A new column. Every month I do the bootcamp test, each time at a different club. I do this together with my amayzine-ones Josselin and Liesbeth, and I hope to do it with you soon as well. Finally, I have managed (it took a few months, you know) to get the rest of the editorial team to also not be able to live without exercising and to catch themselves preferring to nibble on a carrot with hummus rather than a bag of Nibbit or a Bounty. Liesbeth sometimes hates me. “Goddammit Jet, how did you let it get this far,” she texts me when she is checking out goji berries and soy yogurt. Oh you know, who am I. But, I always take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator, bike like crazy all through Amsterdam, and almost every morning I run a lap through Vondelpark. And if it really turns into a rough day, I suffer the least from the hangover because the more you train, the fitter you are and the less severe the hangover is.
Before I start:
What is bootcamp actually?
This training method comes from the military and alternates cardio with strength training. Your heart rate needs to go up, which leads to a lot of fat burning and muscle building. You do it outdoors, so you make use of benches, your own weight, tree trunks, stairs, the soft sand, sprint ropes, anything goes. And believe me, you will go to the limit. All this under the guidance of a trainer (preferably a bit of a nice one, of course) and through all kinds of weather. The result is that after an hour you are completely exhausted.
We kick off today with the Booty Club.
Who?
This club hasn't been around for long and is only for women. The focus is mainly on the BBB: legs, belly, butt. Quite often the problem areas for us.
Where?
In Vondelpark. Close to the editorial office. At 6 o'clock, Liesbeth, Josselin, and I had a bit of pasta, what was left over from lunch, and cottage cheese with avocado. The lesson started at 7.
Who is the trainer?
Jules, with a body that you can't argue with. Jules has been in the military where he also often taught sports classes. He calls them ‘survival runs’. Says enough, right?
What did we think of it?
We cycled in pouring rain with a tropical temperature. To be honest, after some yelling and are-we-going-or-are-we-not, we ended up planking in the wet grass. Jules was nice, actually way too sweet. After a little groan of “I can't anymore,” he made the exercises easier for us. We did squats and lunges, pushed ourselves against benches, ran like a wheelbarrow through Vondelpark, and of course, we also had to plank.
How much does it cost?
Per lesson it is 10 euros. For a ten-lesson card, you pay 75 euros.
De dag erna
Jet
“Muscle pain in my back. Not completely okay I think, maybe an exercise not done quite right. On the bike, I also felt a bit in my butt. I thought that was a good sign. I'm always happy with muscle pain.“
Liesbeth
“The day after I definitely have muscle pain. To make matters worse, I put on 12-centimeter heels which made it really hard to get down the stairs. But the real hell starts the day after that. As so often, the second day is much worse and now I not only have pain when going (down) stairs, but also when just walking. Like an elderly person, I shuffle through the city but I can tell you, it feels good. Bring on those muscular legs and butt.”
Josselin
“I once tried water skiing and had muscle pain like I had never experienced in my life and hoped never to experience again. But that did happen. The morning after bootcamp, I jumped out of bed whistling, full of energy and ready for the day, but after an hour I started to groan and complain more. Day two was the worst. The steps of the stairs suddenly seemed to have fifty more added, and when the bell rang, I refused to walk down the stairs to open the door. It was really bad. But it still felt good because it was proof that I needed to get to work. I'm looking forward to that.”
