By Andrew Southwood
I don’t know about you, but I find myself at a real loose end at 6:15am on Monday mornings. I mean, there’s nothing on the telly, the kids don’t want to play, and apparently it’s not the best time to start sorting the kitchen cupboards out? With this in mind, I decided I might as well see what all the commotion was about at an early morning Boot Camp session.
It was with some relief I spotted (or rather, was blinded by) the temporary flood lights and a gaggle o slightly crazy fellow trainees, ready and waiting for an early morning work out on the community centre field Despite my suspicions, it was not a cruel trick – the class did exist. The sun was still some distance below the horizon, and the frost was sparkling under the halogen bulbs, but that just added to the ‘fun’.
I thought I was fit. That is to say I go running and cycling quiet a bit. It was with this base level of general fitness and confidence that meant, after the first session, I arrived home and casually told my wife it “wasn’t too bad”, and “I didn’t feel that knackered”. Oh boy, how I lived to eat those words!
After being lulled into a false sense of security, my body waited about 36 hours before it reminded me that, having not done a press up or star jump in 20 years, I was now awakening muscles long since forgotten. So, on Wednesday morning I needed a hoist to lift me out of bed and help putting my socks on. Within a couple of days I felt like I’d been run over by a herd of stampeding highland cattle and then used as a punch bag… in a good way!?
All this of course gave me extra motivation. So, 6 days later (the length of time it took me to feel vaguely normal again) I was ready for session two. This went well, and then the third and fourth followed, with some snow, a bit of ice, and lots of mud, but not too much pain. My body began to forgive me and seemed to be benefiting greatly from the work outs.
So there we have it. I have surprised myself and have found that, contrary to my instincts, communal non-competitive exercise can actually be enjoyable and motivating. A real mix of people, with everyone working at their own pace, just battling against themselves, not competing with anyone else. Presumably, like me, they all attend with their own personal aims and goals. Whatever they are, let’s hope we all not only achieve, but surpass them.
(See www.nicksmithfitness.co.uk/boot-camp if you need inspiration!)
