Code Pink Bootcamp, portland

Looking at her today, you'd never guess that Christina Lucy struggled during gym class in school. She didn't consider herself an athlete, and often watched as coaches cajoled her classmates when they really needed encouragement and support. That rough introduction to the world of physical fitness could have left a bitter taste in her mouth, but instead, Christina let it fuel her desire to improve herself and help other women do the same.

Christina created Code Pink Boot Camp as a place where women could go to find the encouragement, empathy, and, most importantly, the tools they needed to meet their personal fitness goals. The one-hour boot camps combine strength- and functional-training with cardio drills, obstacle courses, and flexibility exercises like yoga, and each exercise can be completely tailored to each woman's individual goals, whether they want to drop 10 pounds or simply fit back into the slim-cut hot dog suit they wore to prom. And, of course, fun and safety are always given top priority in every boot camp, meaning instructors will never push participants beyond their limitations or turn the workout into a competition.