Gimme' Some Michael with My Fitness Edge!

Tuesday morning provided a cool crisp morning to get our hustle on at the Adventure Bootcamp, but my body was slumping out. I knew it the moment I woke. I just didn't have that bounce in my step; I was dragging.

Yet, as sluggish as I was feeling, it never entered my mind to miss bootcamp. In fact, now more than any other day, I needed to workout the cobwebs in my tired body and sagging spirits.

And so it was. I hit the coffee pot and a few spoonfuls of thin cream of wheat, and I was on my way.

I pulled out my mat and did a little preliminary jogging/walking and realized that indeed I was carrying a ball and chain on each leg. My breathing was short and labored as well. I wondered why my energy level was so sapped. It frustrated me that it could decide to be so arbitrary from one day to another...like it had a mind of its own.

Well, the Universe must have been smiling down at me and knew what I needed, because I was going to get rewarded for my efforts.

Most of you who have tuned in to my blog know that music is a powerful motivator for me. And at the top of the list is Michael. Michael Jackson, that is! His music infuses me with a desire to dance, move, and get my game face on! :) It doesn't matter how bad I feel, Michael gets my juices goin'.

So when Brian opened up the camp with a Michael Jackson song, I was ready to orbit! I was thrilled and getting pumped! I said, "Alright!.....gimme' a litttle Michael"!

"Star" was stretching with me and laughed. She told me about an event she had attended at a restaurant or private party last week, and they played a Michael Jackson tune. She said someone got up and started to dance. This in turn inspired a waiter to hand them a white glove! We know the rest of the story! :)

WoW! I should wear a white glove and pass a few out to all the campers who like to get down with Michael! That would be too, too fun! Training with one white glove! (hee-hee!) :)

(sequined, of course!)

So Brian really made me the happiest camper there with his selected playlist today whether he knew it or not. It was a "Michael Day" including some great Prince tunes added for a kick. It was exactly what I needed considering Brian upped the ante with a hard core cardio blitz! It was phenomenal. So phenomenal that I thought I was "Dead Man Walking" on death row! All that juicy, tasty music? I thought it was gonna be my final meal! :) lol!

Brian's program comprised of intense circuits of interval training that required us to use speed, power, endurance and strength. We used agility ladders, rubber tubing and a mix of power lunges, power and pulsating squats, shoulder work, and my all time favorite, tricep dips. I can always guarantee that Brian will go after those triceps with a vengeance! Lol! I think he loves to hear us moan and groan, because we were doing a lot of that! :) Yup, he even had me talkin' to myself again! (lol)

This was the kind of workout that didn't leave much time for additional rest. We needed to hustle to the next station between sets. There were about 6-8 stations, and we went from one to another without any further explanation or demonstration. Its the kind of workout that can really shake "yo" body up if you've gotten complacent with your routine.

I must say, it was amazing how I worked to full capacity just using my own body weight integrated with cardio sprints. Brian had me pushing my fitness level to the edge. Oh, how I appreciated this! I know my body was very, very confused with all this mixed up acitivity. I was working.....working hard. and though the air was still quite chilly, beads of sweat profusely collected around my forehead and all up under my clothes. My heart rate was up!

All I can say is, thank goodness for Michael! And thank goodness that Brian chose the music that inspired me to keep going. Even though I was struggling, this music that permeated in my heart was telling me to "giddy up" and I was working as hard as I could. My legs may have felt like rubber, but my inner desire was flaming.

Ys, as difficult as it was for me to access my power and endurance, some of the other campers were going strong in their stride, and seemed to be up to the task. Some were maximizing their abilities, yet others looked like they were hardly breathing hard.

Did it make me feel bad that I seemed to be lagging behind most of the team? Of course not! It made me realize that I was in the exact place I needed to be, and working out with a varied mix of fitness levels that inspired me to keep going! It made me realize why this Adventure training camp is called the Fitness Edge. The programs are truly designed to give you an "edge" in your athletics or fitness, depending on how sophisticated your goals may be. In this case, the campers who had been training with Brian for awhile certainly had an edge over me! LoL! ;)

So when I looked around and saw this, I knew it was only a matter of time before I would be able to implement the same "fitness edge" for myself. Whoo-hoo! Yepir! Brian got that name right!! :)

So how did this pink tiger end her workout for the day? Not slumping back to the car complaining how tired and weak she was. I decided to get tough with myself and kick it up a notch. I decided I was going to go for a nice easy jog and practice for my 1 minute mile. I knew I needed further conditioning, and not another day later.

Of course I got a little nudge along the way from the "Little Rocket" when I had told her I was struggling through today's cardio program. She came over to say goodbye and smiled, and only said one thing: " Are you going to practice your running today?"

Uh.....yeah! Even though I felt like "dead man walking" and Michael was my last meal on death row, (hee-hee!) I wasn't going to stop now. I was going to walk away today victorious within myself, and I was going to go the extra mile to get what I wanted. Michael had my heart primed for the challenge. I just needed to make use of all that great motivation and squeeze a little more juice out of this fruit! :)

And that's exactly what the pink tiger did. Between some great music and a little encouragement from a comrade, I was able to empower myself, keep my eye on the ball, and take it a little closer to my fitness edge. I was........

.......Off and runnin'.......

this is the pinK tiger.....see you at the "edge"!

p.s. "giddy on-up"! ;)

"Breakfast of Champions!"

Well friends and readers, I really got the chance to test my desire, determination, focus and grit today. I was dead tired this Friday morning, and even as I continued to push the snooze button a couple of times, I kicked myself out of bed.

I sat at the edge of the bed and said "I am so tired. Can't I just take off one little day?" (Yeah, Brian will get you talkin' to yourself sooner or later!") Hee-hee! (lol)

I was contemplating the effort it was going to take to get my bootie in gear. I sat there for about 5 minutes. I was really wrestling with myself. Then I decided to just make one move. Get up!

First thing I did, was drag myself to the coffee pot. That's always a good start. From there, I just put one foot in front of the other and kept going. I was navigating on about 2 hrs of sleep and this was hard. Well, "suck it up"! Now you get the chance to prove yourself. :)

How did I push myself through this mental obstacle and physical fatigue? The first thing that came to my mind was the music. I was going to miss the music which always gets my spirits soaring! I didn't want to miss it, and I even wondered what Brian would bring in his playset. Even if I couldn't go full throttle today, I still would come away knowing I had disciplined myself and did the "right thing". We know what the right thing is, don't we?

I also imagined how I'd feel if I crawled back under the covers and turned off the light. By 7:00 am I would have felt guilty and lethargic and would have forced myself to wear a big red "S" on my chest for "Slacker"! If I had to take a nap, take it after Bootcamp, not before!

I also would have wondered, "Why did I give up my "breakfast" this morning? The most important and powerful nourishment of my day!

With that, I dug deep inside and threw together my provisions, grabbed a piece of toast and scurried out the door. It was 5:02 am and I was already running a few minutes late. Well, the Universe was testing me today! I had another chance to make excuses for myself and cower back to bed with my tail between my legs!

As I pulled my car onto the street, something didn't feel right. And there it was....my tire was nearly flat! I must have run over a nail the evening before. I could not drive in its present condition.

At this point, I'm thinking I don't want to walk into that camp 20 minutes late! Its like wearing a neon sign in orange letters, "SLACKER" ! What tiger wants to draw that kind of attention to themselves, especially a pink tiger?

This was another moment of truth and I was confronted with another choice, another chance to practice the person I wanted to become. I focused deeply into my heart and asked myself, " Is this the person you want to be? Someone who quits or bails out because it gets a little difficult or embarrassing? Or do I want to be a person who commands a strength of character and will do what it takes to succeed?" Then I thought about those emails Brian sends us, one egging me on this morning called perseverence.

Well, hey...this was about me. This was my bootcamp and I could treat it as a fluff or I could take it as serious business! What did I want to accomplish for myself? Would anyone remember the next hour or the next day that I came in late to bootcamp? Would I remember how I let myself down? This was my practice ground for getting mentally tough and clean with my thinking and mindset. I wasn't going to throw away this opportunity no matter how embarrassed I might be.

By succumbing to a lazy mindset, I would be demonstrating to myself that these obstacles had more power to run my life than I did.

No thankyou! Gonna take my power back and if I can only work the bootcamp for 1/2 hr., "Half a loaf is better than none". I will also be able to start the day with pride. So after using a little air and "fix a flat", I was on my way, racing at high speed!

The camp was in the midst of their circuits, and this was leg day! I tried to enter the camp discreetly through the back. Just as I carried my essentials to a spot, a Michael Jackson tune welcomed me. Oh sweet! Now how could the timing be any better than that unless Brian is a mindreader? (lol) Maybe next time he might play for me "Off the Wall"! ;)

I forgot about my embarrassment and let the music pump me with energy!

The camp was beginning a new circuit requiring a partner, and I might have thought, "Oh God...I'm the odd man out and have no partner because I wasn't on time", but today I got to call myself "Lucky".

Brian with his sharp eagle eyes noticed immediately that I had entered camp and had no partner, and came over to assist me. This is the royal treatment! How much better can it get than that?? The BiG DoG himself....the owner and Leader.....was not going to let one soul go without the support and tools necessary for a first rate quality workout, and that included moi! : ) (lol)

Brian trotted over to me and got me started, greeted me with a smile, and never once embarrassed me for being late. That is something I can really appreciate, especially when I expected the worst.

Of course a couple of my good buddies joked with me and laughed! Lil' Rocket looked at me and said "Slacker, where you been?" Hee-hee! I should have known! :)

Hey, the pink tiger may have missed 20 minutes of Bootcamp but I still got a great workout for my legs, and my "Breakfast of Champions."

Breakfast? Does Adventure Bootcamp serve up breakfast every morning? You got it! Every morning I go to Bootcamp I get "breakfast" for my body, mind, and spirit. I start my day with a positive foundation that will propel my day with a focused mindset, positive mood, and an energized body. I leave with a cheerful gaiety in my heart. And I have a little more faith in my own power to make things happen for myself.

I am now nourished...inside and out...to begin my day as my own Champion. Breakfast of Champions? That's gotta be the Adventure Bootcamp at the Fitness Edge!

Game On!! :)

this tiger "ain't" no fool! : )

the pinK tiger

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You Can Have Your Cake & Eat It Too

Another day at bootcamp, but for this Thursday we were spared the elements. It was still very humid and muggy but it seemed to cool off slightly. I limped over to "Star" (yeah, my thighs were still cryin' from yesterday!) and mentioned the air was still a little thick today. She replied, "You got that right! But hopefully it will be better than yesterday." She experienced the humidity and heat within the enclosed space a little oppressive and predicted it might have been more difficult to tolerate than the rain might have been. Well, whether its the rain or the humidity, we got the grit, we got the grit! :)

Rain was not going to beckon on us this morning. But it didn't matter. My legs and buns were reminding me what an awesome workout we had yesterday, and I had to admit, " I sucked it up" big time. :) I was sore, sore, SORE! The lactic acid had made its home in my muscles and the weather had provoked the arthritis in my lower spine. I felt stiff and needed to limber up. Thank goodness that Brian always gives our bodies sufficient time to warm-up before hitting the heavy stuff. He always designs the program in a progressive fashion so we perform the meatiest and intense circuits in the last half of our workout.

I was also thankful that today would entail some cardio, shoulders, biceps and back, with a little agility training thrown in to fatten the mix. My legs would have a chance to recover.

We did all kinds of fun things today, and though the air made breathing uncomfortable for me, my muscles began to limber up. We did some interval running in groups which I always like, because it forces me to acclimate my physical conditioning to include sprinting and explosive work. I once read that we have both fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscles, and its important to train both types. I believe the power and explosive work is part of the formula that keeps our bodies young. So as much as it hurts and I think I'm going down for the count, I am so, so grateful for these circuits because I would never do them on my own.

Brian blew the whistle and we were off running back and forth to the designated lines. The Little Rocket launched from her pad first. I have to give her kudos, because she is a great teammate. She always cheers her team on, and if she notices someone in the next team struggling to keep up ( such as me!) she will throw a word of encouragement my way, and a high-five too! I have seen her reach out to others and praise them for their efforts. At the end of that circuit, Lil' Rocket smiled and said, "Good Job! Now you're running with the BiG DoGs!"

Well bless her heart. I have a quite a journey to follow before I get to run with the BiG DoGs! :) If anyone at Adventure Bootcamp is ever awarded Best Team Player, I hope it goes to the Lil' Rocket. :)

We went back to the base camp, and Brian directed us in our upper body workout. I am steadily improving, friends! I got to increase the weight for my back, shoulders, and mixed the weight for my biceps. I am seeing qualified improvements in my strength and stamina, and it is just so exciting to experience myself breaking through my threshold! I have not been able to accomplish this with other trainers or myself for the last 3 years.

Of course we never have a camp that doesn't include mad fun and a "little hot sauce" to crank it up! As I've mentioned before, Brian uses music as a great motivator to help us push ourselves and to create great camp camaraderie! So the song of the day was by "Twisted Sister". Yeah, the gang was chanting, "We're not gonna take it anymore! We ain't gonna take it!"

Brian always knows how to milk the fun out of each session, so he would cut the music and we would sing those lyrics! If I didn't know better, I would think this "ain't" know workout! This is another party at the Adventure Bootcamp, led by that Brian Schiff!! (lol) ;)

(I have to admit, I'm having a little fun playing with Brian on this blog!)

Yeah, it was a grand workout party! I looked around and a few of the campers with rhythm couldn't help themselves; they were shakin' their booties, while others continued to sing as the music changed artists.

Well, I think I'm gonna have to nickname our leader "Dr. Feelgood" because he sure knows how to make my body feel great in and out of that bootcamp, and he sends my energy and happy spirit to orbit! (lol) :)

Hee-hee! At end of bootcamp, I was so energized I decided to practice my jogging a little, 'cause I'm determined to improve my mile. As I took off on my jog, "Amazing Grace" and "Shaker Girl" asked me what was up, and then cheered me on! :) Thank you for your thumbs up and support, camp friends! :) Your encouragement really does make a difference, and I need all I can get! You are a reminder of where I want to be.

This fat cat is gearing up to get lean and mean. And what better place than at Adventure Bootcamp where I can work as hard as hard can be, but have the time of my life doing it? Its called: " You can have your cake and eat it too!"

And ohh baby, you know I love that cake! ;)

I'll catch up with ya next time!

the pinK tiger

Bring on the True Grit, BraveHearts

It was another hot and sticky morning at the Adventure campsite, and the clouds were dark and ominous. While I was unrolling my mat and setting up, I heard a few of the campers whisper, "Sprinkles! It feels like rain sprinkles! It's gonna rain!" There seemed to be a little apprehension in the air.

Me? I was thinking, "Oh Boy! Bring it on! Now we're getting real bootcamp weather! The kind of weather that will encourage the elements to test and challenge our true grit!" Yep! Like in the movies or the military! Yahoo! We might have a chance to really squeeze our bootcamp mettle if those clouds break! :)

The notion came rushing to my mind when I remembered a TV newscaster who came out to feature our camp in June 2008. The newsman who came to the scene was downright blown away and flabbergasted when he saw a whole troop of women battle it out in the pouring rain without blinking an eye. They were like soldiers out there, baby! :) Many of our morning warriors with us today participated in that clip. And one of them was a REAL soldier that went to war a decade earlier! Talk about authenticity! She even got to talk on TV and giver her perspective. I call her the "Shaker Girl" because she always shakes things up around the camp and is mad cool fun! She's kinda like our mascot! : )

The rain was an accident that day, and at first the filming was going to be canceled for another time. But the show went on, and it was the best thing that could have ever happened, because it showed off the "BraveHearts" in each and every camper that day! If you have never seen this feature, send an email to Brian requesting it, and perhaps he can send you a link.

Yeah, this is the stuff that makes life romantic and imaginative, and creates memorable experiences. This would be a fun, cool experience! It might even wake that lost child within us.....that curious little being in us who was always excited to try new things, unconventional things.

I remember when my brother, sister, and I begged our parents to let us run and play in the rain, so we could splash in the puddles and catch raindrops on our tongues.

Ahh, well, sometimes life can steal away that spontaneous sense of wonder. I hope I never lose the spirit to work and play "outside the box", and I hope I can push off "the aging mindset" for as long as I can. : )

Happily, I wasn't the only one who wanted to test my mettle. My buddies "Star" and "Special K" were up for the task as well, as you will see.

As we were contemplating the weather, Brian approached the base camp with his trusty whistle and megaphone, and got us moving with a warm up. This was what I would call my "essential" day. We were going to work our legs and glutes. I don't know about you, but my bootie can get all the help it can get! (lol) Hee-hee! ;)

I always love the leg routines Brian designs for us because they work!! As much as they make my thighs scream "bloody murder", I've already noticed my legs and glutes getting a little stronger, and a little more toned. In fact, I was able to fit in a pair of jeans that was too tight 5 weeks ago! : ) How's that for progress! Can't wait to get my sexy glam on! :)

When we progressed to our 1st or 2nd circuit, the rain decided to invite itself to our party. Brian being the consummate and intuitive gentleman that he is, noticed that the rain might disturb a majority of the campers and suggested we take it inside. We began to carry our weights into the fitness studio when "Star" exclaimed she wanted to continue the workout outside. At that point "Special K" mumbled the battle cry under her breath: "Just suck it up!" We all laughed! That was too great! (lol) :)

Well dang..... she was right! I wanted to "suck it up" too!

Well dang.....I sucked it up anyway! (lol) hee-hee! :)

It may not have had the glamour of the rain, but Brian had it going on inside, and it was a killer! I could hear all the whining and whimpers around me, including my own! Brian led us through a variety of tough-love cocktails comprising of lunges, squats, leg lifts, and other juicy selections. My favorite was squatting against the wall and holding it for 40 seconds. I was begging for Brian to put the whistle in his mouth and just...."Blow"!! Please.....blow... the... whistle...

Now!!! :( (lol)

I pressed hard and focused. This was an exercise in getting my grit on! My legs were shaking and trembling. He got me to muscle failure. Oww that hurt!

Ok! I like this! There's plenty of opportunity to "suck it up" right here in the fitness studio. This had to be one of the most challenging classes yet, and the circuits were explosive. My thighs were never gonna forgive Brian Schiff! In fact, he got them talking to each other. (lol)

Of course the music was on par as always. It wasn't long before the camp broke into a chorus and sang "Whip It" while we were torturing ourselves with these spicy tough-love concoctions. I knew he hit another home run with a fabulous program today when I looked around and saw that most of us were cryin' the blues, yet laughing and singing with exuberance.

When camp came to an end, I hobbled to the car with my weights, and noticed the rain had stopped. No more sprinkles? Still, I hope that one day my fellow warriors will check out the fun of doing bootcamps in the rain. It might even allow a little of the "kidjoy" to surface.

What do you say mighty morning warriors? Can we give it a shot for the sake of True Grit and BraveHeart? If the Bootcamp of 6/2008 can prove they are soldiers of fitness, maybe its time for us to strut our stuff too, baby! ; )

Comin' from the cat's meow.......

pinK tiger

Let the Pot Simmer!

Hello friends, readers, and fitness warriors!

Before I start my next blog there is something on my mind I want to share. I would just like to say that our Adventure Bootcamp Morning Warriors have got to have the most phenomenal energy and camaraderie of any camp I've ever been with! Its the best! It is always F-U-N, no matter rain or shine.

(And we did get some rain today!)

I might add that there is also a wonderful chemistry between our campers and our "much loved" Brian (*smile*)....our Life Coach, Teacher, Trainer, and Leader. Yeah, he's our man! : ) As hard as he directs us to work, he has a cool and charming sense of humor that always has us laughing at the moment of truth! It sure helps with the pain! (lol)

Plus, I always get a charge when I watch him demonstrate those burpees and jump squats! He is so light and agile, I think he must have been a butterfly in his former life. : )

But the most important part of all? Brian genuinely cares about each of us amping our game and winning our challenges; being the best that we can be. We get individual attention and golden nuggets of expertise constantly thrown our way if we are paying attention. All we gotta do is pick up those nuggets off the ground and use them! : )

Our bootcamp is like a big ole' pot of simmering soup and all the ingredients contribute to its rich broth. We have the substantial meat and potatoes, the exquisite seasoning, the luscious spices, and even a few tasty hambones thrown in for good flavor! : )

That is why the energy is so infectious. We each have something to give another, no matter where we are on the fitness ladder. I see this magnetic energy catching like wildfire within our group all the time. We inspire each other! One reason is because we really have a great Leader. He sets the tone.

I have applauded the BiG DoGs, and I have recognized our new members who are our prized champions. I also want to celebrate our man in charge, Brian, because without him we would not be here.

Can you get that?? I do. :(

Then we would not be having such a ball blasting off all this pork to reveal our sexy and buff shapes! ;)

Thank you, Brian, for creating an emotionally safe and trusting environment that allows all of us to feel accepted.....inhibitions and flaws included. And thank you for creating a physical space that lets us feel comfortable, even in the thick of battle! I can even let my "jiggly" shake, rock and roll, without feeling embarrassed! (lol) That is trust. : )

I hope all the campers will appreciate what Brian gives us, and let him know how significant he is in our individual quests, and the role he plays in our success as a team. When I see him at camp again, I'm gonna say "Thank you, Brian, for the part you play in my transformation".

I hope all of you will join the pinK tiger and do it too! : )

And on a 2nd note, the pinK tiger hopes each of us will reach out to just one camper tomorrow, detect what they may need to crank it up; and serve them up a little inspiration and acknowledgement. "The Little Rocket" still gets my blue ribbon! You gotta give it away in order to keep it!

And that's the way it is! ; )

yours truly,

the pinK tiger

Got Treats?

Tuesday was another great workout day. We did a lot of ab and cardio work. The air was thick and very humid, and I was perspiring like an oink-oink! My lungs felt like they were stuffed with cotton but it wasn't going to stop me.

Even so, I settled into my workout a little better today than yesterday. Although my triceps and legs have been my weakest points, they are coming! : ) I even noticed that when Brian directs us to do the power squats or other jumping exercises, I got a little bounce in my power for the 1st time ever! I was even able to withstand the blowout burn in my thighs and keep going.

What have I learned? If you work the program, the program will work for you! Like anything else, if we want to be good at something, we need to practice that specific activity. I find this even more to be the case since I am no longer a young chick in my supple prime. So, I can tell all the younger readers, I have had the distinct advantage of being your age, and now my age........ work it all! For me, things like bunny hops are very difficult to do, because I haven't done them for decades. You really do lose what you don't use! The mind/body connect for such activities in my brain must have has lost a wire, and I am having to create a new pathway with my brain neurons. To maintain that fountain of youth, we need to use everything we did as a kid: jump, bend, kick, stretch, hop, because you might wake up one morning and find that your body doesn't want to follow your mental commands! The kid in you can fall asleep if you don't watch it! : )

I didn't know this until Adventure Bootcamp. I had never tried it out! Now, I have finally accepted that my progress may be slower than for others in bootcamp because I'm older and have some physical conditions/disorders that sometimes get in the way. I need to be realistic about how fast I can achieve results, and how fast I can bounce back from my workouts. I have to accept I can't compare myself to someone 20 years younger than myself.

But the Adventure Bootcamp keeps me steady and consistent and for this ole' dog, that's what I need to succeed! I can't control the exact outcome or time the results when I want them to appear. But I can do the "footwork" and eventually I will be rewarded for all of my hardwork. Each of our bodies has its own timetable. Do you know yours?

With all the excellent exercises that Brian put together on this day, I was feeling great. When our time had come close to ending, Brian pulled out his little goodie bag and said, "I've got a treat for you!"

Wow! A treat? You mean......you got chocolate??!! Where's the chocolate? Oh heaven, here I come! We all looked up with anticipation, and then our sweet Golden Boy :) said, "Planks"! Straight planks, side planks.......maybe upside down planks next time? (hee-hee!)

Planks!! Huh? Did I hear right? Isn't a treat a sumptuous cupcake, a cookie, or something tasty like that? Uh, NOT! Brian decided to treat our abs to a climatic ending! And believe me, we had already done a fine, thorough workout. I wanted to go home and take a little nap!

Well, from the standpoint of an athlete, a fitness extraordinaire, or fitness buff, it was indeed a treat! A treat for our muscles......not the appetite! (lol) God bless Brian. You just gotta love him! : ) lol!

The chorus of groans was too funny! And I think our camp leader secretly gets a charge out of hearing us fuss, because he knows he's really hit us with another challenge, and ended the day with a finale! He has a quite a few such goodies in his goodie bag of surprises, and our bodies love him for it!

Till next time.........work it all out.....including the treats from Brian's goodie bag! ; )

pinK tiger

Struggling to get my Groove On

This was Monday morning. And it was a cloudy, dismal morning at that. I was tired and didn't have the energy I usually do. I had done about an hour and a half of cardio on Saturday, and had not gotten much sleep. I was feeling it, too. Brian had mentioned on Friday about our 2 day weekend we be taking off, and I thought, "No rest for the wicked". Two days off would make it tough on me on Monday. My body loses its momentum so quickly now that I'm older. Nothing comes easy anymore.

So as I participated in our circuit training, I was feeling like rubber. I was struggling to keep my groove on. Yet, we still got an excellent workout. We did several circuits of shoulders, triceps, biceps and intermittent cardio. I had to laugh because Brian always incorporates his famous triceps, and I must say he has quite a variety in his repertoire! (lol) : ) We did them with the resistant bands and they were killers! Moans and groans emanated from the camp!

I think a few of us struggled to maintain form, because, dang.....they were tough! But Brian was very attentive in making certain we would all get a quality workout. He watched closely and checked us on form, coached us to breathe properly as we handled the weight, and encouraged us to keep going! "Kick it up", I would hear Brian call out! That always works for me! : ) We all had the benefit of a one to one or small group personal training class, in addition to the camaraderie and support from our fellow campers. I love it! And of course the campsite is infused with great music!. Today was hip-hop, and even included one of my favs, Michael Jackson.

He also included a shoulder press. Oh my! I felt like a wet noodle. My body was not responding as I wanted.

Tomorrow is coming upon us fast. I'm going to get some first rate rest and see how I do in the morning. Its all part of the process.

Looking forward to catching up with you next time. : )

pinK tiger

Gonna Run With The BiG DoGs...someday...!

Friday was an amazing day! So amazing it energized me for most of the weekend. It was the last day of our 1st week and that meant we were going to be assessed for fitness with a baseline of 2 measures. First, we would be timed on a 1 minute mile...walk or run our choice....and we would also mark how many push-ups we could perform in 1 minute.

This is always a very important morning to me with every bootcamp, because it is a wonderful opportunity for me to determine where I am today, so I will know where I am going tomorrow. No fudgin' the truth here! With this kind of documentation, I will know how to structure specific goals for progressive success.

However, it does produce a certain amount of jitters for me and I got pretty keyed up. I've always been anxious about doing the mile, because I want to challenge myself as hard as I can without setting myself up for failure. Yeah, I want to run with the BiG DoGs, but if I were to be totally honest with myself, I need to condition myself for running, and doing a walk/jog is more appropriate. Its called patience.

As I arrived to camp that morning, I was pacing like an animal in a cage, and heaving big sighs. In fact one of the campers noticed my exceptionally outgoing demeanor and commented how "energized" I seemed. Yeah, that was all nervous energy, because in my mind, I was running in an Olympic track meet and I wanted to prove myself! I especially hoped that I would show an improvement from last month's bootcamp. I wanted to be proud of myself. But I also wanted to make my coach/trainer/bootcamp leader proud, because he puts an immense amount of time and energy designing our workouts and sharing his wisdom with us. It would be great if we both could share a piece of the pie. : )

My respiratory system can be compromised at times. It causes my breathing to get very labored and I feel like I can't get any air. It has freaked me out a few times. Sometimes I will hyperventilate. Then if I start associating the hyper breathing and its discomfort with the running, it can create a mental block. My mind was wandering in that direction. But Friday was different.

I have always said that the Adventure Bootcamp at the Fitness Edge is one of the best places for women to train because of the support we give each other, and today proved I was right. We started with are usual warm-up and I did a slow jog. I was thinking about my heaving when out of the blue came one of the morning warriors and she started to jog along with me. I was surprised because she is a runner so she is one of the BiG DoGs. Yeah, anyone that can run without walking must be in their stride, and have a level of fitness I am working to achieve for myself. I haven't personally jogged with any runners before. They usually run in packs with themselves, and that seems very understandable and reasonable.

I'm going to call this comrade "the Little Rocket", because she often is the first one out of the gate on sprints and most exercises, even before Brian blows his famous whistle! :) She says every little extra lunge and power squat will burn that many more calories so she's goin' for it!

But today, she gaited herself to my pace and she calmed my fears of the breathing and the full mile assessment that would be coming soon. When I told her about my fears and concerns she asked me, "Do you practice running very often?" I replied, "Not very much....I usually go on the elliptical trainer".

The Lil' Rocket just laughed in good humor and said,"Well, we all feel the way you do when we start"! And then she said something I know and have heard before, but really stuck in my mind this time; To paraphrase, she said "Your perception can become your reality if you let negative thinking get in your way. If you think you can't, then you won't. Be aware of what you tell yourself".

The Lil' Rocket had such a calming effect on me that I jogged around the parking lot 1 and a half times more than ever before while we talked, and she stayed with me the whole time. My breathing was under control. Wow! Look what a little unexpected support from a veteran comrade can do! It was uplifting that she took the time to assuage my anxiety. A BiG DoG came to talk me up! :)

When I started my 1 mile run, my breathing began to get labored at about 1-2 minutes. I thought about the Lil' Rocket and her smiling face, her calming influence, the encouragement she gave me, and I deliberately tried to slow my breathing, my thoughts, my pace. I thought about the message she had conveyed to me: "Believe in yourself! You can DO it"!

It was then that I realized that the Little Rocket had just handed me a new tool to put in my toolbox. I needed to think "calm"; I needed to slow my breathing; and I needed to talk to myself the way she talked to me. I focused on the calm aura she provided me, and then......I provided it for myself.

My comrade warrior had been a great role model for me, and though I didn't break any records, I was very pleased with my effort. I didn't run with the BiG DoGs this time; I chose the walk/jog pack, but that was exactly where I belonged. I operated somewhere in the middle of this group and I worked at full capacity.

I was so elated after my successful mile ( I did improve a little since last time :) and the hopefulness Lil' Rocket gave me, that I decided that I wanted to begin jogging as one of my cross training endeavors. I wanted to get good enough with it so that I could actually enjoy it. So while there was still a little time before our circuit training, I chose to start practicing NOW!

I thought about proper form and technique and immediately started watching the runners for clues. I was hungry! I remember Brian had said, "Your legs will follow your arms, so power your arms".

Then one of the BiG DoGs glided by me like she was floating on a cloud. Her jog was purely effortless. There was such a grace in her stride. I've never talked much with her, but I got to give her her props! I'm gonna call her "Amazing Grace" because it was amazing how graceful she moved. I noticed she rocked from the balls of her feet to her toes. Perhaps I will try her method! Then maybe they will call me "the Swan Runner"! (lol) :)

So my 1st Friday of the Adventure Bootcamp was an incredible experience, and I felt like a Rock Star! And here I had fretted and privately dreaded the mile run..... probably because I felt my physical weakness and inabilities would be publicly exposed......and its been always uncomfortable to feel vulnerable. And I was afraid I would trigger a respiratory attack. Our minds have so much positive or negative power depending on how we use them.

I hope anyone who has felt like me about the Assessment will give themselves a chance to experience how empowering it can be! I have talked to a couple of women in prior camps that would rather avoid this day, but s-t-r-e-t-c-h yourself out of your existing mentality.

It is good! It is for you, for me, and an instrument that will only fine tune your program and goals to achieve that sexy, glam figure! :)

Thank you Little Rocket......for taking the time to make a difference in my journey towards fitness. : ) And for all the campers who feel like they are starting at Ground Zero.....just remember you are all Action Heroes and you are amazing! It is the toughest place to be, and I am still there myself, one step removed. My kudos to all those who have the resilience and hunger to keep comin' back! We ROCK! :)

You can tell them.........you saw the pinK tiger at the finishline! And it was marvelous, darling! :)

pinK tiger

Name That Tune!!

Today is already Thursday of our 1st week at Adventure Bootcamp. As you know, I didn't make my workout on Wed. and now I'm gonna have to face the music! :)

Ha! And music I did! I may have been bummed by missing yesterday, but music was in the air when I arrived today. It was Brian's own choice playlist. Yeah, we had to rock today! We had it goin' on! (lol) We got to hear the likes of Heart, Madonna, Michael Jackson, and the Boss. You gotta feel pumped and ready to do battle when music by such legends is accompanying you. And I did!

I was a little apprehensive starting out today, because whenever I take time off from working out, my body wants to drift back to its ole' lethargic and snoozy comfy zone. But I was buoyed by my friend "Star" as we warmed up together around the big circle parking lot. She was laughing and smiling and yet was saying she was still aching and feeling sore from Brian's squats and thrusts on Monday. Heh heh, Brian is something else! I think his trademark will be his tricep workouts and the power, pulsating squats and lunges. Those are the days that you "hurt so good"! I know that's what I will always remember him for, and will chuckle years later about it. ; )

Today, I was feeling a little sore right along with "Star", but my immediate challenge was the difficulty I was having breathing while I ran. It felt tight in my chest, and I was huffing and puffing. I attribute that to my cardio conditioning that can elude me quickly even if I miss a day. If I miss 3 days, I'm on the edge of trouble!

We walked and ran for 3-5 minutes and then Brian had us begin with some chest presses and flyes. And then it was......mad Party Time!!!

He turned up the music and called out, "Name That Tune"! (lol) :) We were rock stars, baby, because we knew those tunes and were rockin' right along with them! One of our vets cried, "raise the roof"! It was smokin!

Then Brian gave us one of his favorite circuits and you guessed it! Tricep dips, power squats and sprint running! Oh, we were moanin' and a groanin' on those tricep dips. What a great way to toughen up those chicken wings, eh? I admit, I need some serious help with that. Many of us were dying, and I was at the top of the list! This was work and Brian loved to hear all the audible sounds we were releasing due to his tough workout. At this point, a segment of a Madonna song played "on...and on....and on....." during those tricep dips. Killer. Those dips seemed to go on forever, and Brian sang the words to remind us he had the whistle! Oh, I wanted to grab that whistle from him! (lol)

We got back to our main base and did some other upper body circuits. He played "Beat It' from Michael Jackson and that always revs me up. Music can really have an effect on my workouts, and its one reason I love the Adventure Bootcamp because it opens me up for anything.

The last song was the one and only "Boss" crooning "Hurt so Good"! How appropriate! That's what this camp is all about. We are lovin' that pain!

Now listen up! Tomorrow is the Waterloo Day. I say that because it is probably one of the most strenuous days for me to handle. We will get tested on pushups and a 1 mile run. It will establish a base for us going forwards. Then we will take these numbers and compare them on the last day of camp the 4th week. That is how we will have authentic documentation on how much we improved.

This is gonna be juicy folks. We will be competing with others and our own personal best. Its tough to run with the pack, because I struggle to keep up. I just don't have the juice quite yet. My respiratory system needs some help! That's why, I hope as I hit the finish line, I'll be hearing the Boss sing "Hurt so Good"! Please remind me how good this feels, comrades!

Enough for today. Tomorrow is a big day. I am going to get some sleep, and tomorrow I will see you at the finishline! :)

This is the pinK tiger signing off. :)

pinK tiger

One for the Blue Jar

Time is flying. I want to make each moment count. When I missed Wednesday's workout, I was very disappointed and frustrated. I got sick as a dog on a piece of fish the evening before, and was up all night feeling like crap. I didn't even have to hit the snooze button. But I got to tell ya, a pervasive guilt washed over me all of Wednesday. I had nothing to feel demoralized about because the illness was legitimate. But I did anyway.

Why do I even mention it? Because I didn't just roll over and say, "Yippee, I have a good excuse to sleep in this morning!" (lol)I was totally bummed. And maybe that's a good thing! Sometimes a little guilt can be a signal that I am changing. I always know I'm evolving in a healthy groove when I askew the process and feel my conscience talking to me, or my body begins to notice the absence of my daily workout.

I'm not yet at that point where I can detect those physical nuances like years ago. Back then, I was so in touch with my body it let me know when I missed my daily workout even by one day. But the good news is that obviously my psyche perceived something was amiss. It told me that I am evolving mentally from my stagnant and convention-ridden state, and my brain is processing a new habit in the mix. This is becoming my new norm, a lifestyle that includes daily exercise and activity. And it was also crying "Foul" when I missed my workout! (lol)

Yes, I like the idea that my psyche is recognizing my fitness groove as it new comfort zone. The issue that frustrates me and probably all of us at times, is managing the guilt and other negative feelings that can thrust me in a danger zone. I sometimes don't do that well. And I didn't do it well on Wed.

Remember that yellow jar I dropped a penny in for winning over my temptation of ice cream the other day? Not so lucky Wed. This time I had to drop a penny in the blue jar. Uh-huh......the ice cream demons paid me a visit. I succumbed to a generous dip of mint chocolate chip ice cream. And I must admit it tasted delectable sliding down my parched throat; for every bit of 5 minutes! A 5 minute joyride that will take me about 25 minutes of blood and sweat on the elliptical trainer! Arrrrh! (lol)

This is difficult for me to acknowledge, but acknowledging it is part of accountability and that will keep me on the straight and narrow. It will also force me to move beyond my comfort zone. How much more comfortable would it be to keep it a secret!

Its exceptionally tough to admit I let myself down. How could I do that? Brian had even alerted us to the dangers of an overzealous appetite and undoing all the hard work in camp. His email after the Nutrition Seminar was right on.

This decision to self-sabotage could seduce me to ramp up my cycle of guilt even further if I don't watch it. I've seen it before. Interesting how one good step can lead to another, and one negative impulse can lead to a domino effect if you let it.

I decided, "Enough already"! I'm gonna have to cut those ice cream demons at the crossroads, and get back to camp early Thursday morning with more determination than ever. I also promise myself to keep a juicy piece of fruit available for those times when I need to indulge in something sweet and luscious. I need to get back to practicing all my good habits, and the bad habits will happen less often.

I always try to give myself something positive to ponder when I fail myself or make a mistake. What have I learned from this little experience? I need to get real with myself and learn how to handle my frustrations and impulses without medicating with food. I also need to be aware that I may inadvertently use food to reward myself if I've worked out hard and feel elated. Yes, happy happy feelings can create desires for luscious little sweets, too! (l0l) For me, any feeling too far in any direction can get my cravings triggered.

The moral of my story: Stop fretting over my mistakes and failures and get back on track, pronto, with my program of transformation. It may take practice, but the pinK tiger is not going to continue to let that vicious cycle of guilt or an emotional snag take control and swallow me up like a pit of quick sand. Not gonna give it that kind of power.

And I can feel great that my mindset is adopting a new healthy comfort zone with my workout routine! That is worthy of celebration.....sans the mint chip ice cream! (lol) : )

With that said, its back in the saddle starting with my bootcamp at the Fitness Edge. Hope you will be there to join me! : )

pinK tiger

Dancin' in the Streets!

Was this a perfect morning to begin Day 2 of my new Adventure or what? As I looked up at the moon and the stars in this dark deep sky, I thought I was in heaven. Breathing God's air, feeling the breeze dance on my cheek outside, it really did feel like we were at nature's camp. I wanted to reach up high in the sky on my tiptoes and saturate myself in its stunning magnificence.

I was feeling energized this morning more than usual. Maybe because I had been aching for an ice cream cone yesterday afternoon in the hot sun, and I drove the other way. I was victorious! It was once again, another inch I had earned for myself, and I already was feeling as strong as a tiger inside. In fact, I decided I was going to get 2 jars and put a penny in a yellow jar when I overcame temptation, and a penny in the blue jar when I succumbed. This would be a visual reality of the choices I make. Choices that can make or break my dreams.

Whatever it was that got my motivation fired, I felt ready for battle; even as sore, stiff, and hurting I was from yesterday's opening workout. Brian had tortured us with kindness : ) from all those squats and lunges! God bless that Brian! (lol) I was aching. Ohhh, was I feelin' it! Every step I took I was talkin' to myself.

I picked out my usual little spot and saw my new member comrade. I'll call her "Star". She said she was really sore too, and we both laughed. We were sharing our battle scars so to speak! And we would be sharing more as the weeks would flash by.

When Brian appeared with his megaphone, we were all ready and primed to work. He called out, "Campers, you may a walk or run, or you can do "suicides". Suicides!! Oh Lordy! I could barely walk! Amazingly, half of the campers went off to meet the challenge. I was a little envious that so many morning warriors were prepared to dive right in without even a limp! So I checked in with myself and asked the big question: Are you wimping out and selling yourself short girl, or are you taking care of yourself? I decided I needed to pace myself and limber up these ole bones gradually. This was not going to be an overnight transformation, so keep the big picture in view.

I will have to admit though.....that tiger in me was longing to run with the BiG DoGs! Suicides would have definitely been a more manageable option had Brian offered them as part of the workout. But at this point, I would need to warm up for the warm-up! (LoL) But it was totally cool. That's why the Fitness Edge camp is so great. There are options for all fitness levels, and we all can get an extraordinary workout no matter where we are on the continuum. And sometimes what we can handle one day may change the next. Its all about being in tune with our bodies and our mindset. And being brutally honest with ourselves.

Paying attention to my physical condition today, I did a walk/run and it felt good to my muscles. I warmed up with one of my favs, and we also shared battle scars. And then she said something that really resonated with me. She said what I had been thinking: "I don't think I want to stop bootcamp because I might lose the conditioning and all the hard work I have gained. Might even fall back into my old self."

For sure, there was accountability, structure, motivation, and fun that made our camp worth keeping in our lives. We had a full tool box here, and no home builder wants to start their day without their tools. And aren't we each building a brand new house for ourselves?

We ran around the big circle and then Brian blew the whistle and it was time to begin another circuit of training. Today would be chest, back, and arms. I liked this day. It beats the leg or cardio day almost every time!

So, I was enjoying myself and just humming away when Brian decided to give us a killer workout on the triceps. My arms were feeling like mush. Where were the muscles? They seemed like they went to sleep on me. "Hey muscles, wake up! No dozin' on the job here!" No doubt, Brian always knows how to kick it up a notch when you least expect it. (lol :) He likes to throw a few curve balls to keep us on our toes! You could hear the moans, the groans, the heaving, and the grunting! Of course a little dose of his humor always makes the medicine go down a little easier!

Yes....hard work, but it was great fun. Especially today, because I loved the choice of music permeating through the air. All this great hip-hop, MC Hammer, Timberlake, I was groovin' it! I watched some of the other campers, and they were groovin' too. I called out to one of my friend veterans, I'll call her "Pretty Woman", 'cause she was shakin'it in the streets like me, and the energy in our camp was busting out its own divine rhythm! Hey, our spirits were dancin! Wow! This is just too much fun! Did you ever think FUN could be so powerful??!

When camp came to an end, I felt fantastic. Ok, Brian, ask me to do those Suicides now and we'll see what kind of damage I can do! :) Hee-hee! It might take me a little longer before I can run with the BiG DoGs, but you can better believe the pink tiger "ain't" gonna be left out of the loop!

That's all for now! Till next time, keep shakin' up all that positive momentum, and groove to your own Adventure! It can be infectious!

the pinK tiger

"Awesome"! That's the Word!!

Its that time of year when the weather is cool and crisp, summer has faded for another year, and a new year is right around the corner. It is in the Fall that I usually ask myself, "Do I have the courage to change? Do I have the self power to do what it takes to transform myself into the person I would love to be? Will I take that self power and embrace it?

The first time I heard of a Fitness Bootcamp, I was at a job training program and a coworker from Dayton OH. said she had lost 25lbs. She said she was getting up early in the morning to put herself through a rigorous workout, and she loved it. She said her "me time" came first. Not job, not husband, not children, nor housework was going to infringe on the commitment she was making to herself. Even though our job position consisted being "on call" for our clients at any time of morning or night, she had set a boundary for herself and determined she wouldn't even consider giving up her bootcamp workout. Clients would have to wait because this was a priority. Hmmm, this was a lady in her mid to late forties, and she looked beautiful, sexy, toned, and illuminated with energy.

So I tucked the bootcamp idea in the back of my mind, until one day I looked in the mirror and didn't recognize the woman that was gazing back at me. Though I had struggled to maintain a lovely shape with my perfectionistic standards in my younger years, I did manage it for a good while. However it became progressively more difficult as I became more seasoned with the years. Yes, menopause had finally clutched its unpredictable grip on me. And though I secretly believed I would not experience the physical and hormonal "fall-out" from "The Change" (I had kept the biting dogs at bay for much longer than most), the reflection staring back at me reminded me more of my mother in her later years who I saw transform over time. Now,I was going from "Baby got Back", to "bootylicious" overload! It was growing to be a little too bountiful...as if it had a mind of its own. Yikes! Too much of a good thing was, well.....too much! I thought, "I am at a crossroads and I can't afford to take the wrong turn". It was time to love myself tough, no excuses, and create a mindset with no option to fail. It was time to take charge.

I Googled "boot camp" in Columbus Ohio, researched them all extensively, and decided to go to the cream of the crop. Guess where the gods sent me?! That's right! The Adventure Boot Camp at the Fitness Edge! I chose it for various reasons. First, I liked the education, experience, and credentials of the big dog, the owner. He had a degree in physical therapy as his foundation. That meant he had an expansive understanding of the human body and would probably consider good form paramount. He would also be able to offer sound advice if I should inadvertantly go too hard and injure myself. And then, the website visually stimulated my imagination. The colorful images and "Adventure" with the nostalgic lettering reminded me of the old cartoon magazines of Superman and the action heroes. Wow! I could be my own action hero, in my own Adventure! It just looked like FUN! I could create my own Adventure as I go. I would even get a cool T-shirt and a dog tag at the end of my first leg in the journey. Sweet!

My intuition served me well. Always trust the intuition. My Adventure so far has been more exhilarating than a roller coaster, more inspiring than many church sermons, and the most loving thing I have ever made up my mind to do for myself. And the question I still ask myself? How can something so good for you be ......so...much..."Mad" Fun!!

That's what is so intriguing, and why I have learned that "something can be a whole lot more than what it appears to be." I had originally started the camp as a kick start after a layoff from working out left me feeling like a hopeless blimp. I only was going to do one camp. It didn't take much to change my mind. I have had the joy of participating in a couple of bootcamps with Brian, and fitness warriors, you won't find a better workout anywhere in town. Not only does he have extraordinary credentials and experience, but he really knows how to work that bootcamp! He knows how to create a dynamic aura and his choice of music is fly. Love the hip-hop and R&B best among his other popular repertoire. He makes hard work fun. Proof in the pudding is that all the veterans.....those highly fit and those like me trying to get fit.....keep coming back. You get hooked on this fitness camp, and you just don't ever want to leave! I have so many awesome things to share, all the lessons this camp has taught me that is very applicable to the other parts of my life, but more about that later. Lets fast forward to the Transformer Challenge and all the other exciting moments that are happening this very moment, today, tomorrow, next week!

On the eve of this month's camp, Sun. night, I got to bed a little late because I couldn't sleep. I was like a little kid getting ready for my 1st day of school in the First Grade. It was going to be a new month of class, new people, and new goals! And this time, Brian was implementing The Transformer Challenge; something like the Biggest Loser for those who wanted to kick it up a notch. Yup! I was so psyched I set the alarm for 4:00 am, and then I went off to dreamland. However, it was not a la la sleep. I found myself tossing and turning with anticipation. Kept waking up, eyeballing the time on the clock.

Finally I slumbered off to sleep and got a couple of hours of zzzzzzz's before............. the "RiNg..RiNg" brought me to my senses. Uhhhh.....not ready to get up. Let's hit the snooze button for 10 more minutes. I snoozed, and I snoozed a little more before it went off again. Ok, that was it! Not gonna start my morning as a slacker!

I quickly brewed my hazlenut coffee, smeared a half piece of toast with almond butter, and dashed out with my water bottle and a clean towel under my arm as I hit the road. Oh, Yeah!! This was living! I had never been a morning bird, and could never get up before 7 am. My new Adventure was going to teach me something very soon. I was going to reinvent myself, and I would begin that process through discipline......like military bootcamp when you wake up before the rest of the world is even alive. I was now experiencing this world and Earth before the light of dawn. The first time in decades! It was dark as midnight, the stars were shining, the moon glowing, and I was cruising down the highway to meet my favorite part of the day. As the music was pumping through my car, I felt like I was on the cusp of a natural high. I was ready to get "down and dirty"!

As I pulled in the parking lot, there were about 30+ women who were already settled. They had picked out their own little spot, and placed a mat, pair of dumbbells, and a water bottle close by. Some of the women were clustered in groups, some signed up with a buddy, and a few had the courage to face this unfamiliar Adventure alone. I have always been impressed with the independent lone women who come in the first time by themselves. I am proudly one of them. Sometimes it takes courage, fortitude, and a deep hunger at the very pit of your being to break in a crowd of women who know each other and you don't know a soul, then let all control go as you put yourself at the mercy of a structured activity you have never done. It takes courage to be vulnerable, and it takes strength. Some women in large groups will reach out quite soon, others will take a little time and want to see what you're about first.

The culture can be different based on the area of the city or region. You might wonder if its gonna be like returning to High School where some women are accepted and others are left out. Life can sometimes recreate the same dynamics of yesteryear if you've not learned the lessons you need to learn. But for all those who have never been to Adventure Bootcamp, you will be happy to know that you will experience us all as kindred spirits, all wanting the same things for ourselves. We come together as a group, and we succeed as a group, but as individuals too. Its one of the best brands of female camaraderie I have experienced for myself in a very long time. So for all the lone women who don't have a buddy, come and join us and you will have more than one buddy to cheer and motivate you. You will have us all!

As I looked around, I saw what a beautiful, diversified group of morning warriors that had joined us for this round! Young women still like puppies, seasoned women who had a little more mellow and zest in their seasoning, and all the ages in between. There was a variety of shapes, sizes, fitness levels, and enthusiasm at hand. Wow! You could almost intuitively feel the energy within the camp's sphere. Its powerful to be surrounded by like-minded people who ambitiously reach for the stars; strive to be the best they can be, drive themselves to get up at the crack of dawn just like you do.

I saw a new member and approached her. She smiled and I knew instantly we would have a common bond. She was from Worthington, and she was laughing because she said none of her friends really believed she would hang with this strenuous commitment for 3 months. Little do they know that for the magical hour you spend at Adventure Bootcamp each morning, you enter into another world; a world where all things are possible and nothing could feel better than to be part of something bigger than yourself. There is strength in numbers, my friends, and it can draw the very best from us. I wish to welcome all new members who choose to become a part of Brian's Morning Warriors!

At precisely 5:30 am, just like any serious, bonafide work camp, Brian starts up his megaphone, whistle in hand, and introduces himself with a description of what will come in our first hour together. I always smile when I see Brian approach us with his megaphone because he has a certain ease and finesse with it that just tickles me. He makes it all look so easy. It reminds me when a bandleader gets on the microphone and pleases the audience. And then when I see this sea of women...30 to 1... for the life of me.......I don't know how he handles sooo many females simultaneously with such grace, charisma, and sensitivity! That's a significant proportion of estrogen for one man to connect with! (lol) Yet I don't think he has ever had one woman get mad at him! (hee-hee) He always comes to us morning birds with an even tempered demeanor, cheerfulness and a generous dose of humor and encouragement, too.

And yes Columbus hipsters, Brian is fresh & easy on the eyes first thing in the morning. (hee-hee!) I just had to say that! I hope I don't embarrass him but it is a pleasant little perk when you have to get up so early. It sure beats mean, ugly, dark and hairy as the first eye opener for the day! For real, he is just one very cool dude and he epitomizes professionalism, character, and leadership with a kick of charm. I like having a spoon of cream with my expresso. How 'bout you?

As our camp leader got on the megaphone, he first gave us a few minutes to walk or run to get our blood moving and to warm our muscles. Then he described the series of exercises we would be doing. Today, he planned for us to do legs, shoulders, and abs. I love the way Brian conducts the class, because he will always do a demo of all the exercises before we start. Form is important. Proper form brings the results and protects you from injury. With all the women in that class today, Brian circulated around us like a bird and watched attentively. He's got some eagle eyes, because he doesn't miss anything. You might be one of thirty, but you get your fair worth of his personal attention, and you never feel like you are a lost sole in the galaxy. Its awesome, because no one is EVER singled out as an example, or made to feel judged or embarrassed. That kind of thing just doesn't exist here. You might only get a little tender loving care.

At one point, Brian approached a new member and helped her with her form. She looked like a pro in a matter of minutes. She looked great! Then as he would go around and see some of us fatiguing, you could hear him say, "Kick it out.....you got 10 seconds to go! Make it count!" Well, if that doesn't make you dig deep, I don't know what does.

We typically do three exercises in every circuit, and we might do four or five circuits in a day, with a little cardio for color. The first group included some squat jumps or pulsing squats and lunges with a military press. Sometimes the exercises will really give you a bang for your buck. Doing the lunges with dumbells in a combined military press will give your body something to remember.......especially the next day! Whew! My legs were burning on fire, and I was prayin' for the moment when Brian would call out, "Half-way there; 10 seconds....5 seconds..." and then he'd blow the whistle. Yeah, I love the whistle part! Those last 5 seconds can seem like an hour.

The power squats were just as provocative and I remembered mumbling under my breath, "this is murder!" Ha! "Murder, she Wrote", that would be the name of my blog! (lol) This was one of those "Ah-ha" moments when I could give in to the pain or dig deep in my soul and go for the gold. Yeah, today was really hard because today came after off-week from camp, and I could feel my body want to pull itself back into its natural comfy zone. Well, I wasn't gonna wimp out now. I wanted my Adventure to be about more than looking good and losing weight. I wanted to build a "new" me from the inside out. It meant developing a mindset that empowers me in camp and outside of camp. It was about practicing discipline every moment it presented itself, especially when it was tough and it hurt.

Just about now I was straining to keep up, gasping, ready to plummet into exhaustion when at that magic moment Brian called out, "Keep going! Dig a little deeper"! At this very second, I reminded myself of the email he had sent us: success comes in inches....yes....little baby inches! You can win or lose with an inch. With that thought, I drove myself as hard as I could to break my comfort zone. Wow! What a super feeling to shatter the obstacles that have atrophied my mindset, the rigor mortis that attempts to steal my spirit. These little inches....these extra seconds of withstanding the blowout in my legs.....this is what will carry me to success in camp and in all the other ventures of my life, driving me to the next level!

Ahh....the Adventure BootCamp! It provides us with the nourishment to build ourselves into the characters we want to be. And if we choose, we can peel back the layers and find much more than a rigorous workout in the making. This will be the foundation I lay my upcoming opportunities for success upon. Adventure Bootcamp can serve as the microcosm and the practice ground for how I handle everything else in my life. And that is exactly how I will use it.

For me, I create a little more success....inches of success..... every day I fight for myself in that camp. I build myself...inch by inch.....sculpture my mind, body, and spirit like a piece of art... and will walk away with renewed self esteem, faith in myself, and pride. I will even walk away with a fit and sexy body if I remain true to my focus and my dreams.

Yes, as I looked around and saw the fabulously fit working right along with the beginner and intermediate......and some who were just embarking on their fitness journey....I had to smile, breathe deep, and feel gratitude for all the gifts we women were giving each other. We only needed to recognize them: energy, motivation, friendship, camaraderie, hope and more. What a glorious morning!

Brian continued to direct us into a series of clustered exercises and interval training, all very methodically designed to confuse our bodies and enhance results. I did great with some of the exercises, and struggled with others. By the time he said it was 6:25 am and we would now stretch, I was happy and exhausted and whispered to myself, "Job well done, girl!"

As we dismantled our camp, I approached my new member friend and asked her how she felt. "AWESOME" she proclaimed in big letters! It was only 10 seconds later when I heard another one say from a different corner of the camp, "Awesome"! And then again......."Awesome", sprouting up like spring flowers.

Yes, "Awesome" indeed! Excellent job, morning warriors ! And to our most prized champions of our camp....that would be our new members..........."Awesome"! Welcome Home!


This is the pinK tiger, signing off until next time.....




the pinK tiger

The Body Transformation Begins Sept. 14!

We are about to begin our first ever boot camp transformation on Monday. With over 40 women already signed up and several others across the city set to take part in camp, I am excited. Want to join in?

There is still time left so act now. You can enter to win a free year of boot camp.

More details are available online here.

September is the perfect time to get back in the fitness groove and boot camp offers a friendly supportive environment to push yourself, find accountability and enjoy 20 different workouts over the course of the month.

Our women's only class is designed for people of all ages and fitness levels. Combining this type of circuit based training with the right nutrition enables women to lose weight and body fat and keep it off.

I am also excited to announce we will have one of our transformation campers blogging daily to journal her thoughts, experience and emotions along the way. I am confident this will be inspirational and motivational for those reading it.

So, to follow her experience be sure to bookmark this site and follow the daily updates. I am looking forward to another great month of boot camp.

In health,

Brian Schiff

Columbus Adventure Boot Camp for Women