Burn Holiday Pounds + Have Fun Outside With Basic Training

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Working out is better with friends. But if your friends are like mine, they're too busy for a regular routine—or just plain not interested. Leading into the holidays, I was in a workout slump. I needed motivation to get moving. A little internet digging tipped me off to a beautiful thing: men and women running (err, climbing) the streets of SF, getting fit together. I wanted in on the fun. And now with a few Basic Training classes under my belt, not only am I stronger and leaner, but I also have a new crew of friends to keep me on the fitness track.

At first glance, the Basic Training schedule sounds daunting (classes start at 6am, 7am, and 12pm). But the regulars in my 7am class at the Palace of Fine Arts (which is jaw-droppingly gorgeous at sunrise) assured me that once you commit to the time slot, it's never a question about whether or not you show up. You just go.

I sampled classes with two different instructors: Sandra Possing and Alex Ho. Sandra's classes are very sane with lots of stretching and leaning exercises. Alex's classes are a notch higher in toughness—but with a little less of a focus on getting lean. The classes were predominantly male (with a strong Twitter contingent during the 12pm classes at the Hayes location). But I was told that the 6am slot draws more women.

In November, Basic Training successfully completed an Indiegogo campaign, raising more than $40,000 to build a fitness hub within the Hayes Valley's Proxy project. The workout space will be open to the public except for when classes are in progress. Look for the space to go live in the early part of 2014. But before then, take a few classes to jumpstart your new year with a new fitness regimen. And be in prime position to take full advantage of the adult playground.
· Basic Training [Official Site]
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