Change your habits, change your life

It is 5.30am and Bob Russell looks as fresh as the morning itself.
He greets his boot camp army with a smile and a joke, clearly excited about the new exercise regime that he has devised for his charges.
About 40 boot campers meet every Monday and Wednesday at Umhlali Preparatory and every Friday at Salt Rock beach, to run, crawl, lunge, crunch and jump until sweat is pouring and muscles are aching.
Then the Yummy Mummy class arrives at the field after dropping off their kids at school, for more of the same.
So why do people pay Bob to torture them?
Part of that answer lies in Bob himself. He is a one of a kind drill sergeant. His passion for people and healthy living is obvious in the way he gives individual care and his meticulous attention to detail.
Simply, he cares about people, which makes sense because that is how Bob’s Boot Camp originally began.
He started his first boot camp in Durban North in 2003, as a result of a spate of attacks on women in Durban.
“I wanted to create a safe place for woman to train and get fit. It quickly filled up.”
He moved the boot camp to Umhlali in 2005 and it has soared, becoming increasingly popular with both the fit and those who aspire to be.
Taking a look around the class you will find a huge variety of fitness levels, backgrounds and ages.
He says the boot camp is so popular he is planning to start evening classes as soon as possible.
An experienced sports massage therapist, the Shark’s very own from 1999 until the end of last year, Bob also  brings a wealth of experience to the field.
As a younger man he thrived on the adrenalin of a good work out and a challenge, completing six Duzi’s, six Comrades and three Iron Man triathlons.
He said it was while competing at this level that he discovered sports massage therapy.
“I was amazed at how the massages worked for me as an athlete and in 1998 I turned my career around and enrolled. The course was intense and only 13 out of 34 students passed.”
It quickly became evident that Bob had made the right career choice. Mid studies he did some practice work on the Sharks players and he was head hunted for the job.
Former Springbok and Sharks captain John Smit had this to say about Bob: “After years of being massaged as a rugby player, there has been no better masseur in my time as a player ranging 16 years.”

WIN WIN WIN
‘Like’ Bob’s Boot Camp on Facebook (www.facebook.com/bobsbootcampZA) and you could win free Bootcamp for 12 weeks and free entry into the next 12 week challenge! Competition closes Friday, January 31.

Bob’s Bootcamp’s 12 week “New Year – Take it Off” challenge begins in February, including an eating plan by local dietitian Cath Slevin. Candidates are weighed, tape measured, body fat calliper measured and photographed (in their swimming costumes) and then its time to get into shape!