FITNESS BOOTCAMP

"If that chute don't blossom true, look out below I'm coming through," the Marine drill sergeant's voice chants forcefully through the dawn air. The sound of 16 running shoes smacking the pavement keeps time with his words.

"If that chute don't blossom round, I'll be the first one on the ground," a chorus of voices sings out in response.

No, this isn't military training at Meigs Field. Nor is it the Army Airborne Parachute School. This is Fitness Bootcamp for civilians, Lincoln Park style. Ex-Marine Corps Drill Sergeant Mike O'Brien leads a test group of bankers, non-profit execs, sales people and investment analysts, among others, through calisthenics, stretches, running, and sprint drills each weekday from 6-7am in the heart of Lincoln Park as the sun rises over Diversey Harbor.

A two part program, Phase 1, the "Get Fit" segment of the program, runs for one hour every weekday morning for five weeks. The intensity, complexity and duration of the cardio and strengthening exercises increases steadily from day 1 to day 25, with the goal of increasing individual participants' strength, muscle tone, and overall fitness level, in addition to improving running times, and losing weight. The second phase, "Stay Fit," runs five weeks as well, but only three days a week - Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Each session begins with a warm-up jog, then 15 minutes of head to toe stretching, followed by an endurance run that gradually increases from one mile at the beginning of the program to 6 or 8 miles by the end of week 5. After the run, participants do 15-20 minutes of strength conditioning and calisthenics, concluding with a 5 minute cool down and stretch. The exact make-up of the hour may vary depending on a particular day's emphasis on running or strength exercises.

O'Brien says participants can expect all around fitness improvement, citing examples like an increase from 0 pull-ups initially, to a final performance of 10 or 15, or an increase from 10 push-ups to 25 or 30. He says a mile run that averaged 9 minutes on day 1 could be cut to 7 minutes by day 25.

"People in the military are conditioned to do Rambo type stuff with this kind of physical training," O'Brien observes. "Most people are intimidated by the military mode at first - they're apprehensive starting out. But at the end of this program, they're astonished by the results."

O'Brien, who spent 6 years in the Marines before entering the management consulting business, joined with partners Brent Rosenbower - a Kellogg MBA specializing in marketing, sales and business development, and Rich Pollack - a certified personal trainer - to open their "Bootcamp Fitness" program in Chicago this summer.

The three make impressive and inspiring models of fitness. "Standing tall," as they say in the military, at 6'2", 6'4", and 6'7" respectively, each in their early to mid-thirties, O'Brien, Rosenbower, and Pollack are lifelong athletes, committed to their health. A former rugby player, O'Brien lives this workout, putting himself through the paces each morning, bootcamp or no. Rosenbower trained for many years as a competitive swimmer and water sportsman. He also bikes, lifts and competes in triathlons. In addition to his current roles as personal trainer to Gold Coast clients, Pollack is a firefighter for the city of Chicago, and spent several years as a competitive bodybuilder.

Not only will the members of the bootcamp participate in sprints, stair runs, and other drills, but the leaders also intend to grill them about the importance of good diet, engendering group spirit along the way.

"We'll single each one of them out during the run," O'Brien says. "Find out what they ate yesterday, starting with breakfast. If they missed a meal, didn't get their eight glasses of water, maybe snuck in an Egg McMuffin," he pauses, grinning. "Well, they're all gonna pay."

"This is a group, a team," Pollack adds. "It's up to all of us to keep each other motivated. If one person falls off the wagon, we're all accountable."

One of Pollack's main objectives for this program is to ensure people understand about correct form, stretching and posture. "Proper mechanics will be shown," he stresses.

"Really, we're providing people with something they can't get right now," says Rosenbower. "A chance to be outside and with others. Get the most out of an hour each morning, without the hassle of a crowded gym. They get the motivation and entertainment of having leaders, but with the camaraderie and support of a group. Sometimes it's helpful to be led and to have to answer to someone," he adds.

"Basically, you'll have guys screaming at you while you lie on the cold, wet grass with mosquitoes biting your butt," Pollack interjects with a smile.

Pollack and Rosenbower participate with the test group this morning as well, throughout the hour's worth of warm-up jog, push-ups, pull-ups and chin-ups, bends and thrusts, sit-ups, mile run, and circuit training drills. Pollack is quick to point out incorrect form and Rosenbower herds the slower runners along behind the group.

Prospects for the 12-15 slots in the first official "Platoon" will be subjected to rigorous fitness screening, including health history, body measurements, running times and maximal pull-up, push-up and sit-up performance. Participants must demonstrate "An adequate level of physical ability," says O'Brien. "This will depend on their athletic history combined with an assessment of their heart rate, pulse, and blood pressure during the screening," he adds.

"The program will be taxing, but fun," Rosenbower says. "We're bringing the Marine program into the 90s." And for morale as well as safety reasons, "The team will only exercise to its weakest link," he emphasizes.

Participants of the early test sessions have mostly praise for the program. One male thirty-something management consultant who usually runs and plays basketball for his workouts observed, "Running as a group is great. Singing and getting into it. The challenge of the Indian Run. I didn't even feel like I was running."

"The main reason for me to do it is discipline," said one woman in her thirties, a retail banking VP who generally uses the bikes and treadmills at her club. "And I felt like I was part of the group even though my fitness level is not quite up to some of the others. The leaders kept coming back around to me during the run, keeping me looped in."

One participant confessed she preferred the classes in her healthclub. "I guess I'm spoiled," she said. "But I missed my mat and towel."

Another woman enjoyed the whole experience. "My dad was a Marine in World War II," she said. "And I kind of feel like I got to experience what he did. And the singing was great. Made it fun."

The singing is not just for morale boosting, according to O'Brien. "Singing during the runs strengthens your diaphragm and stomach muscles," he says. "It expands the lungs, gets the oxygen to the tissues, and takes the pain out of your mind. Next thing you know, you've run farther than you thought."

The partners got the idea for their Bootcamp Fitness program by observing the success of similar programs throughout the country, in places such as Washington, D.C. and Orange County, California.

"Get Fit," the 5 week daily program, costs approximately $495. "Stay Fit", the will also run for 5 weeks, 3 days a week, and costs $330. The first Platoon will head out through Lincoln Park in early August. Additional teams will start up throughout the summer and fall.

Depending on the success of the program, partners O'Brien, Pollack and Rosenbower intend to expand, maybe instructing troops how to dress for the cold and running programs through the winter, or possibly setting up additional programs in the suburbs.

The test group runs in from the lakeshore, apprehensive as Pollack and Rosenbower corral them to the chin-up bars.

"We also underscore the importance of rest," O'Brien assures me. "I mean, even the Marine Corps takes a break."

He turns back to the group, calling out loudly, "C'mon people, let's go! The only easy day was YESTERDAY!"

"Bootcamp Fitness" can be reached at 773-504-0001.

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