BOOT CAMP PROGRAMS ARE AMONG THE MOST POPULAR, SAYS AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EXERCISE

Boot Camp programs have been in the top fitness trends. This directly mirrors what has been happening nationwide, according to America’s leading authority on fitness, the American Council on Exercise. Their annual surveys consistently rank boot camp style workouts as preferred by most exercisers as the wallets tighten and demands for access to quality training experiences grows. According to ACE Chief Science Officer Cedric X. Bryant Ph.D., “The overarching theme… is getting more bang for the buck.” There are several reasons why our boot camp workouts fit the bill:

· Boot camp provides a total body workout. Rather than taking a cardio-endurance class, a yoga / core conditioning class, and a weight-lifting / resistance class, boot camp participants can now get a more effective 3-in-1 workout that burns up to 600 calories per hour.

· Boot camp is budget-friendly. The cost of boot camp gym membership is way below the hefty club charges.

· Boot camp classes are the newest specialty. Specialty classes like Zumba Dancing and Yoga have always been popular. People like boot camp because they get to run through obstacle courses, do military-style drills, and get some fresh air outdoors. No two workouts are ever the same and every class has a little bit of fun woven in!

· Boot camp workouts take us back to basics. Who needs fancy equipment or complicated steps when you can get a better workout by simplifying? Squats, jumps, lunges, push-ups, and old staples are making a dramatic comeback in people’s preferences!

· Circuit training is effective. Boot camps use interval training (with periods of intensity, followed by periods of recovery) to yield better weight loss and health benefits. They also have people run through different circuits, mixing up between different types of activity to keep the mind and body challenged at all times. Countless studies show that these methods are more effective for fat burning.

· The classes are social. Boomers and retirees especially like the social atmosphere of intimate boot camp classes. Groups go to lunch, the movies, grocery store tours, nutrition seminars, races, and other fun events together – and often form lasting bonds outside the gym.