RipQuest Boot Camp, Houston

As a physical therapist, Carrie Moore worked to help patients rehabilitate their musculoskeletal injuries for five years. Throughout her practice, she noticed a troubling trend: a striking number of the dysfunctions were the result of insufficient or nonexistent fitness regimes. From this realization sprung RipQuest Boot Camp, Carrie's four-week offensive against sedentary lifestyles. Along with her staff of physical therapists and trainers, Carrie motivates groups of 20–30 toward lean and toned physiques via muscle confusion. This technique is based on fast-paced, dynamic workouts that target different muscle groups to prevent them from getting too accustomed to certain routines, thus rendering exercise ineffective. Tweaked to accommodate varying fitness levels, the boot camps rally sluggish bloodstreams with cardio, strength-training, speed, and agility exercises using a variety of fitness equipment. Patrons power through lunges to build solid quads, hurl medicine balls to bolster core and arm strength, and jump ropes for a calorie-annihilating burst of cardio. Boot campers should bring a water bottle, yoga mat or towel, jump rope, and hand weights or supportive gnomes that weigh 5 to 10 pounds.