Whether it’s getting in shape, finally quitting our job, making new friends, or trying that new class we’ve had our eye on, sometimes making the right choice puts us in an uncomfortable situation. Sometimes it puts us in uncomfortable situations over and over again.
Sometimes this takes the form of social pressure: so often we hear from those who are trying to get healthy are regularly pressured by friends to eat or drink a certain way because they “earned it” or because they should “live a little.”
And it’s not just social pressure: starting an exercise habit isn’t easy. Stepping into the gym for the first time can be incredibly intimidating. Being new and returning day after day takes some grit. Sometimes we need 20 seconds of courage to make the leap. Sometimes we need a bigger push out the door.
For hundreds of people, that’s Camp Nerd Fitness.
As most of you know, Camp Nerd Fitness takes place this September in the mountains of North Georgia. We’re bringing together hundreds of the Rebellion’s finest (that’s you) along with 17 of our most trusted and inspiring instructors (affectionately known as Headmasters), to spend a couple of days together learning crazy new skills like sword fighting, parkour, and weight lifting. From mental health to meal prep to confidence and everything in between, this is a dedicated space to level up.
We are down to the wire: sales will end July 22, or until our last 25 tickets are spoken for. Camp is a week out of the year where you are allowed and encouraged to choose yourself first. In normal life, that choice isn’t so easy, but at Camp, you create your own path to level up in a way that energizes and motivates you, and unbuttons the potential buried inside all of us.
Regular life tells us that jobs and spouses and kids and dozens of other things are more important than choosing yourself. Today we want to prove that when you’re in charge of your own destiny, great adventure and growth awaits.
The choices are yours and yours alone. Are you ready?
Choose Your Path
*thud*
You trip to the ground after catching your foot on a tangled root. On your hands and knees, you shake your head, disoriented, and look around.
“Where am I?” you think, “I was in the middle of reading one of Steve’s articles…and now I’m in the…forest? What happened?”
Beside you on the ground you see a small velvet pouch with a note tied to it.
“I was charged with protecting this with my life. If you’re reading this, I failed. Its owner must be found.”
Peering down the pouch, you notice a small amulet tucked inside. You are overwhelmed with a sense of peace, excitement and power. You gaze deeper into the purple stone wanting to learn more when you hear a rustling in the tall grass. Something has noticed you.
You turn to run, but the creature is already behind you. The amulet is ripped from your hands as the creature darts off towards the hills.
You start to chase after him, but the little monster is too quick. You grow tired and slow down, watching him disappear into the forest.
Initially you think about giving up – deep down you KNEW you shouldn’t have opened your email today. But something in the back of your mind nudges you to keep trying, and you head toward the hill – beginning your journey to recover the stolen amulet.
As you climb the hill, you see a group of people LARPing among the trees. Their costumes are beautiful! “Wow, this is the most realistic LARP I’ve ever…” a broadsword cleaves a man in a ninja costume in half “…whoa.”
A knight whizzes by on his horse, his mare rearing up at you knocking you flat on the ground. Startled, you stand up, and back into a tree.
“What is your business here?” he demands.
“I…I’m searching for a stolen amulet…a little gobliny creature stole it and ran off this way” you stutter.
“Help end this fray and I shall aide you in your noble quest! You may fight under the guidance of Headmaster Dakao, Master of Swords, or with Headmasters Rachael and Rog, Masters of hand to hand martial arts. Both Knights and Ninjas have an even claim to the land, but you may tip the balance of the battle.”
You think to yourself ‘this is insane!’ but you know that to move forward, you’ll have to choose one. You’ve always dreamed of mastering skills you’ve loved in RPGs, novels, and the history of real fighters; this could be the moment you start to live out those dreams!
“So,” the knight says, “who will it be?”
Choice #1
Traveller, choose your path:
Dakao turns and faces the onslaught of opponents, and to your own surprise, you find yourself in the thick of it by his side, fending off blows and sending the enemy reeling backward in fear. After several minutes that feel like hours, the number of attackers dwindles and you realize: YOU’RE WINNING!
Rachael calls out to you “Joining us?” You nod, hesitantly.
“Awesome!” Rog calls out.
Rachael shouts to you “It’s ok to be scared, use that energy for speed and power!”
“Their armor makes them slow and heavy, and it’s hard for them to see you coming.” says Rog as Rachael kicks an opponent to him and he wrestles the clanking foe to the ground.
There you are in the thick of it – punching, kicking and fighting tooth and nail when all of the sudden you notice something strange… YOU’RE WINNING!
As the last of the defeated foes surrender, and your mentor gives you a nod of respect, “Well fought, and well won. Rarely have I seen such valor, and from one so…” looking at your clothes “…unusual in these parts.”
“The creature you seek is likely one of the thieving goblins – they steal whatever they can lay their hands on, but what they love best is stealing power and magic for their own dark purposes. Their horde is in the goblin burrow beyond the woods – you’ll reach them sooner if you take Paleon here.” He hands you the reigns to his horse, you thank your mentor and head off in the direction of the mountains.
Paleon carries you to the edge of the wooded mountains, but rounding a corner you meet a massive boulder blocking your path.
“Hey! That horse any good at climbing over boulders?” calls out a man hanging from a nearby tree branch.
“Maybe she could help us push it out of the way!” replies a fellow walking on his hands. The small crowd laughs cheerily.
A woman steps forward. “What do you think, Kate G.? Kate M.? This rider must be a great hero to have earned the respect of a horse like Paleon.”
The last two women chuckle at your expression “Yes, we’re the Kates. You’ll get used to it.”
“Oh, but I’m no hero I just…” you trail off, more concerned about the 900 pound boulder in the room. “How can I get past this? I need to get to the other side to hunt down a goblin thief.”
“We’ll tend to the horse, but you’ll have to choose – you can either apply your strength to move it with Jim, Jen and Amy, or you can use flexibility, mobility, and primal movements to climb over it with Jonathan and the Kates.”
Both options seem impossible at first, but you must choose….
Choice #2
Traveller, choose your path:
“Keep your form strong and engage your legs!” calls out Jim.
A few shoves later and the boulder tips against the edge of the trail and topples thunderously down the rest of the mountain. After high fives with everyone involved, a sweaty group hug, and a team exclamation of “I’M A HERO!” you’re ready to continue your journey.
“Here, start with these larger outcroppings and you’ll get the hang of it.” Kate G. advises.
Starting with the more sizeable holds, you try your best to copy the way your three Headmasters move carefully up the side of the boulder – and before you know it, you’re at the top, ready to make your descent! After fistbumps and congratulations, you’re ready to continue your journey.
The ordeal of the boulder behind you, you draw a deep breath and accept a drink of water from one of your new companions. “Well done! If you want to get to the goblin burrows before dark you’ll need to hurry. Though I’m sure a hero like you isn’t afraid of the dark.”
“I’m no hero… I just want to get that amulet back.” You take another quick swallow and thank your new friends for the drink.
“I think you’ll be surprised to find this is how most heroes begin… but you won’t have to take my word for it.” You smile and make your goodbyes before heading back to the trail.
“Oh! Do take care crossing the bridge though, that troll has been grouchy for the last fortnight and a half and doesn’t take kindly to passersby!”
Great. Now you’ll have to face a troll. Things seem to getting harder and harder…
As the trees clear you see a bridge in the distance, and a miserable mud hovel to your right. A purple-grey face bursts out of the hovel and shouts at you “Who’s that trip trapping over… the road? I am Droll the Troll, be off with you!”
“I’m sorry.. I just need to cross the river.”
“Oh, never heard THAT one. Why not ‘Get back, I’ll curse you’? Why not hurl stones? You know the only thing worse than being a troll?”
You shrug, unsure of how to respond to a sassy rhetorical troll.
“NOTHING! No one talks to you or smiles. No dancing or joke telling or story sharing.”
In the woods behind you, you hear laughter and music, and you swear you see longing in the troll’s face.
“Nothing’s worse than being a troll.”
Behind you the noisy travellers stop short seeing the troll. You have moments to choose what to do, and surprise yourself by speaking up.
“Uh… hello there, travellers!” You shout, scrambling for something to say.
“Would you… uh…honor Droll the Troll with your performance?”
Choice #3
Traveller, choose your path:
“With improv the best strategy is to relax and say ‘yes, and’ to just about everything the scene suggests. This is gonna be fun!” She gives you a big smile and stands across from you on the ‘stage’ in front of the troll.
You take a deep breath, and the scene begins, Barb masterfully leading the action, asking for suggestions from the audience, and helping you take the lead as a performer! Droll laughs and slaps her knee at your performance, you’ve done it! You’ve made the troll laugh!
Soon all the travellers are clapping or dancing, and soon Shawn and Stephanie reach out to you to welcome you into the ring! You remember to relax and partner with both of them, spinning in the road till Droll jumps up and begins clapping and dancing herself.
You’ve done it! You’ve even gotten the troll to dance!
“That was well planned, you’re quite the quick-thinking bard!” your Headmaster whispers to you, with the tiniest of bows.
Laughing, Droll begins to dance like a gleeful child before the entertainers. “May I join you in your travels? I haven’t been this happy since my bridge collapsed!”
“…Collapsed?”
Droll claps you on the back “But I’ve got a new hobby and a better mood to match. I’m thinking I’ll find a new bridge – somewhere they play music and laugh at my jokes!”
You can’t help but smile as Droll walks away with the travellers…
…until you remember the broken bridge.
In the middle where planks of wood ought to lie across the stone sides, there are a few moldy splinters of wood with nothing in between. You see two men skipping stones.
“Hey, you there!” They call out. “How would YOU cross this bridge?”
“That bridge is caved in… it can’t be crossed,” you reply, losing hope that you will ever see the amulet again.
“Well, maybe not in the typical way. But try looking at it as a puzzle to be solved!”
“We could vault from one side to the other, or swing along the sides.”
“With a single plank and a little planning we could cross quickly and easily!”
Looking from the bridge to the men, you begin to see it as a chance to do something amazing! You must choose: will you climb, swing, and jump? Or use your wits to plan, try and test?
Choice #4
Traveller, choose your path:
“Parkour seems scary, but it’s really about trusting yourself and moving efficiently. We don’t have to do fancy moves to get across unless we want to. What seems efficient to you?”
He waits for you to respond, and you remember watching TV shows with obstacle courses like this one. “Well, If we could move straight across, that seems simplest…?”
“Sounds good, let’s get started!” You watch as Robin hangs from the rail of the bridge and swings his body back and forth like a pendulum, building up momentum to move his hands along the rail!
It seems impossible, but he coaches you through how to move your body and grip the rail until before you know it, you’re on the other side!
“The trick is,” he says “to use whatever we have on hand to accomplish our goal. Our goal,” he says slowly, “is to get across… what do we have to work with?”
You look around and see two long boards off to the side of the road. “Well, there are two boards over there, but that’s not enough to mend the bridge.”
“Maybe not, but look at it differently. If we lay a board across the rails of the old bridge diagonally…” he waits for you to finish the thought, and at last, it occurs to you.
“…we’ll get a little closer to the other side each time we walk from rail to rail!”
You pick up the boards and do just that.”
You touch down on the other side of the bridge, delighted to have made it across, but even more excited about how you did it.
“Incredible,” you think to yourself in quiet amazement.
Both Headmasters make it across just behind you, Peter carefully placing the plank and stepping down, Robin swinging himself off the bridge and rolling as he hits the ground.
“Well done!” they say as they both congratulate you. “Best of luck on the road ahead, traveller.”
As you hike onwards, a house begins to grow on the horizon. It seems to be the last sign of anyone before the mountains begin. But as you get closer something seems off… It’s far larger than you could have imagined possible.
As you reach the house you begin to tiptoe past it on the road – you’ve had enough trouble for one day. Suddenly you hear a rumbling breath like thunder above, and an angry looking Giant emerges.
Three much smaller, normal sized souls who appear to be hiding wave you over, motioning you to be quiet.
The giant doesn’t seem to notice you and the others yet, but it’s only a matter of time if you wish to pass.
“We’ve got to find a way to distract this giant,” you plea, “any ideas?”
A man with a bow slung over one shoulder kicks a shard of pottery as he draws closer.
“Shh! He’ll hear you!” you instinctively whisper
“Ah… Yes!” he looks at his bow, “Excellent notion! The shelves here are full of pottery and this giant has the largest ears I’ve ever seen!”
“There’s no need for violence” one of the others snaps. “Why make such a mess when we can apply our wits to the problem. Maddie and I here are famed chefs in our towns, known for how distracting the scent of our cooking can be!”
Both plans make no sense at all, until you remember: all you have to do is distract the giant, not slay him! The scent of a delicious meal or the sound of crashing pottery would be excellent distractions! But which to choose…
Choice #5
Traveller, choose your path:
Maddie and Michelle guide you toward a corner of the giant’s fireplace and open up a shoulder bag full of small pouches and packages.
“The sad truth is, most people are under-seasoning their food when they cook at home.” Says Michelle, handing you a packet of magic mushroom powder.
“Aromatic spices and herbs make for delicious flavors, and mouth-watering smells,” adds Maddie. You’re surprised to see Maddie unwrap three steaks and a jar of seasonings, all while Michelle began using the fire to warm a cast iron skillet she wore on her hip like a sword.
“Here, you try seasoning them with these” You rub the steaks down with salt and pepper, and a strange red powder labelled “Ancho!” that Michelle handed you. The smell fills the room with a delicious scent that makes everyone hungry, especially the confused giant, who immediately begins banging around the cupboards to figure out what smells so good to eat!
“With archery, you’ve got just one goal: the target. If you’re worried about too many other things, you’ll have a hard time making your shot.” He shows you how to check your bowstring, take aim, and then fires a shot at a mug on the shelf, which shatters immediately. You hear the giant shift and make a surprised noise. “Now you try!” Ned whispers.
You handle the bow and arrow just as he showed you, and take aim at a honey pot. You fire – and your target cracks apart leaking a sticky sweet mess! You both continue to shoot until the giant is swearing and confused, distracted enough for you to escape!
As the giant is distracted and stumbling around his home, the other adventurers make a break for it.
“Thank you so much, you’re a great one for strategy! You can get to the goblin burrows through the cellar, take care!”
You head for the cellar door, and finally you feel safe in the darkness… until you hear a click, and suddenly the floor flattens into a slide, hurling you into the darkness below where you land with a thud at the bottom.
You see an eerie green light up above, the silhouette of a dozen goblin heads peering at you from the lip of the pit you’ve fallen into
“WE HAVE A NEW VISITOR THEN?”
A loud, scraggly voice calls out. “MY GOBLINS, WHO INVITED OUR GUEST?”
One of the onlookers leaps up and you see him clearly – the very goblin who robbed you, your amulet gleaming in his grubby hand! “It was me, for stealing this amulet for ourselves, Master!”
You watch your amulet fall to the floor before the feet of a very regal, very filthy goblin twice the size of the others.
“Hail Golgor, The Great Goblin Underlord!” call out tiny voices all around you.
“YOU HAVE WASTED YOUR TIME, NONE RETRIEVE THEIR BOUNTY ONCE IT IS MINE.”
“Grovel for us, SILLY HUMAN!” a goblin voice cackles
“We’ll send you home quick as a wink… GIVE UP!” another chimes in.
“MISERABLE HUMAN! WEAKLING!” another shouts, until all the goblins are shrieking and laughing.”Your treasure is OURS!”
“HUMAN, YOU ARE BANISHED. LEAVE THIS PLACE AND NEVER RETURN. LEAVE US THE AMULET. YOU COULD NEVER HAVE COMPLETED THE QUEST. DID YOU REALLY THINK YOU COULD?!” The underlord laughs without joy, and all his minions follow suit.
Down in the pit you sit in the damp – truly alone for the first time in your journey, and beginning to despair – when the words of your companions come back to you.
“Rarely have I seen such valor… this is how most heroes begin… try looking at it as a puzzle… apply our wits to the problem…”
Your mind races. You start to put together a plan. It is crafty, daring, and bold. But then you realize: you could simply walk away and never think of this again.
Which would you choose? Letting the goblins send you back to a world that is safe and normal, or the chance to take a step into adventure and the unknown?
For many, finding a little peace and getting back to a life they’ve always known – with all it’s small troubles and small joys – would be the happiest ending.
But after fighting with brave warriors, making friends with a troll, and tricking a giant, is normal life all there is?
Will you return to the quiet, safe life you’ve always known or embark on a grand, glorious adventure?
The choice is yours…the amulet waits above you in the goblin’s horde, and a return to the comfortable world you know could be moments away.
But you can only choose one.
Which will it be?
Choice #6
Traveller, choose your path:
A plan starts to formulate in your head. You have your wits, strength, agility, and a variety of special skills thanks to your Headmasters’ training. You decide on a course of action, and know exactly how you’ll get out of this.
You sense a power coming from that amulet, like it’s calling to you. You know you need to go back for it. Almost as if you can feel someone calling to you through it. Confident and determined, you step forward and begin: It’s the start of a new adventure, on your terms.
You’ll never know what was really behind that amulet. It felt as if it radiated power and goodness, like it came from some thing, or some one. Years later you can’t shake the nagging feeling like you’ve made a horrible choice, like you let someone down you never even met. Maybe it’s nothing. “What would have happened if I made a different choice…” haunts your thoughts.
The Push Out the Door You Need
Whether you’re slaying treacherous creatures or your own fears and self doubt, you have a choice.
Sometimes a single choice can change your entire life.
It’s easy to feel like we’re stuck in a cycle. Our days too often leave us tired and unfulfilled, and it’s easy to distract ourselves from the problem instead of facing it head on.
In nearly every story, the hero needs a little “push” out the door. Hagrid comes to get Harry, Obi-wan introduces Luke to the wider universe , and Gandalf comes to kick off the Journey for both Bilbo and Frodo.
If you need a push out the door, there is no better push than Camp Nerd Fitness.
Camp is not only a single event that gives you the tools and knowledge you need to succeed year round, but it’s made up of an entire community who talks with each other every day to support, encourage, and celebrate victories. Plus, all the Headmasters that helped you along in your journey will be there to teach you the skills you chose in real life (yes, you may even learn tips about how to distract a giant).
It’s incredible to see people who have been stuck for years finally start to make a change, and implement it throughout the year backed by the support of fellow Campers online. It’s hard to describe the effect Camp has on those who haven’t been, but here are some Campers who gave it a try:
With sales closing on July 22 (or until we sell out our final 25 spots), your chance to be part of our most life changing week of the year is drawing to a close.
So, what’ll it be?
Choice #7
Traveller, choose your path:
The world needs more heroes… will you heed the call?
-Steve
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Fork, Forest Stairs, Hobbit Door, Moss Wall, Knight, Ninja, Bridge, Broken Bridge, Giant House, Archer
