It’s the second day after Lebaran[1] and a few days after Indonesia’s National Day, I just finished TRX Suspension Training session at home. Yesterday I did a Short Circuit Gym Free Cardiovascular Training session using a Men’s Health article as a reference,[2] also at home. Suddenly I realized that I have achieved fitness independence.
What is fitness independence? In my personal term, it is a state when we can do fitness virtually anywhere. A state incorporated as a core value and name by the company which invented TRX training. To stay healthy is a lifetime priority and exercising regularly to implement such priority. Fitness independence is the only way to maintain regular exercises despite any change of circumstances.
In the age of functioning portable fitness equipment (not that TV shopping craps), we—urban people—should not limit our exercises within the gym. No, I am not advocating anti-gym attitude. I just think we should stop making excuses for not exercising due to unavailability of access to gym and/or fitness equipment. Sure, the TRX Suspension Trainers are, in my opinion, the best fitness equipment/training system ever invented so far. It is one of the major tools in achieving fitness independence for me, like Indonesia gained her independence due to revolutionary technology of the atomic bomb. But of course, my struggle for fitness independence started when I decided to take regular exercises seriously in 2009, long before I was introduced to TRX Suspension Trainers.
I wanted to exercise regularly and seriously ever since I was in junior high school. Later in high school I joined a local small gym. I didn’t get the result so I quit. In retrospect, I failed to maintain regular exercise because: (i) I was a feeble minded teenager who wanted result but lacked discipline and motivation; and (ii) limited information and education on proper fitness training but lacked the resourcefulness to acquire them.
It took a couple of years since I entered productive age (a fancy way to say having a job) to decide and try committing myself to regular exercise again. I joined an international chain gym and hired a personal trainer Alvin. This time I was successful in maintaining my schedule discipline and motivation. However I was attached to the gym and the PT. It is not a bad thing to be attached to things that make we healthier, but there are times when we just can’t go to the gym and/or the PT is absent. And they are not free, not even cheap.
In 2010, I managed—or more likely, forced—to detach myself from PT as I was assigned abroad. I could use my international membership to access gyms under the same franchise, nevertheless PT sessions cost much more in Singapore. So I had to exercise by myself, armed with knowledge to execute correct moves and programs from Alvin. And I was one step closer to fitness independence.
When I returned to Jakarta, I can manage my exercise without PT. I just need to be provided with the training programs. First I rely on Alvin to help me supplying the programs, then I began to do the research myself (thanks to Google, it is not hard to find free information on fitness programs. Or, if we want to pay up a bit, many good publications on fitness are available in bookstores and magazine stands). Yet still, I was attached to the gym.
One day in 2011, Alvin asked me to try Master Boot Camp (MBC)—his side gig with some fellow trainers.[3] No membership fee, no strings attached. We only pay as we train, Rp. 100.000,- per session. During and after the training, we can ask anything about fitness. Gratis. The fitness information overflowing in MBC is updated and helpful. When we mix certified professional trainers and a community of fitness enthusiasts, it is natural that after session discussions topic always develop around health and fitness. Fitness programs, movements, method of training, diets, equipment, clothing, shoes etc.[4] MBC is a good place to educate myself in the field of fitness. And to be independent, we have to educate ourselves. After almost a year regularly attending MBC sessions, I achieved fitness independence.
Does MBC is the only way to achieve independence? Of course not, it will be contrary to the basic concept of fitness independence itself, which is the freedom to do fitness regardless of the unavailability of certain venue or training methods. In an MBC session I met Wulan who believes that going to the gym is a waste of time and money. She also doesn’t want to spend too much on fitness equipment. Therefore, she regularly exercises by herself at home. At that time she was employing Insanity training regiments (an intense body weight training program—just Google it for more information). Nevertheless, MBC can provide us with two of the most important factors in achieving fitness independence: education and motivation (as for self-discipline and resourcefulness, we’ve got to acquire it ourselves).
We can purchase the TRX Suspension Trainer, Rip Trainer, ViPR or any other fitness equipment, but without knowing how to properly use them we will not achieve result, even counterproductively injure ourselves. The certified professional trainers/instructors of MBC will provide instructions on proper execution of fitness movements in every session. Prior to the exercise, they will ask for our medical history to know past injuries and certain medical conditions that need special attention during exercise. We will not be instructed to train harder than we can. They are also open for consultations, even outside MBC sessions.
The training menus are variable. There has been no repetition of exercise menu in MBC sessions. Each session is always different to make training boring-proof. Funny friendly participants will support and compete with we keep we motivated.
In my closing words, MBC is a way to achieve fitness independence. I educate and motivate myself by attending MBC sessions. Ultimately, the foundations of fitness independence are our own self-discipline, motivation and resourcefulness. The more disciplined we are, the less we’ll make excuses to skip exercises and the more we will find ways to motivate and educate ourselves. I can’t say I’ve committed myself to fitness magazines’ male models level of self-discipline, but I’m improving my standards and expanding my limits. Therefore, I’d like to testify:
“Dulu saya tidak bisa latihan sendiri di luar gym, setelah berlatih di Master Boot Camp saya bisa berlatih sendiri di manapun. Terima kasih Master Boot Camp….” (imagine me saying this like in a Tong Fang commercial)
Post workout note, 21 August 2012.
[1] Ied.
[2] Short Circuit Gym Free Cardiovascular Training is a fat burning circuit program which consists of (i) press-up to burpees; (ii) the plank; (iii) box jump; (iv) static squat; and (v) chin-ups. Each move is performed for 1 minute. Do 3 sets with no rest.
[3] Master Boot Camp is now organized under Moving Body Culture. Still with same schedule since its first session 2011: Saturday, 0600. The venue has moved to Kementrian Pemuda dan Olahraga (Kemenpora) ’s basketball court and there has been adjustment to the fees.
[4] The discussions also extend beyond fitness. Many members develop genuine close friendships and even gained business opportunities from this community.