GoRecess Spotlight: Grant Hill, MyBootcamp; Washington,

GoRecess Spotlight: Grant Hill, MyBootcamp; Washington, DC

06.02.2013

VITAL STATS

Title: Founder & President, MyBootcamp

Locations: Arlington, Alexandria, Northwest DC, Rockville, Bethesda, Georgetown

Background: MyBootcamp is a DC-based fitness company with several unique outdoor group classes around the DC Metro area. MyBootcamp is unique from most outdoor bootcamps in that the classes use functional equipment - kettlebells, fire hoses, sandbags, and bodyweight - in a 45-minute high intensity interval training format.

ABOUT MYBOOTCAMP

What makes MyBootcamp unique? MyBootcamp is your bootcamp! We use the word “bootcamp” to mean “a transformation” - so for some it may be a “couch to 5k” type of goal while for others it may be attaining beastmode status. We believe in mastering natural human movement, lifting heavy things, having fun and fostering community. Generally, if you move well, you look good and you feel amazing, so our training goes beyond aesthetics. Our classes feature tools that develop functional strength, build confidence and help you look good naked. We also pride ourselves on our tightknit community of members, programming partner drills and teamwork into our workouts.

What makes the workouts so effective? Fresh air and sunlight, cool people and fun “toys” make the workouts more enjoyable which means youʼll come back for more and get better results. Hard work without fun is misery. You can see it on the faces of most people when they workout. But youʼll be able to tell real quickly that MyBootcampers arenʼt miserable!

What are you most proud of? My biggest investment, and the thing I am most proud of, is my investment in relationships, so having formed a tightknit community amongst our personal training clients, they organically banded together and became the nuclei for the bootcamps you see today. Most of our original personal training clients are still with us today as we welcome in hoards of new members eager to become #BAMFʼs

Advice for first-timers? Work hard, have fun! It doesnʼt get easier, but you get stronger! Some people are nervous or scared but everyone starts at their own level and we all progress together. At the end of the workout everyone is in the signature “MyBootcamp Recovery Pose” - no matter if they are a badass and at the 150th class or just starting their fitness journey in their first class.

One workout move everyone should master? The burpee. If there were only one exercise you could do for the rest of your life, this would be it. Itʼs a complete mashup of upper body, lower body, cardio and core.

Any expansion plans? We are in the process of opening our first retail location. In a former life, I was a music producer. If youʼre ever up really late, watching really bad reality tv on MTV, you might hear my music! Ironically, music is actually what led me into the fitness industry - via Spinning - and I still teach indoor cycling today because I love the synergy of music and movement. Our studio will not only bring our outdoor concept indoors, but add a musical component as well.

GETTING TO KNOW GRANT

Your philosophy on nutrition? Eat real food. Every MyBootcamp member gets a nutrition guide that has the whatʼs, whyʼs and howʼs of eating the foods humans were designed to eat. Body composition is 80% nutrition and 20% fitness. Dialing in a proper human diet is essential - you canʼt out-exercise poor nutrition!

If you emphasize high-quality food ("SOLE" food as I like to say - Sustainable, Organic, Local, Ethical), then the beauty of eating is in simplicity. So I donʼt use recipes or even really “cook” - rather, I prepare. But some of my faves are kale chips, brussel sprouts with bacon and anything in a slow cooker.

Favorite things to do/places to go in DC? I love standup paddle boarding! Itʼs relaxing, beautiful and a great way to cross train. You can even do yoga and calisthenics on the board. Occasionally, Iʼll take some clients out and weʼll do a workout on the board as we float down the Potomac.

If you could give GoRecess readers one piece of fitness advice, what would it be? The best form of exercise is the one you enjoy. If you enjoy it and youʼre getting results, keep doing it. If not, change it up!