10 TIPS FOR NEWBIES

Nor Sabrina Mohd Noor

Dedicated for  the benefits of the newbies and a refresher to existing recruits.

Nor Sabrina Mohd Noor or more fondly known as Sabon was a healthy lady weighing almost 100kg when she first joined the Chief's Original Bootcamp (COBC) in September 2011. She is a recruit at the Bravo platoon, under Bandar Utama battalion at the Selangor COBC regiment. When Sabon first accepted the invitation from Afiza Abdul Halin for a life changing experience, Sabon was so nervous and had butterflies for weeks but now, Sabon would countdown to the next session the soonest she completed one.

Sabon had brought with her many of her friends whom grew to became an important part of COBC. COBC is all about a community of people from all walk of life that gathered together having shared the same passion for fitness and health. Everytime she brought along a new batch of friends to COBC, they would asked the same imprinted sets of questions and Sabon having gone through the same suspense, understood and would say as follows: 

From Sabon:

"When fiza invited me to sign up for COBC, I was so nervous and had butterflies in my stomach for weeks. That was in 2011. Now I’m enjoying every minute of it and it has become a big part of my life"

Quite a few of my friends have joined me since and usually this is what I would advise them before bringing them over for a session:

1) Be clear on what you want to achieve – Be it losing weight, getting a defined body, getting fitter, lose the gut, tighten bum, etc and the list goes on.. have a goal in mind. It’ll help you to pull through and stick to the program. You’ll get there. Promise.

2) Believe in yourself – Nobody is born with a six pack washboard abs  and bulging biceps the size of a tree trunk, they work for it. You may feel intimidated at the thought of an intense, grueling group workout but what I love about COBC is that the programs are designed to accommodate exercisers of all levels. I was struggling initially but the instructors were there to help to show you the ropes and guide you through.  Plus point: They’re super cute too!

STRIP EXEMPTIONS GIVEN TO 70 CAR MODELS, VARIANTS

A GROUP of influential car dealers has recommended stripping exemptions given to vehicles if they do not meet the new safety standards.

Proton Edar Dealers Association (Peda) urged the Transport Ministry to revoke all exemptions given to 10 car models with more than 70 variants that do not meet the New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) safety requirements.

The call follows efforts by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros), an agency under the ministry, to lift motor vehicle safety standards and encourage a market for safer vehicles under NCAP.

NCAP is a collaboration signed between Miros and the Global New Car Assessment Programne on December 7 2011.

In 2011, the ministry issued a list of United Nation Economic Council for Europe (Unece) regulations for automotive assemblers and manufacturers in Malaysia to implement by January 2012.

The deadline was first extended to June last year.

Peda president, Armin Baniaz Pahamin, said to date, 70 car models and variants are still given exemption despite not complying with two items on the Unece list, namely UN ECE R94 (frontal collision system) and UN ECE R95.

TIPS ON HOW TO OPTIMIZE YOUR WORKOUT

What can we do to the get the most out of our only 1 hour workout, 3 times a week? Below are 10 simple but amazing tips from our Penang lead instructor Sarge (COBC) Boon cscs that can surely fire up your progress!!

1) BURST OF POWER!! Every set of workout is only 20 to 40 seconds maximum with a break of 10-20 seconds in between sets. This short burst of power targets to repeatedly push your heart rate to its maximum HR to stretch your stamina and strength a step further.

2) MAX-UP REPETITION!! Do all, as in each and every repetitions when asked to. Every repetition counts. Do it perfectly and do not discount or cheat on the number of repetitions and its form. There is no shame of being the last in the group. Your competition is against your own fitness and strength and not of others (unless you are a Delta)

Afiza Abdul Halin

2013 8WC LIST OF CHALLENGERS!! NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!!

LC Azmir sacrificed his chance to win 2012 8WC to be a COBC instructor

Simon Koay Penang 2012 8WC Co-Champ

The licensor to the Chief's Original Bootcamp in Australia launched the 4th Eight Week Challenge (8WC) slightly more than 2 weeks ago on 3rd February 2013. Although the last challenge was only three months after the 3rd 8WC ended (as opposed to previous years when the 8WC was held only once a year), there are approximately 700 participants in Australia and Malaysia that had registered this year. 

These challengers have been on a mission to transform their physiques with the Chief Original Bootcamp for 8 consecutive weeks!! and if you think they look hawt and great now, see their BEFORE picture and their measurement. You will be amazed!! Click on the challenger's name BELOW to see how they look like before the transformation. 

To see this year, 2013's list of 8WC participants, scroll all the way down to the end of the page. Bandar Utama has the biggest number of challengers with 30 registered recruits followed by Damansara Heights platoon.

Pictures below were some of last year 2012's 8WC participants. Click on the challenger's name BELOW to see how they look like before the transformation. 

MOST COMMON MISTAKE MADE WHILE TRAINING

What are the top most common mistakes while training?

1. BENDING INSTEAD OF SQUATTING DOWN WHEN DOING GRUNTS.

2. COMPROMISING ON FORMS FOR SPEED.
Hey.. Compromising on forms can and do lead to various injuries. Speed is important once you are in Delta but before pressing for speed, we must first ensure our forms are perfect.

3. DOING A BACK TO BACK SESSION
Yes... Some of us miscalculated the level of our newly found energy. More often, most newbies (to COBC) would feel hyper-energetic after the second week and they would began to attend Bootcamp everyday and even do a back-to-back session. Unless you are a season athlete, we do not recommend for you to do a back to back but instead, to workout at COBC three times a week on alternate days as suggested. This is to allow your body to have sufficient time to rest & recover.

4. WHEN SQUATTING, WEIGHT SHOULD BE ON THE HEELS.

5. STANDING UP AND NOT JUMPING WHEN DOING GRUNTS. When jumping, recruit should land squatting and not standing up.

Yes, understood Grunts is a killer but if we must paused or be rested, it should be at the squatting-down position. Always jump and squat straight down to complete 1 repetition.

6. Not BEING ABLE TO WALK OUT OF BOOTCAMP is a figure of speech but literally it means, if you find it tough and hard to complete the 1 hour session, its only then that you have had a good workout. Anyone from any fitness level, no matter how new or how senior an athlete you are, if you can comfortably walk out after the session, it means you did not give your best effort (Maybe "stalling"!!) and did not do your best while training.

70 CAR OF MIX VARIANCES IN MALAYSIA FAILED THE NCAP CRASH TEST?

70 CAR OF MIX VARIANCES IN MALAYSIA FAILED THE NCAP CRASH TEST?

Well.. It would have if it was made to go through the crash test but instead, it was given an exemption from compliance by our Ministry of Transport.

On 7 December 2011, the Global New Car Assessment Programme (GNCAP) and the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) signed a collaborative MOU to establish a pilot project for an ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nation) New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). The objective of the program was to elevate motor vehicle safety standards in the ASEAN region and encourage a market for safer vehicles. (Source: FIA).

The essence behind the NCAP is to educate consumers in selecting the best crashworthy car.

Upon getting the cabinet approval, the Transport Ministry issued a list of United Nation Economic Council for Europe (UN ECE) regulations for motorcar assemblers and manufacturers in Malaysia to implement by January 2012. Failing that, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) had already extended the date by six months to June 2012. (Source: New Sunday Times, 13 April 2012)

Todate, 10 car-make with 70 model variances listed below still did not meet the regulation under the ASEAN NCAP. Those listed below did not comply and was given an exemption from complying to the UN ECE Regulation 94 and R95. (Source: Road Transport Department (JPJ), website).

The UN ECE Regulation No. 94 and No. 95 specifies a minimum crash safety performance for frontal collision speed of 64 km/h and side collision speed of 64 km/h.

Notice from the list below, most global carmaker such as TOYOTA, produced two different models of the same car with those in Malaysia not conforming to the Global crashworthiness standard but the same car passed the carshworthiness in other region.

A global car manufacturer has to engineer the car to four different types of national specifications but usually it was designed in compliance to either the US specifications or the General Market specifications. There are also the European specifications and Japan specifications. The US specification is usually the most expensive because of the high safety and environmental specifications.
 

(Source: Road Transport Department (JPJ), website)

PEDA URGED MOT TO WITHDRAW ALL EXEMPTION GIVEN TO CARMAKERS

Kuala Lumpur, February 2013. "PROTON Edar Dealers Association Malaysia (PEDA) lauded the government’s effort provided under MIROS, an arm under the Ministry of Transport to elevate our motor vehicle safety standards and encourage a market for safer vehicles in Malaysia under the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)”, said Armin Baniaz Pahamin President, PEDA. He further added, “Given the essence of NCAP, PEDA urged our Minister of Transport to withdraw all exemption and waiver given to 10 car models with more than 70 variances that did not meet the NCAP safety requirement.

1. In 2011, the Ministry of Transport issued a list of United Nation Economic Council for Europe (UN ECE) regulations for motorcar assemblers and manufacturers in Malaysia to implement by January 2012. The deadline was first extended to June 2012 (Source: NST, 13 April 2012). Todate, 70 car variances were still given exemption for non-compliance when the local car manufacturer and assembler could not meet two items on the list namely UN ECE R94 (frontal collision system) and UN ECE R95 (side collision) (Reference: http://www.jpj.gov.my/web/guest/status-senarai-kenderaan-yang-tidak-mematuhi).

2. Announced in 2007, regulation No. 94 and No. 95 of the UN ECE specifies a minimum crash safety performance for frontal collision speed of 64 km/h and side collision speed of 64 km/h.

3. The R94 and R95 are standards issued by UNECE regarding the level of protection of passengers in a car in the event of a front impact and a side impact. These standards are used for the issuing of safety ratings by the NCAP operated by regional non-profit organizations and funded by governments and/or insurance groups. 

 4. The essence behind the NCAP is to educate consumers in selecting the best crashworthy car but with 70 car variances given an exemption for non-compliance (See attached list), consumers are being blindfolded when their choices were impaired and misguided with the absentees of this safety requirement. 

5. Since the directive was issued, the exemption is still valid todate at the cost of the public’s safety and life endangerment. 

 6. The exemption by JPJ is not in tandem with the spirit under the NCAP which was a collaboration signed between the Global New Car Assessment Program (GNCAP) and the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) on 7th of December 2011 but will continue to model Malaysia as a dumping ground for foreign cars with sub-standard safety compliance. 

7. A global car manufacturer has to engineer the car to four different types of national specifications but usually it was designed in compliance to either the US specifications or the General Market specifications. There are also the European specifications and Japan specifications. The US specification is usually the most expensive because of the high safety and environmental specifications. 

 8. The difference between those national specifications is so big that some carmakers like Toyota for example produces two different models of the same car for different region. This is partly the reason why the US market has a different looking Toyota Camry and in Malaysia, most global carmakers did not conform but was given exemption from adhering to the UNECE R94 and R95. 

 9. Developing markets like Malaysia usually get the general specifications body, which may or may not comply to UNECE R94 and R95. 

10. There were 7 vehicles selected for the first phase of the ASEAN NCAP crash test based on vehicle “entry-level”, most sellable cars and its market share according to their market segment. The 7 vehicles were Honda City, Ford Fiesta, Proton Saga Perodua Myvi, Hyundai i10, Nissan March and Toyota. The ASEAN NCAP first phase test result were made public on 31 January 2013. 

11. The result however was not a good representation for the consumer and it did not achieve the overall objective of NCAP as it excludes vehicle model such as the Perodua Viva which was sold with more than 60,000 units per year and more than 95% market share in Segment A in vehicle sales category. Other vehicle models in the same category (Segmen A) namely Hyundai i10 (with less than 3% market share) were made to participate in the crash test. 

12. With such a significant car sales volume, it is important for the public to be aware and beknown of Perodua Viva’s crashworthiness that was the objective of the NCAP. Giving an exemption to any manufacturer or assemblers from NCAP compliance is akin of lying to the public by hiding the non-compliance to the global motor vehicle safety standard”, said Armin Baniaz Pahamin. 

13. He added, “Car manufacturer or distributor should not be given any exemption or waiver especially when it involve the public safety. The public’s right should not be compromised especially with Malaysia being the 3rd highest road fatality per 10,000-registered vehicle in South East Asia. 

In Thailand, all eco-cars like the Nissan March and Honda Brio (usually priced around RM40,000) already conform to UNECE R94 and R95 standards, as it is one of the requirement set by the Thai government to qualify for eco-car tax incentive. (Source: NST April 13, 2012) 

8 WEEKS CHALLENGE IMPORTANT DATES

Important Dates

Marie How-2012 COBC 8-Week Challenge Subang Jaya Champ

23 January 2013 - 8WC open for registration

3 February 2013 - Photo-shoot & measurement take BEFORE 8WC began (Must hold a newspaper bearing the date)

4 February 2013 - February-Intake commence. 8WC began. Inferno diet- Ignition phase (14 days).

4th-7th February: First 3 days the hardest (Critical Period) to stay on track.

8 February 2013 -  Deadline to upload PRE-8WC photos & Measurement at here -> http://bootcamp.com.au/eightweekchallenge/. For instructions to update, please click HERE.

17 February 2013 - Ignition Phase ended, Cheat Meal.

18 February 2013 - Now Burn Phase Part 1 (Extreme Body Shaping Program) began (2 weeks)

COBC 8 Weeks Challenge Damansara Heights Local Champion- AFFIQ ZAKIE

SUPPLEMENTS FOR TRAINING

Marie How- USJ1 Batallion 2012 Local Champion

Yes!! Yes!!! Sorry for the belated blog-posting on the supplements but it was not easy to negotiate for the best prices. For one, the currency to import those supplements from oversea kept changing and two, the cost price increases every year. However, we manage to negotiate the cost to be kept at the same price (as last year) and was able to extend /offer the same price to you.

We finally got it!!! Although we are not able to get the BSC products used and recommended by Australia due to Malaysia strict and lengthy licensing requirement but we sourced and found an alternative which has an equivalent if not better content but cost the same. Some are more expensive than BSC products but we managed to negotiate for a cheaper bulk prices.... especially for you. 

No!! We do not profiteer from this (not even for petrol fee) because we simply wants to make it cheaper and easier for you to get the result to win the 8WC. COBC Malaysia wants you to be the the Grand Champion and win the RM15,000.

All the products from both stacks proposed are suitable for both men and women who are physically active for optimal results. As the Ultimate Nutrition Ultra Ripped contains stimulant, it is not suitable for customers who are on specific medication, with high blood pressure, and/or with heart problems. Please do consult your physicians for consultation if you have medical condition.

The SUPPLEMENTS are as follows:

HOW TO UPDATE PICTURES FOR 8WC

8 Week Challenge began today, 4 February 2013 but if you have not yet registered, it is STILL NOT TOO LATE!! The deadline for measurement and pictures which is imperative for you to qualify as a challenger was extended for a few days just in case anyone encountered some issues. BUT be warned, you ABSOLUTELY want to take your photos before you start DAY 1 as you are going to notice a difference in as little as a day. That is a FACT.

So what are the Do's and Don't when taking pictures, Quoting Gunny Brabon below whom is not just a Master Trainer but she is also the Managing Director of Original Bootcamp, Australia (our principal) and the person responsible behind our Inferno diet.

"If you aren't sure of what is required - please look at the FAQ's at HERE so that you know exactly what we need for you to be eligible to stay in throughout the 8 weeks.

I have attached a sample sheet for you to this email - of some Typical BEFORE photos just so you know what isn't ok and what is....

SO item 1 - 3 below are big NO NO'S..... 4-6 are the good ones.....check out the photos.

Photo 1.....WOW - and yes I have seen WAY too many body parts in the photos submitted previously. Even a naked one.....It stung my retinas....We do not need to see your willy, so please put pants on. Even better, put your pants on and make sure we can't see anything you wouldn't show your grandmother.

Photo 2....NO SELFIES!!!!! I know that sometimes you want to do them on your own and don't want to ask somebody to take them for you - but its easy! Download a timer app for free on your Iphone and set it up at SHOULDER height. Not a selfie in the mirror. They won't be accepted guys, and you will be asked to re-submit.

Photo 3. NO POSERS! So we just want straight forward front, sides and a newspaper shot. Nice and simple.

Photo 4. PERFECT! clean background with no pictures on the wall!