All of us strive to stay in shape, and since we live in Miami, we all want that beach ready body. Students aren’t the only ones that are staying in shape — teachers are too!

The teacher boot camp is an intense, fast paced workout that meets about four times a week in the old 500 hall. Ms. Dalemberte, the “head coach,” started the boot camp 2 years ago. She said that she was training for a marathon, and a couple of teachers came up to her and asked her if they could do something similar in a group workout. “I saw it as a way to hang out with my friends and stay in shape so I said ‘why not?’” Dalemberte said. After a while, a couple of other teachers asked if they could join the group workout, and it became the boot camp it is today.

Ms. Dalemberte has done the boot camp ever since. Before the program, she and a couple of teachers would go to the Coral Gables Crossfit Gym and work out together after school. That didn’t work out, though; it was inconvinent for many of the teachers that had busy schedules, and intense to the point that a number of teachers received injuries.

“We also do it during the summer so that way we stay in shape year round instead of just doing it during the school year,” said Ms. Dalemberte.

Ms. Dalemberte didn’t have any training prior to starting the boot camp, but was training with others for a couple of years. She herself did cross fit and has many friends that are actual trainers.

“Since many of my friends are trainers I ask them to show me how to do the forms and stuff so that way I feel comfortable showing the other teachers how to do them correctly because if you have the wrong form, you could get hurt,” she said.

A workout can consist of different stations, an actual routine, or just a set of personal challenges. Using stations, for example, there can be one group doing wall balls, another doing box jumps, and another group doing planks. Everyone does the amount of reps they can in the limited time they have, then they switch stations. As an example of a personal challenge, someone doing wall balls may have a personal best of 20 reps in 1 minute and would want to try to beat that record the next time they do it.

The environment of the boot camp is really friendly, and everyone is always challenging themselves. Everyone that participates is encouraged to push themselves past their limit.

“Everyone has their limits, but I push those that have the potential of going past their limit and pushing their boundaries. They should eat right and enjoy the perks of a healthy life style, because if you don’t, you’re not enjoying your life,” said Ms. Dalemberte.

Ms. Dalemberte comes up with all of the workout routines herself, and is always open to any suggestions that any of the other teachers give her.

The teacher boot camp is a great way for any of the teachers in the school to stay active and healthy. Given the ‘health craze’ going around, this convenient and intense boot camp is great for all those whose wish to stay active and live a healthy lifestyle.