Getting Schooled
For the past five weeks I’ve been a bona fide (albiet part time) member of the School of Hard Knox.
I’ve followed Kerry (head Knox) on social media for some time now and whenever I’ve walked/run through Victoria Park at sparrow o’clock although there are usually at least six boot camp groups working out, his is always the easiest to find – all you had to do was follow the music, which was quite often Bob Marley.
Now, I have never seen the appeal of early morning outdoor boot camps – I just don’t see why all the people crawling around (usually in the rain) on the wet grass don’t just go to Ludus. After all, it’s basically the exact same work out with the added advantage of having a roof over your head and a hot shower at your disposal.
Which is one (but not the only) reason that I’m a part time School of Hard Knox member. I signed up for the 2 sessions each week that are held indoors – yeah, yeah, I’m not quite as hard I make myself out to be. 😉
The weekly timetable is set out like this.
Monday – Victoria Park – Body weights circuits
Tuesday – City Boxing – Strength and Conditioning
Wednesday – Victoria Park – Cardio & Core
Thursday – City Boxing – Boxing
Friday – Victoria Park – Team games/challenges
You can sign up for either Monday, Wednesday & Friday (Vic Park, outdoor option), Tuesday & Thursday (City Boxing, indoor option) or the entire week. That package is offered at a discounted rate AND includes a dri fit t-shirt on completion of the five week block! (Bargain!!)
In my ideal world I probably wouldn’t have done boxing as although I’m not quite as shit at boxing as I am at running, it’s pretty close. I mean honestly, when your favorite part of boxing class is the hill sprints, you are obviously pretty bad at actually boxing. To be fair I’m ok if it’s a really simple boxing session like “hit the bag six times and then do a burpee for a certain length of time” but trying to remember combos just does my head in – and don’t even get me started on pad holding BUT I digress, it’s not really Kerry’s fault that I have no rhythm, sense of direction or memory.
I did however LOVE Tuesdays strength and conditioning sessions, even though they ALWAYS contained thrusters – I mean honestly? Thrusters? Why do those things just follow me every single place I go!?! Plate thrusters, bar thrusters, thrusters with a ball … argh! The sandbag burpees totally made up for it though – those I adore!
At the beginning of each block the participants do a fitness test – Mondays body weight circuit group did a 21/15/9 set for time, Tuesdays strength and conditioning group did a 1 minute burpee test and a max wall sit and the Wednesday cardio peeps did a 2k time trial (kind of glad I wasn’t in that group) and then at the end of the block you repeated the test, which in theory you should do better in .. unless you are me .. lolololol
I could come up with all sorts of excuses as to why I did 23 burpees in one minute at the start of the block and only did 21 burpees today (I went out last night and came home late, I ran 8k’s yesterday, I’m sore, I’m old) but it is, what it is. Today I was just two burpees slower. I am however, definately not two burpees less fit as prior to starting boot camp I could barely run 3k without stopping and now I can run 5k .. all because Kerry “made me” run.
The School of Hard Knox gets a big thumbs up from me and I’ll be back for another bite of the apple, signing up for the final four week block before the festivities of Christmas undo all my hard work, I’m even going to do the cardio and core session (who am I these days?!?!).
If you’re keen to harden up check out the SOHK Facebook page and come join me! I promise you will love it. Well maybe not the thrusters, or the burpees, or even the hill sprints but you know what I mean ..
Till next time
