OBC- JAN 6/12- WHY JOINED THE BOOTCAMP?

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I woke up and sipped my thick, sweet, creamy, strong coffee...... Nothing awakens the morning better than that aroma from coffee at 430am to get ready for the three times a week sweaty, tearful, painful and muscle-burning exercise at the Bootcamp.

5:35am!!!! We are all at padang Merbuk without any late-comers but there were Three AWOLs and our favourite trainer, the Taliban was also absent today. There were three trainers available, Corporal Faizal Ariff, Corporal Dharmendra and Lans Corporal Elin.  Somehow,  our workout-chemistry is strongest with the husky-voice, bearded, forceful and yet attentive Taliban.. Come back quick Sarge, need that extra-dose of motivation!

Corporal Faizal, today's Bootcamp commander began the workout with his trademark extended warm-up session and 40 seconds squat pulses as oppose to the normal 30 seconds per set... and we had three, 40 seconds squat pulses for the three AWOLs.

There were three well-planned circuits for today (circuit nicknamed by us):

1) Ketuk-ketampi Circuit (ciplak from KLA Delta Danial Ismail's expression)
2) TABATA KONG
3) Indian Circle.

Corporal Dharma took the first 'Ketuk-Ketampi' Circuit. The circuit was prepared with 5 cones; 4 red cones and 1 yellow cones (that was used to mark the last point) with approximately 20 meters apart. The Delta began with 10 seconds push-up at the first red-cone before having to sprint and stop at every red-cone for a one rep star jump. At the yellow cone or the last cone, everybody must sprint back to starting position. (thank god there wasn't any grunts for the slowest person)

The circuit was repeated for 4 sets with a different starting exercise; First was the 10 seconds push-up,then the 20 second Mountain climbers, 25 seconds hand-to-elbow and 30 seconds Grunts.

After being abused by Corporal Dharmendra, we moved on to Corporal Faizal for the TABATA.. or Twenty Second non-stop exercise and break for 10 seconds before repeating the cycle with again with a 20 second workout and so forth........

The 20 second workout was alternated as follows:
1) 8 sets of 20 seconds King Kong Push up
2) 8 Sets of 20 seconds deep Squat

Although there is a lot of 'Ong' (meaning Prosperous) with the number EIGHT as the Chinese-belief but the EIGHT sets prepared was far from Ong...... and more like 'Kong' (meaning Die).

After being exploited with the Kong-Exercises, we move on to the third circuit that divides the whole platoon into three team with an equivalent mixture of Delta, Seals and Rangers.

The three trainers took one team each and each team was asked to make a circle with both arm-apart from each other. We had the muscular Wesley Snipe look-alike Corporal Dharma as our team-trainer. Everybody in the circle must do a deep squat. Everybody beginning with me, had to sprint anti-clockwise a full one circle back to their starting position. Once one-team member completed one-circle-run, Corporal Dharma will tap the shoulder of the next person on the right for him to run ala relay. During Zaiem's turn, he sped like a lighting bolt and tergolek....(skidded) on a muddy section which started the laughters in our team. Kenix ran like a wild horse blowing away my hair... catching up with lost seconds from Zaiem's fall but our team was second last and had to performed 5 easy grunts whilst the last team had to do 10 grunts.

The session ended with the routine warming down session. Today's session was quite mild and light. I prefer a session that knocked my heart out of my chest and pumped my vein out from my skin... a sort of hardcore, killer, breath-taking extreme workout!!

There were some good discussions @ OBC page today initiated by Rukaiyah Manis on "Why do you joined the Bootcamp?"... and here are some excerpts (extracted without any editing): I trust this excerpts will be an inspiration to others to take charge of their health and fitness........... it is never too late.

Rukaiyah Manis: "because I was diagnosed with high blood presser and refused to take medication for it. I wanted to have workout activities in my lifetyle... fate determine that i joined facebook, started to play games and saw bootcamp ad, that was 7 months ago......."

Celine Ooi: "I was bored in dec due to cancelled holiday plans. i read abt bootcamp at suanie's .... meant as a one-off in dec, but i continued in jan and have signed-up for feb!"

Shobha Bala: "I was hospitalized for bad eating habits, suffered from gastric ulcers etc, i looked for the easy way out to keeping fit, i.e. pills. My stomach crashed (yes, i'm still payin the price for it) and told myself no more. Saw the ad on FB, never looked back. Never felt healthier. OBC changed my life. aww.. hugs to my super duper instructors & fellow motivating recruits."

Shamil Tan: "I just wanted to eat Banana Leaf on sunday without guilt.....lol"

Amelia Shahrin: "I had enough of fat jokes from my parents and future in laws.. so that is why i joined OBC.. was already considering it for 3 months ago, then finally 2010 came and i made my decision to join for Jan session.."

Chun SSJ: 

"1. Recommend by Friend but still not convince till read advert in the star......."Guaranteed Results...No Matter What Your Current Fitness Level".....I personally LIKE this MOST " NEVER repeat the SAME session twice, whether u have trained with US for 6 months or 6 years....enuff said.

2. I still continue because of above and I want to "Train with the INNOVATORS, not the imitators" and I want to MAKE NEW BEST FRIENDS and ENEMY. I also want to FIT in 25 JEANS like YTF."

Suriana Saiful: "I just want more pain. Pain keeps me alive .. ;)"

Megaa Velayuthan:

"1.To get fit

2.To gain weight.(Now dont laugh Ruk)
3.For better stamina
4.Love outdoor workout"

Syuhada Adnan: "I had not much idea on what OBC is about until the first day and I was running and fainting at the same time (but still running). haha! And I was looking at the seniors on the first day; all muscle-y and thought, that's hot .. :) I guess the idea of waking up at 415am, driving from putrajaya to kl, get high on pain, and sleep-driving back to putrajaya before going to work is something really crazy. Might as well continue doing that (signed up for Feb, yeay!)"

Susoshini Jahanath: "I didn't like the fact that as a former runner, I had become so unfit and flabby (yes, the dreaded word - almost as bad as fatty). I got tired of people saying 'You've put on weight! Looking very healthy!'. I tried a few different gyms, but somehow it just never seemed to work out to my taste. I heard about OBC from a friend, signed up in November ... See Morejust to try it out, and I haven't looked back since. I've got a great group of people I exercise with, including the trainers. The motivation and the push is what I've needed. HOOYAH!!"

Chai Soo Pey: "A friend dragged me in bcos he needed someone to accompany him and to find out what it's all about... we went to the wrong field on the first day, i was cursing him mad bcos i thought it was a total conned case paying & waking up in the wee hours just to see an empty field... hmmm, who knows, i subsequently got addicted, this is my 3rd month in OBC!

The actual reason i agreed to try out in the first place was to challenge myself & see how far i can go. It's a big risk i took. I have very sensitive & highly allergic skin after a severe burnt by wrong cream prescribed some 22 years ago... My condition worsen & i almost gave up living then. Everything became a total nightmare. I was always being subjected to people's evil stares, teases & negative remarks bcos of my bad condition.. and my diet was drawn back to basic, eliminating most of the food from the list & slowly introducing one by one all over again to determine which food i can/can't tolerate... i was always on steroid jabs & pills... had no choice but to let go things i love, including sports & outdoor activities....

There were so much fun i missed out all these years, and i intend to do some catch up, it's still not too late... So i started with jogging, random trekking and a little hiking... testing out one thing at a time... each attempt took me a lot of courage because should things go wrong, i would be in a bad shape & would be back to the much-dreaded steroids again. And so far, i am ok. Then came Original Bootcamp, i was really skeptical and not sure if i would want to do it. I know there will be lots of contact with dirty water, mud, grass; lots of sweat - no big issue for healthy people, but definitely very risky for me... Well, i went into it without my family's knowledge. It was only after the 2nd session that i dare to inform my family, and excitedly spammed my friends' with emails! Well, so far so good, i am glad that i am still okay, although every now and then after a session, i do get rashes & have to wait for hours before they subside. Itchy, but worth it! OBC is pure fun & joy, I am always excited, looking forward to each session & i love the people in OBC! ...

Oh, i am now looking forward to trying out my very first water-rafting activity with one of my best friends, CH, end of this month! Hopefully it's materialised & i can pass that too. I am scared, please keep an eye on me, buddy, don't let me die yet!"

Rj Rahman Mansor: "I had always been active and but..just after April 2004 after achieving a target to complete my first (and only) TRI...motivation just faded...I tried to stay fit and keep in shape by going to the gym but gymming was starting to be a bore!...some routine and no one to push me...in the mean time, my already grown up kids was beginning to enjoy outdoor activities (they are into climbing and trailing) and they really would like dad to be with them...but I realize that my fitness was fading fast if I don't do anything about it...Danial my 20 yo son saw OBC and pointed out "Dad, this is YOU!" you gotta go!...I read about OBC somewhere before this long time ago and wondered when it was coming to our shores...when Danial pointed that out...it perked me up and I was game!...I was first recruit in KLA batch but didnt finish because of bad rib injury and...since terminating gym membership..I have enjoyed my new playground and playmates ( and play items too).. OBC Rawks.."

Faizal Ariff: "A different perspective: I joined Original Bootcamp MY because it is the only fitness program in the industry here that let me focus all my attention on the results of the participants (recruits) instead of other misc sales related agenda. Being exposed to the practice of commercialized gyms made me apathetic towards their real objectives. I'm there at the field in the wee hours of the morning because of you recruits. Not for my own gains. Hooyah! :) "

Lulu Cattywampus: "Last year, I set myself a goal to do at least one thing a year I thought I would never do in my lifetime. Last year I learnt how to scuba dive :) This year I thought...climb Mount Kinabalu!! I knew I was in terrible shape and I thought that OBC would be an ideal way to get in shape!

Now, I can safely say that joining OBC is something I thought I ... See Morewould never do in my lifetime!!! I mean...flipping tyres? carrying rifles? Sandbags? No, no...not me!! I'm too much of a girly-girl!! But I'm doing it...and I love it!!! HOOYAH!!!!"

Syuzana Amran: "I joined because I know I'm terribly unfit and missed how I felt 5 years ago. Also, was sick and tired of people passing 'fat' comments. As much as I'd love to say that I don't care what they thought of me, I do. Altho, the comments don't hurt as much as me knowing that I'm just asking for it for not taking better care of myself. So, I had to do something.

Admittedly I've been lurking around for a few months and even when Sulo and Ee-Lyn joined, I said I was too busy that month (I was!) but I knew if I had wanted it so badly, I would've just joined them. No excuses, right? So, after 'chickening' out a few times, opening and closing the OBC website, I (finally!!) registered for January. (And have registered for Feb as well.)

My goals are simple:...
1. Do NOT pass out/ throw up while running.
2. Get my ass into those jeans I've had to leave behind 4 years ago. I know they're waiting for me ;)
3. To live better.

Angela YTFoo: "Hello. I am Angela and I am an Obcholic.
I joined OBC because I wanted to fit into my 25.
Now that I can, I'm still staying because OBC is just too much fun. I think I'd be quite lost if I didn't have to wake up early on Tues/Thurs/Sat.
And I actually love the mud. :)"

Suanie T: "My mother offered to pay for me to get a gastic bypass surgery. i figured there's a less painful option somewhere out there."

Joyce Chuo: Recommended by a friend who have joined OBC 2 months earlier while knowing that I'm looking for a different work up besides my Yoga practice. Was told that this is a totally different sport/ exercise which everyone goes as a team & get motivate/ encouragement by each other to get you tru like a family ...

And of course, guaranteed results ... even thought the fee is slight "costly" but I always believe in what you pay is what you get ... and yet I would need to get myself committed or else ... what you've paid will gone to waste definitely...

I have actually loose 30kgs since 3 years ago ... but then gained 10kgs easily within 2 yrs of "honey-moon" period ... hardly denied that I just love fooooods soooooo much, you won't only see me having Banana Leaf on Sunday ... (some more CK now keeps offering me banana juice & durian juice ... hmmm = =lll ) Don't think of joining those fitness centre as I know I'll be end up watching TV shows, listening to gossips, enjoying the cool-air ... instead of working on the cardio/ classes.

I won't hope to fix in a 25" jeans but at least to get a firmer/ toner figure, healthier life style ... & "bonus" ~ meeting new faces and get real good laugh here :) Surrounded by lot of funny ppl in OBC even I might look bit quiet/ serious or perhaps shy *_* ...

Guys, you really make my day & you are the best! Gotta stick with OBC & HOOOYAAAHHH ~"

Gail Taylor: "hi rukaiyah :) thanks for sharing .. bc great workout for all of us , we will all be healthier, great for the body and mind, most of all the no1 challange is against ourselves to improve every month.. pls come and join us pj pm's again soon your words of encouragement was so welcome hooyah"

Shazana Agha: Wow - these are interesting stories guys! Even if it’s for banana leaf! Suanie, I’m glad you bypassed gastric surgery :) Corp Faizal - fake, plastic gyms reeking of commercial gluttony [oklah, maybe a bit too harsh…] and clinging on in desperation via compulsory yearly contracts – hmmm… certainly not on for me anymore.

Initially, I joined because of the usual weight loss motivation, the ‘feel good factor’ and OF COURSE to be able to have banana leaf/nasi lemak/teh tarik (kurang manis) without dying at a premature age.

But as time went by, it finally hit me, why people actually go crazy over sports. For someone who never really pursued sports in school, this was like discovery of the decade (for me lah) – exercise REALLY makes you feel good - my MUM’s really not lying!! It really does give you the whole ‘optimum performance’ thing. Dan secara psikologinya, [this is my last point, I swear!] something i noticed [yes lah, i know it's not ground-breaking!]:

In bootcamp, or in any form of competitive sports, everyone is constantly driven to do THEIR best, to persevere and carry on. And it’s amazing how this mental attitude can (creep into?) be translated in our real lives, whether it’s work, family, health, personal integrity etc. – you kind of get conditioned to only want your best, no compromise and no more self-sabotage.
Not that easy lah of course, but I'm think ground-breaking theory does work at some level.
Thanks Rukaiyah for posing the question. Have a good weekend everyone! 250 patah perkataan (haha...sorry guys!)"

Pilates WYC: "Although I have been doing group fitness classes for many years, have always been interested in doing military style training in outdoor conditions. I felt that my fitness level needed a kickstart to get it up to a higher level. My cardio level is good & my form is ok but I needed to get stronger.

So OBC is a real dream come true for me. I get to play in the mud & rain, I am definitely stronger & now I can run!!! I have also had the opportunity to train with a fantastic group of instructors & recruits who share my passion for fitness. The rapport & team spirit in KLA is really beyond awesome! You guys are the inspiration for me to drag myself out of bed at 5am 3 times a week when I am well known for being so not a morning person!"

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Armin Baniaz: The reason I first joined the Bootcamp was made known on my first Original Bootcamp BLOG click: here . After almost 13 years being a Gym member and 5 years of various outdoor adventure from mountain climbing, marathons, dualthons and triathlons, all other form of workout then became quite a bore and results was plateau. I crave for some kick-@ss workout and only wanted to try out the Bootcamp in dire desperation to shed some weight from the Hari Raya Aidiltfitri food-overdose last year... I ended-up having the best chemistry at the Bootcamp. The most attractive and important part of the Bootcamp especially for my busy schedule is the punctuality, the early 5:45am schedule (which is not available elsewhere) and the trainers preach what they speak. Every morning, the session never failed to start at 5:45am and ended at 6:45am. I was able to go home, shower, have breakfast and be at office on time. The trainers can performed well all the programs prepared for the trainees and at most time especially Sergeant Simran, would perform those exercises with us, leading us by example.

The actual eventual benchmark for the trainee is really................ the Trainers Timing themselves!!! Watch out trainers, if you lacked-behind in your own training... soon we will be telling you what to do! (*Evil wink*)

HOOOOOOOOYAAAAAH!!!!

Other ref: OBC jan5/12, OBC jan4/12, OBC jan3/12, OBC-Jan2/12, OBC-Jan1/12, Kiasu 15, Kiasu 14, Kiasu 13, Kiasu 12, Kiasu 11, Kiasu 10, Kiasu 9, Kiasu 8, Kiasu 7, Kiasu 6, Kiasu 5, Kiasu 4, Kiasu 3 (timing), Kiasu 2, Kiasu 1,  Bootcamp 13, Bootcamp 12, Bootcamp 11, Bootcamp 10, Bootcamp 9,Bootcamp 8, Bootcamp 7, Bootcamp 6, Bootcamp 5, Bootcamp 4, Bootcamp3, Bootcamp2, Bootcamp 1..