Devan Kline was a pitcher in the minor leagues for the San Francisco Giants, focusing his attention on making it to the majors when another career opportunity blindsided him. In the summers of 2009 and 2010, he began helping Vanessa—the mother of the host family he lived with during home games—train to get back on shape. Devan witnessed firsthand her rapid transformation as she lost 45 pounds, and he saw the positive impact it had on her and her family's lives. The grateful clan told Devan that his time with them had changed their lives, and it’s then that he knew he wanted to dedicate himself to helping others in the same way. That’s when he founded Burn Boot Camp.

Now, Devan—with the help of a coterie of trainers—conducts indoor boot camps throughout North Carolina, using exercises that Devan himself used to get into shape during his days as a professional athlete. The team supplements those regimens with loads of body-weight-resistance training and heart-pounding cardio drills that include sprinting short distances or boxing defibrillators.