May 1, 2010

The SAF "Superstar" Fit Camp, April 17-18, 2010, Kingston, Canada

The first SAF "Superstar" Fit Camp was held just over two years ago at the GoodLife fitness center in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The SAF Camp founder is Michelle Matthews, a registered nurse, an SAF Elite star, and an accomplished figure competitor – she was the 2007 Eastern Ontario Figure Champion and also placed second at the 2006 IFBB North American Figure Championships. We now call her the "SAF Superwoman" because she accomplished all this when she was about 40. Today, she’s training for her comeback to the figure stage. Michelle has been the lead instructor at every SAF Camp.

In 2008, the SAF "Superstar" Fit Champ was a one-day affair, and remained that way until the end of 2009. Right from the start, the camps were a huge success – every event had plenty of attendees who were eager to learn. There was only one problem: one day wasn’t enough to teach everything. We always found ourselves rushing to finish on time. As a result, in 2010, we decided to extend the format to two days, and we chose to increase the number of instructors to allow for more diversity and better expertise.

Given Kingston’s place in the SAF "Superstar" Fit Camp history, it was fitting that the first two-day event would be held on April 17 and 18 at the same GoodLife facility where we started in 2008. Of course, Michelle was at the helm, and joining Michelle and myself as instructors were Vanda Hadarean, Rosa Valente, and Denis Pedneault. Vanda is one of the most accomplished physique competitors and fitness models in Canada. She’s an SAF Elite star who won a silver medal at the 1992 Olympics (in gymnastics, as part of the Romanian team) and, since then, has won many fitness events including Ms. Fitness Canada (five times) and Ms. Fitness World (three times). SAF Elite star Rosa Valente is a personal trainer and an expert on nutrition, and she’s also the 2009 Ontario Figure Champion. Denis Pedneault is a three-time, all-natural Canadian bodybuilding champion who placed fourth at the 2009 IFBB Men’s World Bodybuilding Championships, the highest placing of any Canadian male in over a decade. Denis brought with him Marie Pier-Blais, a therapist and exercise expert who is also an accomplished figure competitor. All told, it was the best group of instructors that we’ve had to date.

The team: Michelle Matthews (left), Rosa Valente (center front), Marie-Pier Blais (right), Denis Pedneault (middle), and Vanda Hadarean (behind).

The first day focused on beginner and intermediate training and nutrition – basically all the information one needs to get into amazing shape. The second day focused on advanced training and nutrition, as well as competing. Women could come to one day or two, and those who came to both went home with all the knowledge necessary not just to get into great shape, but also to prepare themselves for the competitive stage if they wanted to pursue that goal.

Denis Pedneault instructs

Was the first-ever two-day SAF "Superstar" Fit Camp a success? Obviously we think so; but don’t take our word for it because we’re biased. Instead, we asked for feedback from some attendees and this is what they said:

"The camp offered by SAF is incredible. Everything you want to know to succeed in this industry, and get in the best shape of your life, is spoken about during the Camp. By far, the best camp offered by an organization I have been to."
-- Brittany

"It gives you that extra push and encouragement that you can reach your goals - just focus and it will happen!"
-- Tammy

"I found the camp to be an awesome educational experience for me. I loved the caliber of instructors – Denis is so knowledgeable I’d love to soak up all he has to offer. As a ‘newbie’ to this type of fitness, it really opened my eyes to what the competitions are all about and whether or not I plan to compete in the future, I’m always looking for new ideas for my fitness plan and this camp didn’t let me down. I brought back a ton of ideas to my trainer and plan to put most into play in the near future. Thanks for a great experience!"
-- Charlotte

"The SAF was a day of discovery for me.  I attended one day of the camp weekend and it was both inspiring and a new experience! Doug, Michelle, Vanda, Denis and Marie all brought tons of experience to us in a very easy manner."
-- Sandra

"I learnt a lot during the SAF Camp and met a lot of great people! I only got to go to the second day and I wish I had been to both days because of all the helpful information that was given! Thanks a lot guys! You were great!"
-- Carla

So the first SAF "Superstar" Fit Camp was another incredible success. If you attended it, we hope that you thoroughly enjoyed it and can take what you learned and apply it positively to your life. If you weren’t able to come, make sure that you don’t miss the next one. Right now we’re planning another SAF "Superstar" Fit Camp and will announce the date on the official website, SAFCamps.com. The SAF "Superstar" Fit Camps are getting better all the time!

. . . Doug Schneider
das@seriousaboutfitness.com

For information on the SAF "Superstar" Fit Camps, please visit SAFCamps.com.