Boot camp for women!

It’s a new and exciting way to burn those calories: Adventure Boot Camp for women in Umhlanga. Danielle Sheedy gave it her best shot.

November 2, 2011. The term “fitness” is repulsive to many women, and throw in the word “motivation” and you’ve got yourself wanting to hide away. Well, there is a way to get past that, Adventure Boot Camp for women is well established in South Africa (it now has 72 camps throughout the country) and the best part is, Umhlanga has its very own franchise.

It’s a new and improved way of losing weight, increasing your fitness level, while at the same time having fun. Don’t be misled by the name – Adventure Boot Camp – it really isn’t anything like training for the army. All you have to know is there is some hard work involved but the results are so worth it. The outdoor fitness programme runs from Monday to Friday for one hour over four weeks. Each woman is given a personalised eating plan and a support group of other women campers, who all have the same targets in mind: getting fit, being healthy, losing weight and having loads of fun along the way.

Gym, sport, training . . . sorry what? I have no clue what these words mean, nothing that is even remotely related to fitness has ever been my strong point. I suffer a severe lack of motivation when it comes to anything that has to do with working out – I suppose you could say I am downright lazy. So when I decided to experience Adventure Boot Camp in Umhlanga for the first time at 5.30 in the morning (with a gentle nudge in the right direction by my editor), I was not impressed. I have never been a morning person but somehow I managed to get up, and drag myself to this boot camp.

Upon arriving, I was told to do a run right around Chris Saunders Park, situated opposite Gateway’s Wavehouse . . . I was horrified. But this was only the beginning . . . Tshepi Tshabalala is the lady who runs Adventure Boot Camp Umhlanga and what an amazing lady she is, the best term to classify her would be “fitness freak”, and her gorgeous body is definitely proof of her commitment. One wouldn’t think that so many women would sign up for an early morning workout, emphasis on the word workout, but I was wrong again. The turnout was great and the best part was, everyone was so supportive of each other, leaving you feeling confident that you could indeed do this.

It was only later in the class that I discovered that I had experienced week three of the training out of the four week course, which explains why I was struggling, always finishing the runs last, gasping for air, and finished my 750ml bottle of water only 20 minutes into the hour. Week three was definitely the reason why I was battling, forget about the fact that I wasn’t exactly a fitness freak!

Friendship and hard work at Adventure Boot Camp for women in Umhlanga

The day after my boot camp experience I think was possibly worse than the actual workout itself. Walking was seriously painful, and the stiffness was so intense that every step I took was followed by some sort of moan, but . . . aside from those ill effects it was an extremely beneficial experience, and it left me feeling rejuvenated, relaxed and confident, not to mention my opinion on exercise has actually changed quite dramatically.

Relieve stress

So what makes Umhlanga’s boot camp so amazing? Well, for starters it’s something different. Gone are the days of using many machines to get the workout our body needs, looking for parking, queuing for the treadmill, the rowing machine and trying to find a spot on the stretch mat that isn’t covered in some guy’s sweat. Exercise is supposed to relieve stress not create it, and this is exactly what Adventure Boot Camp is all about. It’s about having the fun outdoor experience while targeting all areas of the body a woman needs to work on the most, and this is all done with a dedicated personal trainer.

Another advantage is that boredom never sets in, because every day is different, with Wednesdays being “beach day”, which is the day most looked forward to by the women participating. What could be better than doing a great workout on the beach, really connecting with nature and ending it with some yoga?

Some of the exercises you can expect include short distance running, rope skipping, abs and core training, Pilates, obstacle courses, circuit training, weights, mat work, games and hiking. Whatever your fitness level, Adventure Boot Camp lets you advance at your own pace.

It's a lot of pain . . . but also a lot of fun

Tshepi began Adventure Boot Camp in Umhlanga at the beginning of this year. She has always been a sports fanatic, with a degree in Sports Management, as well as having experience as an aerobics instructor, lifestyle consultant and personal trainer at Virgin Active, and having travelled the world as a fitness director aboard a marvellous Norwegian cruise liner.

Humble

Since the beginning of the year, her camps have grown from a mere four women, to 24. Some of the women enjoyed the first camp so much that they have stuck with the programme, right up to today. But Tshepi is humble about her training skills, “It’s a fulfilling experience to know that ladies will actually get out of bed in the morning to be trained by you,” she says.

Tshepi also told The Ridge that she is happy to make a difference and that is what drives her to want to do this. “There is a big turnout, even when the weather is bad; to know that the ladies are there waiting for me, makes me get out of bed and want to go change someone’s life.”

Her biggest goal has always been to start a sports club in a township, and incorporate everything that she has learnt in fitness. She smiles shyly and says “I am a typical township girl, and I want to give back to the community.”