Infinite C-U | Champaign, IL

Bonus review! This isn't about a yoga studio, but I've taken up a four-week boot camp class to kick my ass back into gear. Since I am tracking my own progress as much as sharing with you all, I thought I'd document my first week of classes here!

LOCATION: Just off of Mattis, behind the Sonics (ironically), on Springer Dr. Very easy to get to and includes a free parking lot.     

DOJO: Class is held at Song's Kung Fu. Big, open, and with padded floors. There are some windows and mirrors, but I pay little attention to anything outside my space once things get going. Bare bones, really, which I love. And on Fridays, if the weather is kind, we go outside! 

CLASS DESCRIPTION: Infinite CU is not a quick fix program. It is not a fad. It is not a magic pill or potion or elixir.  It is more than just fitness. It is more than just nutrition. It is more than just community support. Infinite CU is a lifestyle. We want you to develop healthy HABITS. Whether you do 1 boot camp or 20, we want to give you the tools to be healthy the rest of your life! ($120 for a 4-week session, three classes a week, an hour each—I paid online.)

INSTRUCTORS: Keybeck: On March 22nd 2011, I began teaching a fitness class that I called Infinite. I would teach it at my dad's Kung Fu studio during times when there wasn't any marital art classes. I didn't want my class to just be about losing weight. I wanted to connect with PEOPLE. I wanted people to get the same experience out of fitness that I did. I wanted people to completely change their lives by first "Starting with You Health". Just like I did. In February 2012, Infinite CU transformed from a group fitness class into life changing 4-week boot camps with a thriving community! It has been awesome to help so many others change their lives and to now develop others into boot camp trainers... so they can help people the same way I do. Back in 2010, I could not have imagined I would be doing this!

Marcela: I have been with Infinite for about 2 years now. I’m also a beachbody coach. Fitness has always been a part of me. I participated in extracurricular activities in school. In junior high I was in the cheerleading squad and volleyball team. I also like to participate in running events. In high school I was part of the dance team, tennis and soccer. The workout programs I have completed so far P90X, P90X2, INSANITY, TURBO FIRE, Insanity Asylum, and currently doing Les Mills Combat. In April I will be participating in the Illinois Marathon, I will be doing the  I-challenge (5k on Friday and Full marathon Saturday). In May I will be doing the Tough Mudder. I’m always looking for ways to challenge myself. My favorite types of workouts are cardio and anything that involves kicking and punching. Turbo Fire is by far one of my favorite workout programs.

CONTACT: Infinite C-U

I've had a rough go at it since my buddy, Qi, passed away. I thought I was getting through everything the best I could, but suddenly it had been six months and I hadn't been to my regular yoga classes. I now I have back and knee problems from not taking care of myself. I put on way too much weight. When did this all happen? It was time to change. As I started seeing a new acupuncturist (who I adore, and highly recommend), he had me on some supplements to tackle the digestion/hormonal issues that had been plaguing me for years. He also took me off of wheat and sugar. Meanwhile, I'm also seeing regular posts on facebook by my pal, Janet, talking about how amazing she felt after her boot camp classes. Well, you read that enough times, and you think, "I want to feel like that too!" So I just signed up and hoped for the best.

Unfortunately, I was out of town when the first two classes started, but as of tonight I've been through one round of classes (legs, chest/back, arms/shoulders ). Holy. Crap. My first day at class was legs, which Keybeck snickered at a bit by saying I picked a hard day to start with—but I figured I would at least know right away what I was in for at it's worst (best?). Yeah, that class kicked my ass... or legs... or... As I walked into my house, barely, wobbling, my boyfriend laughed and asked how it went. I was fearful of having to hike the next day with my girlfriend. Quite sure I would fall over. But I loved the sense of accomplishment. The format was a cardio warm up—a bunch of leg work via evil things like burpees—ab work—cool down.

Day two: I'm just barely getting over my legs—over three days later. We go into back and chest working with resistance bands. We start with cardio (crap, my legs again!) and then go into a bunch of moves using the bands and a TON of push-ups. Uh oh. I can't do even one push-up. But I trudge through, doing half push-ups and note where I am. How cool will it be when I do my first full push-up? Two or three? Make it through the whole class?!?! We end with ab work and a little bit of cool down, but definitely show up early to do your stretching + maybe finish with a little bit too (this is a great time to take advantage of all that yoga knowledge you've accrued—not only in stretching, but in activating your core throughout class and remembering your form... shoulders down, pelvis positioning, relax your jaw/hips, knowing your edge and going there. Those are some of my internal reminders anyway).

Day three: My shoulders are still killing me—I wonder what we'll do today. What did you say? Arms and shoulders? Well, crap. Ok, let's do this! Come to find out, my favorite work out so far. I needed a little ego boost after all those push-ups (or whatever you call what I was attempting to do). From the cardio warm up to the arm work to the ab work—that class was made for me!

Tomorrow we do legs again—eeks! But I'm so happy with not only my few accomplishments, but also for what will come, in seeing how far I go. Keybeck is an excellent instructor, always kind in his encouragement and with amazing energy. The class I'm in comes in all shapes and sizes, so that was comforting for this out of shape girl. And, as I said on facebook, "I hate going, I don't like being there, but I just keep repeating to myself it's only 1 hour out of your day, keep pushing... and when it's all done, I feel amazing + ridiculously proud of myself + stinking (p-u) with accomplishment."  

Thank you—to Janet for inspiring me and to Keybeck + Marcela for being a fantastic coaches—namaste.