Jeremy Glasgow of Underground Core Fitness [seen above in the yellow shirt] is leading a group of dedicated exercisers (including me) into health via his all-outdoor-in-nature boot camp. Neither rain, nor sleet, nor gloom of night will keep we boot campers from our appointed rounds – above you see our group exercising on an outdoor basketball court in Warrenville, Illinois. In the photo it is so foggy out my shot reflects tiny water droplets hanging in the air.
Three times a week at 5:30 AM - rain, sleet, snow, or fog - we meet at an outdoor park to exercise together. We do this for four weeks, then have a week for a break so our muscles “forget” and have to be retrained during the next four week session.
Jeremy is patient and encouraging. In my first weeks I struggled to simply make it to the end of class without throwing up. My body would ache for days – Ibuprofin is my friend - and I thought I would not be able to get past sore muscles and my complete and utter lack of grace compared to the other campers.
We boot camp members have varying personal and professional lives. Indeed, we are opposites in many ways. However, we have one thing that really holds us together and helps us get through Jeremy’s workouts; the belief that being outdoors exercising in nature is helping us become truly healthier people.
It is hard work to do the type of interval training Jeremy puts us through. We call him “Jeremy the Torturer” in jest. Although it is a real physical challenge to get through the workouts, it is also amazingly invigorating. When his class ends I feel proud that we have all given our best. Tired, but happy – both physically and emotionally.
Finally, after the third week, my muscles began to acclimate and now they do not hurt as much after a work out as they did initially. Instead of putting myself through pain, I now feel as if I have put my body through something good and challenging.
All those weeks of my chanting “I think I can! I think I can! I think I can!” has really paid off. Being in nature, breathing fresh air, smiling, laughing, exercising - - it is good! Now I am more determined than ever to keep going.
I know I can do this for myself. I know you can do it too!
Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com, The Green Blog - www.gardeningnude.com, or The Garden Blog - http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com
Jeremy is wonderful. Please contact him at Underground Fitness. He is very kind and encouraging.
I am 42 years old. The first few weeks seemed impossible and I thought I could not get through it and I felt I wasn't that out of shape, but I was determined.
And a wonderful thing has happened now that I've been going over a month - - I no longer have post-work-out pain. Instead I get a sense of energy that comes after feeling like I really accomplished something good. The people at the boot camp class are all encouraging me and I encourage them. It only lasts about 40 minutes maximum. 30 minutes harder work with 10 minutes of cool down.
The first few weeks it was very hard. But you have to know that anything worth having in life is consistent work. To have a beautiful garden you have to stick with it. To have a healthy emotional family you have to stick with it. The same goes for working out. Work hard and stick with it.
I still think the workouts are not easy, but they are only 40 minutes long. I think for three times a week I can survive that - I believe that it's worth it when I have seen several people we know die at age 50 because they have not been taking care of themselves. I don't want that for myself or my family.
Besides all that, working outside in nature is a definite mood boost. It's energizing and promotes feel good brain chemicals like serotonin to kick in. This means we start to feel less depressed.
I think working out this way is a good way to really energize yourself.
I don't want you to be out of breath any more. If you come to the early morning classes I will be there and I will help you through it.
It's better to work together and always remember that you want to live a lifestyle that will allow you to live longer and happier.
I believe in you....
Shawna
Posted by: Shawna Coronado | July 10, 2009 at 03:32 PM
I am very interested in this -- I am overweight, out of shape and almost 45 years old. I used to be in excellent shape but now am completely out of shape. I told this to Jeremy, that I was not a "health freak" which is a bad term to use, but I was always fit, without trying that hard. Now I am paying for it. I am tired of being fat an out of breath all the time. Do you think this will be way too hard for me? You make it sound completely hard.
Posted by: Janet Fyock | July 10, 2009 at 03:14 PM