Rock You Like a 'Hurricane'

When is the last time you heard someone say they wanted to lose weight or quit smoking? Maybe it was you. It has probably been less than a week ago, but chances are that person did not follow through.

As far as the smoking goes, good luck. Take a pill and hope your will power is strong.

But if the weight loss goal is lingering, why not force yourself into action? The Biggest Loser is a wildly popular television show and some might say controversial.

Many success stories, like Broken Arrow's Danny Cahill, make the headlines. However, there is a large failure rate too. Jillian Michaels can only do so much.

Instead of being captivated by others attempting to reach their goals, why not follow your destiny?

"If you watch The Biggest Loser, they are not big about weight lifting," said local mixed martial arts fighter Gerald "Hurricane" Harris. "All of their workouts are cardio based. They are climbing hills. Everything they do is burn, burn, burn. That is what we are doing: burning fat, burning calories. We are not trying to build muscle, just get people in shape."

Storm Season.

Harris' last fight ended with one hand raised and the other with pins in it. His second metacarpal snapped.

"I turned something bad into something positive," he said. "The normal fighter would have to sit around for two or three months and not do anything. I was like, 'This is the perfect time to invest my free time into boot camp.'"

The Hurricane Harris Boot Camp was an idea hatched last year. The timing of the injury put the wheels in motion. Harris hopes to help as many people as possible.

He will lead boot camp participants through a six or eight week program. Instead of holding the fitness camp at his home gym, Ghost Dog Boxing, he will use Xtreme Performance Center, 61st and Memorial.

"There is no weight lifting," he said. "You may have some utensils or tools working with Kamagon balls or jump roping. You are not going to be lifting weight and building muscle. Muscle doesn't help you lose weight. It is a cardio fit camp. You are going to do a lot of MMA drills. They are going to be doing boxing, kicking, throwing knees -- not at people -- at bags."

No need to be intimidated. This Superman in the cage is definitely a Clark Kent outside of it. He also does not want people to skip the opportunity because of their current fitness level or they monetary situation.

"I have not had any professional athletes sign up," he said. "It is not their type of thing. If you are an up-and-coming fighter or you have a fight coming up, yes it will work for you. I do this for my fights. This is for the average person."

This is not P90X. This is not an insanity workout.

"Don't be scared," he said. "I have sections in my camp where it can be intense. It is not about killing people. That is everybody's fear. 'I can't go, I'm not in shape.' This isn't to be in shape. This is to get in shape."

He is very cognizant of the working family. His goal is not to get rich, but to share his techniques and get Tulsa on the path to a healthy lifestyle. Think Biggest Loser sans the camera and over-actors.

"Times are hard," he continues. "I'm an honest believer in less money, more people. I have scholarships available and sponsorships."

The scholarships have run out. Several area high school kids and a few elementary aged kids were the beneficiaries. His camp sponsors such as Brookside Tattoos and Irelands Auto Service want to make sure everyone can participate.

"My sponsors are offering $25 and $50 off because there are a lot of single mothers out there and people that just don't have that kind of money to give out at one time," said Harris. "It is not about the money. Don't let the money stop you. If you look at my flyer or advertisement and you see $150 and think you can't afford it, we are going to make it happen."

Another of his sponsors is the Dolce Diet. One of Gerald's friends and nutritionist to the fighters and movie stars, Mike Dolce, is lending his diet plan.

Along with the fitness routine, the camp also brings into play your food and nutrition.

Harris likens it to his training camps for fights. He may only see his trainer for two hours a day. What he does in the other 22 hours impacts the overall fitness level.

Camp goers likewise will be given tools to cope with the overall plan on their time away from the gym. The Dolce Diet has a proven track record.

"If you follow my Boot Camp and do the Dolce Diet you will lose weight," he said. "If you don't want to lose weight and you just want to get in better shape, get your cardio up, just come to the classes. You don't have to do the diet. No matter what, you are going to get something good out of the camp."

The six or eight week boot camp runs $150 or $200. Classes start Monday, June 6 and run through July 30. He scheduled three convenient weekday times and a Saturday class as well.

"I don't want somebody not losing weight just because they cannot afford it," he said. "When the six or eight weeks are up, you don't just stop there. You can join this gym (XPC), you can join my gym (Ghost Dog Boxing), you continue. You have built the habit. You know what to do. You are going to learn over the six to eight weeks."

Sign up is easy. Visit Xtreme Performance Center at 3pm on Sunday's prior to camp starting. Gerald will be there signing you up and talking about the goals.

If you cannot make it out on a Sunday, send an email to hurricaneharriscamp@gmail.com.

But do not expect to show up on June 6 and sign up prior to the first class starting.

When the little hand hits the designated start time, Hurricane Harris Boot Camp is underway.