Email   Print   Share By Daniel Cernero, Sentinel Sports Editor

Facebook Digg Delicious June 28, 2012 | Sports

Natasha Clark completes a push-up during the interval exercise portion of the workout. Before the intervals, the participants started the day with yoga as a warm-up. Daniel Cernero, Sentinel Sports Editor

Lashonda Nash works through the tire run station as volunteer Shirley Taylor encourages her through the course Saturday morning during the Fitness Boot Camp. Daniel Cernero, Sentinel Sports Editor

Conchetta McCregg leaps onto the bleacher during the box jump station Saturday morning during the Fitness Boot Camp outside of Abrams Physical Fitness Center. Daniel Cernero, Sentinel Sports Editor

Low-crawl stations, barricade hurdling, burpees combined with a lateral jump, a tire run, farmer carries, box jumps, and finally pull-ups and dips – all comprised the Fitness Boot Camp held Saturday morning outside of Abrams Physical Fitness Center.

The boot camp, constructed by Jose Serrano, a recreation instructor with Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, started in the gym with yoga as a warm-up before continuing outside.

Serrano then led the nearly 50 participants in a series of interval exercises designed to get the blood pumping.

“We just want to challenge them and push them,” Serrano said. “A lot of them said they like coming because we push them. That’s the goal. If there’s someone who’s enthusiastic and pushing them, they’re going to go for it. It’s extra motivation.”

The boot camp was the second of its kind, but this year’s proved to be much more difficult, an intentional difference done by Serrano.

This year, the low-crawl was front and center among the different stations.

“The reason I did it this way was to tax them before they even got to the rest of the course,” he said.

“The rest is then more

challenging because they’re already tired.”

Toni Kornegay, also an instructor, echoed Serrano’s description of the course’s added difficulty.

“Last year, we only had one low-crawl station, but this time, we wanted to burn them out before they even started, so we have the low-crawl three times, separated by barricades.”

Choosing the most difficult task, participants Natasha Clark, Lashonda Nash and Conchetta McCregg all agreed on one station.

“The low-crawl was a killer,” Nash said. “The rest of the course was easy, but that one definitely tired me out.”

Her mom, Varonda Nash, also participated in the boot camp, and decided on the box jumps as her most challenging station.

“I can’t believe I made it through,” said Varonda, who hadn’t exercised in 20 years. “I’m ready to go again, just on another day.”

Serrano said the boot camp gave folks looking for a cardio workout something different to do.

“It’s not a 5K, it’s not Zumba, it’s not spin, it’s not your regular classes,” he said. “It’s something totally different. I’ve already had people asking me when the next one is.”