An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Article Display

Aerobic Marathon welcomes in New Year

  • Published
  • By Pascual Flores
  • Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  Approximately 20 members of theJoint Base community met at the Dix Griffith Field House Saturday morning to participate in a three hour New Years' Resolution Aerobic Marathon designed to promote fitness and burn off the holiday calories.

The first hour of the marathon included a warming up period of cardio dancing to help limber up the body muscles and get the blood circulating.

"I think everyone was really excited about starting the New Year off right with the three hour workout for a better way to burn out all those holiday cookies and candies off," said Richelle Weiland, Griffith Field House, fitness trainer.

Similar to Zumba dancing, the cardio dancing differs in the type of music used in the exercise.

"Cardio dancing uses a hip-hop music and in Zumba it is more of a salsa and Latin tempo," she added.

After a brief break from the cardio dancing, the next exercise was a period of Circuit Training starting with the intensity one would expect from a military boot camp.

In a room decked out with exercise mats, weights, dumbbells and loud, blaring music, group fitness trainer Desmond Thompson shouted motivational words at a fast pace, leading the intense exercise that combined push-ups, running, jumping jacks and sit-ups.

"I love fitness and love helping people," said Desmond. "I think everyone is looking for a magic pill and there isn't any, it is all about hard work, habits and principle," he added.

Providing individual care, Desmond moved among the exercisers motivating each of them to reach the goal of giving their all.

"I am here because of the awesome workout that Desmond delivers," said Earla Cotten, "He shocks my body into feeling pain in muscles that I didn't know I had. And I burn off the calories and gain muscle mass which is awesome."

Others tended to agree.

"This workout is unbelievable, it takes you beyond what you think you are capable of doing," added Staff Sgt. Julie Aymar, drill sergeant with Regional Training Center-East.

Following the intense workout, participants of the three-hour aerobic marathon were treated to an hour of Yoga as a cooling-off exercise and to relax after the rigorous workout.