Exercise Boot Camp

Boot Camps as a form of exercise have been steadily gaining popularity over the last few years. They are offered by many gyms and by personal trainers. They can be held almost anywhere indoors or outdoors: at the gym, in parks or at the beach. There are even various boot camp TV reality shows where people come on the show to lose weight say for their wedding day or to lose those extra pounds and tone down in a given amount of time. Recently, when I was rollerblading, I noticed an outdoor boot camp by the lake. Since it was a beautiful day outside I thought to myself, this is an excellent way to exercise and still get some fresh air!

People join exercise boot camps for a variety of reason. It could be to get in shape, to train for competitions, to tone one’s body or lose weight. Since it’s also a group activity, it can be a great way to meet new people. So whatever your reasons, an exercise boot camp may be right for you.

Before joining any boot camp there are a few things you should consider. First of all you should look at the qualifications of the instructor or personal trainer. Sometimes it’s better to join a boot camp through a gym. Gyms tend to hire excellent personal trainers.

Consider your fitness level. If you have not exercised for a long time, you may want to slowly start an exercise program with a personal trainer before joining any exercise boot camp. You may also want to check with a physician before attempting any boot camp workout.

You should also look at your fitness goals. The reasons why you want to join a boot camp in the first place. Is it to get in shape, lose weight and tone down? Or is it to try something different that can be done in a group setting?

If you are not sure about what to look for in a boot camp program or it’s totally new to you, read the instructor’s literature or ask for a free 1 workout try-out. Many boot camp programs will offer a free session where you can experience first-hand what it feels like if you were to join and what the program involves. By this I mean the exercises and the difficulty level.

Consider the types of exercises involved in a boot camp program. What exercises will you be doing? Most programs entail a variety of exercises that work your cardiovascular system as well as build body strength and flexibility through the use of weights, your natural body weight and possibly other fitness equipment. Quality boot camp workouts will be varied so that they can challenge you, be fun and produce visible results. These programs should never be the same. How tough they are depends on how far you are willing to go or able to safely push yourself.

In summary, before you choose your boot camp program, it’s important to get a better understanding of what the boot camp program involves and how it will help you to achieve your weight loss or fitness goals.