Seventy-five minutes of butt-kicking running,
climbing, cycling, jumping, pushing and pulling at Boot Camp
Fitness Brooklyn NYC, and beads of sweat are falling, muscles
are burning, and blood is pumping.
Just ask Lisa Robertson.
A feeble "Whoo!" was all she could muster after 20
minutes of ups and downs on the treadmill, including a large
chunk of time spent at a 15-percent incline. Although the beats
of house music pumped loudly in the background, Robertson heard
only one voice – that of Certified Personal Trainer and militant
butt-kicker Darren Taylor, 35.
"I like the motivation," says Robertson, 35. "I
appreciate knowing that someone’s watching me during my workout.
It forces me to work harder."
That’s exactly why Taylor started an outdoor boot camp fitness
program in Prospect Park on a chilly spring morning in 2002.
"I wanted to help people change their lives and get out
of the same old routine," says Taylor.
So he distributed flyers throughout Brooklyn promising a full-body,
military-style (Taylor is a former U.S. Army private) workout
– rain or shine. Curious people of all ages, shapes and sizes
dragged their half-awake bodies out of bed before dawn and made
their way to the park for a series of drills and thrills. What
began as just a weekend agenda slowly became a daily routine.
Now, nearly four years later, Taylor and his partner Jeffrey
Sidnez, 29, who joined Taylor in 2004, have taken the program
indoors to satisfy new and old "recruits" year round.
"We want to target as many people as possible," says
Sidnez. "Plus, weather-wise, we can workout everyday. There
are no excuses for indoors."
Sidnez knows about excuses. He spent his early 20s overweight
and out of shape as a result of a car accident and poor health
choices. He lost 85 pounds, took his new attitude to a local
fitness club and began training clients. Once Sidnez and Taylor
teamed up, the Boot Camp Fitness Brooklyn NYC program truly fell
into place.
Nicole Monroe, 49, who also knows about excuses, is grateful
for their collaboration. She can remember a 15-year period in
which she didn’t work out at all. That all changed one year ago
when Monroe came across a program flyer. Although initially apprehensive
about giving some strange men money in a park, she trudged down
to the green and hasn’t looked back. Monroe’s a lifer and prides
herself on having lost 25 pounds and dropped six dress sizes
since enlisting.
"It’s a way of life for me now," says Monroe. "Darren
and Jeff want to see results, and I like that."
Pay your dues ($425 until March 20) and six weeks of boot camp
fitness results can be yours, too. That includes three classes
per week, one-on-one guidance from Taylor and Sidnez, and a team
of fellow recruits to motivate and swap success stories. There’s
even a team captain, the one who keeps everyone in check. Miss
a class? There’s sure to be a phone call home.
"We all push each other," says Javier Vazquez, 37,
another lifer. "The intimacy and motivational aspect of
the small group setting is what keeps me going back."
No frills
That and the fact that Boot Camp Fitness NYC isn’t your average
gym. There are no TVs flashing music videos, ESPN or the evening
news. No racks of gym attire or refrigerated beverages for purchase.
No magazines and newspapers for a leisurely ride and read. No
sign-up sheets for occupied cardio machines.
There isn’t even a front desk.
It’s all black and white – literally – with the exception of
one exposed brick wall. What you see is what you get – a focused,
monitored training session.
"There’s no way to concentrate on the intensity of your
workout if your mind is somewhere else," says Taylor.
"We want this to be a place where people come to achieve
goals – that’s it," adds Sidnez.
Each six-week session begins with a fitness assessment including
push-ups, sit-ups and pull-ups. Expectations are discussed and
goals are charted. Emphasis is placed on increasing muscle strength,
flexibility, stamina, circulation and self-esteem. With the treadmill,
bike and drill-based rotations, no muscle escapes scrutiny.
The facility can hold a class of 30 recruits at one time, although
most sessions are much smaller. In April, both the indoor and
outdoor programs will be in full swing. While Taylor and Sidnez’s
main focus will be the indoor facility, three other trainers
will keep the outdoor program running.
Keep moving
"Our philosophy is: Make use of every second of your workout,"
says Sidnez. "Let not one second go to waste."
They aren’t lying. Although they encourage breathers, between
sprints and lunges there’s barely enough time to grab a sip of
water. No breaks. No frills. Just pure adrenaline pumping through
your veins, and the occasional echo of a "motivational outburst"
(as Sidnez prefers to call yelling) in your head.
In between jumping rope at one-minute intervals and chest presses,
Robertson sneaks a few gulps of water that give her 15 seconds
– max – of breathing time. No time to relax – just time to keep
it moving.
"I already feel stronger – sore, but stronger," says
Robertson. "I’m using muscles I haven’t used in a while,
and I’m not complaining."
Both Monroe and Vazquez are prime examples of this keep-it-moving
philosophy. They return each and every session because they love
the way they feel. They like that no two workouts are the same.
They like that everybody knows their names. And they’re most
excited that they can now get in a great workout on any day of
the year – indoors or out.
"It’s the best and most thorough program I’ve ever done,"
says Vazquez. I’m going to keep on riding the Boot Camp Fitness
craze for as long as I can."
Freelance writer Chiara Cowan
is currently training for a half-marathon (13.1 miles).
Boot Camp Fitness Brooklyn NYC is located
at 172 Flatbush Ave. at Fifth Avenue in Park Slope. Six weeks
of three classes per week, $425 (through March 20, 2006). After
March 20, $525 per session. For more information on session dates
and class schedules call (877) FIT-LOOK or visit www.bootcampfitnessnyc.com.
