Summer-body boot camp

PNT staff writer

[email protected]

Summertime is reaching its midpoint, but there is still time left to get into summer-body shape.

Portales has a few different options for those looking to partake in some intense, boot camps.

link Eric Norwood Jr.: Portales News-Tribune

Tamara Johnson begins her personal workout on Monday at Fitness & More in Portales. She runs a Boot Camp fitness class on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 6:30-7:30 at Fitness & More.

Tamara Johnson is a fitness instructor at Fitness & More in downtown Portales.

Johnson is certified in personal training, group aerobics fitness and sports nutrition through the American Aerobics Association International and International Sports Medicine Association.

“I got certified at a big fitness conference in Colorado. All day Friday and Saturday we attend classes and take a certification test on Sunday,” said Johnson.

A Raton native, Johnson is a former athlete in track, volleyball, basketball, and softball.

She uses her athletic background and fitness knowledge to help others stay in shape by running Boot Camp Tuesday through Thursday at Fitness and More in Portales.

“Boot camp is a mix of cardio and weights,” says Johnson. “It’s more of a toning class. We usually lift light weights, but a lot of reps. We do jump rope, running, jumping jacks, high knees. It’s really fun.”

Boot camp is designed to boost endurance, according to Johnson. The other boot camps offered in town contain some of the same components, but also vary slightly in their own unique ways.

JD’s Gym features mostly martial arts training, but it also offers boot camps that feature boxing techniques along with genuine fitness concepts.

JD’s Gym offers boot camp on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.

“Our boot camp is a fitness workout that works all parts of the body,” says Juan Diego Sanchez, owner of JD’s Gym, and an Elida native who also works at Big Valley Ford as a master technician.

In the boot camp section, Sanchez sets up multiple stations for participants to rotate through. Each station involves a different workout, including agility drills, shadowboxing, speed bag drills centered around balance and footwork, and other unique workouts.

“It features a lot of cardio, push-ups, sit-ups, abdominal workouts, medicine balls,” says Sanchez.

Former pro boxer Pasqual “Tiger” Rouse assists Sanchez with workouts also.

Another boot camp is also offered at the Portales Recreation Center on Mondays and Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. by Ashley Nelson.

“It’s mainly cardio, with a lot of circuits. It’s a fast paced workout,” says Nelson. “In one circuit, we’ll do maybe 20 explosive jumps, 15 burpies, 20 push-ups, then sprint to the wall and back six times.”

Nelson is a dancer at Eastern New Mexico University, and is a former volleyball and cross-country athlete.