New workouts and fad fitness classes seem to pop up over night. Every week there seems to be a new trendy workout, but sometimes sticking to the basics is the best way to go.
When in doubt, take a cue from our local servicemen with good old-fashioned Bootcamp. What is Bootcamp? Well for starters, it's intervals between running and weight training. It's an intense workout that leaves you breathless, but with toned abs and chiseled legs.
Bootcamp challenges every muscle in your body and with little rest in between each set; you're bound to feel the burn and intensity. By constantly moving for an hour, your body has no time to rest, therefore your burning hundreds of calories, even when you stop. It's a way to challenge your body and mind into doing a workout, which leaves no prisoners.
It's for the strong, the weak, the fit, and the not so fit. There is no discrimination, as long as you have the will to finish what you started. The benefits of bootcamp are astonishing and even if you don't have a local gym or facility that offers these types of classes, you can still get a bootcamp workout on your own.
Torch Calories
Bootcamp classes are a great way to torch calories. Most places, such as Barry's Bootcamp, shut the doors and cut the air conditioning, which leaves you feeling like you're working out in the desert. At first it's challenging, but once the sweat starts to pour down your face, you realize the combination of the heavy heat and constant repetitions is doing your body a favor.
You're moving constantly, at a rapid motion, which burns major calories and you can usually expect to burn between 500 to 600 calories during one hour long session. By doing high intensity intervals of strength training, mixed with bursts of cardio, gives you a total body workout and torches fat.
Cardio and Weights
Most classes involve using treadmills and hand weights. In an hour, you're getting your cardio fix as well as toning your muscles with strength training. That's a plus for those who dread doing cardio because even though the cardio session in the class might be shorter than what you're used to doing on your own, the intensity is at a higher level.
You're still burning just as many calories, if not more. Mixing it up between cardio and strength training is essential for weight loss because you need the fat burning cardio paired with the muscle building training to get the results you want.
Build Confidence
Once you finish your first class, clothes drenched in sweat, heard pounding and muscles fatigued, you'll get that burst of energy and confidence when you realize what you just endured and completed. Getting through a challenging workout builds confidence and self esteem. Look into yourself and realize that you just did something so good for your body and mind.
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