Xtreme grads take a break

Some people would call them ”crazies“ or even ”freaks“!

We’re talking about the very brave few who have thus far taken on the Xtreme Fitness Challenge, having just completed its fifth intake.

What is it that makes people, who on the outside seem like perfectly normal and sane people, punish their bodies day in and day out for a total of 11 weeks?

For those that dare take part and make it to the end, it’s an adrenaline rush, an escape, a rediscovery of a former life or simply a life changing experience! It’s a worldwide phenomenon where people are quite willing to have someone shout at them every morning, sometimes twice a day as they pour sweat, grit their teeth and endure the pain and fatigue that starts to bite a few weeks into the programme.

Only the toughest make it to the end. You need both physical and mental grit to overcome boundaries that are for most people, found in their own minds.

”Breaking down old habits and forcing the body and mind to make changes is an important part of the programme,“ says Xtreme creator Puai Wichman.

He added that ”only those with an open mind and a willingness to truly make a change in their lives will survive“.

Xtreme V came to a successful end recently with one of the highest survival rates – usually only 30 percent make it to the end. Those who dare take on the challenge, are pushed to their limits, facing a wide variety of workouts ranging from gym sessions with weights, plyometrics, sprint and interval training, yoga, boxing and swimming, with a good amount of core and stretch work.

Intake V had an interesting mix of people, from athletes, business owners and managers, to mums who have had children and were looking to find themselves again.

The standout graduates from Xtreme V were Jenna Tere of Picture Paradise Limited and BCI bank manager Vaine Arioka. They were joined by past graduates Ben Bergman, Luke Brown, Trish Barton, Maara Toleafoa and the evergreen David Bridge.

Tere missed no more than two sessions during the entire course, made up of six to eight sessions per week, over 11 weeks. Bridge and Toleafoa have now participated in and graduated from three Xtreme courses. Bergman, Brown and Barton are graduates of Xtreme IV and are now set to assist in upcoming Xtreme challenges.

The next course starts in October 2012, for those who are looking for a true challenge. For more information contact Puai Wichman at getfit@oyster.net.ck

Fitness Revolution would like to thank Air New Zealand for its continued support of good health and fitness in the Cook Islands, in particular the Xtreme Fitness programme.