WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

Kelly, just wanted to give a big THANK YOU for your leadership and support.   I was so surprised to get my prize for improvement.  What a great experience!!  You have empowered me to really try hard,  do my best, and believe in myself.  My husband is a diabetic and has been really sick for about a year.  He's so depressed, he sleeps both days and nights plus he's experiencing signs of dementia. We've been to lots of doctors and specialists but all of the medicine and tests have not really come up with any improvement or answers as to what's going on with him.  It feels like I've lost the man I married and am taking care of someone I don't even know.  Anyway, to make a long story short......the boot camp was not only helpful for me physically but also emotionally.  The fellowship with other women, combined with the encouragement from you and the rewards of giving my body the exercise it so badly needed really helped me deal with the stress of home and lifted my spirits.  Thanks again for making a BIG difference in my life.  I'm coming back in August for another round.
Janice A.

Kelly!!!! You are awesome! Thank you so much for your encouragement and support out there in the mornings! I couldn't do it without you! Your knowledge is amazing but even more importantly is your personality!!! :) Thank you sooo much!  You truly do make me want to go back each and every day! I wish I would've been able to do the five day but it didn't fit into my schedule during the month of July.   I have decided that I want to continue on session after session for awhile until I think I can motivate myself day after day.  I definitely feel its the "kick in the butt" that I've needed for so long!   I have also been doing a "similar" routine on some of my off days. I even got a mat and 2 lb weights for my 11 year old daughter so we can do it together! She is motivated too! It's awesome!!! And I owe it all to you! Your nutrition seminar has really helped me as well! I have been eating better in the last 2 weeks, then I probably ever have, and it feels WONDERFUL!
Lori K.

When I first heard about Fresno Boot Camp, I knew it was something that I needed to do, but little did I know it would turn into something I loved to do!  Not being a "morning person", I never thought I'd sign up willingly for something that starts at 5:30am. However, by the end of the first week, I found myself waking up BEFORE my alarm. The workouts were invigorating and really gave me a jump start on my day. I've definitely improved my stamina and have toned up almost everywhere. Some days are definitely harder than others, but that's what makes it fun...never knowing what to expect!  Kelly makes every day different and fun.  She's a great motivator without being intimidating.  Some days, you even forget you are exercising!  I look forward to my next Fresno Boot Camp Adventure!
Tiffany S., Fresno

I think you're wonderful and I truly believe in the program you are leading, Kelly!  I have worked with a personal trainer before -- of course, that was one on one and she was wonderful, but you certainly have a way of making everyone feel they are reaching their goals one by one even in a large group and that is truly unique to me!  I appreciate that you encourage us to push ourselves and that we know what we need to do, yet you still help make sure we are refining our moves as we go more into it. I have also had many years of dance experience.  I had the honor of attending an event called Prodance last year in Palm Springs (training camp for NFL and NBA dancers) and that was intense. I have to say your program is pretty comparable. I feel like I danced 10 hours when I leave each day!  I didn't realize when I signed up that you were also certified to teach TaeBo®. That is so very cool -- I find you very inspirational! Roxanne, Fresno

I have found Fresno Boot Camp to be the most fun and effective program ever. Since joining, my weight is down by 14lbs in 5 weeks! I'm off Lipitor and my blood pressure meds have been cut in half. My doctor says Fresno Boot Camp may put him out of business! The doctor said if my weight and fitness level continue to improve he could possibly stop all of the blood pressure meds! There are several cool things about this program. The instructors are very knowledgeable about nutrition and excercise programs. They are also very organized and we do different things everyday. We're outside and there are no sweaty weight machines. It doesn't matter what your fitness level is. The program is flexible and the instructors are there to help and encourage. Fresno Boot Camp is also a good deal. I go 5 days a week and that's about 15 bucks an hour. Way cheaper than a trainer, Nutrisystems, Jenny Craig or any of those programs! I'm saving 80 bucks a month on one prescription! Fresno Boot Camp has changed my life! Because of the program, I'm eating better, sleeping better and my energy level is through the roof! I just feel amazing! Better mentally as well. The program makes you accountable. After an hour of working out, I am very careful about the food choices I make. I never miss a workout. When I'm there it's all business. Bottom line, Boot Camp is fun and once you start you'll want to continue! Thare should be a warning about how addictive Boot Camp is! I just signed up to run a half marathon in November! That would have been impossible 5 weeks ago! The more you work the more you want to work. It's the best! Thanks, Fresno Boot Camp!
Wade H., Fresno

The challenge has been awesome. I had no clue something so hard could be so rewarding. I have found I have more will power than I ever dreamed I had.  I was able to stop myself from eating the junk food I craved every night - bye bye ho ho's, brownies and oreo cookies. The strange thing, I really did not crave them.  Working side by side with the others in the class and my daughter has been the best experience ever, it gave me the strength to keep going.
Irma, Fresno

We all have our different goals and reasons why we signed up for your boot camp; I went for two back to back sessions for a total of 8 weeks.  On the surface, I wanted to tone and lose body fat (which I achieved) but my underlying motive was to gain stamina for an approaching major surgery that I needed to undergo. My thought was that if I built more muscle tone, gain strength and stamina my body would recover quicker on the flip side of surgery.  I give your program more than a round of applause; I give it a standing ovation.  I am one week post surgery but my body is recovering quicker than what was expected. For me, Fresno Adventure Boot Camp was the best gift I gave my body. 
Lollie, Fresno

This has been an awesome experience. I love accountability! It works so much better for me. I needed the extra push and something a little different to get me over that little hurdle of losing that last couple of pounds and seeing inches lost and inches gained in the right spots!  I have pushed myself more in the running (cardio) portion because that is what I like the LEAST!  I have been able to cut my time by exactly 2 Minutes from the first run at the June bootcamp...I am very happy about that because I've never considered myself to be a runner!
Pam, Fresno

My life has always been surrounded by sports. Running was my passion. But my life took a dramatic turn in my early 40’s for which I was not prepared. I developed a form of rheumatoid arthritis and it affected both my hands and feet. Following back surgery due to a herniated disc, I unfortunately was forced to stop all activity. The pain was just too great. The arthritis progressed to a point where walking was so difficult and painful that my doctor completed paperwork so that I could obtain a handicapped placard for my car. I thought my running and exercising days were over. I became a bit depressed but finally accepted my fate.

This year a few of my friends signed up for a 4 week Adventure Bootcamp to lose a few pounds. They loved it so much that they signed up for a second bootcamp and then started recruiting others. Right before my very eyes these people were changing their bodies and their mental fitness as well. It was so dramatic that they were able to talk me into trying a 4 week camp. Yes….at 51 years old, in pain and out of shape, I agreed to give it a try. I absolutely knew in my heart of hearts that I would probably have to drop out due to the pain but thought “why not”? I was assured it was not intimidating and that the instructor would give us various ways of exercising to accommodate injuries etc.

Long story short, I did not have to drop out. I fell in love with it! I found myself getting stronger. I became more flexible and my joint pain diminished so much that I have cut way back on the meds I take for my arthritis. I cannot say enough about what it has done for me both physically and mentally. My first camp just ended and I cannot wait to start my second camp…and my third….and my fourth…. Those that I see on a daily basis have noticed the difference in me and I am hopeful that many of my coworkers will join me in future camps. So, in closing, I want to thank Kelly for literally giving me my life back. It has been an ‘Adventure’ and I am looking so forward to the start of the next camp. Thank you, Kelly! - Bonnie, Fresno

I’m sure there are lots of women who, like me, went to Fresno Adventure Boot Camp for Women for personal health and fitness reasons. I had been thinking of hiring a personal trainer for a while, but knew I couldn’t afford one, so I liked the idea of a someone with Trainer credentials offering this type of fitness camp. I was skeptical of the hour (who wouldn’t be – 5:30AM! I mean REALLY!!) but, luckily, I’m a “morning person” and knew I could handle it. And I am very glad I did. I got so much more out of the experience than I expected.

First of all, Kelly Nickel is a remarkable teacher. As a veteran of the classroom and a former teacher-trainer, I was very impressed by her superb planning: every morning she filled that one-hour of Camp with creative, fun, challenging yet achievable activities for women at every fitness level. Her pacing and timing were extraordinary, both from the perspective of moving us through each one-hour session, as well as moving us through the 4 weeks. She is unflappable: when the street light in Railroad Park went out for a week (and at 5:30AM in the latter part of August, it can be dark outside), Kelly never lost her plan for the day, nor her cool. Those are the trademarks of a very good teacher. Kelly has an indomitable spirit. She possesses a lovely sense of humor, a trait that can makes even abdominal “crunches” bearable. She is also enthusiastic and personally invested in her project, so our individual success was also her success and she allowed everyone to share in that. She takes time out of every day to communicate with everyone participating in the Camp via email; mostly it is in the form of a group communiqué, but if a Camper had made a break-through, there was a personal note about that. Every morning Kelly was right there, challenging the more fit participants to strive for a new personal best, and for the fitness-challenged like me, her motivating praise kept us moving and achieving more as well, but always at our own level.

I am headed back to Camp on Monday and, funny as it sounds, I can’t wait for that 4:45AM alarm. I know it will take me out of my comfort zone and I’ll challenge myself to do my personal best. And I am pretty sure that Kelly Nickel will have a whole new gym-bag of tricks to help me achieve it.

Jean C., Clovis