Boot Camp Workout

Boot camp classes offer strenuous workout

What: Boot camp workout classes

Where: Palmer Park, 2501 Palmer Drive, upper pavilion, Janesville.

When: 7:15 to 8 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays; 7 to 7:45 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 7:30 to 8:15 a.m. Saturdays through September.

Cost: $8 per class or $50 per month

To sign up: Call (608) 755-3030 or visit Janesville City Hall, 18 N. Jackson St., first floor.

Birds chirp as a comfortable breeze sweeps through.

For the group of women sprinting up the long hill, the conditions are anything but comfortable.

“Come on ladies, you can do it!” shouts boot camp instructor Claudine Manor.

The sprint switched to side lunges on the next trip uphill, followed by a backward walk.

Less than 15 minutes into the class, sounds of grunts and “Ow!”s creep up the hill.

The high-intensity mix of cardio and strength training is what makes “boot camp” workouts popular, local instructors say.

“It’s muscle confusion,” Manor said. “If anybody has a strengthening or weight loss goal, it’s all about muscle confusion.”

After several trips up and down the hill, the class moves to the upper pavilion where participants do a combination of pushups and speedskating motions, followed by an abs exercise.

There’s no formula for boot camp; each instructor puts together her or his own routines. The classes are offered at a variety of area fitness clubs and, for the first time this summer, through the City of Janesville Leisure Services Department.

FitPro instructors lead the city’s five weekly outdoor boot camp classes at Palmer Park, said Shelley Slapak, city recreation coordinator. The city has had great success with its Zumba program run by FitPro, she said.

“We just wanted to try out a more strenuous class,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of interest so far.”

A lot of people get hooked on one workout routine, Manor said, noting people who only go to Zumba, a Latin-inspired dance-fitness program.

“We stress, you’ve got to mix it up if you’re trying for (any fitness goals),” she said.

Tonya Colborn of Beloit started the city’s boot camp classes in June thanks to her friend, Sarah Race of Janesville. Colborn said she’s in better shape than she was a month ago.

Exercise enthusiasts enjoy boot camp workouts - YNN - Your News Now

Boot camp isn’t just for the military anymore. There are plenty of Austinites who are getting up early to get a great workout.

Relentless Boot Camp Coach Karen Pierce said her fitness routine takes extreme determination and focus.

"Relentless Boot Camp is boot camps that are powered by Crossfit Central, but we have our own name. So we provide boot camps,” she said. “We provide med balls. They bring their kettle bells.”

For participant Kerrie McDonald, the routine has delivered serious results.

"I've been doing it for about two years now and I've seen a huge improvement in my fitness. I run so it's been interesting to see how this boot camp has helped me," she said.

Pierce said you don't need to be a marathon runner to fit into one of the fastest growing trends in the exercise industry. Anyone at any level can do boot camp.

"Our atmosphere is positive. We keep it positive and again it's scalable to any level," Pierce said.

The Boot Camp Workout

The Official Five Star Fitness Boot Camp Workout, For Men and Women

The official five star fitness boot camp workout

Sure Victory: How to Design Boot Camp Workouts That Blast Fat and Build Power

Brain Boot Camp, Work Out Your Mind and Boost Brainpower with Your Very Own Electronic Coach - 1001+ Questions