When someone mentions “Boot Camp”, the first thing that may come to mind is a military-style workout, but modern day boot camp has another meaning entirely.
Boot camp is a tool to get you in shape quickly, using exercises that challenge your body and shake up your fitness routine. At Edge Fitness in Tumwater you can get in shape, and transform your entire body, with boot camp classes.
Edge Fitness owner Amanda Price Salazar, a certified personal trainer and nutritionist, can help you reach your health and fitness goals.
Salazar defines boot camp as challenging, intense, group training where each class varies in style.
“A lot of people think it’s intimidating, but it’s not. Like all things, you just have to give it a chance. There are a variety of formats. We use a lot of cross training and different fitness tools in order to transform the body and reach specific fitness goals,” she shares.
“It’s not an army sergeant yelling at you,” she says with a laugh. “Fitness boot camps help you do things that you never thought were possible, all while your trainer supports you through positive reinforcement and guidance.”
Boot camps are also total body workouts. They train every muscle in the body from head to toe, including the heart. Boot camp fitness classes challenge the mind as well, not just the body. “It’s just one of those things, when a person works out on their own, they tire out or don’t seem to push themselves as far as they can because it is easy to give up or stop without someone right there urging you on,” explains Salazar. “However, because of the encouraging format of boot camp, the energy of people around you and the motivation of the coach to support you, you keep going and push yourself farther.”
One of Salazar’s strategies to help clients push themselves to the next level is using small training intervals, creating opportunities for success.
“You can do anything for ten more seconds.” This is one of Salazar’s famous phrases that motivates clients to push just a little farther than they normally would working only on their own. “You can get three to four 
more reps in and that’s what make the difference, transforming the body over time,” she said. “When you push your body farther than you think you can, it will make your body and mind stronger and more capable.”
Boot camp classes are 45 – 60 minutes. By attending classes two to three times a week, you can make huge changes in the shape of your body and improve your overall strength, cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility.
Salazar says there is often confusion between CrossFit and boot camp. They have quite different overall focuses and methods of training. She says that variety in training is key to any fitness program and it is always good to change things up.
Salazar supplies beginning, intermediate and advanced options in her boot camp workouts, meeting all client’s needs. “Showing options and modifications for those of varying fitness levels is something I always do,” she explains.
“Once you get into it, it’s a hard sweaty workout and will be one of the best workouts of your life,” Salazar shares. “You are breathing heavy and look like a mess when you are done, but every person walks away happy with an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and empowerment.”
