Operation Exercise

Of late, the mention of Navy Seals is analogous with the swift demise of Osama bin Laden. And, because the Seals are masters in the field of physical fitness, there is no question why that corps of commandos were sent on that perilous mission.

In the last decade, new workouts motivated by the Navy Seals and other military training, but perhaps not entirely duplicated, have been implemented in health clubs nationally. Advocates of the training—boot camp exercises—insist it is one of the fastest ways to sweat into shape, and so agrees Erika Camm, owner of in Moorestown.

One day, when Camm was growing up in Southwest Philadelphia, she accompanied her mom to an exercise class, which was a version of boot camp workouts. Over time, the class banged her mother’s body into a strong, athletic shape. Better still, Camm’s mom lost weight and gained a more steadfast positive outlook.

The chance encounter with her mother’s fitness instructor impressed Camm and inspired her to pursue her dream through college.

“I never forgot how that instructor inspired his class,” recalls Camm, 26. “I don’t know where he is today, but it changed the way I felt about physical fitness.”

Camm opened her fitness center last year in the former Church Street train station, where a former chiropractic office was housed. Opened mainly as a personal training studio, Camm recently transformed it into a full-service gym, with emphasis on boot camp fitness.

The high-intensity of boot camp workouts bumps up metabolism and aims to drop pounds faster than more moderate exercise, says Camm. Moves requiring the reliance of one’s own body weight, like push-ups and pull-ups, burn more calories, and the sprinting, jumping jacks and squats fuse less of the doldrums into workout routines.

A married mother of two pre-school girls, Camm studied health and exercise sciences at Rowan University. For two years, she worked for a physical therapist in Hatfield, PA.

“I further learned about the muscles and the physiology of the body,” says Camm, who studied ballet as a child. Camm decided not to pursue a career in physical therapy, but wanted to help train clients how to better eat, exercise and live better.

After getting married and moving to South Jersey, Camm was hired as a team member at a Cherry Hill gym, where the impersonal engagement between clients and staff—“no one is greeted by name”—dismayed her.

“It’s just getting them in…,” adds Camm, who lives in Somerdale. “Most of the trainers don’t pay attention to members and rarely put the clients first.”

Camm says she envisioned a facility that had professional and knowledgeable trainers regularly conditioning gym-goers and not losing sight of the customers’ needs as trends come and go.

“When I first opened here,” Camm says. “I wanted to help people not just get to their ideal weight, but to manage their health better.”

Last month, Camm expanded her facility. She started Zumba and yoga classes. And, she added Life Fitness and Precor cardio equipment, and Paramount strength machines.

A model of the TRX system, suspension gadgets made of straps, is being installed providing more strength training. TRX is another offshoot of military training allowing the users to work against their body weight by placing the straps around the ankles or holding on with hands. Classes will be taught by a state police officer, says Camm.

And, Camm’s five trainers all have degrees in health, nutrition or sports therapy.

Monthly memberships begin at $42.99. There is also a 10-class pass for $75, and a one-month unlimited pass for classes and using gym equipment for $100. Class schedules are listed here.

“There’s always something new in exercise,” says Camm. “But, I want to make my niche more about staying in touch with my clients.”