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War is hell — and so are these military-inspired workouts.
Boot camp-style fitness classes are taking the city by storm, and even former soldiers who were whipped into shape by real-life drill sergeants say some of these exercises are harder than the basic training they endured as recruits.
Makes sense, considering the classes condense 90 days of squat thrusts and push-ups into an hour-long class. “It’s more intense in that you don’t have a break,” says ex-Marine Chad Vincent, 37, of his experience at the Chelsea’s Circuit of Change fitness class.
Civilians have been getting toned with army-influenced workouts since Tom Cruise and Richard Gere glamorized the military stud in ’80s movies like “Top Gun” and “An Officer and a Gentleman,” but the fitness trend surged as veterans returned from Iraq and Afghanistan ready to turn couch potatoes into fit-and-trim G.I. Joes and Janes.
Alec Tabak for New York Daily News
Marine veteran Chad Vincent demonstrates mountain climbers at Circuit of Change in Manhattan.
The classes tend to share much in common with a Marine exercise regimen called the Daily 7, which includes burpees (jumping from a squat position), mountain climbers (one-legged push-ups coupled with ab-crushing knee lifts), straddle hops (known to civilians as jumping jacks), pull-ups and rope climbing, among other high-pressure activities.
With such hard workouts squeezed into such short sessions, veterans found the toughest of these classes to be harder than the real thing.
That said, folks who sign up for fitness boot camps start their workouts with lots of luxuries foreign to those who have enlisted: civilians can get more than three hours of sleep per night, mid-session water breaks are encouraged at classes, and no matter how curt instructors get, they’ll never call clients yellow-bellied pathetic excuses for a humans.
Alec Tabak for New York Daily News
Vincent gets airborne for a workout.
“When you show up on Zero Day, your drill sergeants are screaming at you as soon as you get off the bus,” says U.S. Army veteran Liesl Marelli, 31. “You’re carrying a huge duffel bag of gear, they’re like, ‘Run, run, run, run!,’ people are crying already, there’s chaos.”
At these classes, the only pain is physical — not psychological.
But if you want a workout that will help you be all you can be, you need to sign up for one of the boot camp sessions that march ahead of the pack. Here are the ones vetted by New York vets:
Circuit of Change
57 W. 16th St. (212) 255-0053
The base: Working out is a battle, but this class — founded by Brian Delmonico in 2011 — helps New Yorkers find peace of mind.
Marching orders: The focus on zen at the one-hour Mindbody Boot Camp session doesn’t mean you won’t sweat. Expect a mix of martial arts, gymnastics and yoga in indoor sessions, while outdoor classes include runs on piers near Christopher and West Sts. — where participants leap over benches and a small wall.
Intel: “You will be soaked by the end of the class,” says former Marine Chad Vincent. “In the Marine Corps, you just do the same thing over and over to the same rhythm. But Bryan will mix things up.” Unlike in basic training, Vincent says he couldn’t zone out and rely on muscle memory. “You have to pay attention in class. You’re mindful of what’s going on around the world and around you.”
Sam Costanza for New York Daily News
Marine Alex Fell takes “recruit” through training at the Warrior Fitness Boot Camp’s W. 35th St. location.
Warrior Fitness Boot Camp
29 W. 35th St. (212) 967-7977
The base: Hurdles, monkey bars and hanging ropes adorn this loft space, where a crew of five not-afraid-to-shout instructors — all ex-military — motivate the troops.
Marching orders: With an obstacle course modeled after real boot camps, this workout is as authentic as it gets, according to former Marine Sgt. Ruben Belliard. “We stay true to the fact that this is what we went through,” he says. That means no machines. Instead, classes include a series of 90-second drills that require teamwork to complete.
Intel: “When you walk in, you think, there’s no way I’m going to do this, I can’t climb this wall,” says Belliard. “People are intimidated. But with tips and technique, within a few weeks they can master the course.” Thanks in part to those yelling instructors — who only shout to push you along, not push you down. “We don’t scream at people and make them feel worthless,” Belliard says. “The Marine Corps weeds out the weak. That’s not what we do here.”
Robert Sabo/New York Daily News
Lauren Savett of Manhattan does pull-ups on a swing set as instructor Stacy Berman looks on.
Stacy’s Boot Camp
(646) 537-5466; stacysbootcamp.com
The base: Self-described “fit-preneur” Stacy Berman turns 17 years of Tae Kwon Doe and kickboxing experience into a series of outdoor boot camps in Central Park, Washington Square Park, Battery Park, or a soon-to-launch East Side location.
Marching orders: Three weekly sessions start “at the butt crack of dawn,” according to Army veteran Liesl Marelli. And they’re outside no matter how hot, cold, or rainy it is. Uncertainty is a big part of the recipe. “You don’t know what she’s going to throw at you that day,” says Marelli. “You just know you will sweat, your muscles will hurt.”
Intel: Berman makes sure the whole group gives it their all — and holds each camper to high standards. “She does a phenomenal job smoking you,” says Marelli, who gained weight in real boot camp in 2001, but wound up leaner after three weeks with the New York City instructor. “Stacy is more effective than the military.”
Mudderella
Mount Laurel Performing Arts Center, Tamiment, Pa.
mudderella.com
The base: This all-female obstacle course race hits the East Coast for the first time, luring ladies who are willing to get muddy as they run, climb and crawl through 6 miles of military-style drills in the Pennsylvania dirt.
Marching orders: There will be about 14 obstacles, and all of them involve mud. The Dirty Downward Dog “requires you to maintain a plank position and shimmy yourself across a muddy pool,” says Mudderella trainer Miriam Wasmund. The big finisher is the Hat Trick, which involves bouncing off a springboard, landing on a vertical cargo net, climbing 15 feet to a platform, and sliding down into a pool of — you guessed it — mud.
Intel: It’s similar to interval training done in the military, but Mudderella CEO Cristina DeVitto says the race is more about female empowerment than getting a good workout. “So many times in a gym scenario, you’re surrounded by mirrors,” she says. “Women get so stuck on how they look on the outside. With the mud variable, you get dirty. You stop caring about how you look and really focus on how you feel.”
Susan Watts/New York Daily News
Stefan Coles jumps rope as instructor Will Lanier watches as part of the Brick Fitness Bootcamp outdoor workout.
Brick New York
257 W. 17th St.; bricknewyork.com
The base: This popular Los Angeles CrossFit gym opened this month, and instructor Will Lanier is already whipping New Yorkers into shape with boot camp-style runs and outdoor workouts.
Marching orders: The 10-minute warmup run will feel easy before Lanier starts his “60-minute high-intensity, high-rep endurance workout.” Trust in your teammate for drills like the 100-foot bear crawl — you’ll hold a plank the whole time your teammate is crabwalking. Also expect box step-ups and leaping squats.
Intel: This workout is hard — but the goal is for all participants to complete it. “Everyone can do it,” says Lanier. “Everything is scalable. If you can’t do plank push-ups, you’ll do them on your knees until you can.” Also different from boot camp, Brick will soon offer yoga classes (you’ll never hear a drill sergeant chanting, “Ohhhm”).
