How do I log Boot Camp?

Hey Jennifer O! I do a Boot Camp-ish class (it's called Workout Challenge at the gym I go to, but the teacher runs it like a boot camp) so I've had difficulty with this too. At first I logged all of the different exercises we did in the class, but then I started logging as "circuit training" which I feel is kind of the same, just in boot camp, we don't move around and do our different exercises in one spot. I hope this helps!

Boot camp classes can be very different, making it hard to come up with one calorie number. Some are more strength training, some are more cardio, some are geared towards people that are already very athletic, and others are more accommodating to people at all levels of fitness.

I tried a boot camp class a few years ago to add some variety into my exercise program, and I was the only person that hadn't done a lot of training with the coach that ran it,. The exercise routines were really tough and made me sore for days after I did it. So I had to drop back to taking it once a week so I wouldn't be too sore to participate in the other group exercise classes I like.

Recently, I heard about another boot camp class in my area where you can pay $10 to drop in, so I tried that and found it to be more in line with my fitness level. The coach encouraged people to listen to their body and take a break if they needed to (as opposed to pushing through, no matter how they felt) and the coach offered modifications for those of us that were not in peak shape.

So my suggestion is, before you commit to a boot camp class, see if the instructor will let you watch a class or try a class or two as a "drop in" to see if it will meet your needs.

In my opinion, if an exercise class makes you sore for days, it's counter productive, because if you're more than a little sore, you won't feel like exercising until the soreness goes away.