Exercise Of The Week

Oh yeah, this is a goodie! The Spiderman is a full body exercise working the shoulders, arms, back, core, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves- you get it all. It looks intense, and after 20-40 reps, it is! At Camp, The Spiderman is a mid week 2 exercise. It comes after learning proper form for Push-ups and after creating more intensive shoulder and core strength by practicing Plank Position. Some returning members at Camp do up to 40 repetitions, most often we keep the reps low, 5-20, and increase the intensity by adding a set of complimentary plyometric exercises, or a "jumper".

Spiderman #1, top. Spiderman #2, bottom

Demonstrating here is "J", a longtime member of SWL Bootycamp, she knows her way around perfect form, especially when core power is required.

To start: As in pic #1, begin in a perfect Plank Position, pressing up out of the ground into the shoulder blades (no sinking into the shoulders!), neck aligned with the spine, core held tight, glutes gently squeezed.

As in pic#2, draw the knee up toward the elbow OUTSIDE the line of the body(notice how J's toe strikes outside the line of her mat) and touch the toe down, more than a tap, a slight hold would be perfect. As you bring the knee forward into position, be sure your body has remained still, no moving of the hips, arms or overextending the leg forward as if to stretch. Isolate the leg as it moves.

Return the leg to the start position and alternate sides. Each time a leg comes forward is one count.

You will feel this one all over, most where you are weakest. If you are new to this type of exercise, keep your reps low, start with 10 and work up. If you've been working the various Plank Positions in yoga classes or your own fitness practice, lock it down and go for 20+. Top it off with a set of 5-15 spring jumps from the quads. Mmmm, feel the burn!!

Many Thanks to Lady J for modeling this week's exercise. Nothing like a 6 a.m. photo shoot under the stars at Camp :)

Hope to see you in the Play!

Kimae

What's Your Reason?

Today, during a conversation with a fellow Bootcamper who hadn't been to class in a while, I was reminded of the many reason's women come to Camp, and I've heard a wide variety. From the young girl last spring who wanted a bigger booty ("Is that possible in just 4 weeks? Should I keep my bottom clenched at all times?"), to the future conscious women who come to shape-up in anticipation of a healthy pregnancy, there are a zillion reasons in between.

Speaking today with "T", she told me about her short term Bootcamp goal for the holiday season: to beat the boys in her family at a push-up contest come Christmas.

Now let me tell you, T's push-ups rock the Camp. She is a full-on champ of the powerhouse toe push-up, but after 4 weeks away from class, she was challenged out of the blue last weekend to a push-up contest by the guys in her family. She did good, they were impressed, SHE was impressed! Yet, T knows she can bring more, More , MORE (clenching fists in excitement). The rematch is coming up in a few weeks, scheduled around family carols and hot cider. Oh yeah, don't be fooled by the lovely lady nibbling a Christmas cookie by the fire- those boys better watch out!

And so, we discover that T comes to Camp in order to open up a can of surprise whoop a** on those pesky (God love 'em) older brother's. A real life goal worth playing for!

What would be your reason, your motivation, your INSPIRATION for joining us in the play?

Whatever your reason, whatever your goal, we hope to see you here :)

Kimae

Fitness Changes Seasons

Another incredible Summer season of Hooping It Out by the lake came to an end last week with end of session FitTesting!


For me, end of session testing is a morning of unsuppressed giddiness, and it's true, I've been known to get an excited case of the girlish squeals while conducting testing. A little out of line with the Bootcamp persona, but you gotta agree with me here, watching a woman nail down a 3+ minute Plank hold, outside, before 6am, is definitely squeal worthy! (big shout out to J&B and the "N" sisters for hitting an all time high!!).



At Camp, testing is not a competitive process- just a few minutes of specific, timed exercises performed as a group every 4 weeks. Like each day in our program, FitTesting is all about the personal challenge, the chance for each woman to build on yesterday's workout, raising the experience to a new level today.



My favorite part of testing is what comes after the fact: me in the office, blown away yet again as I calculate improved per minute averages for each member- amazing proof of the power of commitment and of the bodies quick response to effective exercise. Sharing this information during one-on-one consultations is the best part of my job! I hear "Wow!" during every conversation I have. These women know they have been working hard, can feel and see the changes in their bodies. The numbers simply affirm the experience!



It is such an honor to have so many of these strong, athletic women back at Camp in the returning member Drop-In Program, where they will focus on new goals for the next 4 weeks, just in time to test again.



Between now and then, I will try to contain the squealing, but I'm not promising anything :)



Hope to see you in the play!


Kimae