Workout Boot Camps that intensively train a group of working grown ups at the crack of dawn are all the trendy rage

What’s been the latest workout trend for women? Fitness Boot camps! They call them by every kind of name imaginable, from adventure boot camp, weight loss boot camp, cardio boot camp, fitness bootcamps, body boot camp, bridal bootcamp, bikini boot camp, extreme bootcamp, womens fitness boot camp, caridio core boot camp, booty camp fitness, crossfit bootcamp, outdoor bootcamp, weekend fitness bootcamp, to adventure bootcamp! You’ve got elite fitness bootcamp training, boot camp workout videos, at home army workout dvds, reality tv shows, online bootcamp, and military-style classes and programs offered at most gyms. Ugh! All this fitness boot camp hype makes me compelled to blog my opinion about these type of fitness workouts.

A few years back I noticed these intense workout boot camp programs popping up in my neighborhood. At all hours of the early morning and evening I would notice groups of what appeared to be out of shape working professionals working out at the local parks and school yards and sport fields in my neighborhood. I thought it was just a passing trend but now a few years later these military-style fitness classes are still offered by the various local gyms and much to my surprise many folks seem to enjoy them. Personally, I am not a fan of workout boot camps as I see them as a passing trend, a quick fix that is too intensive to be practical, expensive, and an injury risk since they tend to be somewhat hardcore. Out of shape people can over exert themselves so easily and get hurt instead of fit. But not to bash boot camp workouts there are some benefits to these types of classes (otherwise they wouldn’t exist), primarily that they can jumpstart a fitness plan and that they encourage socializing and friend making. In this post I will talk a little bit about this workout trend and give you my personal opinion about it.

What is a fitness boot camp?

They call it a “fitness boot camp” because it is derived from the idea of being a military style boot camp where participants are pushed very hard physically in a short period of time to get into physical shape quickly. Fitness boot camps became all the rage amongst celebrities first. Then they were featured on reality TV shows and pretty quickly it seemed like everyday people were into workout boot camp too. Usually fitness boot camps are run by fitness trainers and they often take place outdoors. They continue to stay popular. I think the biggest benefit about these workout fitness camps is that friendships can be created and individuals can be encouraged to exercise more effectively and learn healthier exercise habits.

What is involved in a boot camp workout?

A boot camp workout usually involves some serious aerobics and calisthenics, which can lead to great benefits of physical fitness as a result. The workouts often include activities such as push-ups, sit ups, stair-climbing, and competitive activities as a group that encourages teamwork and camaraderie amongst the participants in the workout group. The type of person who would like this type of group workout may have tried working out on their own and discovered that they need a more structured environment to keep on top of their physical fitness. They need it for motivation. Most workout boot camps are for a group of people although some programs are more individualized depending on the camp and whether you are doing the class in conjunction with personal training sessions.

Is a fitness boot camp an intelligent workout approach?

Fitness boot camp will definitely challenge your body. You could burn calories, build endurance, increase your strength and make new friends all at the same time. Essentially you are going to get full body strength training and a cardiovascular workout done in a fun group setting. But I would be very careful and proactive to discuss any injuries or limitations that you have with your boot camp trainer and give them the opportunity to provide an alternative or altered version of the activities so that you can compete comfortably.

I do not think fitness boot camp is a long term intelligent approach to fitness as I know very few people that would want to stay in a boot camp over the long run. Because it is not a practical long term solution as it requires a lot of motivation and money to pay for the classes, I sort of view fitness boot camp as … why bother. You are working out intensively, you might get hurt, and it’s going to end. But I realize that some people feel that a boot camp is a fun “pick me up” and way to make friends and jump start their way into a fitness regimen. Maybe they do it in the spring to get ready to squeeze into a swimsuit for the summer. It’s an impulse thing: like oh yeah it’s New Year’s and my resolution is to lose weight and get in shape so I’ll sign up for one of these classes.

I just think that workout fitness camps are a fun social vehicle that some people like and get motivation from. But over the long run if you want a totally fit and perfect body you are going to have to do something more practical like walk and go to the gym a few times a week to do cardio and nautilus weight machines. I think less is more – a less intense regular workout that you can stick with without too much effort is going to last a lifetime, whereas bootcamp is only going to last about a month. When the bootcamp is over, you are right back to where you started in the sense that you have to find a balance and a means by which you can get a continued level of exercise going for yourself year after year.

Thus I have to say that I don’t think fitness boot camp is an intelligent approach to fitness. I think moderate casual inexpensive exercise sustainable over life is an intelligent approach to fitness. That being said, I think fitness boot camp is in some sense the exact opposite of what a mature adults should actually be doing to stay in shape for life. I’m not going to lie – I think boot camp is a quick fix only.

How much does a workout boot camp cost? Let’s look at the Cost of fitness boot camp sessions

The prices for workout boot camps are all over the map. Suffice it to say, fitness boot camp workout programs and classes are not cheap to join. It really depends on the popularity of the gym and the fitness trainer running the fitness camp class. I would say that you would pay maybe $235.00 for twenty classes over a period of four weeks. That’s just an example, but a good one. Divided up, each class is not really costing you all that much. Say it really is $235.00/20 = $11.75 per class. So, analyzing the price per class, workout boot camp is actually a really good deal on a per class basis. Seeing as you could pay as much as $75.00 an hour for a really good personal trainer, $11.75 seems like a good deal.

But even if the price per class is reasonable, fitness boot camps are there to take your money – big time. Assuming that you stay in boot camp for 12 months (I doubt anyone could stay motivated that long for so much exercise but let’s just assume) then you’re looking at $235 times 12 months which is a whopping $2820.00 per year! That’s outrageously expensive considering what a gym membership costs (say $30/month times twelve months comes out to $360.00/year). So where the boot camps get you is that they do a shot gun approach. They get several hundred dollars from you for a quick month session of classes with multiple people in the class. You get the discount because it’s a class, but after four weeks your two hundred dollars is long gone! The trainers have to advertise the class, have insurance, and pay a lot of expenses themselves in order to run these things, but still, they stand to make several thousand dollars in four short weeks if they get a good turnout for their class. Sweet deal – no wonder why they’re offering fitness boot camp classes! Joining a gym is cheaper and more practical for the price you pay and what you get out of it provided that you go.

Workout boot camp personality promotes injury & strains

You should make sure that your boot camp classes start with low impact exercises and that the increased level of challenge in the class is somewhat gradual. If you enjoy that level of exertion and exercise within your physical range I suppose your body can adapt quickly. But honestly speaking, I think these classes attract out of shape people looking for a quick fix and that is a recipe for injury as far as I am concerned. That is why having a qualified instructor is so important because at least they will try to watch your capability level and try to ensure you stay safe within your abilities. People tend to follow along with the class and may exert themselves more than they are used to. Once you are over forty, over exertion can lead to real injury’s including stress, strains, soreness and sprains. Who wants to risk wrenching their back or messing up their legs. I worry about people going from doing next to nothing to doing an intense boot camp workout. Honestly, I think you could get hurt which is the last thing you want to happen to you at middle age.

I prefer a more casual exercise where no one is pushing me beyond what I know is right for me. Walking is low impact and the cardio machines at the gym can be adjusted to my own snails pace. The nautilus machines can be done slowly too, with lighter weights. I like a slow pace and as a result I have never had a sports injury. So many people that I know have bad backs, knees and ankles from sports and workout injuries. I would just be really concerned that in the process of trying to jump start a workout program you could get hurt. While a fitness trainer knows how to get you into good shape fast, they don’t know you personally. They don’t really know what your physical limits are and what your weak spots are. They don’t know your history or your health issues. The “esprit de corps” camaraderie of a boot camp is great but just be careful not to be the one who over does it when feeding off the energy of fellow boot camp enlistees.

What I notice when I walk by the boot camps

I was at one of my children’s baseball games the other night and overheard a group of the mom’s talking about fitness boot camp as there was a bootcamp class taking place on the grass near to where the our kids’ practice was. One mom was overweight and just listening with interest. One mom had a splint on her foot from what she said was a stress strain from working out and she was planning to get an MRI on it. The third mom was athletic and fit (though not slender). All three moms were talking about the different boot camps offered in our neighborhood. They were talking about how some of the classes involved berating loud mouthed instructors and how other classes involved nicer instructors that they liked much better. They knew the gyms giving the classes and they knew the popular instructors by name. The mom’s (especially the athletic and toned mom) seemed to personally know the instructors and what classes were offered in our area. They seemed pretty into it and talking about the classes, instructors and friends that they knew from taking the them. One told a story about how an instructor from a competing boot camp class had yelled at their boot camp squad working out across the street to “get their hands out of their pockets”.

I’ve walked (I walk alot) by the boot camps a lot where I live. The instructors are usually in pretty good shape, wearing fatigues, buzz cuts and cute workout clothes to fit the role. The participants, I hate to say, were largely out of shape and somewhat overweight people struggling to do the drills like running, jumping jacks, situps and squats packed into their hour of exercise. Their whole body was definitely getting a workout. The only thing I can say is that I don’t exercise that intensively. I am not that gung ho. But as I walk by in my little walking shoes and music headphone I notice that I am in better shape in general than they are. Maybe the fact that I’ve been walking for over a decade and go to the gym whenever I get the chance explains it. If I had to guess which is more beneficial, painlessly walking for a year verses grueling boot camp for a month, I would choose walking for a year.

Will a working boot camp make you beautiful?

To me, a workout boot camp is sort of like a social activity more than anything else. I do not think these camps are practical in the long run. For one thing, they cost a lot of money and in order to stay in them you have to pay for the classes. This is so much more costly than just joining a basic gym and paying the small monthly membership or doing a free activity such as walking. Although it’s a generalization, I tend to view the boot camp participants as out of shape professional people looking for a quick fix. Out of shape and quick fix fitness solutions constitutes a one-two recipe for disaster as these types of people get in over their head and can get injured. Plus, once they flake out on the program they may go back to doing nothing.

I personally believe that eating a healthier diet and doing casual low impact exercise regularly and sustainably over the long run is going to make you more beautiful in the end than fad boot camp will. And, you will have less chance of getting yourself injured. If I had a ton of cash to burn I am not even sure I would do these A.M. “morning crunch” classes as nothing would make me want to get up at the crack of dawn or workout in unfavorable weather. I guess if I were a millionaire I might do a boot camp in the summer months just for some fun entertainment and the possibility of making a few friends – I’d go for an afternoon or evening class as I am not a morning workout person LOL. But since I am not rich I will just stick to walking, the nautilus and cardio machines at the gym, and recreational physical activities such as riding a beach cruiser bike on a pretty day.