B oot C a m p
When the people leading Boot Camp were introduced as ‘Sergeant
Screamer’ and ‘Corporal Killjoy’, Robbie Stammers soon realised
this wouldn’t be a walk in the park
a spoonful
of cement
For eight weeks, three times per week, we were to rally at the crack of dawn for Boot Camp
training. “What have I got myself into?” I moaned as I desperately tried to shake the cobwebs
from my brain and the sleep dust from my eyes as my partner and I got into our gym clothes
at 5h30am on a dark Monday morning.
I
t had seemed such a grand idea
at the time. A wedding around
the corner and the idea of looking
like Brad Pitt in Thelma & Louise had
me originally thinking this would be
the ideal way to get into shape before
our day of nuptials. However, the alarm
going off at 5am had left me feeling that I
hadn’t thought this through very well –
and how on earth would I be able to
maintain this for two whole months?
The world-renowned Sports Science
Institute of South Africa (SSISA) had
hooked up with FUTURELIFE® High Protein
Smart Food to launch ‘Boot Camp’: a
‘military-style’ workout programme with
expert trainers, which takes place in the
beauty of the outdoors and with a host of
locations – as opposed to the stale and
placid environment of an indoor gym.
We had attended the pre-programme
evening the night before and now were
having our first session at the SSISA to
have our full assessments done, with
everything from dieticians and
biokineticists talking us through meal
plan ideas, body fat percentages, blood
pressure and cholesterol tests, as well as
the inevitable and ghastly weigh-in.
It was then onto our fitness assessment
(or lack thereof, to be honest), during
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The Intrepid Explorer issue 6
which we had to do as many push-ups
and sit-ups as we could in a minute and
as many sprints around the indoor track
as we could muster.
Now, my usual feeling about running is
this: If I’m running, you’d better start running
too, as it means something is chasing me!
This was no different at Boot Camp, and the
swearing under my breath as I was circled
yet again by someone at least 20 years older
than I, left me feeling quite disheartened.
However, it all came to an end an hour
later and I felt I’d at least got through the
first session. Little did I know that our first
‘real session’ would begin the morning
after next on the lush fields of Westerford
High School, with panoramic views of
Table Mountain.
We were met by Sergeant Screamer
(aka Greg) who, I soon learnt, had a special
place in his heart for the ‘five-minute
plank’. This was when it really hit home
that Boot Camp is not a workout that
comes with a spoonful of sugar to help
the medicine go down – it comes with a
spoonful of cement!
There were about 15 of us in the
morning sessions, although there’s also an
evening session. In each week, Boot Camp
divides up the sessions into different
themes including endurance,
cardiovascular fitness, strength and
conditioning, core stability and
proprioceptive training, circuit training,
hiking, obstacle courses, yoga and Pilates.
Although I severely battled through
the first week of early rising, I must admit
that by the second week already, I was
actually mumbling a lot less and starting
to enjoy the fact I was in nature’s
playground at 6am to 7am, so by the time
I showered and changed at SSISA
afterward, I felt invigorated and ready to
tackle the day.
There is a wonderful camaraderie
between all the Boot Campers, with us
egging each other on in tough exercises
and competing in others. There’s definitely
something to be said for having the grass
beneath your feet, the mountain in front
of you for distraction, and a cool breeze on
your face.
Over the next number of weeks, I can
honestly say I was proud to have not
missed out on one session and I could feel
my fitness levels improving.
Other venues were thrown in, such as
heavy sessions on Camps Bay beach,
running up and down the steps of Rhodes
Memorial, and steep hikes up sheer climbs
of the mountain. I even started warming
to our drill sergeants – five-minute planks
www.intrepidexplorer.co.za
and all!
By the time we reached our last week
of Boot Camp, my partner and I were up in
a flash every morning as if we had done
this all our lives. I no longer felt as if I might
swallow my tongue on the runs or lash
out at someone next to me. In fact, it felt
like a lovely morning ‘stroll’ with friends,
yet obviously far more rigorous.
At the end of two months of intensive
training, we attended our last session back
at SSISA, where we would finally find out if
the whole course had reaped results.
We once again underwent all the same
tests we were given on day 1. This time,
however, I found my weight had dropped
by 4 kilogrammes, my cholesterol had
dropped by two points, and my
measurements had drastically decreased
(which I had already – proudly – known
from the two belt notches I had gone
down in the last few weeks).
My number of push-ups and sit-ups
had increased in the minute we were
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given and I was running around the track
with a smile and the strains of “Chariots of
Fire” playing in my head!
In our ‘passing out’ parade, we were
given certificates and my bride-to-be won
the ‘Belly-off’ Award.
So I think it’s safe to say I need to thank
Sergeant Screamer and Corporal Killjoy for
making my wedding even more special.
Will I be back for more Boot Camp now
that the wedding is over? Absolutely,
without a doubt!
The Boot Camp with SSISA programmes
are now also starting in Johannesburg
and Pretoria, and there are three different
locations in Cape Town (in the southern
and northern suburbs).
For more information and the next
Boot Camp dates, visit the SSISA website at
www.ssisa.com or go to the Facebook page
at: www.facebook.com/sportssciencesa.
You can also follow SSISA on Twitter:
@sportscience_sa.
FUTURELIFE® High Protein is South
Africa’s first and only scientifically
formulated high-protein, high-energy,
low GI meal to contain 25 vitamins and
minerals, 19 amino acids, omega 3 and
Moducare®. FUTURELIFE® High Protein
Smartfood contains SmartProtein 3D,
which is a unique blend of three
different types of protein: whey, soya
isolate and caseinate.
FUTURELIFE® High Protein
Smartfood is ideal for endurance
athletes, weight-training athletes,
those striving for weight loss, those
on an energy-restricted diet as well
as diabetics.
“This partnership with SSISA’s Boot
Camp is testament to FUTURELIFE’s
commitment to assisting individuals
attain a healthier lifestyle. We believe in a
practical and holistic approach to good
health and fitness,” says Shaun Harris,
managing director of FUTURELIFE.
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