Booty It Up

Have you ever found yourself cutting up a whole head of broccoli, nagging the kids to eat it all, then realizing belatedly that they actually did—while you had none? Or hauling the kids all over town for sports and other exercise, but getting none yourself.

If so, then you may be at risk of self-neglect.

Exercise shouldn’t be just another chore for your task list. Think of it as a sanity break and investment in your health and longevity. If no one bought you a series of boot camp classes for Christmas, now’s the time to do it for yourself.

Why boot camp? Tanya Robertson, a personal trainer and boot camp instructor in Ottawa who runs Personalized Fitness, says boot camp is hot right now because people are busy, and they know they get more bang for their buck in a boot camp workout.

A boot camp workout is designed to work your whole body through sport drills, strength and stability exercises fused with plyometric and cardio sprint.

Boot camp classes offer a variety of benefits that you don’t find elsewhere. They are rarely dull thanks to their quick pace, allowing time to pass quickly with so many different drills. The classes offer aerobic and strength-building exercises simultaneously and they burn big calories—up to 600 in an hour-long session.

In terms of what to look for in a class, having a certified fitness trainer is important, and it should be someone who motivates you to push yourself. Sessions should last at least an hour, with a proper warm-up, whole-body strength and cardio, and stretching at the end. You can expect classes to cost $10–15 per session, and a good trainer will offer fitness, health or nutrition tips as you work.

Robertson runs boot camp classes at the Firehall Community Centre in Ottawa South Community Centre, at Le Phare Elementary School in the east end, and teaches a Saturday morning snowshoe bootcamp as well. There are also good boot camp classes run out of Soma Health & Fitness in the Byward Market.

Another possibility is FITMOM, which runs its FITWOMAN boot camps in several Ottawa locations. Starting in January, there will be classes at the Crichton Cultural Community Centre and at Southminster United Church. A series of 12 weekly classes will cost you $180. Registration is ongoing, so sign up any time.

It’s time to take care of you and your booty—so get shakin’.

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