Exercising outdoors during winter isn’t easy, especially when its icy wind and stabbing rain rips through you like an angry tornado. It’s no wonder so many of us flock to the stuffy warmth of a gym. We’ll do anything not to put on weight and stay warm at the same time. 

I don’t how many times I’ve had to wait in long queues for equipment, classes, squash courts and swimming pools, not to mention toilets, showers and parking bays. I have grown tired of being cooped up in doors all day only to exercise in doors yet again, even though they do offer fantastic facilities all under one roof.  Gyms are hot and stuffy and sometimes even more stressful than we realise. Exercise is meant to help eliminate stress and restore vitality not intensify it.

In South Africa, we have a variable climate that allows us to continue with our daily activities right throughout winter and summer. What I sometimes lack during winter is motivation. It’s easier to stay in your warm bed than to venture out into the cold but with the right kind of motivation, anything is possible. Adventure Boot Camp is one such motivational group.

Open to women only, they provide a four week fitness programme that is run entirely outdoors making use of the natural obstacles found in nature. Camps take place nationwide and are open to women of all fitness levels. You can choose to attend 3 or 5 days/week, for one hour a day, in the morning or late afternoon. There is nothing better than arriving at camp with plenty of parking available, using your own equipment, and training with a personal trainer who knows you on a first name basis.

Give your sanity and the environment a chance and sign up online at www.AdventureBootCamp.co.za. For more information call the national head office on 021 447 27 46.