Try a different workout and gain without the pain

Lately I've encountered several people who adamantly believe a workout isn't really going to help you achieve physical fitness if it's not at least a little unpleasant.

One person even threw the old, "No pain, no gain" at me when I dared suggest working out really didn't need to be work. In fact, not only do I believe its important to enjoy whatever exercise you choose, but it's critical to achieving your fitness goals. Working out because it brings you joy is much more motivating than just trying to torture yourself down to a specific weight or pant size.

Still, those of us who grew up believing working out was something to be dreaded and dodged sometimes have a hard time believing fitness can be achieved — sometimes more quickly and completely — outside of a traditional gym.

As part of my seemingly endless quest to find ways to get and stay fit outdoors, I signed up for Nikki Gregg's Stand Up Paddling Fitness Boot Camp last week.

I will admit, I have an aversion for any fitness get-together that uses "boot camp" in its name. Not only does that term conjure up visions of mean, name-calling men who spit when they talk, I would never want to compare my workout experiences to those of the men and women preparing to serve our country in the military.

In this case, however, I ignored the name because I knew something about the camp. Gregg, a world champion Stand Up Paddle surfer, has developed a way to reap most of the rewards of a weight workout without ever setting foot in a gym or hoisting a barbell.

I attended the camp for two days last week at Jordanelle Reservoir, just outside Heber City. The first day we worked on paddle techniques and becoming more efficient and proficient at getting around on a surfboard. The second day she put us through a sprint workout that included our newly honed skills, as well as resistance training I wouldn't have believed was possible on a surfboard until I actually tried it.

We did lunges (in between paddling), which really got my heart rate up. Then we stopped and did squats that included a balance exercise that really pushed us in ways a regular squat never would have. Without a break, we did mountain climbers, push-ups, plank and abdominal exercises.

We did four sets, with a lot of paddling to new places in between. After the second set, my legs were shaking, my abs were aching and my triceps were burning. I loved it.