I was watching a woman run a Boot Camp yesterday

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So I'm at baseball practice yesterday ((I play on a mens baseball team in the summer), and there's this woman out on the field (off the baseball part, but still pretty close) and she has some cones set up, and about 8 people with her. And she starts putting them through drills. Now I watch this for about 45 minutes until they finish (which was right around when we were finishing up too.

And she walks by and I ask her, what kind of program is that, cuz I'm curious, and about to go test for my Personal Training certification, and new Ideas are always welcome, and she says to me, "Boot Camp". I blinked, recovered, and said "oh", and she continued walking by.

Why am I so befuddled you ask? Well, because I was watching this program, with about 8 people, none of which were out of shape, all of which could run at least 50 yards at a time without difficulty. And she put them through this light-medium paced workout of about a dozen sprints, a few jumping jacks, and about 10 yard 4 corners, and finishing up with about a minute of jumping jacks and a minute of mountain climbers.

I'm horrified. If this is what they consider boot camp, they would literally fall over dead after one of my boot camps.

I mean, that's fine if that's what they want to do, but don't call it boot camp, that's an insult to the military. Seriously, boot camp should be work-your-*kitten*-so-hard-you're-falling-over-on-the-verge-of-puking hard, not lightly out of breath and just barely breaking a sweat.

I hope this isn't indicative of other Personal trainer boot camps out there. Anyone else ever done one? I mean to me a boot camp should be 2 hours minimum, with about 35 to 40 minutes of it dedicated to drop dead, maximum effort cardio, then another 30 dedicated to hard resistance routines, and another 20 minutes dedicated to stretching and isometrics (and 20 minutes dedicated to rest) Anything less than this is just a normal work out in my opinion.

dunno, this is JMHO, I guess I grew up in a different time.
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Replies

  • XFitMojoMom
    XFitMojoMom Posts: 3,255 Member
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    i need you as a trainer.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    i need you as a trainer.

    lol, you'd hate me. Hell, I HATE me when I train. Sometimes I can hear myself in my head, "cmon you little wuss, you can go one more minute". You know what though, I always do that extra minute.
  • naugustyniak
    naugustyniak Posts: 836 Member
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    My son signed up for the Marines and leaves after high school next June. They have what they call PT (not sure what that stands for) every Wednesday to get them ready for basics. I ask him each time what they did and it sounds WAAAAYYY harder than the "boot camp" you described. To me boot camp is something I would strive to do but probably never could because it should be so hard. I hope that is not the norm.
  • VballLeash
    VballLeash Posts: 2,456 Member
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    At my old gym they would have "boot camp" every last saturday of the month and they would wear green and camo, it was just the regular class that was usually at that time but it wasn't any harder! In fact... it wasn't much of a workout at all. I only went a couple of times because sometimes it was better than others depending on the instructor... but I agree it better be REALLY hard and I better not be able to walk the next day!

    ~Leash :heart:
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    My son signed up for the Marines and leaves after high school next June. They have what they call PT (not sure what that stands for) every Wednesday to get them ready for basics. I ask him each time what they did and it sounds WAAAAYYY harder than the "boot camp" you described. To me boot camp is something I would strive to do but probably never could because it should be so hard. I hope that is not the norm.

    Physical Training
  • Kityngirl
    Kityngirl Posts: 14,332 Member
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    I think I would run screaming (if I could catch my breath enough to scream...) from your bootcamps. :laugh: But then, there would be no way I would sign up for it in the first place since my fitness level is not that high yet.

    I see what you're saying, if the people involved were in decent shape than there is no way that should have been considered a 'bootcamp' workout. I could have kept up with that workout....
  • XFitMojoMom
    XFitMojoMom Posts: 3,255 Member
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    ooo - but I love to hate. I would love to tell my trainer to eat s**t, but I think he'd cry - LOL. The angrier I am, the more effective I am:smokin:
  • naugustyniak
    naugustyniak Posts: 836 Member
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    My son signed up for the Marines and leaves after high school next June. They have what they call PT (not sure what that stands for) every Wednesday to get them ready for basics. I ask him each time what they did and it sounds WAAAAYYY harder than the "boot camp" you described. To me boot camp is something I would strive to do but probably never could because it should be so hard. I hope that is not the norm.

    Physical Training

    Thank you...I kinda thought so....I gotta get this Marine lingo down soon. Like he is a Poolee, whatever that is.....:laugh:
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    I think I would run screaming (if I could catch my breath enough to scream...) from your bootcamps. :laugh: But then, there would be no way I would sign up for it in the first place since my fitness level is not that high yet.

    I see what you're saying, if the people involved were in decent shape than there is no way that should have been considered a 'bootcamp' workout. I could have kept up with that workout....

    you would never have been able to run anywhere after my bootcamps, I would consider myself a failure if you could do much more than crawl after my bootcamp! :tongue:
  • Kityngirl
    Kityngirl Posts: 14,332 Member
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    I think I would run screaming (if I could catch my breath enough to scream...) from your bootcamps. :laugh: But then, there would be no way I would sign up for it in the first place since my fitness level is not that high yet.

    I see what you're saying, if the people involved were in decent shape than there is no way that should have been considered a 'bootcamp' workout. I could have kept up with that workout....

    you would never have been able to run anywhere after my bootcamps, I would consider myself a failure if you could do much more than crawl after my bootcamp! :tongue:

    Nothing like walking into a bootcamp class with ambulances on call around the field.....:laugh:
  • countindowntothin
    countindowntothin Posts: 201 Member
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    I am in a bootcamp class at my YMCA and I PROMISE you its WAY harder than what she was doing! In fact the first morning he worked us so hard I did puke....

    Before I tell you what all we do let me say he changes things EVERYDAY. We never do the same routine twice in a row....

    Today (this is my 2nd day of the 3rd week) we started out running/walking the parking lot 4 laps, which is equal to a mile...i couldn't even make it 1 lap around without walking when I started and I ran 2 this morning without stopping....then we went right into jumping rope for a minute straight (with no jump rope, none-the-less, it was still HARD) rest 30 secs and continued 3 sets of those, then we had to side step about the length of 2 basketball courts there and back 3 times, then push ups, crunches planks, in and outs, side planks, more push ups, then he put us in front of a picnic table and had to do step ups and bring our knee to our chest for a minute on each leg, then SIDE step ups and kick your other leg out each leg for another minute, then we went back and did more crunches, in and outs, bicycles, did some jumping jacks, then stretched......

    we generally do some sort of running everyday, either long distance or sprints and butt kicks, then some core stuff, crunches planks and push ups, and he tries to rotate out between heavy arm or heavy leg work outs......

    we work out at 515 in the mornings, 3 days a week, and by the time I leave my clothes are soaking wet with sweat.....THATs the kinda work out I was looking for when I started this class and I LOVE it! I have lost 8 of my 10 lbs in this class and eating WAY better....
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    ooo - but I love to hate. I would love to tell my trainer to eat s**t, but I think he'd cry - LOL. The angrier I am, the more effective I am:smokin:

    oh you're one of those people. LOL! I love that, course that would make me hurt you even more. You'd be amazed how much adrenaline you can work up by being furious!

    One of my cooldown sessions would be primal scream practice! :laugh:
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    here's my idea of my modefied boot camp, it's short, but it's a lot of Extremely high intensity all packed into 1 hour. For a real bootcamp I would probably throw in some other resistance stuff like squat thrusts, plyometric 360s, and monkey rolls.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/9051-want-weight-loss-push-your-body-to-the-limits
  • kimss
    kimss Posts: 1,146
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    my hubby is an instructor for the Navy and he leads a group through their PT. And I must say, he thinks that many of the PT classes are just short of abusive. Although, he llikes it that way and thinks that many of these people he instructs don't get physical enough. It does make me feel good when he tells his guys to "suck it up, and that his wife can run farther and faster than their wimpy little a**'s". and not to mention they are in their early 20's and I am in my early 40"s and was a smoker for 28yrs. HAHAHA....:laugh:
    I can pass the PT rediness test for a woman my age with flying colors. I hope everyone else can do it someday too.
    But, they won't if their "Boot Camp" classes are for sissy's.
    You go Boss.... give your clients what they paid for.... :wink: :sad: :devil: :wink:
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    Options
    my hubby is an instructor for the Navy and he leads a group through their PT. And I must say, he thinks that many of the PT classes are just short of abusive. Although, he llikes it that way and thinks that many of these people he instructs don't get physical enough. It does make me feel good when he tells his guys to "suck it up, and that his wife can run farther and faster than their wimpy little a**'s". and not to mention they are in their early 20's and I am in my early 40"s and was a smoker for 28yrs. HAHAHA....:laugh:
    I can pass the PT rediness test for a woman my age with flying colors. I hope everyone else can do it someday too.
    But, they won't if their "Boot Camp" classes are for sissy's.
    You go Boss.... give your clients what they paid for.... :wink: :sad: :devil: :wink:

    yeah, we had a seal on our rugby team my senior year in college, he said rugby double sessions were similar to the PT. course, they did more water related stuff then us, but then again, we had to practice ruck and mauls so I think we're even. :tongue:
  • XFitMojoMom
    XFitMojoMom Posts: 3,255 Member
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    Banks - No more ideas from you right now:glasses: . You got me doing HIIT and Tabata... I get plyo from my trainer and core and strength too.
    My husband is complaining because I have no more energy for HIM when he gets home. LMAO:laugh:
  • April0815
    April0815 Posts: 780 Member
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    i need you as a trainer.

    lol, you'd hate me. Hell, I HATE me when I train. Sometimes I can hear myself in my head, "cmon you little wuss, you can go one more minute". You know what though, I always do that extra minute.

    Thats funny about the "you can go one more minute"When I am working out with my trainer and she tells me I have 5 left to do and right when I'm almost finished that last one she'll start with come on April you have 5 more left in you or you are still strong let's go for more. I could scream but i have never stopped or told her I can't I just put my head into and push and she is right I can do it. I love it !!!!!!! I like for someone to push me. My worst part is stretching my inner thighs. owww!:sad:

    She also laughs at me because I remember when I first started (July6) she said we were just conditioning, the other day she was killing me and I looked at her and said I know this is not conditioning this has to be working out. she said oh yeah this is definately working out
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    Banks - No more ideas from you right now:glasses: . You got me doing HIIT and Tabata... I get plyo from my trainer and core and strength too.
    My husband is complaining because I have no more energy for HIM when he gets home. LMAO:laugh:

    HA! tell him I feel his pain. My wife works full time, runs a jewelery business on the side, and teaches Body Pump 3 nights a week.
  • Kityngirl
    Kityngirl Posts: 14,332 Member
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    here's my idea of my modefied boot camp, it's short, but it's a lot of Extremely high intensity all packed into 1 hour. For a real bootcamp I would probably throw in some other resistance stuff like squat thrusts, plyometric 360s, and monkey rolls.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/9051-want-weight-loss-push-your-body-to-the-limits

    You scare me a little. :indifferent:

    :laugh: although I've started doing the Tabata protocol as well so...maybe someday I could do a modified version of this (although my knees would protest a lot of it.....)
  • JoyousMaximus
    JoyousMaximus Posts: 9,285 Member
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    Banks- I think I would be pissed I paid some one money for that kind of work out. That sound easier that my high school volleyball pratices and we weren't even GOOD. :laugh:

    Mojogurl- remember "him" can be a good workout too...:tongue: