Marina found that good health was its own reward.
“By showing up every time, I made slow improvements, but they really added up.” – Marina Trammel
Marina Trammel
Marina is, at this point, a seasoned Recess veteran. She attended the Recess Beach Body Bootcamp (now called Recess Health Immersion) two summers in a row. The great things about Marina could fill a book, but one thing worth mentioning is that her story is like many others who participate in the program.
Traumatizing memories of high school gym class and a healthy aversion to anything that feels like competitive sports leaves a lot of people without interesting options to stay fit as adults (raise your hand if walking on treadmill sounds interesting). Recess' program provided a fun, supportive environment where her new friends and Recess staff alike celebrated her improvements with her. Her story highlights the kind of accepting and supportive environment we hope to provide for participants.
We thought we'd let her tell her own story, by reflecting on a recent experience she had at the 2008 program. She wrote:
Our recent workout, Mixed Martial Arts, was difficult for me. It got me thinking about when I first started boot camp last year, and how far I've come since then. When I started with Recess in April 2007, I was totally out of shape. I'd hardly been exercising at all for years, in fact. I felt everyone in the group was in better shape than me.
Every time we did one of those drills where everyone is running or skipping or crawling across the field, I was almost always the one who finished last. Actually it's always been that way. I'm kind of a clumsy dork, not a natural athlete, and my reaction to that has been to try to avoid sports, or running, or jumping, or crawling across fields...
For me, the struggle is always to overcome embarrassment. But I decided last year that even though I was behind everyone else, even though I felt totally out of my comfort zone, I was going to keep showing up every single time. Just come to class and do something, do whatever I could. Even if I looked ridiculous. Because even dorks have a right to be strong & healthy.
And it was the craziest thing, but gradually it got easier. By showing up every time, I made slow improvements, but they really added up. I went from 5 push-ups at the beginning to 20 at the end! Which isn't impressive in some circles but I was very proud of it.
Recess goes to great lengths to help participants feel comfortable, welcome and excited to come to every session. By varying classes and activities and being choosy about our teaching staff, we aim to create an atmosphere where everyone can improve.
The stats:
2 month intensive health immersion program
Results:
pounds lost: 5
fat pounds lost: 7
lean body mass pounds gained: 2 pounds
inches lost from waist: 1
inches lost from hips: 2
increased physical strength (went from 5 push-ups to 20),
improved cardiovascular fitness,
more confidence, determination and motivation to continue