Boot camp. I
let my mind toss the term around for a bit before I let it decide if it wanted
to subject my body to the (simply put) pain
that would be the session.
Booooot caaaammp,
I almost heard my brain repeat the words in slow motion, as I stood at the door
of the yoga studio after my class, reading the timetable of the sessions for
the following week.
And then, just
like that, I felt a little shrug in my skull, followed by a tiny wave of hand,
and something that sounded like easy peasy—I might have caught a little sneer
too—I was going to the boot camp on Wednesday evening.
As usual, I
was geared up and ready for a slow death at the studio’s door a little before
time. Another session was in process so the group began to warm up outside. A
lot of spot jogging ensued, and we hopped our way into the studio in a bit.
Sangeeta fixed
the stereo with the most recent fast-paced Bollywood tracks, and the spot
jogging continued in full vigour. We then duly stretched while bouncing up and
down the room. Then came the kicks and punches, and alternating the two.
Boot camps are
generally rigorous circuit training workouts. These comprise numerous upper and
lower body exercises that are done in rapid succession. These are freehand
or done with the help of dumbbells, ropes, steps, etc. So, for example, the camp I attended
included stuff like kick boxing, punching, alternating them while practicing
with a partner, jumping jacks…
It also included
burpees. Have you tried a burpee? It’ll make you sweat like you’d on an April afternoon
in Iraq. You jump to the sky, dive palms-first onto the floor, stretch out in
one swift move, maybe do a push-up if you can, jump back like a frog, and stand up.
That, into 45. Recounting it tires me.
We then worked
out our upper body, mostly arms, with the help of a few jiggles with an aerobic
step. Burpees continued to interject here. I might have cheated a little or a
lot towards the end because push-ups are just not my thing! At the end of the
class, I was soaked to the bone as I crawled onto a mat while trying to
remember how to breathe.
Recommendation level: You tell me.
Good for: You have to be a beast at the gym
for this one!
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