Why Sign Up For A Bootcamp?

Talk to anyone who has attended a boot camp in the past couple of years and you'll probably get a big thumbs up - despite the reservations they had pre-workout!  Rather than talking about how tough the workouts were, they will probably talk about the camaraderie, the feeling of achievement, the energy they gained.

So What Is A Bootcamp?

Usually you'll find a group fitness class has anywhere between 8 - 15 people taking part, is set in your local park and features some smaller pieces of gym equipment like kettlebells, resistance bands, power bags or medicine balls.

Designed to work on cardio and endurance, sessions last between 45 minutes to an hour with some time built in for warm up and warm down.

Why Are They Popular?

A phenomenon that continues to grow in popularity, both men and women in equal numbers seem to enjoy the challenge and the fitness aspect of a boot camp. Women's only boot camps are one of the fastest growing types of boot camp as more and more women discover that this is a fantastic way to kick start their fitness, or indeed lose a dress size quickly.

A lot of people, especially younger professionals, also see a group fitness class that has no choreographed moves as a way to meet people, stay fit and have some fun - especially if the trainer leading the boot camp is young and motivating.

What's In A Program?

Boot camp programs will vary hugely from a military training focus, through to a more heavily cardio or a more heavily strength flavour. A military type boot camp may feature things like :

    "Parade drills"
    "Battle drills"
    Team games
    Obstacle courses
    Boxing
    Running
    Circuit training
    Core work

Sessions will probably fly by, although they will involve extreme tiredness, muscle ache, muscle burn and exhaustion if you're doing them at a 100% effort.

The Benefits Of A Boot Camp

Starting with fitness. When you're done with a few sessions, have found your way and met a few of the other people in the group, you'll find it hard to go back to the same old habits that got you overweight or out of shape in the first place.

Often you will find a new sense of self-confidence, self worth and even self esteem as well as knowing you are getting fit, enjoying people's company and having a laugh. You will also get a sense of achievement each week as you complete the 'tasks' for that week.

Along side the fitness, you will also get to meet new people and of course get out and do something a bit different.