Fitness Boot Camp to Start in the New Year

It's almost time to make New Year's resolutions, and for many of us, getting more exercise is always high on the list. Just in time to take off those holiday inches, Valley Boot Camp will be offering an outdoor fitness boot camp class for adults, starting in January.

The intense, nonstop, heart-pounding workout is designed for 25-to-45-year-olds who want to get back to being healthy and fit, says owner Tim Talman. Talman has been teaching the boot camp at parks throughout the Valley since 2006.

The program includes dynamic warm-ups, interval training, calisthenics, cardio and core work, and building muscular strength and flexibility. It's not just about losing weight, but boosting metabolism and increasing endurance, said Talman.

The combination of cardio drills intensifies with each class as Talman trains his students for the last day of camp, which includes a demanding hike at Marvin Braude Mulholland Gateway Park. They run to the 1,100-foot summit and back.

"We went way up there, straight up, in the mud and dirt and in the dark," said Annie Hoffman in the cold, drizzling rain after completing the final climb. "I love it. I mean, this is what boot camp is all about." 

The class meets three times weekly for three consecutive weeks. Students generally burn between 500 and 1,000 calories from each 75-minute workout, says Talman. 

The types of exercises are similar from class to class, but Talman says he changes the location and format of each class so that students will never become complacent and are never sure of what is coming next.

Talman, 45, brings a youthful energy and enthusiasm to his instruction. He's not only a certified fitness trainer, but also a martial artist and actor. He performed in the Los Angeles production of Wicked at the Pantages Theatre and played the role of the Deacon in the WaterWorld Stunt Show at Universal Studios.

Talman's job is to motivate clients of all shapes and physical types to work their bodies to the fullest—even at the crack of dawn.

"I lost a lot of weight, but now I won't have a heart attack climbing a flight of stairs," said Chris Griffin, who has been participating in Valley Boot Camp for two years. "I hate waking up early and I go to bed late, but you wake up and finish real quick and you feel like you haven't missed any of your day. That's the key."

The next Valley Boot Camp begins Jan. 3 with classes at 6 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.