thedrifter
01-17-07, 10:15 AM
Former Marines Help Whip Civilians Into Shape At Chelsea Gym
January 15, 2007
It's the battle of the bulge at Pure Power Boot Camp, where men and women enlist for a military style workout. Here, former Marines help whip civilians into shape!
"The style, the format, the exercises are all authentic exercises that I did when I was in the Marines," says drill instructor Ruben Belliard.
"It's addicting," says member Chas Chigas. "It's the hardest part of your day but it's the best part of your day."
Fitness instructor Lauren Brenner founded Pure Power in 2004, recruiting many of her drill instructors at a Marine reserve base on Long Island. Once in the trenches of Wall Street, the former stock trader says she wanted to give back to the community after 9/11, so Brenner combined her passion for business and fitness to open the city's only indoor obstacle course in this Chelsea loft.
"Yes, we're very hardcore on them. Our biggest thing is to get the person to step outside their comfort zone, step outside the box, step outside the boundaries but do it in a very positive way with people cheering them on," says Brenner.
The 12 obstacles here emulate the ones found at Fort Knox military base in Kentucky. Among other activities, members jump hurdles, climb walls, tackle a cargo net and do a series of callisthenic exercises. In fact, every time a member enters the gym, he or she drops for five push ups.
"I think it's a very inspirational workout and as far as that goes, the yelling and the screaming and the training is rigorous, but I can take it. And I'm strong so I can do it," says member Rosaura Miranda.
Each new client must enroll in Pure Power's Tour of Duty program. He or she is required to show up for an hour long session of choice, four times a week for six weeks, or else.
"If you don't call and you don't show, you loose your session. If you do that more than three times, we call you in the middle of the night throughout the night. We just keep having the phone ring," says Brenner. "So we have people like spouses that get so angry cause they get woken up at 5:30 in the morning, and are like, 'get the freak out of the bed, get up, we don't want Pure Power calling anymore.' You better show up."
Bride to be Lisa Mazin finished her tour of duty a few weeks back and decided to stay with the gym.
"Since the first day I started, I can now climb the walls and I never was able too before. So I've definitely seen an endurance change," she says.
The Tour Of Duty program costs $1,032 and includes fatigues, dog tags and a guarantee from Brenner who says she'll personally train you if you don't see results.
- Shazia Khan
Ellie
January 15, 2007
It's the battle of the bulge at Pure Power Boot Camp, where men and women enlist for a military style workout. Here, former Marines help whip civilians into shape!
"The style, the format, the exercises are all authentic exercises that I did when I was in the Marines," says drill instructor Ruben Belliard.
"It's addicting," says member Chas Chigas. "It's the hardest part of your day but it's the best part of your day."
Fitness instructor Lauren Brenner founded Pure Power in 2004, recruiting many of her drill instructors at a Marine reserve base on Long Island. Once in the trenches of Wall Street, the former stock trader says she wanted to give back to the community after 9/11, so Brenner combined her passion for business and fitness to open the city's only indoor obstacle course in this Chelsea loft.
"Yes, we're very hardcore on them. Our biggest thing is to get the person to step outside their comfort zone, step outside the box, step outside the boundaries but do it in a very positive way with people cheering them on," says Brenner.
The 12 obstacles here emulate the ones found at Fort Knox military base in Kentucky. Among other activities, members jump hurdles, climb walls, tackle a cargo net and do a series of callisthenic exercises. In fact, every time a member enters the gym, he or she drops for five push ups.
"I think it's a very inspirational workout and as far as that goes, the yelling and the screaming and the training is rigorous, but I can take it. And I'm strong so I can do it," says member Rosaura Miranda.
Each new client must enroll in Pure Power's Tour of Duty program. He or she is required to show up for an hour long session of choice, four times a week for six weeks, or else.
"If you don't call and you don't show, you loose your session. If you do that more than three times, we call you in the middle of the night throughout the night. We just keep having the phone ring," says Brenner. "So we have people like spouses that get so angry cause they get woken up at 5:30 in the morning, and are like, 'get the freak out of the bed, get up, we don't want Pure Power calling anymore.' You better show up."
Bride to be Lisa Mazin finished her tour of duty a few weeks back and decided to stay with the gym.
"Since the first day I started, I can now climb the walls and I never was able too before. So I've definitely seen an endurance change," she says.
The Tour Of Duty program costs $1,032 and includes fatigues, dog tags and a guarantee from Brenner who says she'll personally train you if you don't see results.
- Shazia Khan
Ellie