Taking the plunge into Boot Camp at D1 Sports Training & Therapy in Nashville, Tenn. Tracking my progress for all to see. You can also follow on Twitter @d1bootcamp
Sometimes it’s easy to forget all the progress I’ve made since January. I’ve spent more time concentrating on doing the workouts themselves and improving performance that I haven’t spent much time looking back at results.
I was going through some old videos from Boot Camp the other day, and the results were staring back at me.
The left is a screen grab from Day Two. The right is a screen grab from two weeks ago.
(via imbringinghealthyback)
A quick video of an incline press workout earlier this week to go with today’s blog on the side benefits of the Boot Camp.
When we start a fitness program, we’re all looking for the same things — lose weight, build muscle, look better and so on. We always hear about the side benefits, but if anyone is like me, we don’t pay too much mind to those benefits.
As I recover from a cold that kept me out of Boot Camp earlier this week, this post is dedicated to those benefits.
Reaping the benefits
1. Better overall health: I mentioned I had a cold this week, which started on Thursday. I wanted desperately to feel better before Memorial Day weekend. Normally, it takes me about five days to get over a bad cold — and this was a bad one. A pessimistic friend joked: Unless you’re in peak physical condition, you’re on the DL this weekend.
Wait, I’m in peak physical condition, at least by my standards. It may be coincidence, but it’s Saturday morning and I’m about 80 percent back to normal.
2. More energy: I’m not sure why I didn’t pick up on this months ago, but that “2:30 feeling” peddled by nasty energy drinks is all but gone. Before I started Boot Camp, I used to need to reach for an afternoon coffee or Red Bull. I can probably count on one hand the times I’ve done that since February. And I still have the energy for a 5 or 6 p.m. Boot Camp.
This is what the experts mean when they say exercise will boost your energy level.
3. Decreases stress, improves mood: I’m in a new job I love, so No. 3 may be a product of that as much as anything, but during some tense times, Boot Camp gave me a place to be every day, goals to chase and diversion. I’m convinced this kept confidence up and stress down.
Took this before my Boot Camp. Those are 45-pound plates for the ab circuit of windshield wipers, leg lifts and a few others. One of the toughest ab circuits we’ve done.
This T-shirt used to be too small. It’s not anymore. The irony of the shirt having a pig on it is not lost on me.
Shirts
You know what never gets old? Finding an old shirt that has been too tight for years that suddenly fits right. I think Boot Camp is working.
Animal Instinct
Or if you’re into the indie rock scene, you can call it Animal Collective, I guess.
Through Twitter, I was tipped off to the game plan for Wednesday evening D1 Boot Camp. For a cardio day, the standard plan was on the board — sled pushes, some burpees, lots of sprints, shuffles, etc.
Instead, a substitute coach, Taylor filling in from from D1 Tampa, laid out the Animal Instinct workout.
A few Boot Camp veterans said it was the toughest day they’d had.
Each rep is 25 yards, followed by 10 pushups, then 25 yards back, followed by 20 reps of an ab workout (in parentheses) and a 50-yard sprint.
The goal: Total body workout testing endurance and muscle fatigue with a little cardio added to the slate:
1. Bear crawl (Crunches)
2. Crab walk (Leg lifts)
3. Frog leaps (Toe touches)
4. Iguanas a.k.a. Spidermans (Russian twists)
5. Jackrabbits (Running man sit ups)
6. Inchworm (Fish out of waters)
Dan, who coaches D1 Boot Camp in Nashville, explains why I shouldn’t read too much into my recent struggles around the three-month mark. This is usually a good time to re-evaluate and change up goals and routines.
Forgot to pack my shoes and socks in my bag Wednesday. Good thing it was a cardio and ab day (i.e. no weights). I was talked into a Bare Foot Boot Camp. Here’s video proof.
It wasn’t too bad. It worked the legs pretty good. I’m not sure I’d make it a habit on running days, though.
So here’s the next question: Is the Bare Foot Boot Camp a Flintstone workout or a Hobbit workout?
