Why The American Boot Camp Company is the best boot camp in Atlanta

I feel great! I just finished my 7th workout of the week and it's only Thursday. Between teaching boot camp, kickboxing, interval and core, running a business, sales, marketing and business development, I finally got a chance to workout for myself this morning at our Pinckneyville Park Boot Camp location. And man-o-man was it fun!

As I was driving home, I decided to blog about my experience in hopes that everyone reading this might be inspired to join boot camp or at least try one of our free workouts.

So I really don't LOVE working out. I would much rather go for a walk or read a book. But I do love to eat. I love wine and pizza and chocolate. I love hamburgers and pasta, too. So my battle with weight forces me to turn to exercise in order to be able to infrequently eat the things I love. Because I know that I am not the only one that feels this way, I decided to start my fitness business. But what I think many of my clients don't know is that I STILL STRUGGLE EVERY DAY. Read on to see the list of excuses that ran through my head this morning and pretty much every day and see how my awesome boot camp instructors helped me fight through and burn over 350 calories all before 7AM.

EXCUSE #1: I Can't get out of bed because...
This morning when my alarm went off at 4:40AM, my throat was sore and my nose stuffed up. I could have very easily rolled over and emailed saying I wasn't going to make it because I was under the weather. But something forced me up and as I took my first step the second excuse of the day popped up. My legs are so sore from the previous 3 days of 2 workouts a day and I can't get injured, so maybe I shouldn't go. But I continued to get ready, inspired by the countless clients I work with each month that actually do get up every day for boot camp. So I brushed my teeth, got dressed and headed out the door for my 20 minute drive to Pinckneyville Park. As I drove several more excuses came to mind, but I was already on the road so I kept going.

EXCUSE #8: I don't want anyone to see what type of shape I am in. What if I can't keep up?
As I arrived at the park, I wondered what all the other campers might be like. I wondered if they would be watching me because I am the owner of the company and I thought about what they would say if I had to modify a pushup or stop to stretch my soleus injury. So I warmed up on the curb a bit before anyone got there and I didn't volunteer my name to anyone. Being anonymous is a really cool thing. It is great that nobody else in the group knows me. And I also like that the group was big enough that I could "hide". So I convinced myself that I would try my best and the people in the group would just think I was vet or someone from another camp.

EXCUSE #11: I don't want to give 100% in the warmups because I want to have something left for my workout.
As we started off promptly at 5:45AM, I started jogging and found that it would be very easy to "take it easy" and give less than 100%. Nobody 'really' knows my fitness level and what would it matter if I held back. Then very quickly my competitive nature came out and I said to myself, "you will give 100% so you can see what you put your campers through every day". So off I went and immediately found myself toward the front of the group. Kim, led the warmup and reminded me why we start our bootcamp workouts out with a dynamic warmup. Because these types of activities really do get the body ready for the upcoming workout in a safe and super effective way! My calves got warm, my legs got warm and my heart rate elevated in a way that left me ready for more, not too tired. Great work, Kim! And while I was doing my thing, I even heard a few other instructors calling out little tips like, "Keep those stomachs pulled in" or "Keep your pace a bit slower until you get warm".

EXCUSE #12: I know I have an old injury and I don't think I can do certain parts of the workout, even though I am not currently in pain. Should I even try?
So I have a pretty bad shoulder injury from too many pushups over the years and not enough back training. I have been diligently re-habing it over the past 6 months, but I am still pretty timid about doing more than 10 pushups in a row for fear I will re-injure it. I know this is a very common feeling that many ex-athletes have and many of our boot campers that have previous injuries. Should I modify right away or give it a try? I decided to give them a try. I made a conscious decision to do as many as possible and deal with the consequences tomorrow. I knew that my shoulder is healed, but I also know that if I don't attempt to do more pushups that I won't get any stronger. This is what I call "selling yourself short". If you don't try, you can't know what you are capable of. Today I was capable of doing ALL the pushups on my toes. What an awesome feeling. It's great to prove something to yourself, even if it is one pushups at time.

EXCUSE #26: I am tired and want to rest. I just did 30 pushup and should be proud of myself.
No. That is a load of crap. Even though the thought goes through my head. As I look over at the girl next to me in the warmup, I realize that she is completely out of breath and that I am breathing OK. I can't quit. I won't quit. Then I hear Sara, one of the lead instructors, say, "Don't give up!" and I push on.

EXCUSE #29: My shoulder really does hurt.
As we progress into the workout I have decided to really give it my all. I have done a similar workout before, but really like how Karin is choosing to explain the exercises. It takes my mind off the fact that my arms hurt. And then my shoulder, just the left one, really does start feeling weaker than the right. So instead of stopping, because Kevin, who is right next to me isn't stopping, I choose to just use one arm. I think, "maybe I should stop and explain to him what is going on" and then I just keep moving. Before I know it, Karin says, "sprint!" and off I go to the fence. I realize that Kevin is right beside me and I turn on the speed. I LOVE sprinting against someone. It reminds me of the very first workout I did outdoors when I realized that working out isn't always terrible. And that I was very competitive. Thanks, Kevin, for sprinting with me and giving me a challenge!

EXCUSE #31: I can't do this exercise very well.
About half way into the boot camp workout, we started a lunge movement with a twist. My shoulder started giving out and that caused me to lose focus. It reminded me that when my clients get fatigued that they can't focus either and I should change exercises to keep them from getting dejected. As this exercise progressed, at least 10 times I wanted to just quit. But I looked around and noticed that nobody else was quitting. What a great benefit of being in a group. The motivation of the instructors participating and all the other campers out there trying their best really helped me finish the round.

NO MORE EXCUSES...
About this time, I looked at my watch and realized that we only had 10 minutes of the workout left. I couldn't believe how fast it had gone. And then I had an epiphany. I CAN GIVE 100%. And now I want to give even more! I can get through this! And I did with the help of a great team of instructors! What I love the most about Pinckneyville is that there are many different personalities to help at different times during the workout. Kurina was super chipper as soon as she walked up, Sara and Allison are tough, but always smiling. Kevin is kind, but won't let you slack. Kim is always loud and supportive. Karin is detailed and really descriptive in her explanations and Noel is super energetic and right there in the trenches with the campers.

So as I drove home, I was so excited to have completed my boot camp workout before 7AM and ready to tackle the day with a positive outlook. I thought to myself, "I truly hope that every one of my clients feels the same way when they leave camp each morning!"

I love boot camp and thanks to the entire team at Pinckneyville Park for a great workout and a wonderful reminder of how much FUN boot camp camp be!

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...

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.