Boot Camp Alumni

Three days a week for two straight months, a group that started off as strangers got together for an hour with the goal of getting fit—boot camp style. They stretched, kicked, crunched, and cooked, and in the end what they reaped was far more than just stronger muscles and tighter bodies, they also gained lasting healthy habits and a feeling of community.

Each wanted a Recess boot camp for different reasons. Some were bored with the same old, same old gym scene, while others simply needed a “kick in the pants” to get their fitness back on track. But regardless of why they came, each finished with improved fitness and a better sense of self and team.

“Every single class was so fun, that I couldn’t wait until the next one,” says Jackie. Besides feeling like play, each session was something new, something challenging. One day might be a yoga class, while the next might include running sprints and doing pushups in the park.

Instructors rotated too, sharing their knowledge of Pilates, Budokon, yoga, old school calisthenics, and even nutrition.

“We took a cooking class that really helped shift my attitude about what constitutes healthy food,” says Nicole. “I found myself naturally eating more whole grains and cutting out the sugar.”

They all became so good a choosing healthy options in fact, that even certain so-called “energy bars” were banned from the extra credit healthy snack list.

The word boot camp might conjure up visions of giant rope climbs and screaming instructors, but this class is a gentler, more fun version of the military-based original.

“The Recess instructors are so great and encouraging, they really make you want to be here,” says Julie.

That, combined with the newfound friendship and support of one’s fellow boot campers can make the difference between simply joining a fitness class and actually sticking with it until the end. Like traditional boot camp, these folks did finish stronger and more confident in their skills. They might not describe themselves as hardcore, but they sure are more powerful.

Press Coverage & Sound Bites

• A Booty Kicking Workout!

  

  Author Ken DuBois talks to Tanya Barham about "boot camps," binge exercising, and how effective workouts sometimes defy expectations.
  Read more »

The stats:

Increased strength, flexibility, cardiovascular fitness, and a stronger sense of community.

FITNESS LEVEL

The average resting heart rate pre-program was 77 beats per minute; post-program was 68. Resting heart rate is generally lower in physically fit people.

The average systolic blood pressure pre-program was 123; post-program 117.

The average diastolic blood pressure pre-program was 78; post-program 73.

BODY COMPOSITION

Weight
The average participant weighed 160 pounds when program started and 152 when it ended.

Body fat %
The average participant lost 2% body fat.

Waist & hips
Average waist measurement was 33 inches pre-program; 31 inches post-program.

Average hip measurement was 41 inches pre-program; 40 inches post-program.

STRENGTH

Core
33% scored above average on a curl-up test pre-program; 70%, post-program.
Of the remaining 30% that were 'average' post-program, half doubled their core fitness score from pre-program.

Upper body
Average number of push ups to exhaustion was 17 pre-program; 30, post-program.

Lower body
Average number of seconds a participant could stand in a one legged squat to exhaustion pre-program was 33 seconds; post-program, 92.85 seconds.

PARTICIPATION, SATISFACTION, BEHAVIOR CHANGE

82% of participants said that the attendance policy, grab bags, and prizes kept them motivated to stick with the program.

82% of participants said that they found links provided in the Web portal to be "extremely useful."

60% of participants said that program was a "huge influence" in changing their behavior such that they now eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day, get at least 30-60 minutes of aerobic activity per day and perform strengthening exercises at least 3 times per week.

More than 70% of participants said that program made a difference in changing their behavior such that they now cook healthier meals, manage their stress better and stretch at least three times per week.

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