By Ken Sain
Arizonan Managing Editor
Queen Creek resident Darin Day said he was a regular in his old gym, worked out often and thought he was in pretty good shape for his age.
Then he was invited to visit a Fit Body Boot Camp by a neighbor.
“I tried it, just blown away,” Day said. “I mean, the workouts are 30 minutes, so you’re in, you’re out, you’re sweaty, you’re worn out.”
He became hooked, so much so that he’s about to open his own Fit Body Boot Camp in South Chandler at the corner of Arizona Avenue and Riggs. Day and his wife, MJ, plan to have their first official workouts on Aug. 1.
Day said his previous workouts focused on weight training, building muscles. He said the Boot Camp workouts are more about all around fitness level.
“Getting into this, it’s about strength, it’s about building a different kind of muscle, it’s about building that lean muscle that burns the calories and keeps you trim,” Day explained.
“And so that’s what really appealed to me because since I joined two years ago, I’ve lost 20 pounds, but I’ve gained, you know, mass and muscle, but I’ve also dropped like 10% body fat.”
Day had worked for someone else in corporate jobs most of his adult life and the idea of owning his own business was appealing.
Since he enjoyed the Fit Body Boot Camp, he checked out their website and came across a chance to buy a franchise.
The company gives discounts to veterans. MJ served in the Army, so they qualified.
As someone who has gone through a real boot camp, MJ said their workouts are not that intense and no one should be scared off by the name. She said she wants their new business to be a place that feels like family.
“I belonged to another [gym], I just dropped it,” MJ said. “And they wanted to charge you for just having someone stand by you while you do your exercises.
“I wasn’t getting much out of it. It’s like you standing here now, and they weren’t helping or doing anything, they were just kind of making sure I was doing my reps.”
The Sun Lakes Fit Body Boot Camp will start by offering classes at 5 a.m. Monday-Friday. Each class lasts 30 minutes and they vary the workouts so they don’t get repetitive.
Darin said they will have you do something for say 40 seconds, then take 20 seconds to catch your breath. And then repeat the process.
The last morning class starts at 9:30. Darin said some parents requested that time because it allows them to drop their kids off at school before working out.
Each class will have two instructors. One keeps time while the other helps people doing the workouts.
“If the guy next to you can do, you know, 50 jumping jacks in a minute, and you can only do 20, if 20 is the best of your ability, that’s OK, our coaches are going to be they’re encouraging you.
“They’re going to be pushing you saying, ‘Come on, maybe do one more, or do one more than you did yesterday.’ But it’s not going to be in an atmosphere where you know, he’s doing 50, you do 50.”
Darin said like his wife, they want to make the workouts feel like a family gathering and not something that’s intimidating.
The cost is $39 per week, but Day said they are offering a special for some founding members, $10 off a week for life. That will be good for the first 100 people who become members.
If you are a member, you can come as many times a week as you like. In addition to their morning hours, they also have evening classes starting at 4 p.m. and a limited number of classes on Saturdays.
