First Question: What To Look For In A Boot Camp?

Welcome to our NEW blog, “Ask The Trainer.” Each Month, , Joseph Martino, our internationally recognized Fitness Professional will be tackling your questions regarding fitness, health and TMR. Our Ask-The-Trainer blog will be open to Members and Non-Members, so ask your questions by sending us an email here or by sending us a message on Facebook!

Summer is approaching and one great thing is the extra hours of daylight to exercise outdoors. And a boot camp is one of our favorite ways to get a challenging and fun workout in! 

So how do you choose the right boot camp class?

1)      Who else is going and what are they saying?

Make an effort to find out what the culture of the boot camp is like, from the level of fitness to how much interaction between members there is, or even the type of music they play, and make sure that it fits your personality.

It’s also a good idea to ask about the fitness level and size of each class. Class size can vary hugely from boot camp to boot camp, and with it is the focus on technique and personal attention. You want to know if your own fitness level is something that can be catered for.

It’s always good to find out what other participants are saying. (There should always be a list of testimonials on the company’s website). Also, if there are video testimonials, it’s a great way of ‘meeting’ the other boot campers before joining!

2)      Are the workouts structured?

Anyone can put together a list of exercises together and bark enthusiastically for an hour and call it a workout; but is it a well-balanced program? If this is not the case, it’s just a series of exercises thrown together with a hit or miss approach.

3)      Boot Camp Red Flags

• The instructor can’t or doesn’t answer your questions.
• The instructor says “no pain, no gain,” or “exercise can fix all your health problems,” or any of these other fitness myths.
• You’re encouraged to work through pain or injury.
• They also sells a variety of vitamins, supplements or herbal products. While there may be value in some supplements, you should check out any product and ingredients with your doctor or nutritionist before taking them.

Healthy Regards

Joseph Martino