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| Patsy makes us all lift weights and run. It exhausts me for an hour, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning. I now lovingly call it Hell Camp, and I love the comraderie with the other women and men. |
I've been wanting to pay homage to Patsy, my sweet next-door neighbor who started a boot camp almost two years ago and is an amazing role model. I so admire her and Martha, who runs some of the boot camp classes with her.
She can outdo everyone at push-ups, crunches, sprints, jumping, skipping, lunging, shuffling, weights, chest passes, burpees and everything else. She moves effortlessly--at least it looks that way. She is a graceful rabbit to my big, slow groundhog.
What I really admire about Patsy, and what I love that I've learned from her, is the message that you can be powerful yet pretty, competitive yet compassionate. She brings out the best in all of us, and we love her for it. But take her on in a race and she will leave you in the dust, no apologies expected or given. This is exercise. This is fitness.
When she hosted a holiday cocktail party for us all last December at Egan's on Walnut Street in Montclair, Kristen and Lisa put together a list of all the Patsy-isms we know and love, like lift your butt, said when we're in plank position, or you have 20 seconds, when she gives us a water break between grueling drills.
But I decided yesterday that I need a miniature Patsy in my pocket, to take to the supermarket, the ice cream barn, the pizza parlor.
Here are the things the Patsy in my pocket would say:
- Just don't buy the cookies. They look really good, she'd say, but you know you will just eat them all.
- Have healthy snacks around. Hummus, turkey, mustard, seeded flatbreads, pickles, avocado.
- Don't stop going to boot camp. Whatever you do, don't stop going to boot camp. Especially if you're feeling depressed--exercise is a good way to fight depression.
- But who is the chocolate for? She has said this when one of us mentions that we fill a candy dish with small foil-wrapped seasonal chocolates.
- Be strong. Her line when demanding our 100th push-up or some other measure of torture. Can be applied to lots of other situations, too.
Patsy, I am so thankful for you and your Accelerate Boot Camp--for the lessons you've taught me about believing in myself and pushing myself to do my best. I am so thankful that I can sprint across the football field now [crossways, not lengthwise--not yet]. Thank you for showing me the honesty and beauty of being confident and fit. I still have a long way to go--but I'm getting there.
[Link: http://www.xlr8fit.com/about_accelerate_performance_fitness.html]
[Link: http://www.xlr8fit.com/about_accelerate_performance_fitness.html]
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Do keep going to bootcamp. Times in my life when I haven't exercised regularly the answer to the question "what is the one thing you can do to improve your life?" has been completely obvious. If you manage to get a Patsy to fit in your pocket please get two and share! I looked at the website- is bootcamp usually outside? That seems like a plus. It also seems from your description that you get a lot of the same encouragement and extra push from Patsy and your companions that I get from the personal trainer - something you just can't get on your own or from a video tape.
ReplyDeleteHi Nan....thank you for the note. Boot camp is outside all year until about November...when it gets freezing cold, Patsy moves us inside to the soccer dome [in Clifton]. We also go there if it is pouring rain in the morning. When it's boiling hot, it's really hard outside, too and Patsy tells us to be sure and bring ice water. For a long time, we were in a more remote part of Brookdale Park in Montclair but now we are over near the track and I really like that, b/c I ran track in high school [all four years] and it makes me feel like a young student again or something. Maybe like anything is possible. Boot camps are big in Montclair, as I guess everywhere. During our 9:30 session, there are at least two other boot camps going on that we can see on the field. And I once went to the 5:15 A.M.! class that Patsy does and there were even a couple/few other boot camps going on then, which shocked me. i will see if Patsy can PATENT a Patsy in Your Pocket so we can each have one. :) that is great that you have a personal trainer. have a good day, Nan. alice
ReplyDeleteI think Patsy in Your Pocket is a fabulous idea! She sounds really great. You know, I exercise a fair amount, and I took a class last week that involved moving your legs around while in plank position, and I COULD NOT do it. Plank is hard, but it makes us STRONG. Keep up the great work!
ReplyDeleteHi Eileen....you are such a graceful athlete...i admire you....i hope all is going well. yes, when the rest of them move their legs in plank, i just stay up in plank. maybe one day. :) love alice
ReplyDeleteAlice - your ode to Patsy is very true! She is amazing. It is the longest I have ever stuck at an Exercise Class.
ReplyDeleteHi Lisa....yes, I know, it is easy to give up on exercise class but Patsy makes it hard to do that :) thank you for the note. see you in the morning? love your apple post on your blog.
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