Tales from the Boot Camp with Dan Sheridan

As the old saying goes, ‘there's more than one way to skin a cat'. As it transpires, there's also more than one way to run a fitness camp.

As my Monday/Wednesday/Thursday triple header continues, instructors Liam Knight, Nicole McCheyne and Allister Field, alongside LIFE Personal Fitness director Dawn Kiddie, make a point of keeping things varied.

On the face of it, Monday evenings should be the toughest session of the three due to its proximity to the weekend – beers, barbeques and all.

But in truth, it's our mid-week outdoor session on Mount Maunganui's seafront that has tested me both physically and mentally over the last couple of weeks.

I've checked the small print from week one, and there's no sign of the word ‘stairs' in any of the terms and conditions. Yet stairs is what I got to grips with last week as Mauao did its best to give me nightmares.

And what about the Goat Track? Until very recently, I didn't even know the Mount had such a path, but now I fear it has become imprinted on my psyche forever.

Thankfully, back in the studio, short, sharp drills are bundled into five-minute bursts, as well as longer exercises to put your stamina and strength to the test.

The LIFE team are experts at keeping the momentum going, and with endurance becoming the buzz word as the weeks go by, their impetus and encouragement will become increasingly important – especially if there's more stairs involved!

For more information on LIFE Personal Fitness, visit: www.your-life.co.nz

Life Personal Fitness instructor Nicole McCheyne puts me through my paces.