At this time of year, exercising outside can be a challenge: cold, wet and muddy. So team up with a group of friends and give these boot camp-style workouts a go. You'll have so much fun, you won't notice the temperature! And if you’re a personal trainer, training your clients in the great outdoors really will be a breath a fresh air – it’s something different that will keep them motivated.
Boot camp style training is a fantastic way to exercise in the fresh air, blasting calories, raising your metabolic rate and using things you'll find in the great outdoors to challenge your entire body. Grab a friend, a group of keen fitness buddies, or aspiring fitness instructors, and try this circuit-style boot camp workout which will work your upper body, lower body, cardiovascular system and HIIT fitness.
Here's how:
The warm up
Here's the easy bit. Powerwalk from your car or your meeting point to the spot you've earmarked for your boot camp workout. Walk fast, pumping your arms and rolling through your feet, and make sure you walk for at least 5 minutes.
The metabolic cardio
Hill reps or shuttle runs will get your heart pumping and start to move blood around your body ready for the resistance work to come.
Find a steep hill at least 50m in length. Choose grass, path or gravel, just make sure it's not slippery and has no potential obstacles or potholes.
Sprint up the hill as fast as you can for at least 20 seconds, turn and jog or walk back down.
Repeat this 8-12 times. Work hard!
If you can't find a hill, do shuttle runs. Set up two markers 100m apart and sprint hard between them, taking a 10 second rest. Work with a partner and start at opposite ends of the shuttle run. It will motivate you to run past them in the opposite direction.
Total body circuit
This circuit of 8 exercises will work your upper body, lower body and core. Set up your watch to bleep every 45 seconds. Perform each exercise for 45 seconds, and move on to the next without a break. Take a 1-2 minute break after each entire circuit. Try to do the circuit 3 or 4 times.
Body weight squats with a hold at the bottom on every 4th rep
Inverted rows using the underneath of a picnic table, a fence or gate, or a low branch
Press ups - either on the ground, or with your hands on a bench or picnic table
Triceps dips off a bench
Walking lunges (take at least 12 steps before turning)
Jump squats
Hanging leg raises using a low tree branch
Plank holds either on the ground, or on a bench or picnic table
The cool down
Walk at a moderate pace for 5 minutes. Use this time to try chatting to your boot camp partner. When you can both hold a conversation, it's a sign that your heart rate and breathing have returned to reasonable levels. Now use a tree, park bench or fence to perform some standard stretches: focus on calves, hamstrings, quads, chest, upper back and hips.
And that’s your boot camp workout done!
Do you think that you could run your own bootcamp sessions? Well you could be running your own in as little as six weeks with the help of The Training Room and a PT course. Click here to find out more.