Lose Your Booty at Boot Camp

“Come on, ladies. Let’s go!”

It’s 5:30 a.m. and most of Owasso is still asleep. A commanding voice pierces the stillness in the Friendship Baptist Church parking lot. “Come on, ladies. Let’s go!”

Amanda Evans, certified personal fitness trainer and director of Owasso Adventure Boot Camp, is part coach, part cheerleader and part drill sergeant. She leads and motivates about 30 women in a four-week outdoor program that she wholeheartedly believes is the most important fitness program they will encounter in their lives.

Daily participants agree. In an hour, they kick, run, twist, lunge, stretch, push up, sit up, jump and crunch to challenge every muscle in the body. The exercises are intense, working the upper and lower body at the same time while quickly moving from one exercise set to another. As many as 600 calories are burned each hour.

There’s an occasional “Argh!” and “Oooh!” as the ladies call on muscles that would prefer to be relaxing in bed. And then a cheerful, “It took me two months to do that!” as one participant reaches her toes for the first time doing sit-ups.

The program is designed specifically for women and includes exercises to firm the butt and thighs, flatten the stomach, reduce body fat and inches, and increase strength and stamina.

The concept of boot camp fitness is loosely based on the intense regimen that the U.S. Army uses to keep recruits in shape. There are 347 Adventure Boot Camps internationally, and the concept is new to Oklahoma.

The Sooner native who recently moved here from Dallas explains, “This works for everybody, regardless of size, shape and ability. Whether you are a beginner, an avid fitness enthusiast, or just tired of the same old routine, Adventure Boot Camp can get you on the fast track to the results you want.”  

Amanda’s camp participants have included a marathon runner, a stage-four breast cancer patient, and women who have never exercised in their lives.

There’s a warm sense of support as the ladies compliment each other on appearances and achievements. “Where did your butt go?” one participant asks another after two weeks of camp.

Nutrition plays a key role, with a special one-hour nutrition seminar as part of the enrollment package. The ladies journal their food intake each day and share their tips for success through emails to each other. Throughout the hour Amanda dishes out nutritional advice – what to eat, what not to eat – but she sternly warns, “Never reward yourself with food.”

Bright lights in the parking lot give way to nature’s light. It’s 6:30 a.m., and the women have survived another day of boot camp. They are smiling, laughing and looking forward to the next time.

Owasso Adventure Boot Camp is a five-day program, Monday through Friday. There is also a three-day option. Additional class times are 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Enrollment includes a nutrition seminar, a T-shirt, and before and after assessments. Owasso Adventure Boot Camp meets in the parking lot at Friendship Baptist Church, 14100 E. 86th St. N. In case of inclement weather, camp moves indoors. A new camp begins the first of each month. Call Amanda at (918) 688-0110 for cost and details. You may also register online at www.owassoadventurebootcamp.com.

For more information, contact

Owasso Adventure Boot Camp

(918) 688-0110

www.owassoadventurebootcamp.com