Drive past a park at 6 am and you’ll likely see 10-20 people performing training seemingly right out of the military. Boot camps have become one of the most popular trends in instructor led exercise. According to the International Health, Racquet, and Sports club Association (IRHSA), nearly one thousand of its member clubs offer some kind of boot-camp style class, and Netflix and Amazon.com both offer dozens of boot camp DVDs for all levels. DVDs are great for home workouts, but one of the main attractions of boot camp classes is the camaraderie that develops among workout mates. Boot camps are fun and, with the right exercises, can be very effective for weight loss and health related fitness. However, setting up a boot camp is not simply a matter of lining up a group of students and running them through various drills (although that is a part of it). Developing effective and safe boot camps that meet the needs of your clients requires more than just push-ups and sprints.
Boot camps may take their name from the military method of training rookie soldiers, but most fitness boot camps must take into account many factors, one of the most important being the different fitness levels of the participants. As with any group style exercise, a trainer must consider the risks inherent in working with groups of participants, particularly when a generic style of programming is applied to those of varying fitness levels and movement aptitudes.
Boot camps attract a large range of fitness levels and training experience, from individuals who are accustomed to working out and are physically fit looking for a new challenge, to those who haven’t exercised in several years, if ever, looking for motivation and a group atmosphere to maintain an exercise routine. Those with the lowest fitness and least amount of training experience present the instructor with the greatest challenge both in risk management but also in designing a routine that keeps everyone engaged but does not cause anyone harm.
One easy way to overcome this obstacle is to instruct and provide variations and modifications to different exercises, accommodating both the veteran exercisers who are ready for a new challenge as well as the new exercisers who are still getting their bearings. As with any exercise instruction it is the obligation of the trainer to instruct and maintain proper form and technique from participants 100% of the time. A key aspect of boot camp management is focusing on participant form and ensuring a safe experience every time. This starts with communication. Begin each training session by reviewing the techniques to be used during the workout, including intensity modifications for the less conditioned or those with pre-existing conditions that may increase risk for injury. Additionally, clearly explain to everyone that while it’s OK to challenge themselves, it’s also OK to back down to an easier modification if that’s what their body calls for at that time. Using RPE is also helpful in ensuring everyone is at the same level regardless of the exercise. For instance at an RPE of 11, medicine ball overhead walking lunges can be performed by the stronger individuals while lunges in place can be performed by those not yet at that level.
Another way to keep everyone engaged and to maintain a safe environment is to prepare everyone in the class for activity from the start. Begin each class with a warm-up, using dynamic stretches or general movements to reduce viscosity, stimulate aerobic cells, waken capillary beds and enhance neural transmissions. Dynamic stretches are especially useful in early morning or lunchtime classes, both of which present individual time constraints. Early morning boot camp clients are often pressed for time because they need to get to work, and lunchtime classes are often shorter in duration because clients are trying to get from work and back within the span of an hour. Plan out each class in advance so they flow from exercise to exercise without feeling forced, and end with a cool-down to promote ongoing blood flow to maintain cardiac output and allow their bodies to return to a homeostatic condition. Lunchtime clients will especially appreciate a cool-down because most are going back to work after class, and one of their concerns will likely be looking presentable following a sweat session.
Trainers can also periodize their boot camps to keep clients interested and returning for subsequent sessions. Establishing beginner, intermediate and advanced classes is one way to allow students to progress and stay engaged in their training, and encourage students to give the tougher classes a try once they have completed the prerequisite program. Using program prerequisites allows the session to be developmental for later programs which increase prolonged adherence. Level one should be used for training instruction and skill mastery for new students. This prevents spending 80% of the time on 20% of the people. Setting levels also allows for a unified training regimen and causes more friendly competition among participants without the risk of excessive over-strain between unequally matched individuals. Thirdly, the exercises can be progressed in a building block approach. Level one performs the walking lunges, level two performs the walking lunges with a press or rotation, whereas level three is performing jump lunges. Obviously the progressions should be participant appropriate but this process allows for easier transitions. The levels also allow for exclusivity with inclusivity. You can only join level three if you have the prerequisites, leading to elite status in the psychology of the plebes.
Some participants will need a little push to try something different, because it is human nature to stick with what is comfortable and familiar. If students are partial to a particular time, modify and vary the exercises to allow the returning students to feel challenged without alienating new students. Using fitness testing at the beginning and end of each session is also a good way to allow students to see how they are progressing. Fitness testing allows the trainer to set baseline data for each student, and subsequent testing at the end of the term gives students the opportunity to see how they have (hopefully) progressed and improved over time. This kind of positive motivation can help even the most stubborn of individuals with continuing in an exercise routine. Testing in boot camps though, is a bit different than standard personal training sessions. Setting up “training combines” allows more people to be tested in a shorter period of time and presents competitive incentive for motivation. Each participant should complete at least a par-Q and informed consent before starting. These should be made available online as well as a medical referral form (for those who need it) so the paperwork does not become an obstacle.
Another consideration is location and external factors. Trainers can establish environmental boot camps, allowing them to take advantage of natural outdoor obstacles to create new exercises and enhance the class atmosphere. Boot camps by nature call for very little equipment, so going outdoors requires a trainer to get creative and use what’s available rather than carting a box of dumbbells around. In addition, people naturally gravitate to outdoor activities, so going outdoors can make the overall experience more fun for everyone. At the beach, for example, use the natural resistance of the water or the uneven grade of sand to make exercises tougher. Rocks, piers and freestanding structures can stand in for equipment if used safely. At a local park, take advantage of the track, bleachers, picnic benches and par-course setups. Even the swing sets and monkey bars can bring out the inner children in the adult participants and make the class a fun experience and a challenging trunk workout. A parking garage offers ramps and stairs for natural inclines that make even light jogs more difficult. Environmental boot camps present environmental concerns though, such as uneven terrain and unpredictable weather, so use caution and common sense to keep clients safe. Also account for environmental stressors like heat and humidity and have water available for those who forgot water bottles.
If getting outside isn’t always feasible, trainers can use small spaces such as a gym or basketball court to set up efficient boot camps. Equipment may be limited to what’s on hand or what the trainer can carry, so body weight exercises and time-based circuits work especially well in these environments. Physioballs, medicine balls, body bars and kettlebells all provide resistance, and jump ropes and resistance bands travel easily. Set up stations incorporating different exercises and rotate clients through each station in a certain amount of time. Design a circuit that flows easily from one movement to the next, and provide a mix of aerobic and anaerobic activity to keep clients’ heart rates up and their interest high. Shuttle drills and agilities also fit well in these environments.
When combining aerobic and anaerobic challenges into a single boot camp remember to follow energy system guidelines. Place the more challenging anaerobic activities near the beginning of the class, when students are fresh. Watch how students perform the movements and correct poor form. Make sure students understand you aren’t singling them out, but rather are making sure they stay as injury-free as possible. Remind students not to advance to a more challenging variation until they feel comfortable with the existing movement, and advise students to rest whenever they feel necessary. On the flip side, gently encourage students to challenge themselves and not give up right away just because a movement may be too difficult on the first try. Mix the challenging anaerobic portions of the class with rest intervals so that students have a chance to “catch their breath” and limit fatigue. Of course, one of the beauties of boot camps is that inherent camaraderie. Clients become a loose family, encouraging and competing with each other to finish the repetitions and the class on a high note.
Lastly, target the routine to the types of adaptations clients are looking for. If a trainer senses that most students are beginners, focus on improving the overall health of the students. Use basic movements such as modified push-ups, squats, lunges, and other resistance-based or bodyweight exercises that will help the students improve upon their muscular endurance and cardiovascular fitness. Most PE classes never taught the proper technique for the squat, lunge or other so always show students how to move through a proper full range of motion, and incorporate flexibility training into the routine, either as a break between activities or at the end of the class as part of the cool-down. Again, the mix of cardiovascular and resistance activities depends on the capabilities of the students, but a good trainer should be able to get a read on the students’ abilities pretty quickly and offer different options for different intensity levels.
Performance-based adaptations will require a different approach. Incorporate agility drills, plyometrics and throws, and multi-directional movements into the routine to enhance coordination and power. This is not to say that these movements cannot be used in health-based boot camp routines, but trainers again should be careful to challenge their clients without putting them at great risk of injury. The more athletic the movements the more aptitude and experience become issues for participants. Observe the rule of progression and be sure clients can perform basic movements such as a squat before expecting them to execute a squat jump.
Group-style exercise classes such as boot camp offer a unique experience. Because of their “no two classes are alike” nature, boot camps are an inherently fun way to keep a person challenged. But make no mistake, boot camps are no less choreographed than a typical indoor aerobics class and can be more hazardous to the participants. With careful planning, a dose of flexibility, and the enthusiasm of all parties involved, a boot camp can be as similar or as different from its namesake, but it can always be an inspiring and fun workout.
