I've been running a Boot Camp program at the MJCCA for the last 5 years. I believe that exercise is absolutely the best gift we can give to ourselves and our communities. I have people who depend on my Boot Camp program to fulfill their weekly exercise requirements, and have been taking Boot Camp for almost two years. Knowing that they depend on my program, I make sure that every 6-week session is an opportunity to set goals or push them out of their comfort zones to achieve new milestones.
I design sessions to rotate my Boot Campers through Interval, Plyometrics/ Cardio, and Circuit workouts. Here are descriptions of each type I use:
Intervals: Blast calories and fat!
Intense Activities Are Performed for Shortened Periods, rather that doing an endurance workout lasting much longer. The whole point behind interval training is intensity. Intensity is by nature indirectly proportionate to duration. These are the two most important factors to consider when planning workouts for Boot Camp. Interval training is more effective for burning away body fat than traditional cardio.
Plyometrics/ Cardio: Gain power, efficiency, and improve your muscle and joint resiliency!
Plyometrics develop the greatest amount of force in the shortest amount of time. Plyometric exercise is one of the best ways to improve power. Strength + time = power. It has been shown that a muscle will contract the fastest when it's loaded. This is why you can jump higher if you crouch down then immediately jump up, rather than if you started from a standing position. The balance and strength aspects of the movements develop optimal efficiency. Plyometrics help us absorb shock better, improving resiliency in the joints and soft tissue. With plyometric training, we sustain repetitive contractions over time. You develop strength and power through a broad range of motion, while creating a more versatile muscle and joint. Some exercises include: jumps-in-place, standing jumps, multiple jumps, box drills, depth jumps, bounding, and medicine ball exercises.
Circuits: Develop Your Strength & Endurance!Circuit training develops strength, endurance (both aerobic and anaerobic), flexibility and coordination. Circuit training in itself is not a form of exercise per se, but the way an exercise session is structured. Routines can be developed purely for strength development or for improving endurance or some combination of the two. Circuit classes often seen in boot camps typically consist of exercise stations completed in sequence with rest between.
Rotating through these different types of movement keep my Boot Campers' bodies from knowing what to expect. Their muscles cannot adapt to the sequence, frequency, or duration of the movement before we are off to the next thing. They get the best results for their efforts, as long as they show up and devote 100% of their energy to the movements.
The trick is getting them to BE PRESENT and give 100% once they show up.
