Boot Camp in the Cycle Lane

Jeffm587

Coming back from Howth last night around 9pm , I happening across some Chuck Norris boot camp type dude who had 20 or so punters doing push ups / sit ups and sprints all across the cycle path on the coast road. They were running in pairs for about 20 metres taking up both directions of lane then doubling back down the pedestrian side and reforming to do push ups !!

Lumen

Hose them with automatic gunfire.

It's a boot camp, right?

Chartsengrafs

Ah 'boot camp'. Which as far as I can see is a short sharp shock of exercise to get people fit. It iconjures images of pain, suffering and a short term focus. Can really see people sticking with boot camps in the long term, making them something they integrate into their lives and enjoy for years. That or they'd be back on the Doritos after the 8 weeks in question. Who knows.

velo.2010

A number of them have popped up over the last year or so. Seen a group in the Phoenix park early on a weekend morning and I think there's a particular setup that meet in Blackrock park also.

All falls in with the bootcamp craze as you mention thats been prevalent on TV with folk carrying some weight looking to shift it. Not sure though if doing the same exercises are beneficial to all participants. Still, a nice little earner at the weekends for some personal trainers!

DirkVoodoo

Dismount, sit on bench and eat a large tub of Ben&Jerrys in front of them.

It's January anyway, they'll all have given up the resolutions in another week and you will still be cycling.

velo.2010

@Dirkvoodoo

Dude you gotta set up something like that where you are! Perfect weather, beautiful scenery, your 'ahem' gym and cycling background. Perfect way to get to know the locals!;)

You could call it Dirks Voodoo Training or DVT. Oh sh!t DVT means Deep Vein Thrombosis.

mickeycav

are the people who attend boot camps the same people who bought slendertone ab belts when they were the "rage" some years ago?

Jeffm587

Have seen Boot camps in the Phoenix park alright, this was the same sort of gig but the choice of location really beggars belief, I did startle a couple of them as I picked my way through with stealth and questioned their behaviour. Wonder though what sort of insurance implications there are, should somebody have a collision.

kenmc

sounds like perfect bunnyhop practice to me. either that or a bit of cycle-bowling

Raam

Any of em hotties?

Dermot Illogical

Raam wrote: »

Any of em hotties?

If your idea of hot is Jack Black, yes.

Jawgap

Never really "got" boot camps - what's the point and what are you paying for?

I mean, you're out of doors doing exercises that have no special equipment requirements, so all you're really paying for is for some R Lee Ermey wannabe to shout cliches at you......

Lumen

Jawgap wrote: »

Never really "got" boot camps - what's the point and what are you paying for?

I mean, you're out of doors doing exercises that have no special equipment requirements, so all you're really paying for is for some R Lee Ermey wannabe to shout cliches at you......

What's the attraction of a sportive? You're paying to use free public roads, which would normally be nice and quiet but are now filled with people in half shorts and inappropriately current ProTour jerseys lacking even the most basic bike handling skills, using a route prescribed by someone else, eating food you wouldn't choose yourself.

Sheeple like doing the same thing. It's like those "one of these kids is doing his own thing" segments on Sesame Street. Do you want to be the "special" kid eating the plasticine? WELL, DO YOU?

ThisRegard

I'll hold my hand up and say I done bootcamp classes for about 2 years some time back. They're getting a harsh time here but for anyone with a bit of fitness they're great for a core workout. In some of the classes I've done about a quarter used it to supplement either their running, cycling or both.

As for people who joined as a passing fad, sure, there was some like that but surprisingly they were in a minority. Lots of lads and lassies came in in an unfit state but stuck with it for a long time. Some people just need to be actively encouraged or have competition in a group scenario in order to get off their asses.

And yes, there's lots of hotties.

Tenzor07

Yup seen them all bunched up at the end of the cycle-track by the Bull road, maybe the smell from the Indian restaurant and the Chipper across the road had some effect in there choice of meeting place?

smacl

Raam wrote: »

Any of em hotties?

Heh. Started doing early morning boot camp sessions last Jan, because they were the only class available at the local gym that early (6:45-7:45). All of 'em women apart from myself, I'd be closer to the Jack Black type RT66 referred to. Signed up for an 8 week course, still smiling one year on.

Jawgap

Lumen wrote: »

What's the attraction of a sportive? .........

Competition - plus you get occasional opportunities to be dropped by genuine champions.

You're comparison between sportives and boot camps would only be valid if the boot camp was actually run by R Lee Ermey, given that some sportives allow you the privilege of glimpsing Kelly, Roche etc:)

smacl

Lumen wrote: »

What's the attraction of a sportive? You're paying to use free public roads, which would normally be nice and quiet but are now filled with people in half shorts and inappropriately current ProTour jerseys lacking even the most basic bike handling skills, using a route prescribed by someone else, eating food you wouldn't choose yourself.

If it's that or the turbo trainer...

blorg wrote: »

...sitting like a twat on your bike not moving anywhere

it's an easy call. Sometimes a bit of company doesn't hurt.

Yi Harr

Jawgap wrote: »

I mean, you're out of doors doing exercises that have no special equipment requirements, so all you're really paying for is for some R Lee Ermey wannabe to shout cliches at you......

Many years ago I used to row. We used to do a lot of circuit training which involved the trainers taking on a Drill Instructor role a la Bootcamp. It's amazing how much more effort can be put in when you have someone pushing you. That said, we weren't paying to be shouted at.

petethedrummer

Yi Harr wrote: »

Many years ago I used to row. We used to do a lot of circuit training which involved the trainers taking on a Drill Instructor role a la Bootcamp. It's amazing how much more effort can be put in when you have someone pushing you. That said, we weren't paying to be shouted at.

I was just thinking of that. 3 months of circuit training with UCD rowing club had me fit as a fiddle. It's the only time I've ever experienced both legs about to cramp at the same time. I never even got to the heavy 5am training.

If the rugby team walked by he shouted louder at us.

Yi Harr

petethedrummer wrote: »

If the rugby team walked by he shouted louder at us.

And if the girls hockey team walked by everyone tried to look as if they weren't suffering.

John_Rambo

Racer - Road bike

Boot camp - circuit training...

Ex Oarsman here too, circuit training isn't a fad, it's been around for years. Good for fitness and core strength. They shouldn't be on the cycle path though!!

Seve OB

Jeffm587 wrote: »

Coming back from Howth last night around 9pm , I happening across some Chuck Norris boot camp type dude who had 20 or so punters doing push ups / sit ups and sprints all across the cycle path on the coast road. They were running in pairs for about 20 metres taking up both directions of lane then doubling back down the pedestrian side and reforming to do push ups !!

Never mind boot camp. I think it was 14th December, I took my old MTB into work, down cycle lane in Phoenix park and just outside the Aras I see this Army of Pr***s running towards me in the cycle lane.

I didn't shout or anything as they got closer, I thought to myself, they will see me cycling down the middle of the cycle lane and move.......

Turns out, it actually was the Army, easily well over 50 or 60 of them, 2 or 3 wide and all together in one big group. It was like going down Lansdowne road on match day.

Last minute still no sign of them moving so I slowed a little, but held my ground in the centre of the cycle lane, finally they seen me and started to split, but it was to late as there were way to many of them. So I ended up with one of the fu****s getting a wedgie from my front wheel.

I let a mighty roar that it was a Fu***ng cycle lane. They didn't give a toss, and were gone almost as quick as they had arrived!

Two Garda on horseback beside me didn't seem to give a toss either, although one of them was struggling with her horse.... hope it wasn't my shout that disturbed it, but I think she was already having problems!

Thought about making a complaint to the Army, but I wouldn't know where to start then forgot about it.... till now... should I?

I'm also sick of people walking in the cycle lane in the Phoenix Park, two yokes running this morning had me inches from a fall and doing about 20 meters on my side as they just said "It's ok" or something stupidly ignorant.

RacoonQueen

Cycle lanes in the phoenix park are pointless they're largely unusable, if you're going to be polite and move out of the way/watch your back by all means use it but if you're going to walk/run in a big group and not move you're just being a prick.

All they need to do is paint more bikes on the lanes and paint big pedestrians with an x through them on it. I know the bikes that are already on them and the fact they're green is already a big giveaway but some people are a bit thick.

I run in them ocassionally as they're the softest surface in the park when the grass is too boggy so I don't want to be too much of a hypocrite.

Cookie_Monster

Next time stop and ask would they mind using the road instead

bcmf

I saw signs a few months back enrolling for MILFcamp!!

It was short for Military Fitness Camp but an interesting play on letters.
I almost immediatley thought of Dirk Voodoo.

triggermortis

I did boot camp years ago (1984) and didn't like it much, but it was my own fault for joining up!
I don't think there were any cycle lanes back then for us to run in!

Dermot Illogical

bcmf wrote: »

I saw signs a few months back enrolling for MILFcamp!!

It was short for Military Fitness Camp but an interesting play on letters.
I almost immediatley thought of Dirk Voodoo.

DV's a MILF?

nomdeboardie

stevieob wrote: »

Never mind boot camp. I think it was 14th December, I took my old MTB into work, down cycle lane in Phoenix park and just outside the Aras I see this Army of Pr***s running towards me in the cycle lane.

I didn't shout or anything as they got closer, I thought to myself, they will see me cycling down the middle of the cycle lane and move.......

Turns out, it actually was the Army, easily well over 50 or 60 of them, 2 or 3 wide and all together in one big group. It was like going down Lansdowne road on match day.

Last minute still no sign of them moving so I slowed a little, but held my ground in the centre of the cycle lane, finally they seen me and started to split, but it was to late as there were way to many of them. So I ended up with one of the fu****s getting a wedgie from my front wheel.

Wonderfully cinematic

"You gonna stop us, bike boy? You an' whose army?"

manwithaplan

I don't know but I've been told
Downtube shifting's kind of old

Dermot Illogical

manwithaplan wrote: »

I don't know but I've been told
Downtube shifting's kind of old

Steel frame bikes are so passe
Give me crabon anyday