Boot Camp Saturday

Boot Camp (TV series) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hi everyone! Today started off as a wonderful day. Why you ask? Because Sanders Optimum Fitness offerred a Saturday 1-hour session for $20 for those of us not enrolled in the September session. It was great to be able to participate again at a fraction of the cost of an entire session.

My sister neighbor picked me up so we could ride together the short distance over. We get on the Garrison Forest School campus (which I love btw) and the parking lots are FULL! I mean tons of cars and people moving about. See I am used to attending the 5:30 am session where we all fit in a single small parking lot closest to the Athletic Center so I am not used to having to park in the 2nd parking lot a few steps further away. What in the world? How did everyone hear about it this?

Well it makes sense. The session started at 9 am and it was a Saturday. Many folks did not have to work and could be up in time for a 9 am session even if they aren’t a morning person. So after I calmed down I got into what we were about to do.

Garrison Forest School
Owings Mills, MD

I came prepared. Typically Monte has us warm up with a 1-mile run so after registering and placing my belongings on the bleachers I pulled out my iPod shuffle (I know old school) and prepared to run to my own music. Then, like clockwork, Monte blew the whistle and instructed us to pull out our mats, water and towels and find a location on the gym floor because we were actually starting our warm up with jumping jacks.

After pushing through 100 jumping jacks turning in 1 direction and another 100 jumping jacks turning in the opposite direction we dropped to the floor for our ab work! Now people….this ab work is like none other I ever felt or seen before. I mean we go back to back through ab exercises with intensity. For each of them you must keep your chin tucked into your chest and your shoulders off the floor. The movements are big, but they are small, concentrated and plentiful. I can’t lie, I feel them as I type this. Every laugh, sneeze, or cough – I feel my abs contracting with the soreness I earned yesterday.

After the onslaught of ab work I peeked at the clock…DARN 30 more minutes. He told us to be outside in 90 seconds because now we were going to do ladders on the field and we did as we were told. We then did various ladder exercises which require concentration and coordination. After you get through the ladders you are supposed to SPRINT down the field, turn and sprint back. By the time you get back you are out of breath, the heart rate is beating 100 miles a minute and you have to work to bring it back down to normal JUST to do it again! What fun!

So after the ladder exercises, we then just did 1-round of sprint relays. Then it was time to gather around. YAY it’s over – at least so I thought. He gave us our pep talk which is always positive and motivating. And then told us to prepare for 1 more drill. ONE MORE?! I thought we were done! Doesn’t the clock say 10 am? So he gathered us at the bottom of the hill and instructed 2 of his staff members to run up to the top of the hill to demonstrate the drill.

When they reached the top the gentleman took the lady’s hand and PROPOSED MARRIAGE! Ring and all. It was such a wonderful surprise and almost brought many of us to tears. The crowd of us at the bottom of the hill started moving up and witness the LOVE flowing between those two. It was a perfect way to end the session and start the Saturday…with LOVE!

Life is short, grab hold when and where you can. Tomorrow is not promised so make the most of every minute of every day you can so there are no regrets.

For those of you in the area who are interested in the Sanders Optimum Fitness boot camp experience, they are offerring 2 free sessions on October 1, 2012 in Owings Mills, MD. One session at 5:30 am and another at 6:30 pm. Click this LINK for details. It’s a great way to try it out to see if it is something you want to sign up for.