Are Boot Camps Effective For Fat Loss?

If you were to ask one hundred people how to lose weight the chances are you'd get a lot of answers crediting fitness boot camps with the secret formula. After all, the HIIT workouts often found at these classes are great for fat loss.

Today we're going to answer the all-important question. Is there more to this training method than just being the next big fitness fad?

The quick answer is yes. Many people often over complicate matters when it comes to working out and boot camps are just the latest in a long line of gimmicks which are really just offering what's existed in gyms around the world for decades already.

In fact, if you stroll into any gym in your local area you will see countless fitness enthusiasts putting the foundations of a boot camp workout into their regular gym routine. Circuit classes have existed for decades. Likewise, high intensity interval training has been around for years. Both principles are widely adopted by outdoor fitness classes.

So if it's advice which has existed for years already, why are boot camps often billed as miracle weight loss solutions? Quite simply, it all comes down to marketing. By giving something a catchy name and making outrageous claims about the results you can achieve, you'll undoubtedly have something which appeals to a lot of people. This marketing tends to be misleading in a lot of cases, as it's often aimed at individuals who have never exercised before, with promises of instant results.



While the general marketing behind boot camps tend to be quite misleading, the theories the style of training is built upon are actually very solid. Any high intensity interval training workout is going to get your blood pumping and your heart reaching the upper scales of it's ability. This will lead to weight loss and will improve your fitness. If you incorporate resistance training into the routine, which most trainers do, then you will also notice an increase in strength, too.

All of the hype surrounding this type of training, which is often merely a company's attempt at competing with it's rivals, can lead to the whole thing being labelled a fitness fad. Yet the workouts themselves are proven and they tend to stick to the basic exercises such as squats and push-ups.

The biggest problem boot camp classes face is customer retention. While some of this comes down to the fact that they often target their marketing efforts at individuals who are looking for a quick fix, who therefore quit quite fast, there is also a problem with people who actually see results. It doesn't take long for an individual who is serious about his or her fitness to realize they could get just as good a workout without paying for a class. This is why boot camps begin hyping up the group atmosphere they offer, trying to get members to work together as a team in a bid to keep them coming in.

If you are trying to discover how to lose weight effectively you will probably see boot camp classes in your local area quite regularly. Overall, the HIIT workouts they offer are proven to work but are ultimately something which you could do yourself. You should base your decision on how much you think you need a group atmosphere while working out.

About the Author: By Howe Russ

About the author: Russ Howe PTI is England's most followed fitness instructor. He has taught thousands of gym members how to lose weight , introducing many to hiit workouts on a daily basis.