Many people have been exposed to Bootcamp style training as its popularity has risen over the past 10 years. It’s been a positive trend with the result being more people moving, exercising and training that would never have considered stepping foot inside a traditional “gym”.
What are the upsides to Bootcamp?
- Flexibility - It can be hosted anywhere from a park, to a school gym, or at the beach.
- Motivational - Often led by enthusiastic instructors, clients get a healthy dose of leadership and that is something we’re lacking culturally and in our own lives.
- Intensity - Built on the philosophy of high intensity training, Bootcamps can yield good results for a period of time.
On the flip side, Bootcamp style protocols are also fraught with a number of potentially harmful effects that make it difficult to sustain as a results orientated training model.
What are the downsides of Bootcamp?
1. Lack of Customization - Bootcamp programming is built mostly on body weight exercises like burpees, pushups, and air squats. These exercises are great for a period of time and for some people but not for all and not as a core part optimal programming.
Quality programming needs to be mapped out with specific measurable goals and it absolutely MUST be progressive - meaning either weight or repetitions or time frame is changing based on the clients improvement.
Large groups and blanket recommendations combined with high intensity training is a recipe for injury. Although the basic requirements for movement remain the same, scalability and customization are absolutely necessary for safe progression.
2. Overemphasis on Conditioning - Judging the success of a training program should never be based "how much you sweat". Conditioning should be built into your program based on goals and needs, not as the primary component of a fitness system.
Depending on the goal, conditioning should last anywhere from 2 minutes to 15 minutes in it’s high intensity form. This volume of conditioning will transfer well to increasing work capacity, which can be best used to further success during strength training periods.
Anything beyond that increases the risk of a client’s technique deteriorating and injury occurring.
3. Lack of Strength Training - One of the benefits of Bootcamp (flexibility) is also a significant detriment.
Healthy mobility and progressive strength should form the core of any good training system. That becomes difficult in most Bootcamp facilities due to inadequate equipment and because it's simply not a key piece of traditional Bootcamp programming.
If training for strength and using repetition ranges under 6-8 are not part of your fitness program, you are risking the one thing you set out to accomplish – results.
As always, we'd love to know what you think. What has been your experience with bootcamps?