Marine Corps Base Quantico -- You’ve probably loaded up a red plastic Solo plate with food at a backyard barbecue, but have you ever used one in your exercise routine?
The women in the Faith and Fitness group aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico have. The group’s trainer, April Erhardt, designed a low-impact routine in which the ladies in the group used a plate under one foot to slide in and out of side and back lunges and under each hand to do ground exercises like mountain climbers and push-ups.
“The gliding motion allows the muscles to move smoothly and completely into the exercise, improving range of motion and facilitating deep muscle toning,” Erhardt wrote in an e-mail.
Holly Vega, who created Faith and Fitness and is also the president of the Quantico Officer’s Spouse’s Organization, said the routine with the Solo plates was her favorite moment from the group so far.
“The concrete at the playground near the soccer field was red after we finished that routine,” Vega said.
Vega describes Faith and Fitness as “a non-denominational group of ladies that have a strong faith in the Lord but also in each other to help build friendships and to educate each other in how to lead a healthier lifestyle.” They meet weekly at different locations around base to exercise together, completing the routines Erhardt designs. Erhardt also posts the routines on the group’s Facebook page so that women who aren’t able to attend the meet-ups can complete the routines at home.
“Faith is more than religion,” Vega said. “You can have faith that you can be healthy and successful in your fitness goals.”
“This group is not about being skinny,” she continued. “It’s about being healthy.”
Vega’s commitment to being educated about health grew out of a difficult time in her life. Four years ago, while stationed at Twentynine Palms, California, her husband was away from home on his fifth deployment and Vega was struggling to lose 65 pounds. She said she, like many military spouses, had let the stress of the military lifestyle prevent her from taking care of herself.
In February 2013, her older brother suffered a heart attack at age 40, seemingly out of the blue. Doctors found that it was caused by a ripped artery that had been damaged by stress. Luckily, he survived, and his close brush with death inspired Vega to get to the bottom of her own health problems. She underwent a full physical and found that she was deficient in vitamins B and D, which she said is common among women.
Empowered by her education in the physical threat posed by excessive stress and the knowledge of what her own body needs to stay healthy, Vega got outside and started exercising.
“Twentynine Palms is really great for exercise and camaraderie,” Vega said.
When her husband was posted to Marine Corps Base Quantico, Vega looked for a group of women to exercise with. Not finding one, in April she started asking women in her bible study group and in the Quantico Officer’s Spouses Organization (QOSO) if they would like to meet to walk the track.
Soon, the women were meeting three or four times a week to walk with their children in strollers. When the weather got cold, they wanted to continue. That’s how Erhardt, who has been certified as a personal trainer and group exercise instructor, got involved in creating routines women could do indoors.
“April has really taken this to a new level,” Vega said. “People aren’t going to come just to talk to me! She is really good at holding hands but also saying ‘ok, now move it!’”
Erhardt’s routines are different each day. For Jan. 11, she challenged the ladies to complete 50 leg raises, 50 push-ups and 20 minutes of stretching, to walk three miles and to drink half a gallon of water. On another day, the routine was 50 flights of stairs, 15 minutes of stretching and holding a plank position as long as possible. Women comment on the routine when they’ve completed it. They post pictures of themselves in the middle of working out or when they’ve finished and they commiserate about sore muscles and share tips.
Vega said that a favorite part of the exercise meet-ups is the “prayer plank.”
“While we hold plank position, we go around and ask everyone if there is something they’d like us to pray about,” Vega explained. “The minute goes by a lot faster when we’re thinking about others.”
The women have also trained for local races. Many of them ran the Diva 5K in Leesburg, Virginia, in September and the Turkey Trot aboard Quantico in November.
Faith and Fitness has grown from 30 to 100 members since April. Members say they are grateful to have found a group that they can attend with their children and with other women who share their military lifestyle.
“I had been attending group fitness in the mornings at Barber Fitness Center, and I was worried about what I was going to do for the summer when my daughter was out of school,” said Brandi Jones. “I saw this as a huge opportunity for me. I love how challenging and supportive this group is for all levels of fitness.”
“It was so great to be able to work out and have my kids entertained as well,” Heather Bormann said. “What a great way to fellowship with other women—getting our hearts, minds and bodies healthy together.”
Faviola Rawls said, “I am thankful, thankful for the fellowship and thankful for the workouts that keep this busy mama feeling like she’s still got it.”
Vega and her family have been aboard Quantico for three years and she knows another move is looming in their future. But she is confident that Faith and Fitness can carry on when she leaves.
“It’s already become more than what I thought it could be,” she said. “We can’t do everything by ourselves. We need a team.”
Those interested in joining Faith and Fitness can contact Holly Vega at hollyandjavier@gmail.com.