that many of us WON! As I write this, I get tears in my eyes because I am so proud of everyone that came out. Boot Camp is hard. Running 3 miles is hard. And neither of these things are part of most "normal" peoples lives. But each morning we get out of bed before the crack of dawn and give it our all so that we can feel better about ourselves the rest of the day. We smile through muddy workouts and grunt up grueling hills. We are determined to not quit. And today NONE of you did!

A special mention goes out to my boot camper that didn't believe she did well today. She broke 40 minutes. Now, in comparison to the atheltes that win a 5K distance in professional competitions this seems slow. But and I mean BUT, this woman isn't 23. She has a full life behind her. But every morning she gets up with a postive can do attitude and doesn't quit. She might not be the fastest, but today she won a GOLD horseshoe medal in her age group. Today she WON the race. I have never been prouder and never been believed more in the importance of cheerleaders.

Do You Boot Camp? I do. I boot camp with The American Boot Camp Company.

Tag Team Mud Ball: Mud=Fun!

Today, on the last day of the third week of our February boot camp at Blackburn Park, it rained. A long sopping rain. Today, I felt sorry for those people that wussed out and didn't show up because it was raining. Because today was fun. Mud is fun. Tag Team Mud Ball was awesome, beautiful even.

What I discovered today is that the instructors and thier love for intense, hard core, muddy, crazy, out of the box workouts is what makes boot camp such an amazing experience. We use terms like squat thurst and hell raiser on a daily basis. And rather than be scared of the meaning, we embrace it - we are even enthusiastic about it.

So last night when one of my instructors asked, "What is mudball?" I simply replied, "It's a surprise!" You see, sometimes when trying a new workout, the element of surprise for the entire team, including instrutors is important. That way I can get a true read on whether the workout is effective, challenging and fun. And by the smiles on their faces afterward I think it worked.

Now every workout is not meant to completely fatigue each person to the point of exhaustion. Sometimes fun has to be the number one initiative. And especially on days like today - 45 degrees, raining, muddy. Many campers chose to stay in bed, so even admited that they were not tough enough. But those that did show up now have a badge of honor to wear today and all days to come. They showed up on a less than perfect day and have great attitudes and did something that they would NEVER do on their own. And they even had fun.

The lesson to be learned is the same one our moms taught us when we were kids. When you are given lemons, make lemonade. It is the endurance through workouts like today that make the celebration at the end of boot camp even sweeter.

MUD=FUN! Do You Boot Camp?

The pain of being injured

The month before I started my first outdoor fitness boot camp session at Blackburn Park, I tore my hamstring. The night it happened, I will never forget. Nor will I forget the sound of the muscle tissue tearing. I was in a kickboxing class and threw a sliding side round double kick. On the second kick the muscles just tore. It was like slow motion. Partially because I had never had a major injury like that, but mostly because I knew what it meant - I was going to be out of action. The next day, I thought, "I will just try to run." I got up, walked down the stairs of my condo and tried to take a step. I remember the pain and the fact that not only could I not run, but I couldn't walk. I was supposed to head to Piedmont Park that day and begin instructor training for all of the instructors in the groups for our old business partners. I was so excited and honored to be doing that. And in a very short second, I realized it would not be my turn. I cried all day.

You see, at that time, I didn't have a group of instructors to support me. It was just myself and my husband Chris. And although we had business partners, they had their own groups to run.
I also didn't have a wonderful soft tissue chiropractor to go see. Just some sucky MD that didn't know shit about athletic injuries and prescribed two weeks complete rest and two months to heal to 80%.

And so I waited for the leg to heal. In two weeks I could jump rope and jog lightly, but my hopes of ever sprinting again were left behind. A week later, on a rainy day in March, I was leading a warm up and the pavement was wet. Now at this point, Chris and I were still working with our old business partners in Piedmont Park the month before we were to start our first group at Blackburn. Chris had the fast group, I had the slower group. My foot slipped out from underneath me during a lunge in the warm up and my hamstring tore again. It was so bad that I couldn't walk. I hopped out of the way, over to the curb. The really dissappointing thing wasn't that an instructor stepped in and moved the group away, or that I couldn't lead. It was the way the other instructors handled the situation. Everyone left. There was even a doctor in the group that was an instructor and he didn't even ask if I was OK. At that moment when I was sitting on the curb waiting and praying that someone would find my husband and have him come help me to the car, I decided that I would NEVER treat my instructors like that. At that moment, I made more progress as an instructor than I had ever made. It defined me. My ability to not give up. My determiniation to make my new business succeed. And my new found respect for other instructors. That day molded my vision of the type of instructor I wanted to be surrounded by. And NOONE at Piedmont Park fit the bill.

I went to the hospital when someone finally found Chris and cryed again that day.

My hamstring eventally got stronger and Blackburn quickly grew into a great camp. We met a bunch of really great people and by 2006 we paved the way for Fitness Boot Camp in Atlanta to explode. But once again I found my self injured. Not with a torn muscle, but with an overuse injury for running up Freedom Hill at Blackburn too many times. My calves and solues were very weak. So much to the point where it hurt to take a step.

This is about where Dr. Steve came in. Dr. Steve is a soft tissue chiropractor and his office used to be at 2669 Osborne Road (yes, where the studio currently is located). And one day, Lauren (an instructor at Blackburn at the time- now the owner of the Midtown Territory of TABCC and our first licensee) told me that this doctor fixed her knee. An injury she had for a long time. So I went to see him about fixing my hamstring. I had always wanted to be able to sprint and jump again and thought this might be my chance. Little did Dr. Steve know, but that encounter would change both of our lives over the next years. Dr. Steve did some tissue work on my hamstring breaking up the scar tissue and he also did acupuncture. Then he sent me out to give it my all. He had no idea what that meant. The next day I was in his office and couldn't walk. That was his introduction to boot camp and giving it your all. He quickly learned that the boot camp mentality was much more intense than any other fitness organization and that 50% for us is like 100% for most people.

He did fix my hamstring. Today I am almost as fast as I was in short distance and four times as fast in longer distances. I can jump and throw double kicks almost as powerfully as I used to. He also fixed my calf problem. I am not longer afraid of the hills, but rather attack them now. And what I learned from all of these injuries is that you can never give up. That an injury is not a curse, but rather a blessing from which to learn about yourself, your fellow instructors and those around you. Now, when I get injured there are four or five wonderful instructors that step up. "How can I help? What can I do?" For that I am forever grateful. I am also grateful for Dr. Steve and the certainty that no matter what injury I face, he will give me an honest diagnosis and do whatever he can to get me healthy as quickly as possible.

So when last week my knees started bothering me, I knew I should have got in to see Dr. Stever, but my schedule was just so busy. And then Tuesday, my body forced me to make that appointment as my knee gave out and the pain was too much to handle on my own. So just when things for the 2008 season were coming together and falling into place, the balance in life caught up to me and I find myself in that familiar seat at Dr. Steves table. And yes, when I found out it was torn tissue and that I would be out for a couple of days I cried (not in front of Dr. Steve of course - he thinks I am tough). Just like every boot camper, I don't want to be injured, I want to continue making progress, to continue giving it my all.

But unlike in the past, I now know that if I rest a few days, I will be back to 100% in a fraction of the time and that in the mean time I have a team of kick butt fitness boot camp instructors to support me. I also know that this injury could only mean one thing... 2008 is only going to get better. Watch out Atlanta. Watch out America. The American Boot Camp Company is ready to show you how fitness boot camp is done.

See you at the park with the best fitness boot camp instructors around. What a team we make.

Bittersweet victory

11:58pm - 2 email messages from boot campers not coming on Monday. 1 is sick, the other just won't be there. 4:02 am - 8 more messages came in overnight. 8 more campers not coming.

Why does this upset me so? I don't know, I guess it's because I know what is coming on Monday. Maybe it's because I think that midway is the best day of the month. I am positive it is because I love to see people reach their goals. To blast away preconceived notions that they are not runners and that they are out of shape. I love to show people that THEY CAN DO IT. That they can run faster and in only two weeks.

But this morning was bittersweet. Everyone that showed up beat their initial times as predicted. Why can I say that with such confidence? Because The American Boot Camp Company's program works. No that is not bragging, just plain fact. The unique style of high end customer service combined with corporate training for our instructors combined with a blend of workouts designed to constantly push each camper out of their comfort zone - every day. The program works. And it works every time. I just like to take one day a month to show that off. To really win the new campers over.

And it makes me sad when I don't get that opportunity. When campers are sick or injured or just can't make it. Those people I understand. It is the people that pay their money and don't respond to emails or don't make the effort to make the program a priority. It makes me sad.

I really and truly wish that every day, everyone would be as in love with boot camp as I am. I just want to show every person in America that they have more in them than they believe. I want to show them that I believe in them and that together progress is a given. I live to inspire the beginner to start moving, to push the intermediate to the next level and to show the true competitor that life is just beginning in their 40's. Today 15 people saw that with a lot of hard work, careful attention to what they put into their body in terms of food and beverage and some positive motivation from a group of awesome instructors that in only two weeks they could become better.

I just wish that all 33 could have seen that today. So I guess I will just have to show up tomorrow and try and drag it out of them.

Life happens over coffee

Starbucks has it right. Life really does happen over coffee, or at least it does for me.

Although Starbucks has good coffee, it is not actually the drink, but rather the company that makes the 15-45 post workout minutes some of the most enjoyable of the day. You see, boot camp instructors become boot camp instructors for only a few reasons. First , we love the way we feel after the workout and never want to lose that feeling. Second, we want to do boot camp forever, but can't afford to take on two jobs to pay for it. And there a few of us that really just enjoy the pain. But it is the company we keep at coffee that keeps us coming back day after day, month after month, year after year.

For the instructors at The American Boot Camp Company, Happy Hour begins at 6:50AM each day.

If I had my way about, everyone would live this way. Instead of heading to the bar after work, they would meet their friends before. Instead of heading to they gym after work, they would head to boot camp before. And then grab coffee. No hangovers, no feeling yucky in the morning, just a good cup of joe.

Now for many this seems like old person talk. "Let's sit around and drink coffee. BORING!" But they would be wrong. Most of us are so busy with life that we can't always get together outside of bootcamp so coffee is really our time to socialize. At coffee we laugh so hard we cry. We talk about everything from little hands to little people, from what happend last week at work to what happend during the workout. And it doens't end there. We celebrate babys and promotions and support each other when we experience loss. We have curb parkers and regular guys and hope that we will be meeting like this for the rest of our lives. Because ALIVE is just what we are. Being associated with each other through The American Boot Camp Company has allowed us to become a powerful network, a group of friends and even a family in fitness.

So "cheers" to all of the instructors involved today and for those to come. And if you are ever curious as to what a boot camp instructor is doing between 6:50AM and 7:30AM, just stop by your local coffee house and grab a skinny latte. You'll see that life happens over coffee.

Get livin'!

"This is the hardest boot camp ever!"

Today was the third time I have heard this so far in February. And this comment isn't coming from the people that are the most out of shape, but rather from those that run marathons, sprint miles and are true athletes. Even the instructors feel "out of shape".

Is this the hardest boot camp session ever?

I have seen three full seasons at Blackburn, led a season at Chastain in the evening, attended workouts at Chastain Park in the morning, Mason Mill Park in the mornings, West Midtown (the Howard School) and Peachtree Corners. Before all that, I spent a couple seasons at Piedmont Park. And yes, I was once a camper. So I have seen "boot camp" as a baby and have participated in its growth in the fitness industry. This year, I am helping outdoor fitness graduate to a higher level of legitimacy as I travel across America educating personal trainers, group instructors and fitness business owners about the business of boot camp, our style of comfort zone training and offering the nations first accredited (by ACE and AFAA) Outdoor Fitness Boot Camp Instructor Training Program.

Now all that being said, and after todays grueling plyometric workout, "Is this the hardest boot camp session ever?"

Yes. But what is even more important, is that next month will be even harder. Because, ladies and gentleman, WE ARE GETTING BETTER! Yes, as instructors we are evolving, learning and improving our skills. Because we are professionals FIRST, we all possess this inate desire to be the best we can be. And being the best you can be is what boot camp is all about. We take the lessons we learn in the boardroom and apply them to our work ethic on the field. We are unique and we are leading the way to a new future in the fitness industry. Where the BEST trainers have skills beyond just good looking muscles. Where the BEST trainers have the ability to meet their clients at their current level of fitness and take them to the next level. No matter where they begin. Folks, YOU ARE THE BEST TRAINERS. I might even say in America.

But - what makes me unique, and I believe you all also possess this spirit, is that this isn't enough. I want to get better and here is why.

Today I had a camper leave the workout in tears. She was devestated that her body wouldn't cooperate with her desire to get fit. It is common during plyometric workouts for people with knee issues to struggle a little bit. And today was no exception. She pushed herself out of her comfort zone. Maybe a little too far. What I didn't know is that her knees were bothering her before the workout. That little bit of communication from the client, could have allowed me to provide a modification before the workout for her. Where we need to improve as a group is on our ability to provide modifications for these more technical type workouts. I feel like I failed my instructors by not providing enough technique training in the athletic arena. I feel like I couldn't reach every camper at every station today because I am only one person. As instructors we are all part of a team. We need to work together to provide a workout that reaches EVERYONE on their level. Today we may not have done that.

So I am sure you are thinking, how do we improve? We try again tomorrow. Tomorrow we make sure we know everyone's name. Tomorrow we make sure we know everyone's weakness or injuries. Tomorrow we make sure that although we are getting a workout, we are always keeping one eye on the client. Constantly analyzing their running, push-up, ab bridge and jumping forms. Constantly providing positive feedback and modifications where necessary to help them improve no matter what level they are on. We do a very good job at this most of the time. And that is why this month's session is the hardest session ever.

But now that we have a challenge to make next month even better, we must meet that challenge head on. More training and better communication is what you will get from me. All you will need to do is bring it.

Celebrating the Goals

Today was the first real challenge for our new group at Blackburn. Soccer Day. You either love it or you hate it. Most campers love it. Most instructors hate it. You can't decide until after you have led the workout.

Organized chaos is not easy to manage. But today, our instructors leading really stepped up to the plate. Take 30 people, most of whom have never seen the workout before & many of whom have never played organized soccer, interject three balls, ramdomly split the fitness levels and add a whistle and two girls screaming and you have the recipe for disaster. Unless you are the Blackburn Team. Today, the workout went smoothly, the campers ran their butts off and I saw more smiles than I have at Blackburn in many months. Maybe it was the field. Maybe they really did enjoy themselves. Maybe it was the feeling of accomplishment when you work with a team and achieve a goal.

Today we saw the fast people take second place to the back, the out of shape and the non-discript. Today, we made superstars out of regular people. The boost that these folks will have to their confidence level is unmeasurable. But tomorrow, you will see a different group of campers. Tomorrow you will see a little extra hop in their step. Tomorrow they will "get it" just a little bit more. Tomorrow they will take one step closer to being the athletes they always dreamed of, or to at least reaching their goals.

But today, let's celebrate their goals! Score one for the boot campers. Today, they had fun.

You win some, You lose some

Today was a small defeat for me in a war I have been fighting since I was a little girl. There have been many battles in this war, some greatly victorious, others not so much. You see, the war I fight isn't against another person or group, it is against me - or rather, my predisposition to be a "big girl", "thick" and even just plain fat. Since I can remember, my family made excuses for me - "oh, she has her mother's genes" or "she's just big boned". Well I do have my mother's genes (my father's, too), but I am really not all that big boned. And so is the story for many overweight people in the world. We battle preconceived notions that we have no choice about our weight and that we can't change our genetic make -up or we have slow metabolisms. Some of us accept it. I choose to fight. Welcome to my war.

I fight every single day of my life. Some days are easier than others - today was harder. Yes, I know that many people that know me today don't understand. But one day, about eight years ago I weighed over 215 pounds. I say over, because I didn't start counting until I got to that point. I used the excuse that it was just muscle and that I really was bigged boned. Then one day the hammer dropped- I had to buy a size 18 suit. That was it. The fight was back on.

But the war did't begin eight years ago, it began consciously about 20 years ago. When all my other friends were worring about boyfriends & shopping for pretty clothes, I was dieting. I did slim fast and Jenny Craig and they all worked - for a little while. At one point in my high school life I was a skinny six and weighed a buck thrity five. That was a huge victory, but one that was short lived. You see, when I was younger, I hadn't learned the price of being overweight yet.

It wasn't until I graduated from college and moved to Atlanta that I truly understood. My mom was also overweight. But not her whole life, just the part I remember and the lack of exercise, smoking and poor eating habits led to a cancer that eventually took her life. That was the most devestating defeat in my life.

And so I fight. I fight for my LIFE every day. I fight for my mom's life that she didn't get to live. But my fight against being overweight consists of discipline and keeping myself in constant check. I can't afford to gain back any of the weight I lost eight years ago. Because I know how hard I fought to get it off. I know how hard EVERY client fights even to lose 5 pounds. So when last fall I gained 12 pounds, I really didn't feel so hot about myself. I made it through the holidays and vowed like many to lose that weight in January and February. Yes, even I make resolutions. But everyone that knows anything at all about me knows that when I set out to do something - I don't quit until I succeed.

So the point of this blog is that just because I am a fitness instructor doesn't mean that I don't have to work just as hard, if not harder than my clients to maintain and sometimes lose weight. This week I gained two pounds. It took me all day to come to grips with it. And I know you are thinking, "you work out every day - it's just muscle". I tried to tell myself that ALL DAY. But it wasn't until I was able to rest, gather my thoughts and grab a measuring tape that I knew my small defeat was only that - tiny. I did gain two pounds, but my body got smaller! And as much as I know it is more of how my clothes fit than how many pounds the scale says - it still matters to me. Just like it will always matter to thousands of woman (and a few men). And so I continue to fight my war. I fight by educating as many people as I can about being healthy. I fight with my workouts at the studio and at boot camp. I fight every time I take a kickboxing class. I fight by supporting others that fight similar wars.

I think I am winning...