Hamilton trainer offers ‘advantage’

Maria Parenti 03/03/09

While those with a workout schedule of any kind know how monotonous a routine can be, this is not the case at the Burney Training Advantage.

April Burney is a personal trainer certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, with a degree in Exercise and Sports Science from the University of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Burney formed the Burney Training Advantage boot camp during the spring of 2008. Burney’s program works in a group setting with fifty-minute workouts for weeks, five days a week. And, there isn’t a treadmill or stationary bike in sight.

Before adopting Hamilton as her new home, April Burney worked as an engineer in a Fortune 500 company.

“While I was good at my job, my heart wasn’t always in it,” she said. “I always dreamed of creating my own business some day, but I wasn’t totally aware of the kind of business I was interested in.”

It was during her time at her corporate position that she realized the highlight of her day was while she was working out at her company gym. Following her departure from that company Burney knew she wanted to work in the health and fitness industry, and that’s when she returned to college.

Before each new boot camp session, Burney conducts an orientation complete with a booklet for each client that explains what is expected of the client and certain rules meant for every participant, as well as nutritional support. The program offers six different (daily) time-slots to choose from, at a maximum of ten people per group.

“While I expect everyone to challenge themselves to a point beyond their comfort level, this fitness camp is meant to be hard work plus fun, uplifting – and is a far cry from your traditional training in a local gym,” said Burney. “You will be challenged to do things you don’t normally do. There will be times that you may doubt your abilities ... Just understand that your will to press through mental blocks will make you a stronger person in more ways than a physical manifestation.”

During sessions, members have compared favorite workout events.

“My favorite was when we had to push April’s SUV for three blocks. No one ever asked me to do that before,” Alex Perez said.

April Canning said her favorite was when her group was asked to walk the uphill, and downhill, battle of Johnny Cake Hill Road.

“That was a tough one!” she said.

Additionally, the entire membership sometimes does events such as walk-runs for non-profit local benefits.

In several ways, BTA is very different than the traditional workout program. Each member is encouraged to not only work beyond their comfort level, but is expected to do the same for their teammates. Additionally, the main force behind each exercise is the client’s own weight or that of a workout partner.
As an added bonus to each member, BTA has its own website that allows messages to and from Burney, but also from member to member and group to group.

“At BTA, not only have I lost substantial weight, but I am more physically fit than I have ever been, I’ve had lots of fun at it, and found new friends for life … everyone should do this for themselves,” client Raj Bellani said.

Asked how she came to create the Burney Camp Advantage, Burney said that initially she offered one-on-one training in her home. Eventually, she had too many clients to accommodate in her home and moved to the Park Methodist Church in Hamilton.

In August of 2008, she was approached by several clients hoping to formalize a program with a boot camp format. Her original group numbered eight and has grown to over thirty members.

Burney also exhibits pride as she talks about the many successes some of her clients have experienced.

“Many of us have lost substantial weight and several of us have been able to eliminate, or reduce, medications for such things as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol,” said client Nancy Joerger.

When asked about her success, Burney said, “What is great is that not only do I have a successful business in an industry I love, but I have the added gift of still having time to spend with my family and friends.”

Burney moved to Hamilton from Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 2004 with her husband, Rusty Burney, a strengthening and conditioning trainer, recently at Colgate University. They have three children: Jordan, Olivia, and Emma.

Burney offers a free visit to anyone who wants to consider BTA. For more information, Burney can be reached at 750-6070, burneytrainingadvantage.com or btabootcamp.com.

CATEGORY: Fitness
TAGS: Boot camp, Hamilton, Burney
EDITION: Hamilton-Morrisville Tribune