A Few Good Men (And Women)
April 2008
Quick Quips
To put it mildly, The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun is nothing like Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
But the Sunrise Boot Camp held by the beach or by the pools does have one overriding goal in common with the famous Marine base—targeted fitness exercise outside of the gym.Noting an increase in guests requesting fitness classes, the Five-Diamond resort recently came up with a multifaceted program that will give up to 20 of your attendees a hearty cardio workout and muscular training with a Caribbean backdrop—a glorious start for the day.
And we are talking “start” here—as in 6:30 a.m. Morning is non-negotiable, but the class (facilitated by an Ironman triathlete) can be held one day, two days or even every day of your incentive or retreat here. The menu of activities is huge—you choose among Pilates, yoga and “crunch express” for abs and lower body, for example—but the actual segments can be customized to the needs of your particular group.
For Louise Santry, conferences and events planner for Commonwealth Financial Network near Boston, the program was a terrific solution for her company’s fitness-minded culture. “It appealed to me right away. We tend to have more athletic people on staff, especially our chairman. We actually host our own triathlon every year on Cape Cod.”
In addition to the chairman, the group that signed up for the invigorating break (it was optional) jumped right in. After the 30-minute, hard-core boot camp (running in and out of the water—a great leg workout—plus circuit training on the sand and stretching with medicine balls), they progressed to hydro balance in the pool and, finally, tai bo cardio, for a total, 90-minute workout. “We offered it once during the trip—we didn’t want to kill them—but we wanted them to begin to relax, then have something in the middle of their incentive,” Santry says.
Sunrise Boot Camp is taking the health trend one step further, according to Fritz Mercer, director of meetings and special events for The Ritz. “It’s an invigorating, fun activity for people—and the facility lends itself to it. You can enjoy your stay here and get your work done.” Not to mention your workout. ritzcarlton.com
