BOOT CAMPS NOT JUST FOR THE MILITARY
MANY PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING WITH FINANCESES TODAY AND I’VE OBSERVED MANY MORE WHO ARE TIRED OF THE SAME OLD ROUTINE AS FAR AS EXERCISE. I MUST ADMIT IT PUZZLES ME HOW GYMS AND HEALTH CLUBS MANAGE TO STAY IN BUSINESS IN THESE TOUGH TIMES. SO IF THE GYM MEMBERSHIP ISN’T ON YOUR RADAR, BUT YOU STILL WANT A GREAT WORKOUT, WHERE DO YOU GO?
Over the past several years you may have heard about boot camps and their growing popularity among people who are ready for a real change in their body. Many of these exercisers are not only finished with the brick and mortar building, which can restrict their results due to lack of space to move around and too many machines that don’t allow total movement of the body as it was designed (not like a bodybuilder who works his biceps one day and the next day the chest), but also the mental limitation which affects the intensity of most exercisers who just seem to go through the motions.
Exercisers are growing tired of counting to ten, sitting around while using their trainer as a therapist, and not getting the results they seek. I find most people who are serious about fat loss, and optimal fitness, are pushing past the normal amount of pain they dealt with in the gym lifting weights and counting reps.
A boot camp workout is sometimes modeled after boot camps in the military. There are different levels and exercises the instructor can take you through. It’s often outside and in almost any weather condition. Exercises can range from running stairs and sprints, to push-ups, pull-ups, turning over truck tires, to sport specific drills, kettlebell and endurance training. What’s special about these classes is that they’re cheap, no membership is required and the exercises will work your entire body creating muscular balance. The benefit to this type of class is the exercises involved will make you fitter faster than any limiting traditional gym routine of exercising your arms and chest, then the next day your back and shoulders, and the next day your legs.
Now you may say, George I work my entire body every time I workout.
But are you limiting yourself by being on a machine? I’ve been stating this for years on my radio show. Get “back to basics.” Basic movements of how the body was designed to move rather than being restricted on a machine that is going to limit the muscles used, which in turn can create injuries later on by leaving out muscles that work synergistically instead of having them contract all at once. For example, when a lineman pushes against his opponent in football he uses every muscle in his body. But when he presses 500lbs on a bench press, the bench holds him in place so the bar he lifts can’t move from side to side, and therefore it will not challenge him. The only challenge is the weight and gravity. 
My point is, restricted weight lifting will not translate into daily living or athletic performance. In addition people often think that yoga and Pilates, although full body workouts, will make them fit or healthy. This is not always the case however. Yoga can be challenging, but only if you take the challenging classes and continue to advance. Your body can get used to it’s own load and need more. Not necessarily to build more muscle, rather to create more strength and over-all cardiovascular health that “burst training” can provide (refer to the article on “burst training” on ScoreBoardDaily.com to see how it differs from aerobic training as well as all of its benefits).
Boot camp classes and any burst training will give you aerobic benefits that yoga and Pilates cannot. This doesn’t mean not to use them as part of your routine, it means not to rely on them as so many do for all of their fitness needs. An instructor of any form of exercise who is just a good motivator and doesn’t have understanding of proper bio-mechanics of the body can do more damage than good.
People always talk about making sure they target their core when exercising these days. Yoga, Pilates, boot camp and other full body strength training exercises do just this so there’s no need to target that area outside of class (or perform crunches). EVER! Again, crunches could and often do more harm than good (reference Dr. Stuart McGill, professor of spine bio-mechanics). Ladies don’t fear these classes because they’re tough or because you believe you’ll become overly muscular. You’re less apt to become big since you have less testosterone than a man, and you’ll expend tons of calories, actually allowing you eat more of the foods you like. Not giving permission here, just stating that it’s easier to eat more of what you want when you expend the amount of calories you will in a boot camp class!
Learn the importance of detoxifying your body ==> The 21 Day Body Makeover.