BOOT CAMP with Sweet Energy
“NOW THIS was what you call a thorough full-body workout. Every part a me a hurt me. This was more intense than anything we’ve done in Fit 4 Life so far,” shared an out-ofbreath, drenched-in-sweat Andrea Nelson.
No doubt, Saturday’s Fit 4 Life bootcamp with the Sweet Energy Fitness Club was off the charts.
The 15-station setup at Jessie Ripoll Primary School, St Andrew, featured: squat with ammo pan, push-up, ammo pan shuttle, sit-up with battle rope, battle rope slams, team burpee, sledgehammer, team sit and stand, big tire flip, jumping jacks, team high plank, dance aerobics, stone shuttle, tire slam, and small tire flip.
The approximately 400 fitness enthusiasts were sorted into 15 groups, and competed to take home exciting prizes. The goal: which team could complete the 15 circuits in the best form in the best time. Each team had four minutes per station.
“This is what we call a military style boot camp executed as a competition circuit. It builds team spirit and challenges people to work together as a team to achieve one objective. This type of training is rarely done in Jamaica,” stated Anthony Kepple, head of Sweet Energy Fitness Club.
To pull off the high-intensity two-hour session, the full cadre of Sweet Energy trainers were out to ensure that the hundreds of Fit 4 Lifers got a great workout – Kepple, Robert ‘Astro’ Whyte, Sheena-Kay Sinclair, Shevar McFarlane, Tanisha McKenzie, Downdray Archer, Ackeem Wright, Gauntlett Stewart, Rayan Robinson, AnaKay Edwards, Andre Brown, Jevan Williams, Nandi Yard, Christopher Beason, Shevon McKnight, and Neco McCalla.
In the end, team Deep Green scored the highest with 1,756 points, with team Orange placing second with 1,714 points.
Thanks to sponsors Jamaica Moves, WATA, PowerAde, Foska Oats, Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Milk, Elle & Vire, Caribbean Choice, Gustazos, Eden Gardens Wellness Resort & Spa, JP St Mary’s, Medical Associates Hospital & Medical Centre, and GraceKennedy Money Services, who were on hand to replenish everyone’s energy.
This Saturday, November 16, the Fit 4 Life team heads to the FLOW Flex Gym, 47 Half-WayTree Road, St Andrew, for week nine of Season 3, starting at 6:30 a.m.
Admission is free. Follow Fit 4 Life on The Gleaner’s social media platforms, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, and on The Gleaner’s website using the hashtag #fit4lifeja to see where we will be next and to see highlights of all the events.
Until the grand finale on Saturday, December 7, Season 3 of The Gleaner’s health-and-fitness initiative, themed ‘Fit in 5’, will roll out at different locations across Jamaica, starting at 6:30 a.m., featuring free boot camp style, a.m. workouts, lifestyle and fitness tips, challenges to win great prizes, demonstrations and samplings from sponsors and partners, health checks, among a host of other exciting things.
Everyone is invited to come out each week, as The Gleaner’s Fit 4 Life team journeys with Jamaica to a healthy, fitter life.
Check out the Health section every Wednesday in The Gleaner and at www.jamaica-gleaner.com for all you need to know to be Fit 4 Life.