... what are we doing this for? BOOT CAMP ...can’t stop now it’s too damn late! BY SANDRA LEE JOSE PRIOR TO EVERY MISSION IN THE SEALS, a ‘warning order’ is given explaining everything that is needed for the upcoming mission. This is your ‘warning order’! It gives guidelines of how to prepare for your next mission. In the US Navy, BUD/S stands for Basic Underwater Demolition SEALs. At Body Matrix, BUDs stands for Beach Ultimate Discipline Strategy. “Get down and give me 50 push-ups,” yells the commander. “This is all about respect, belief and trust. Respect yourself, your family and your children. Believe in what you can do and trust in your comrades. This is not war, we are all in this together.” Sounds like something out of ‘Platoon’ or ‘Apocalypse Now’. But no, we are at Port Melbourne, a bayside beach in Victoria, Australia, on a cold summer’s night. Twenty men and women between the ages of 15 to 55 are assembled in two teams, the Worms and the Germs, dressed in camouflage military clothes, awaiting the commanders in all black to shout orders! Boot Camp is the New Age fitness regime that is hitting our beaches. It has caused public outcry with complaints of disruption to the tranquil pleasure of morning walks along the sand. You've probably seen Boot Camp adverts on the internet or maybe in various magazines. The format can either be, two full days of 14 hours or up to eight weeks of two hour sessions. However, they all involve taking the participants (victims) out of their comfort zone whilst enduring strenuous exercises. This group is into its fifth week of a six week training programme run by Rohan Reid, owner of Body Matrix, a personal training gym. He says, “Several times throughout the year you will be invited to do an adventure activity through my special BUDs programme, based upon the training of the US Navy SEALs. This will allow you to enjoy and understand your new abilities and fitness in several very different environments, often undertaking things you’d never have dreamt of.” As children we crave discipline but as an adult, why would you pay someone to shove your face in the sand, scream in you ear, hose you down with water and then yell at you whilst you are struggling to breathe? Come on, I’ve seen tougher men and women at a knitting convention! “I thought that it sounded like a great test of endurance and a chance to team up with some great people,” says 28 year old Lisa who is normally at home as a Fraud Detection Analyst for a major bank. Alison who is 35 and a HR manager told me, “I am someone who needs to be challenged and the Boot Camp offers new opportunities to push yourself both mentally and physically.” Michael Raiter, 39 a director of a chain of twenty retail stores said, “Boot Camp offered the opportunity of improving my fitness and building teamwork skills.” Among the people taking part are mother and son Shirley Lock, receptionist and Tom Lock, student. “I love team sports and I guess I like a challenge. I was very nervous that I wouldn’t stack up so I worked hard to be as good as I could be. Competing with my 15 year old was fabulous because he was so keen and involved,” says Shirley. Well, Shirley had nothing to worry about, for mum was out-performing most of the men and women there, proving that this had nothing to do with strength but more with commitment and ‘never-give-in’ determination. You will grow to know your teammates like you know yourself, their strengths and weaknesses. They will help you stay committed. BUDs is a challenging and rewarding training programme. It is team based, which will help you through an entire programme of events you would normally never attempt on your own. After the motivational speech by Commander Reid, the evening training starts with a warm-up drill which lasts about 30 minutes, but probably feels like hours, lunges, squats, jumping jacks, sit-ups and push-ups until the team members finally collapse on the ground. The two teams are then given tasks, military movements most often seen at the army barracks, not at an inner city suburban beach! The teams take up defensive formation to brace themselves against the attacking enemy. Points are then awarded to the winners of each task, and at the end of the six weeks there is an overall winner. What did these people expect to gain from signing up for BUDs Boot Camp? The youngest team member Tom said, “I expected to be worked to my absolute limit, be put in situations outside of my comfort zone”. Did the programme meet with their expectations? Shirley told me, “Absolutely! The fitness aspect of swimming for me was an issue. By committing to BUDs I have forced myself to face my fear of water and examine the reasons for my fear.” I asked one of the group leaders, Alison, what aspect of the course she found the hardest to overcome? “As a leader of one of the teams, it challenged my ability to influence and provide leadership in a short period of time: we have only been together once a week for the past six weeks. I manage a team of staff in my normal working life. In the Boot Camp environment you have to work as a team and lead by example. Actions need to be clearly demonstrated, communications need to be very clear and precise, you need to respond and act very quickly!” Had this experience altered their way of thinking, their approach to life or work and if so, how? “It has enabled me to think that if I want something badly enough then I can get there. It is the mind controlling the body, not the body controlling the mind! I have enjoyed watching how different people cope with the various situations – humans are the most interesting creatures! BUDs is a whole-person approach to fitness that teaches you the value of your own commitment and that of the whole team,” says Shirley. “No matter where you are or what you do, your actions very much define the type of person you are. So, it's taught me to think more about my leadership at work, in my personal life, and how I behave with my friends. It has made me question how much I think about others in decisions I make, actions I take and the impact these may have on myself and others.” said Alison. “I think BUDs is the best thing I’ve done for myself in ages. It makes you more switched on, more aware of your surroundings. I had to do a fair bit of training before I started BUDs. I’ve found that I’m fitter, I concentrate more and generally feel better. You know, I was failing nearly every subject at school last year. This year I’ve so much more energy, I’m top of the class in some of my subjects and I think that most of this is thanks to BUDs,” said a very proud Tom. The course is about building team spirit, learning new skills, reliance on each other when placed in difficult and uncomfortable circumstances, but all with the overall idea of fitness and fun. Fun? Someone say fun? And finally, had the group achieved what it wanted from the camp? Lisa summed up basically the whole group’s feelings, “I'm disappointed that this is our last week. I really enjoyed being part of this adventure. Boot Camp has given me the opportunity to try new things and be out in challenging situations I never thought I would be in. It has pushed me outside my comfort zone, and I have new-found respect for the elements, that's for sure. I have more self confidence and would recommend it to anyone seeking a challenge or inspiration.” One.. two.. three.. four.. I’m going to be sick, PLEASE, NO MORE. Five.. six.. seven.. eight.. Thank God it’s over, HEY, I FEEL GREAT! M&F For further information visit: www.bodymatrix.com.au/ or telephone Rowan Reid on 0438 988 266.

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