Jay & Elizabeth Do Crutch Camp Boot Camp

I was thinking I might try a boot camp out that was close to my house and ideally met three days a week. Liza then called and said, “I found you a boot camp.  Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 8:30AM.  You start Monday and I even signed up Jay (her husband) for the 6AM class.”  Suddenly, I was officially enrolled in Crutch Camp* at Centennial Park.  The rest of this post has my thoughts on the camp and then Jay Graves’ thoughts as well.

Elizabeth:

I was already putting in over 15 miles of hiking a week, and while this was getting my cardio vascular workout done, my abs, gluts and pecs were sadly out of shape.  I recently read a study stating women need at least an hour of exercise a day.  Really???  This is a  dirty little secret that I might be better off not knowing.  And with our busy schedules, it’s hard to pull off.  Please don’t be disheartened when you hear that – if you can get 30 minutes a day, that is great.  Just get something and aim for daily. Classes and boot camps will help you stay motivated.

Two things about Crutch Camp appealed to me: it is held outside in one of Nashville’s most beautiful parks, Centennial, and it on is held on the same days as my hike: M-W-F.  So if I knocked it out, I’d be done by 9:30AM.

There I am...inspirational setting isn't it?.

There are many reasons why I loved this boot camp, but the main reason is Bill.  He’s a real pro when it comes to getting your body in shape and eating correctly. With over 20 years in the business, he knows what works and what doesn’t. The classes continually change, the work out is aggressive, and you’ll have fun.  The classes are co-ed so you can challenge yourself to keep up with the guys if you want. I didn’t feel the need to jog with the best of em’, but always loved it when Bill barked, “Give it all ya’ got.”

But secretly, the reason I always looked forward to the class was Bill’s sense of humor.  Bill is funny -really funny- his timing is quick and his wit dry.  He reminds me of a Ben Stiller in gym shorts.  Who knew I could tone my gluts and laugh my a** off with the beautiful back drop of the Parthenon to inspire me.

The morning starts off with some quick warm ups and then, we usually divide up in small groups to get started specific exercise for a certain muscle group.  It moves quickly and the hour flies by as you jog, crunch abs and work your deltoids.

One morning you may jog the mile loop at the park or do a series on sprints on the steps of the Parthenon.  The next class you start a series of jogs up a small hill and end up with a series of ab crunches under the loge on the Parthenon porch.

Bill understands people are busy and need flexibility so you can go to any of his classes and make them up if you have to miss one.  He offers classes at 6AM, 7AM, 8:30AM & 9:30AM on M-W-F.

The next 4-week camp starts on May 17th.  For an affordable $200/ 4 weeks, you will get more than your money’s worth, have more than your share of laughs and feel good about your body, mind and spirit.  Click here for more details: Crutch Camp

Jay:

“Jennifer, you can’t handle the truth!”

Well, it wasn’t that loud.  And we all laughed afterwards.

This was my real introduction to Bill Crutchfield’s “Crutch Camp” boot camp.  Let’s be honest, left unto myself, getting up at 5:30 in the morning Monday, Wednesday and Friday for four weeks would not exactly be on my list of things to do.  And being yelled at by some dude telling me that I am fat while making me puke is not my form of exercise.

This picture is from Elizabeth Fox's 8:30AM class.

However, Liza came to me and said, “I want you to do this one month boot camp for StyleBlueprint.  We need a guy’s perspective.”  She is very persuasive and this was the absolute nicest way I have ever been called fat.  How could I say no to my lovely wife?  My days of just running the computers behind this blog were over.

In early April 6:00 am is what I refer to as “night”.  I showed up a few minutes late in Centennial Park with after driving around totally lost.  I was expecting a huge group and drove by everyone twice.  Turns out that Bill’s groups at this early 6 AM slot are only about 4-6 people and they meet just to the west of the Parthenon (it really is early).  There are both men and women.  There are also slots at 7:00, 8:30 and 9:30 as well.  The early time actually works well for me but you can mix and match as you see fit.  Bill asks that you do another two days a week of cardio (45 minutes to one hour each day).  Oh, and watch what you eat…. I hate that one.

So in the dark we started with stretches.  This is nothing, I thought with great confidence.  The next 50 minutes are somewhat of a blur.  You just don’t stop.  Mind you I did not puke but there were a few minutes…well, let’s just stick to the fact that I did not puke.

The next session was a test.  Count push-ups for one minute.  Count sit-ups for one minute.  Run a mile timed.  See how much you improve over four weeks.  The only thing missing from high school PE was rectangle pizza and tater tots for lunch.  Which, by the way, was how I got to needing a boot camp…

Bill went out of his way throughout the camp to show me what was going on.  Almost everyone else there were veterans – including one that had been there every month for four years.  Now that is a boot camp-er!  But there was nothing here that made me uncomfortable or like an outsider.  We worked out hard but it was not completely insane.

After a few go-rounds I got used to the early hours and looked forward to getting pushed.  One routine is to alternate running forward and backward around the lake in the park.  I asked Bill what muscles running backwards worked out.  ”Different ones”, was Bill’s quiet response.  The next morning I realized he was right.  4 Advil.

At the end of four weeks I improved push-ups from 25 to 40.  Sit-ups from 54 to 59.  My one mile time decreased 15 seconds.  But then again I am slower than I look so that is not saying much.

Overall, I am now a big fan and plan to repeat as often as I can while incorporating my other cardio and stop-ins every so often with my trainer (who Liza and I both really love for a personal training experience.  His name is Darryl Cassey, at Takes Two Fitness.)

Bill Crutchfield is a great guy with great stories about how to work out, how to eat and combines it all with a great sense of humor.  Get him to tell you the story of the one lady that heard that running while holding your breath burned more calories…

I would also like to commend Bill for last week.  He periodically has “pay-as-you-go” weeks in between his four week camps.  All money from last week’s sessions went to Nashville Flood fund-raising.  He didn’t have to do this but I commend him – just another example of Nashvillians helping Nashvillians.

Final recommendation?  Good for StyleBlueprint readers.  Good for husbands of StyleBlueprint readers.  I’m sure you can be just as persuasive as my wife was.  Besides, I need someone new at 6:00 to show up so I won’t be the newbie.

The next 4-week camp starts on May 17th.  For an affordable $200/ 4 weeks, you will get more than your money’s worth, have more than your share of laughs and feel good about your body, mind and spirit.  Click here for more details: Crutch Camp

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