The Boot Camp Diaries

In between commands to "get your butt lower" and "move it," Joann Donnelly had some encouraging words for participants of her demonstration boot camp class, all whom were sweating during a humid day at Belmont Lake State Park.

"You can do it! You can do anything," she shouted. "55 pounds lost right here, through hard work."

Donnelly, who just launched a new fitness company called Boot Camp Babylon, wants to serve as an example to sedentary or out of shape Babylon residents that all it takes is a good butt-kicking. Literally.

"Kick your own butt," she roared, as the class did a high-kick run around the lake. Cardio intervals consisted of running while kicking legs backwards as high as we could go, a slow and grueling way to get from one spot to another.

At other times during the class we were told just to run: the boot camp was 90 minutes long, and segments alternated between cardio sprints, taking us around the 1.2 mile lake, and drills, including walking lunges, squats, push-ups, and planks.

"They probably didn't realize they actually ran a mile in total," remarked Donnelly after the last tired attendees left.

"Some of [the participants] probably never ran a mile before in their lives. But they did it tonight," she noted.

Many of the boot class members took part to test themselves. Kirsten Spargo, a West Islip mom of a 1-year-old, worried she was "way too out of shape," but Donnelly's encouragement brought her and a friend to try it out.

Spargo made it through, as she was able to modify the moves: "I never felt singled out...having to use Joann's modified exercises. It's got me excited about working out again."

Another boot camper just thought it would be fun to be outside and was up for the challenge.

"It was fun and fast-paced. I wanted to get outdoors and try something different," explained Priscialla Mastrogiannis.

There was leeway to tailor the workout to an individual's own fitness level. Push-ups could be done on knees or toes, and running was at one's own pace.

There were some grumblings about the rabid mosquito population and the abundance of mud, but it seemed that Donnelly appreciated those elements as part of the atmosphere.

"Come on," she shouted. "You're tough. Do it for your kids, for your family, for your spouse. Do it for yourself."

Donnelly, who is launching the first of her boot camp series sessions this month, found herself out of shape after giving birth to two sons and had the zeal of the newly converted.

The class lasted 90 minutes and went quick as there wasn't a whole lot of time to think. Sets of jumping jacks, jump knee raises, and push-ups bookended the experience.

"You've probably done 100 push-ups tonight," Donnelly told the group, as we finished off the last countdown. (Us, mumbling: "10" Her: "I can't hear you! 10 again!")

It wasn't enough to hit all the repetitions though, as we also had to  count them, loudly, and carry all the gear from one station to the next. Passers-by checked us out, and Donnelly hoped they would catch the boot camp bug.

"I'm going to be offering free community days soon," she said. "I want to open this up to everyone in Babylon and get them moving."

Check Patch for upcoming dates for the Babylon Boot Camp community demo classes, and for all the fitness and health happenings in and around Babylon.