The Black Team at Camp Do More 2011
Recently there was an article on Yahoo! Shine listing 7 fitness programs with cult followings. You can read the full article here: “7 Fitness Programs with Cult Followings” As I read the article, I was not shocked by any of the programs on the list. There was Zumba, Crossfit, P90X, Insanity, and, of course, Turbo Kick. The article lists the “secret handshake” for each program. In other words, how you can tell someone really follows that specific program by his or her clothing or verbiage.
I’ve been doing Turbo in its various forms for about four years now and I have been certified to teach the gym version, Turbo Kick, since 2010. In my previous post on being tired and sore I included a photo of the creator of Turbo Kick, Chalene Johnson. Since 1997 she has grown what was simply a good workout to keep her motivated, into a multi-million dollar operation. We who love Turbo, and all that Chalene does, can tend to exhibit cult-like behavior. Some even go so far as to take to heart every suggestion she has about life. That may be taking it too far, but Chalene’s pretty level headed.
But what’s about to go down at the Anaheim Hilton on July 19th is a 3 day camp unlike any you have seen before. You may have been to workshops and seminars with celebrities in their field. You may have even been on retreat with some spiritual heavy-hitters. Camp Do More is an entirely different animal! So much so that a web app was created to countdown to the second for when it starts.
I haven’t made the trip to camp yet (it’s on my list for next year), but it’s 3 days of workouts, seminars, team competition, and a fashion show designed to equip you with the tools to go home and do more in all areas of your life. That’s why it was renamed Camp Do More from Camp Turbo. And it isn’t just for instructors or fans of the workout. It’s about spending three days making yourself better.
If we were to compile a list of religions with cult followings, what would we find? Probably your typical list with everything from our Roman Catholic faith to Zen Buddhists. Why? Because the faith isn’t what puts it on the list, it’s the believers of the faith and how far they are willing to go to live out the life of the faithful and do it without shame or fear of retribution.
So, if someone looked at your life, would they see you as a “cult” follower of your faith? Would they see a faithful person who lives out the practical and spiritual applications of the faith? Or would they see someone who’s lukewarm and is only Catholic when it’s convenient?
I can’t say for sure what that answer would be for you, but I do know this: The same vigor and focus we put in other areas of our lives should also be applied to our spiritual lives. And it won’t necessarily because you have a t-shirt or hat with a cool Catholic saying on it (though it would be pretty cool), but, rather, it’s because you live your life in such a way that it is unmistakable who you are and in what you believe.
To put it another way, my younger brother, Anthony, can come down the hall, hear me working out, and know I’m doing Turbo. But if he comes to my room at a different time in the evening, he knows it’s time for Evening Prayer and the Rosary.
How do you develop this cult-like following of the faith? The same way we do with Turbo: get excited about it! Nothing in this world is perfect but you’re Catholic for a reason. Find that reason and I hope it makes you smile and feel all warm and fuzzy. If you can’t, pray about it. We don’t end up anywhere by accident so know that God has a plan for you.
It’s great to be Catholic! It’s great to be Christian! It’s great to be a Turbo instructor!
Yes, you can be totally excited about your faith. Find that excitement and hold on to it! Leave a comment below and let us know what gets you fired up about your faith!