Throwback Thursday, a look back…
This article was first published in the Tampa Bay Times on September 3, 2013 http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/new-port-richey-boot-camp-whips-participants-into-shape/2139758
I wanted to repost this article one year later to reflect back on this snapshot in time! Enjoy.
New Port Richey Boot Camp whips participants into shape (Tampa Bay Times 9/3/13)
Derek Kuryliw’s boot camp has never needed a paid advertisement. Through word of mouth and Facebook posts, more than 120 people, ranging in age from 6 to 73, have flipped monster truck tires and scaled walls on Kuryliw’s orders in the name of fitness.
On a recent Wednesday evening, in the muggy warmth just before sunset, a revolving group of men and women tossed rubber mats onto pavement and fired off some pushups. Then they flipped to their backs for ab work.
Before long, their gray T-shirts (with the slogan “I don’t quit when I’m tired. I quit when I’m finished.”) were soaked through.
That was before they started bunny-hopping through tires and scaling hurdles made of 4 by 4s or panting through “suicide” sprints.
Kuryliw, his skin projecting a bronzy glow from a recent bodybuilding competition, sweated right along with them.
The 30-year-old bodybuilder, personal trainer and owner of the fitness and nutrition company SlimFit (soon to be called LiveFit), officially started the boot camp in January, though he had been offering it informally for a year prior. His New Port Richey Boot Camp takes place on the grass and blacktop in the back yard of his father’s firm, Kuryliw Chiropractic Rehab Center on Little Road.
Kuryliw whips boot campers into shape on weekday evenings and select mornings, with about 15 to 20 participants per class. A typical workout lasts 30 minutes, but some campers, Kuryliw says, stick around for as long as 90 minutes. The earlier evening groups are more challenging, running at a faster pace with less rest time, while the 7 p.m. session is slated for beginners.
Kuryliw likens boot camp to recess for adults — albeit with a good deal more suffering.
“It’s really for like moms, teachers, bankers,” he said. “Anybody with stress who needs to just get outside and let loose with a bunch of other people with that same mindset.”
Teachers make up a large portion of Kuryliw’s clients. On the their first day back to school last month, 11 school employees signed up.
Three are boot camper Claudia Bender’s co-workers at Ridgewood High School. In seven weeks, the 45-year-old language arts teacher has lost more than 8 pounds of body fat and 2 inches off each thigh and gained half an inch of muscle on her shoulders.
“I wouldn’t even wear skirts … before I started boot camp,” Bender said. “And two months later, it’s not a problem.”
Boot camp includes all kinds of agility and skill drills, running through tires, jumping hurdles, climbing walls, running with parachutes, stacking tires and doing suspension training, where half the body hangs while the exerciser does pushups, pullups and other maneuvers. Some Saturdays, Kuryliw has “game days,” where boot campers participate in relay races.
“He knows how to work the cardio in with the strength training, and it’s not lifting weights or walking the track,” Bender said. “He’s very creative in how he puts things together.” 
Land O’Lakes High School math teacher Hannah Trapani appreciates the variety and the added benefit that she can let her mind wander.
“It’s great because I really appreciate having the time where I’m not thinking,” Trapani said. “As a teacher, you spend the whole day telling people what they should do. … You’re always thinking for everybody else.”
Gulf Highlands Elementary School third-grade teacher and Fivay High School volleyball coach Jaci Justus was an athlete in high school but hadn’t done a lot of exercising beyond that. A boot camper since January, Justus has incorporated a lot of Kuryliw’s workouts to condition her volleyball team.
Kuryliw aims to make boot camp accessible to those who might ordinarily be intimidated by contracts at big gyms. The first two weeks cost just $1, then he offers flexible weekly, biweekly and monthly options. Participants manage their own accounts through Kuryliw’s website, allowing them to freeze, suspend and reactivate their accounts at will.
“Because of the two weeks for a buck, we’ve got some people who would’ve never ever tried boot camp,” he said.
Kuryliw’s company employs two other personal trainers and his wife, Shelly, who acts as office manager. They sell supplements and offer private personal training. Kuryliw offers coaching for 10 clients at a time, keeping in daily contact to develop plans for meals and workouts. His monthly accountability program provides similar coaching through weekly emails. He does free nutrition seminars and store tours, where he walks a group through a grocery store, teaching them healthier alternatives to what’s on their shopping lists.
Bender likes how accessible Kuryliw is. He communicates on Facebook and his website, posting about nutrition and sharing success stories and recipes.
“He’s full force,” she said. “I think that’s probably a part of why I like it so much. He’s totally into it.”
Times photographer Brendan Fitterer contributed to this report. Samantha Fuchs can be reached at [email protected] or (727) 869-6235.
To learn more about Boot camp
For more information, visit newportricheybootcamps.com or call (727) 851-SLIM (851-7546).
For more information on Derek Kuryliw, visit derekkuryliw.com and slimfitdiet.com.
New Port Richey Boot Camp whips participants into shape 09/03/13 [Last modified: Tuesday, September 3, 2013 8:16pm]
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Update 9/10/14
It’s crazy to read this article one year later.
Our facility has GROWN and our fitness family has GROWN!
We now have 4 FULL time employees Derek, Shelly, Rich and Richard.
We have had 5 first time female bikini competitors in NPC contests.
We have had incredible success stories and our weekly Transformation Tuesday features are highly anticipated weekly.
Our drive, our passion, our fire burns hotter than ever.
This wouldn’t be possible without all of the dedicated and hardworking men and women who bust their tails each and every day.
Each one of them with the same destination in mind: becoming a leaner, stronger person mentally and physically in a supportive and motivating environment with like-minded people.
We are more than just a bootcamp. We are more than just a gym. We are more than just a workout.
We are a Fit Family united by one goal: be healthier today than you were yesterday.
Whether that means working to the side with a trainer to perfect your form, getting that private phone call or text to ‘get off your ass’, to the free Friday night nutrition seminars or just as simple as a veteran bootcamper reaching out to help a newbie…
…..everyone is there to help everyone.
If not? Get the hell out and join a $10 gym!
They are everywhere.
We are here for results.
We are addicted to results.
Without results, a workout becomes just work.
Love the process, love your results and love the person you see in the mirror!
That’s what this is all about. Loving yourself more isn’t it?
So why do you rely so much on a scale to gauge your success?
Why do you spend so much time on a treadmill, counting calories and wasting precious time without seeing results?
Why are you trying to do it alone?
Someone that has walked your same path before you is always there to reach out a helping hand, teach you what has helped them and to send you a motivational message when you are feeling down on yourself.
We are a Fit Family. We are your motivational push, your inspiration and your path to a happier and healthier life.
Some people drink during ‘Happy Hour’ each day to feel better.
We sweat, laugh (and sometimes hurl too) and get stronger than the person we were yesterday, EVERYDAY!
You see, that is how I gauge success.
Are you better than who you were yesterday?
Can you handle more mentally today than the person you left behind yesterday?
Are you stronger than you have been at any point in your life, at the oldest age you have ever been? (think about that)
BE YOUR BEST YOU!
Committed to your fitness success and the next phase of your journey,
Derek Kuryliw, Certified Sports Nutritionist & Personal Trainer Slim Fit Diet & Fitness, CEO/Founder …for questions or comments [email protected] or 727.851.SLIM
Try the ultimate fitness experience of my fitness bootcamps. Every night is a new challenge of athletic and explosive training for all ages, previous injuries and ability levels. Get your first 2 weeks for only $1, No Catch, No Gimmicks…Just Results: www.NewPortRicheyBootcamps.com
