Women Battle the Bulge at Bayside Boot Camp

By Elizabeth Stein
08/16/2007

Bayside native and litigation lawyer Rebecca Wenner found herself growing disgruntled with the legal system a few years ago and wanted to do something different.

"I love fitness and I loved what my personal trainers did for me, so I figured let me see if I can help other women and practice law part time to give myself a balance in life," she said. So Becky's Fitness Company was born.

Wenner became a certified personal trainer and began private training before meeting a boot camp instructor at a certification course. She realized that this was the kind of business she could bring to Bayside and that would leave her enough free time to continue practicing law.

"There are days when I come home from camp, hop in the shower and go to court," she said.

Adventure Boot Camp is the brainchild of John Spencer Ellis, who Wenner calls a "fantastic fitness guru." Exercise boot camps are taught worldwide and function as fairly rigorous exercise courses in outdoor spaces taught by a certified trainer who cheers on trainees as they work out. Wenner's is the first in Queens. Her women-only boot camp sessions begin at 6 a.m. in Little Bay Park. Though the four-week program is intense, she said women need not be intimidated by the name. "It's all in fun," she said and women of all fitness levels are welcome to join the boot camps.

"I work with everyone. I have 14 women in this camp and the experience ranges from someone who runs consistently and has a lot of fitness background to people who haven't exercised in years," she said.

Wenner arranges creative workouts like obstacle courses and provides individual attention to each of the women in camp. She meets with everyone who joins before the camp starts to assess their fitness level and individual needs. Unlike a gym class, the boot camp is a social activity and women in class feel accountable to each other and are therefore less likely to miss a workout, Wenner said.

"You form friendships, we do hikes once a week where everyone gets to work hard but also speak and hang out.," she said.

Wenner believes that true fitness doesn't end with exercise, however, and she will begin holding cooking classes in her own kitchen in the fall and offering grocery tours to help people learn where to look for healthful ingredients.

"I show my friends all the neat tricks I have for cooking healthy and fast. That's how I ended up developing the business idea," she said.

Wenner's second boot camp will begin on Aug. 27 and a third starts in October. She also offers personal training by appointment. For more information on Rebecca Wenner and any of the services her company offers, visit her Web site at www.beckysfitnesscompany.com or call 718-640-5179.

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