Sgt. H2O’s Combat Swim

OK, I am going to review for my fellow not-​so-​fit ;) To give you an idea of my personal fitness… I am female. I flirt with 220 lbs. I work in front of a computer 8 – 10 hours a day. I haven’t done any consistent physical activity in 12 years. I have two ruptured discs in my lower spine. And I am recently coming off 8 months of recovery with negligible exercise.
INVESTED INSTRUCTOR: The instructor for DFW, Justin, is also Owner/​Entrepreneur of CombatSwim (transitioning from Sgt. H2O’s Aquatic Boot Camp). This means he is personally financially invested in making this a worthwhile course FOR YOU.
NO BULLYING. Everyone from the instructor to your fellow swimmers are encouraging. You will get prodding from Justin (more coach than drill instructor) and panted «keep going» and «good jobs» from your classmates.
POOR SELF BODY IMAGE: If you are uncomfortable parading around in a swimsuit, don’t be. Yes, there are some svelte individuals in the class but they only make up about 10% of the class. The rest are everyday people with life-​happens bodies. After the first 20 minutes of the first class you won’t care anymore what you look like in your swimsuit.
TOO OUT OF SHAPE? The lanes are divided very well by abilities, about: 2 lanes for the «athletes», 2 lanes for the Consecutive Campers, and 2 lanes for the New Campers. So those triathlon trainees can stay in their far lane, and do extra drills, while the slower «others» finish the workout on the other side of the pool.
CAUTION — SWIMMING ABILITIES: If you have NEVER swum the length of a public pool (the Greenhill one in Addison is a typical 25 yards but the CISD in Southlake is an Olympic-​length 50 meters), I strongly recommend taking an instructional swim class or two first. Justin will let you participate if you are at the hop/​doggy paddle stage (we have a couple of those), but my opinion is you will get more out of the camp if you have the basic mechanics down. I haven’t swum laps in 18 years (high school «participation» swim team), so I’m not fast but I’m shocked at how much muscle memory I still have.
CAUTION — LAND DRILLS: Yes, this is an «aquatic boot camp» but we also do land drills probably 10 minutes of every 60-​minute class. Mostly these land drills are some variant of push-​ups /​sit-​ups /​squats, but have included laps around a nearby track. If you have physical limitations, like me, let Justin now and he will come up with alternative exercises.
VARIETY: Yes. Some days are more distance/​endurance, others are sprints or team drills, and still others working on breathing… If you find yourself bored quickly with rote routines this is perfect for you because I have yet to have the same workout twice.
HOW OFTEN: Even if it is ungodly early… Even if it is far… Even if the 50m length scares you… Do the Saturday class at the CISD in Southlake. This one is HARD, but it will give you a leg-​up when you go back to the shorter pool (Greenhill in Addison) during the week. If you are up to it/​training, you are paying for Unlimited Classes so train like a rock star and go to BOTH pools – up to 5 workouts a week.
WONDERFUL FACILITIES: Both pools, Greenhill and CISD, are indoor, heated, and kept in excellent shape.
ALL THE EQUIPMENT: You will need EVERYTHING Justin tells you to bring. Don’t try to cheap out – big girl panties and buy: one-​piece swimsuit (think function more than pretty), slip-​on fins ($ 25 from D&J Sports), and goggles (lots of the class likes the $ 15 – 25 Aqua Sphere ones from D&J Sports). Also workout shoes & clothes – you might have to run around a track, so scrounge in your closet and bring these EVERY TIME because running bare foot in a swimsuit SUCKS! The workout towel/​mat is optional – frankly most people stop bringing these after two classes. Dumbbells are new to the required equipment list, but my suggestion is start on the wussy side with COATED dumbbells (water = rust) and work your way up. And not on Justin’s list, but I recommend, is a mesh bag to haul everything around (I like the $ 17 Speedo Deluxe Mesh Equipment Bag from D&J Sports) and a swim cap.
WOULD I DO IT AGAIN? Groupon got me in the door… I’ve been tired and sore but have not gotten hurt (biggest concern for me)… I like the improved stamina… Yes, I’ve signed up to do another 4 weeks and plan on sticking with it. Yes, I’ve recommended the class to others.

A Groupon got me in the door and the rest is history. I am hooked. I completed the 4 week session and I am ready to keep going and re-​enlist!
This is the best workout you can get in the water. Swimming laps is great, but boring. Sgt. H2O’s Aquatic Boot Camp challenges you to keep going when you want to stop. The use of fins for swimming helps you build up your speed. The different swim techniques from buddy pulls to survivor swim tests your ability to keep going.
The land workout prior to class and during class also pushes your mind body and soul. Just when you think you have no more to give you get back in the water and swim more sprints.
The instructors are hard on you but are there to push you out of your comfort zone. By the end of class you are cheering on your lane-​mates and ready to give it your all in the next class.
I have never looked forward to a class as much as I have with this one. Hooyah!

Started attending bc of a great deal through Groupon or LS deal to jump start a little bit of weight loss. After the 1^st workout, I realized I was in a bootcamp in a league of its own. I’ve done various other bootcamps and other types of workout classes before. This, by far, is the most intense, well run, well led classes that will any average person — seasoned athlete will ever encounter. Each & every class kicked my butt, but I could feel myself getting stronger & stronger, week by week. You will never get bored & always be challenged. Even if you have weak swimming skills, this class (Phase 2) will do wonders to improve your lung function, swimming technique, endurance & give you a complete and total cardiovascular workout that no other class can provide.
There are participants from every walk of life as well. As we all bust our butts during the workouts, there’s an unspoken bond that unifies each class together b/​c you know we are all going through the challenging exercises as a unit.
The head trainer in Dallas (Justin) is an encouraging yet firm trainer. He’s the very best trainer/​coach I’ve ever encountered & I sincerely mean that. He’s a consummate professional. Bonus: it’s great for those w/​back/​joint issues.
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I enjoy this workout. It’s very challenging and each week is different. Be consistant and keep going even if you feel defeated!

this is a GREAT program. ive been pretty active my whole life and done various sports but this will still push you.
i’m NOT a swimmer but its ok. it’ll challenge those muscle groups and your lungs in ways you probably haven’t been challenged before. its ok if you’re not the fastest swimmer. the coaches are very encouraging but not harassing. think about it, they’ve already gotten paid whether you show up or not. however they are VERY supportive and encouraging.
the benefits of this is that a) its indoors which is the big reason i did it during the winter b) its full body c) easy on joints even though i dont have any joint issues.
its ok if your not the fastest swimmer as long as you keep pushing yourself. you only get out of it what you put into it.

«It’s not water aerobics.»
No kidding. Take a tough (but typical) land boot camp: A mix of traditional callisthenic and body weight exercises with interval training and strength training … and then put it under water. Just as Sgt H2O’s is not water aerobics, it is neither a typical boot camp.
Yes, I have swum laps. Yes, I have done fitness boot camps. But I have neither previously performed ANY of the their swim drills nor have I done high-​intensity plyometric training on the deck of a pool in between 50y sprints. This is some of the highest quality training I have ever done because it is unlike any training I have ever done. (For background, I have completed the Ironman triathlon six times.) Everything is fresh and new. A typical session (if there is such a thing) of H2O’s bootcamp is an efficient combination of 25y to 50y lane sprints using different strokes and kicks, with and without fins (not the scuba kind), often while carrying or holding small objects; followed by deep-​water treading while holding heavy objects (an Acme brick is heavy in 15′ of water); all of which is interspersed with on-​deck squats, push-​ups, and core work to ensure your muscle are totally fatigued and you’re maxing-​out your HR. The icing is that you’d then jump back in and do a few more sprints. Sgt H2O has a good collection of youtube videos (look for the «AquaticBootCamp» uploader/​channel.)
I want to stress the word «quality» because if I described it as «intense» it may dissuade people from trying it and that is the last thing I’d want to do. People of (almost) any level could still get a quality session without making it hypoxically intense (w/​o oxygen). The class is always segmented by ability. While it is not so formal that you do a time trial and then are assigned to a pace group, after the first class you will see who you should be swimming with and you will congregate into one lane. The next cluster of slower or faster swimmers will fill the next lane and so on. As such, the handful of swimmers in each lane are roughly of the same pace, ability and experience (e.g., if you know what a tap on the foot means, you’re in the right lane). The constant variation of vertical and horizontal exertion; heavy breathing calisthenics followed closely by holding your breath between strokes during sprints; body weight exercises on-​deck and then weightlessness in the water all stack up to something that cannot be replicated anywhere other than a pool. The 1hr class blows by because it is a rapid-​fire succession of drills in constantly changing positions and environments. Think about it: By sequencing through different gravitational environments you’re pushing yourself in a way you’ve probably never done before.
If you’ve done the land boot camps and want something new; if you like to swim but are bored to tears by laps; if aqua aerobics is too easy; if you’re a reasonably fit adult looking for a unique cross-​training session; if you want to lose weight (or you don’t need to lose weight but you want to get stronger in and/​or out of the water); then Sgt H2O’s got you covered. (Now, if you can’t swim, you’re probably screwed.) I know what the biggest hurdle is: «OMG Ryan! I have to wear a bathing suit!» Get over it and get out of your head the expectation that everyone looks like Baywatch. Quite the opposite: There is plenty of pasty, soft muffin top flesh to go around. No matter what you think you look like, get an actual *swimming* suit and you’ll fit in.

I haven’t attended this class but I’ve been to Justin’s land camp for a month. The land one is awesome! You work hard, are pushed just enough, and greatly motivated. The owner/​instructor is great. If you stick with it, you see and feel results. I loved the land camp and I’m sure the aquatic camp is the same if not harder. Look forward to trying it. It’s an amazing program!

You have got to try this class! Yes it’s tough, but so fun. Every workout is different and you can tell Justin puts thought into each workout and is always coming up with something new for us to try. First 15 minutes of class is all land bootcamp then into the water for the last 45 minutes. He combines both longer distance swimming and sprints, lots of treading water, swimming with fins, swimming with wet towels, and fun stuff like relay teams, and challenges for anyone who wants to try underwater weight walking, breath holding, and treading water with 10 pound brick. Check out his website there are lots of videos to give you an idea of what class is like. It’s like no other workout you have tried I promise… worth every penny.

This is a truly unique and rewarding class. Anybody who loves swimming will fall in love with this training. Aquatic Boot Camp helped me face one of my biggest fears– the swimsuit. Hooyah!

I’ve taken the class for 2 consecutive months now, and am looking to start month 3! I questioned if I would go back after the first class!!! Justin does a great job of keeping it interesting and fun! If you know me, you know the drinking, smoking and overeating are what I enjoy too often, I put the smokes down right before his first class and have not picked them up since, I am afraid to (in a good way)!! Just when you think you can’t do it you can! It is a great way to challenge yourself and being in the pool helps switch it up! You don’t have to be a great athlete to take this class, I’m not, even though most of the class is faster and stronger than me, I am getting better each week! I LOVE FEELING STRONG!

I first signed up for the Aquatic Boot Camp last spring and did the 4-​week program. My friends and I all went together as a group for support and encouragement. I am not a good swimmer (at all) but do enjoy doing on-​land workouts so I figured I would give it a try. I am so glad I completed this course because it really prepared me for the summer and gave me that energetic boost! I really liked how it was set up 3 times a week and felt that I definitely got my money’s worth!