Being a new year Justin thought this year we should do some team bonding sessions. A good way to get us away from our desks, become closer as a team and in the end result in more productivity. What a great idea, we could go out for lunch together, go to a seminar together…

Noooo we all did a boot camp session together!

Justin asked me to run a boot camp for our team, I thought great a chance to yell at my bosses and tell them what to do. As young energetic accountants we accepted the challenge, even some of the mature accountants joined in for the fun.

On Tuesday morning 5 ^th March I took Justin's team for a team bonding boot camp class. Bright and early (pardon the pun, it was actually pretty dark) Justin, Daniel, Ash, Andy, Bev and Rosalie joined me down at Riverside park for their first boot camp. I was immediately impressed that everyone actually turned up.

I told everyone that was not a class to see who was the fittest/best it was more about encouraging each other and having fun. We stated off with a short warm up run/walk. Well the boys all took off quickly out in front to show off who was the best. While Bev and Rosalie paced them selves and when the boys turned to come back the girls ran to the finish line and beat the boys! After stretching (getting their breaths back) for 5 minutes we moved onto the torture of 10 steps. We warmed our arms and legs up a bit more with some step ups and dips. We then paired up for the next activity, one which was meant to be a good encouraging activity. One person was in plank position while the other had to run up and down the 10 steps 3 times. The person in plank was meant to encourage the person running but as they were all out of breath for most of the activity not much encouragement was heard. It was then time to get a bit wet & dirty on the grass. I had everyone at a different station doing different exercises after so many we would swap and run to the next station. It's good to know even accountants hate burpees!!

After trying to do team encouragement activities I could see everyone was more interested in winning. So it was time to bring out some challenges… Everyone had to army crawl 100 meters the first one to the end won. I also would yell out random commands that they had to get up and do. A close finish between Andy, Ash & Daniel, however Andy was crowned the winner of that challenge. Everyone looked to be pretty exhausted so it was time to sit on our towels… and work our abs!! When everyone that wasn't asleep had warmed up their core I set another challenge. Who could hold a plank for the longest? The end came down to Andy & Ash. After 1 minute and 35 seconds Ash dropped to crown Andy the champion once again. I told Andy to keep holding and make 2 minutes but he dropped telling me that it's not about self satisfaction it's about winning!! Mmmm make us feel real good being beaten by a 60 year old! Finally the session was over and it was time to stretch. I asked everyone to give a different stretch we all had to do, not sure if just laying there was stretch?? A solid 50 minutes of boot camp and everyone was keen to get away from me.

Overall our team boot camp was a great team bonding session! A good way to do a bit of physical activity, some encouragement for each other, a few laughs and lots of sore muscles. I think it was fair to say not many were talking to me Wednesday! Although the pain was quickly forgotten, most of them are keen to do it again!