Darrell Sapp, Post-Gazette photos The sky starts to get light as women attending the Pittsburgh Adventure Boot Camp for Women run the mile on the last day of the training camp Friday. The camp started at 5:30 a.m. at South Park.

By Jack Kelly, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

	Melanie Fruman, 26, checks her iPod as she leads the mile. Click photo for larger image.

PT on the parade field as the sun rises.

Thousands of veterans of the Army and Marine Corps remember this -- most not fondly. But these women paid for the privilege, and proclaim enthusiastically they are getting their money's worth.

It is graduation day for the inaugural class of the Pittsburgh Adventure Boot Camp for Women. The "drill instructor," Jacob Right, 26, told those who signed up that if they faithfully attended each of the 20 exercise sessions, they could expect to lose 3 percent to 5 percent of their body fat, and improve their strength and endurance by 25 percent.

There is also a nutrition seminar. Results are better for the women who follow his dietary advice, Mr. Right said.

Now it's time to find out. The women are being tested on their performance doing pushups and a mile run. All show substantial improvement over their initial scores.

The women run the mile in times ranging from 7 minutes, 25 seconds to 9 minutes, 53 seconds. Their initial times ranged from 7:30 to 10:40.

"Drill instructor" Jacob Right keeps track of participants' pushups. Click photo for larger image.

The latest times compare favorably with what the military requires. The Army's requirement for women in their early 20s is that they run two miles in 19 minutes, 36 seconds, an average of 9:48 per mile.

One of the women chose to do regular pushups, increasing her total in two minutes from 25 to 30 over the four-week course. The Army requirement for women in their early 20s is 17 pushups.

The other women did modified pushups (on their knees). They increased their total by an average of 14 over the month-long course.

"They exceeded my expectations," Mr. Right said.

Mr. Right is a certified personal fitness trainer and a first lieutenant in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.

He served in Iraq in 2005-2006 with the first battalion of the 110th Infantry Regiment, headquartered in Mt. Pleasant.

"When I got back from Iraq, I wanted to be on my own," Mr. Right said. "I wanted to be outdoors. I wanted to train people. This seemed like the right thing."

So Mr. Right bought a license from Dr. John Spencer Ellis, and went to Southern California, where Dr. Ellis has been running Adventure Boot Camps for Women since the late 1990s, for three days of training. It's now one of the most popular exercise programs in the world, with more than 200 locations in nine countries.

	Margo Cicci, 31, of Bridgeville, grimaces as she completes the last of her pushups on the last day of Boot Camp. Click photo for larger image.

The six women in Mr. Right's inaugural class -- who range in age from their early 20s to not wanting to disclose their age -- say it was the right thing for them.

They met at the fairgrounds in South Park at 5:30 a.m. for an hour of physical training (exercise for nonmilitary personnel) each weekday morning.

"It's rough when the alarm goes off," said Bethany Fruman, 23, who just graduated from the nursing school at Pitt. "But it's worth it after four weeks."

"It's a nice atmosphere, a good way to start your day," agreed her sister, Melanie Fruman, 26.

"I wanted a structured workout. It's been great," said Shanay Vietmeier, 23, of Scott.

"We've done a lot of different stuff I'd never have done on my own," said Margo Cicci, 31, of Bridgeville. "It changes every day. I was never bored."

"Early in the morning. Get it done. Outdoors," said Betsy Thompson of Coraopolis.

"I like to work out, but I don't like the monotony. This wasn't boring."

"Each day is intentionally different to alleviate boredom," Mr. Right said.

Shanay Vietmeier, 23, of Scott, stretches at the start of the last day of Boot Camp. Click photo for larger image.

The sessions begin with calisthenics to warm up, and end with stretching. In between, boot camp attendees do some light running, weight training, and exercises to strengthen the body's core muscles (including abs, back and pelvis). Students can also expect to jump rope, and run obstacle courses.

Though all the women in his inaugural class were fit, the boot camp program is designed to meet the needs of women of all ages and fitness levels, Mr. Right said. Those who are least fit coming into the program tend to show the most improvement, he said.

A benefit of working out at the crack of dawn is that "it helps you eat better," Ms. Cicci said. "If I'm going to get up at 4:15 in the morning to work out, I'm not going to blow it by eating bad later in the day."

When the final workout was over, Mr. Right treated his students to coffee at a nearby Starbucks.

"Most of us are signing up to do the next boot camp," said Ms. Vietmeier, the student who showed the most improvement.

If you'd like to join Ms. Vietmeier and her friends, the next boot camp starts June 25.

The cost is $299 for the five-day-a-week program, or $199 for a three-day-a-week program. For more information, call Mr. Right at 724-713-6298, or visit his Web site at: www.pittsburghbootcamp.com.