In the past couple years, I've noticed how fitness boot camps have become extremely popular in the fitness industry.  While I have never been a fan of this type of training, I can see why there are a number of reasons both the client and trainer can benefit.   

For the client, they're ridiculously cheap.  A fitness enthusiast can shell out as little as 10-20 bucks an hour and still get a decent workout. 

They're also very motivational.  Some people despise working out alone and prefer to work out with a large group of people.  This environment makes them feel competitive and pushes them beyond what they can normally do by themselves.

For the trainer, boot camps are highly lucrative.  There is practically no overhead.  The fitness instructor can have a group of twenty people meet at a local park, perform bodyweight calisthenics and/or cardio drills, and only pay for using the park, which is very minimal at the least. 

Also, if a trainer charges 20 bucks an hour per person and there are 20 people...Well, you do the math...that's $400.00 buckaroos an hour!  Not a bad deal.

Despite all this, there's one huge detail I should mention...

Fitness Boot Camps Do Not Work.

That's right, they won't get you results...or not the kind of results regular one-on-one personal training will give you.

Boot camps are good workouts for sure, they'll raise your heart rate, they'll assist in burning some calories and help you break a sweat, they may even get you motivated, BUT don't expect your body to look much different after a month or more from this type of training. 

Many personal training companies (not mine) won't divulge this kind of information since boot camps make up a good percentage of their clientele. 

Most fitness companies market boot camps as the best thing since sliced bread and sometimes even compare it to regular personal training...saying stuff like:

"Lose fat, build muscle and drop weight fast with highly-motivational Fitness Boot Camps that are a fraction of the cost of a personal trainer and can easily be done at your local park"

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Blah...Blah...Blah...

Look, let's be perfectly clear.  There is a HUGE difference between one-on-one personal training and boot camps. I assure you, they're NOT the same thing!  Not even close.  There's a reason one-on-one personal training is relatively expensive...it gets you the best results possible.  Period.

With boot camps, you are training with 20 individuals at the same time.  This means you have 20 different people with different strength, endurance and health backgrounds working out together.  There's no way in h*ll ONE trainer can gauge each person's fitness level individually.  It's not possible.

All the fitness instructor can do is shout at the top of his or her lungs and instruct everyone with the same generic exercise routines over and over…usually simple bodyweight calisthenics such as push-ups, squats, lunges and sit-ups that are not monitored for correct form and proper intensity.   

When you supplement boot camps for your strength training; you don't challenge the body's muscles.  You're not going to force your body to change, hence your body will EASILY adapt and cause you to not see results. 

You're much better off saving your time and money and doing some type of cardio exercise by yourself such as walking, jogging, running or working out on your elliptical, stairmaster or treadmill.

The reason I say this is because that's essentially what boot camps are...aerobic conditioning.  Don't be fooled into believing they aren't.

Now, I understand that some people may get irritated by hearing this since they may be currently participating in a boot camp or they have had a good experience with one in the past.

No problem with me...after all, boot camps promote fitness, get you motivated and up and off your arse, so there's something to be said there.

But if you're looking to TRANSFORM your body and get the best results with your fitness program, forget the boot camp and invest in hiring a qualified personal trainer for one-on-one personal training...it is definitely your best bet.  Click here if you are interested - http://www.fitnessandresults.com/getting_started.php

Better yet, if you're strapped for dough, I've got 90 convenient strength training exercises that don't place you in a cold arse park at 6:00 in the morning.  These kick-butt routines can be performed in the comfort and privacy of your own home and are the SAME ones I have used to helped hun-dreds of my clients get super-fit FAST.  If you're curious, - click here.

Well, that's all for now, until next time train hard and train smart.

Yours in Total Fitness & Maximum Success,

Jim Coughlin