At 5:30 a.m., while others are nestled in their beds, Steve Fuchs and Heidi Smith are playing the role of “Adventure Boot Camp” drill sergeants. Here, women of all ages, sizes and fitness levels brave the early morning hours to take part in a popular workout for overall fitness, Burlington Adventure Boot Camp for Women. Fuchs runs the Essex Junction camp, and Smith heads the South Burlington camp.
The term, “boot camp,” often elicits visions of camouflage suits and a screaming drill sergeant, but this one offers the support and encouragement many women need to reach their goals. It reflects a growing trend: fitness boot camps have spread across the country as a resource for total body training that burns lots of calories and trims fat from problem areas.
Fuchs and Smith’s Adventure Boot Camp comprises four weeks of energizing outdoor activities, combined with fitness instruction, basic nutritional counseling and motivational training. Usually held early in the morning, the one-hour sessions are designed to help participants gain strength, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, balance, muscular endurance and self-confidence. Smith says the camps get back to exercise basics like running or power-walking, squats, crunches and push-ups; she and Fuchs ensure the routines are being done correctly.
“Adventure Boot Camp is really about positive encouragement and re-powering women,” explains Fuchs. “We want to help each and every person achieve their peak wellness, physically and emotionally.”
For many women, outdoor boot camp is a fitness solution that aligns with their busy schedules and also provides an ideal setting for more private workouts. Often, women aren’t comfortable in a gym; they may feel self-conscious about their bodies or level of fitness, and fear being ridiculed. “This situation rarely arises, as we offer a friendly, supportive and encouraging atmosphere for women of all shapes and sizes,” notes Smith.
The opportunity to socialize and bond with other women in a similar fitness situation is a great advantage of the camps, but Smith and Fuchs emphasize that the workouts are challenging. Because the sessions differ from what is available at a typical gym and take place outside, anything is fair game for training, so every workout is an adventure.
The camps are held indoors in the winter, but go back outdoors late May until Thanksgiving. “These are not women who are afraid to get their hair wet,” comments Fuchs. “They are here for a purpose, and most are completely committed to that purpose.”
The workouts, although fun, are intense, and participants burn a substantial number of calories in a short period. According to Fuchs and Smith, it’s not uncommon for women to lose two or three pant sizes during the four-week period.
Both coaches are certified National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association (NESTA) boot camp trainers, with many other certifications in the fitness industry. Offering more than just a “fitness” camp, they promote overall wellness, from proper nutrition to stress management. They hold a nutrition seminar at the beginning of each four-week session, giving women the opportunity to set goals, and then be held accountable for meeting them. “That is not something you can get at the gym,” advises Smith.
Fuchs and Smith agree that it’s important to avoid procrastinating about starting a wellness plan. They also note that leaving the comfort of one’s bed and getting to boot camp is half the battle. “When that alarm goes off, you must be disciplined and committed to just get there,” says Fuchs. “Once you’re there, you start to realize why you’re there. You push yourself to the end, and although you may be tired, you feel highly energized. The drive home is a proud moment. You are on your way to a better you.”
For information about the Burlington Adventure Boot Camp, call 802-876-7787 or visit www.BurlingtonBootCamp.com. Classes start at 5:30 a.m., Monday-Thursday at the Champlain Valley Expo, in Essex Junction and the South Burlington High School.
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