Fitness Trends Boutique Fitness Classes Finding a Fitness Boot Camp for You By Elizabeth Quinn Elizabeth Quinn is an exercise physiologist, sports medicine writer, and fitness consultant for corporate wellness and rehabilitation clinics. Learn about our editorial process Elizabeth Quinn Fact checked by Fact checked by Emily Swaim on June 03, 2020 linkedin Emily is a fact checker, editor, and writer who has expertise in psychology, health and lifestyle content. Learn about our editorial process Emily Swaim Updated on June 03, 2020 Print Mike Powell/Digital Vision/Getty Images A fitness boot camp is a type of group exercise class that mixes traditional calisthenic and body weight exercises with interval training and strength training. While there are a variety of styles of fitness boot camps, most are designed in a way that pushes the participants harder than they'd push themselves and, in that way, resemble a military boot camp. The typical fitness boot camp is done outdoors, but sometimes they are held in a gym or fitness facility. During the four to eight week class, you'll probably get up early to run sprints, perform lots of pushups, and do various forms of plyometric and interval training with little rest between exercises. These fitness classes have grown in popularity over the years primarily because they offer a new way to get a low-cost, efficient, and challenging workout. They definitely aren't for every person who enjoys exercise, but with the right instructor, these fitness classes get fast results and create a supportive and motivational community of like-minded people. A Typical Fitness Boot Camp The standard fitness boot camp offers all or most of the following: A small group environment (six to 10 people).An open public outdoor space such as a park.Orientation - Your first session should include time for completing paperwork, reviewing the class rules and safety guidelines, and performing a basic fitness assessment if that hasn't been done.WorkoutsTeam competitionsObstacle coursesFitness retesting. At the end of fitness boot camp, you will typically repeat the original fitness assessment to determine your results. Boot Camp Workout The 30- to 40-minute workout will typically include:Warmup - Each session should start with a 10-minute warm-up.PushupsPlyometric exercisesInterval trainingSquatsLungesSquat thrusts or burpeesSpeed training with sprintsCore strengthPartner exercisesCool-down and stretching. The session will end with some gentle stretching and possibly some education and homework. Styles and Variations One underlying component of a good boot camp fitness class is creating a spirit of teamwork and group support and cohesion. To do so, some fitness boot camp owners have started to focus their classes to cater to a specific demographic or those with a specific goal. The types of fitness boot camps that are available are endless. If you are seeking a specialized class or have a specific fitness goal, you will probably find a boot camp that meets your needs. Some specialized fitness boot camps include: General fitnessSports specific boot camps such as ski prep, running, bicycling, soccerWomen-only fitness boot campKids fitness boot campFitness boot camps for seniorsWeight loss boot campsBoot camps for brides While there are still some instructors who act like drill sergeants, most fitness boot camp instructors offer encouragement rather than intimidation. Many incorporate concepts from mind-body training and include poses from yoga and end with a bit of meditation or visualization training. How to Find a Good Fitness Boot Camp Most fitness boot camps are run by qualified and knowledgeable instructors. But this form of exercise is not suited to every person, and camps vary in their ability to give you what you need. To get your money's worth, you need to research whether a camp has any red flags signaling you to avoid it. Finding the Best Fitness Boot Camp Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get exercise tips to make your workouts less work and more fun. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Thompson WR. Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2016. ACSM's Health and Fitness Journal. 2015;19(6):9-18.