Back to boot camp?

Dec.24th


There are boot camps and there are boot camps






If you must play, decide upon three things at the start: the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time.
-Chinese Proverb


WO du jour:
150 sit ups, 10 sets of 10 reps regrade 24kg. kettlebell rowing and 10 sets of 10 push up.
16kg fig. 8 and catch for 5 min.

What makes a boot camp? Well its to prepare someone to come up to a set of physical and mental standards by some organization. Even in our military, there is big difference in degree of difficulty with the various military organizations in regards to boot camp style training. The marine corps being the most difficult and the air force being the least. Then there are special groups like SEAL's, Rangers, and RCON that bring it to the next level for professional military.

When I was in the military my job was in a construction battalion and had the opportunity to actually help build a obstacle coarse for UDT/SEAL team training facility that was being upgraded . It was not just a set of various obstacles to make the trainees suffer; no, It was carefully designed stations obstacles or physical challenges to prepare the operators for military action they would be confronted with in the performance of their assignments It had a number of sets of physical functions that was non specific to a military operation, but a basic skill sets that can be applied to any number of missions or job performance.

That is the challenge of a boot camp in the preparation of a person for that organization. The obstacles or routines has to prepare the trainee with a skill set prep that can be applied to a wide scope of actives without being specific. We all know most training especially strength training is specific to a skill set. Example, a bench press does not prepare a boxer to be a better boxer by bench pressing although the muscle articulation is the same. So the difficulty in designing a boot camp is what skill sets will be required to cover all aspects or contingencies that a trainee will be confronted with in it wide scope.


The most difficult and comprehensive boot camp I have ever observed was in southern France for the French Foreign Legion. It was not for "boots" or beginners but for operators who was ready to continue to bring their fitness to the next level based on the Foreign Legion standards(march or die). Physically the coarse would be a challenge anyone what walks to the max. It as made up of obstacles that were constant with the most difficult environments anywhere in the world. It was just breath taking to just watch people go through this system.

Hopefully at the end of any Boot camp, the participant's are given the basic tools, but its up to the newbie to maintain the elements they learned during their training. The unfortunate fact, that few maintain or improve their assets at the level of most boot camps. I don't know, but it must be the most need some negative or positive coaching to keep going.

Now since the fitness industry has embraced the concept of boot camp as a way to get more people fit and get better results that most of the fitness business is currently achieving. Here are a few considerations.


1. Boot camp preparation and participation is a short term span of training at a intense level that is performed most of the time under "negative motivation". That means someone basically leads,coaches, intimidates ,humiliates, the "boots" through exercise and obstacles that you may not do on your own.

2. Since you are not doing self exercise, you are relaying on the instructor to maintain your physical level in regards to intensity and conditioning and above all safety. Instructors has to keep the process intense without injuring participants. monitoring of each persons performance in not easy, as most don't want to convey that they are in trouble or letting the group down. Instructors should be able to perform all the routines that the 'boots" do you can evaluate the workload applied to the training. The boot camp instructors on TV are mostly the "roid-boy", high body mass types, who could not do 10 pull ups if there live were on the line.

3. most boot camps in a military context is done with males or females between the pages of 18-25 years old. So if you are a 45 year old male, or a 35 year old female, you have to consider your fitness potential and current conditioning. Having a check up/evaluation or be honest as to how much physical exercise you can accommodate. Boot camps can be very intense and you may even put more effort just to hang with the group.

4. Boot camp session are usually 4-12 weeks gradually increasing the work capacity. then there is a taper period before another session is done again.

5. there is some positive group dynamics during the exercises that helps the instructor push the intency or work capacity, which you would not see in an normal exercise class or individual program.

6. boot camp exercise can be a fun and effective way to crank up your fitness, or improve your body composition is a short time span. usually results can be seen quickly so it can become addictive form of exercise for those who can't push themselves.

And above all have a great day suffering and remember this mission is sacred.