If you hangout with people who go to the gym, you would have definitely heard of the term ‘fitness boot camp’. These workouts have been around for a while, but their popularity has surged in recent years. A lot of its popularity can be attributed to the COVID pandemic. COVID pandemic moved people to focus on their personal health. COVID has brought the importance of physical and mental fitness to the forefront of people’s consciousness. According to a recent survey by Vida Health, there has been an increase in healthy activity since the onset of the pandemic in early March with daily exercise minutes having been increased by 43%.
The end of pandemic witnessed a surge in the popularity of fitness boot camps too. Shuttered fitness studios and gyms had made people look for alternative options for exercising. Initially, online fitness boot camps came to life with people joining classes through streaming platforms with many celebrities taking open challenging and streaming their work out on Insta or Facebook live. Now, as things start returning back to normal, offline boot camps have also started gaining traction.
Popularity of boot camps in America
Fitness boot camps continues to remain one of the most popular fitness trend in the world, topping the list two times in last ten years. The reason behind ever increasing popularity of fitness boot camps happens to be its efficient, recreational and time saving approach. According to ACE, boot camp workouts are popular because they provide a total-body workout that is varied, entertaining, and challenging. During a session, participants can burn up to 600 calories. Participants get strength workout in addition to a cardiovascular workout by doing high- and low-intensity exercises including pushes, squats, and lunges.
Other than that, as economy shows no signs of improving, more and more people are will cut costs to stay in shape. In a poll of ACE-certified professionals, 48 percent predicted that gym memberships would decline and 52 percent predicted that fewer people would engage personal trainers. With additional benefits than conventional workout and cost saving, boot camps continue to surge in popularity. Acknowledging an increase in popularity of circuit training, many gyms are even setting up their own circuits to allow their members an easy path to fitness.
History of Boot Camps
The phrase "boot camp" was coined during American-Spanish war. Due to the fact that military recruits in the United States wore "boots," their training camp became known as fitness boot camp. The fitness craze of boot camp originated in the mid-1980s with the publication of an audio cassette work out devised by a Marine Corps drill instructor, but it truly took off in the late1990s when gyms began offering fitness boot camp as a class. Fitness boot camp has now become a popular class at gyms across the United States and worldwide.
What is a fitness boot camp?
A fitness boot camp follows the same principles as a military boot camp, focusing on calisthenics, body weight exercises, strength training, and interval training. Thus, for people seeking thrill and adventure, it’s often alluring and exciting to be part of one! Boot camp workouts can be conducted as specific fitness class conducted on a regular basis at a gym or as a separate six-to-eight-week classes at a gym or in conjunction with a gym but outside. The exercises are designed to burn calories quickly while also improving fitness and strength.
Why bootcamp workouts are so famous?
Boot camps are basically, training outdoors in a small group under the strict supervision of a trainer and they are very ‘popular’. There are reasons for its popularity:
1. You get to ‘get out from the gym: Well, gym is fun but over time it does gets boring. It no more appears challenging or thrilling and when your body demands some extra adrenaline, boot camps can be your escape. Boot camps are held outside in all types of weather. Many boot camp participants choose outdoor training over indoor training because they prefer the fresh air to the air-conditioned or even stuffy environment of the gym.
2. Saves you money: Money is the honey and boot camps are actually very cost effective. They cost much less than sky touching gym memberships and they are more fun and thrilling. At a boot camp, the participants virtually share the costs for a personal trainer. The investment in the mostly very well trained professionals pays off, the training effect is rated higher by many boot camp participants than in the gym. Hence, it a win situation for you.
3. Training together: Exercising ingroups has extra benefits. When you train with people who have some aspirations as you, you are surely going to get motivated or little jealous but the out come is going to be positive for you. Exercising with a group can take your fitness to the next level, according to one study, 95% of people who started a weight-loss programme with friends finished it. In addition, the friend group was 43 percent more likely to maintain their weight loss. Fitness instructors who are skilled and knowledgeable frequently lead outdoor boot camps.
4. Something for everyone: In a bootcamp, every participant sets their own expectations and focus for boot camps, whether it's to improve fitness and health, lose weight, or strength train. There can be boot camps hoisted specifically for ladies, solely for men, only for weddings, only for the beach body, and only for young mums pushing a stroller. You may even pay money to have a drill instructor in uniform yell at you and drag you through the mud while speaking in army jargon. There is something for everyone depending upon your personal needs and position.
Starting a successful boot camp program for your gym:
There is no doubt that boot camp training is popular. It can also be a terrific strategy to supplement your fitness business's revenue. There are six crucial considerations you should make before beginning your own boot camp.
1. Location:
One of the most crucial considerations you'll make when launching your boot camp business is where to locate it. While using parks as a free place is an exciting part of a boot camp business, it not necessary that it will come without fees. For hosting group workouts in public spaces, many communities in the United States need permits and charge fees though it is much lower in cost than hiring a gym or studio space, it is still a cost that must be considered into your company strategy. So, what you can do is, before you start running your boot camp, check out your city's Parks and Recreation department's website to learn more:
· If public spaces allow for outdoor workouts,
· Is it necessary to obtain a permit to hold group classes?
· How much will it cost to use the space (if anything)?
The sooner you begin your study, the better it will be as it will give you time to manage your finances accordingly.
2. Equipment :
Getting people to work out ,outside in can be a fantastic approach to offset attendance but transporting equipment to an offsite location might be difficult. Even for small sessions, something as simple as 10-pound dumbbells adds up rapidly. So, it’s wise to make use of your talents as a personal trainer or fitness instructor, as well as your surroundings. A terrific workout can be as simple as combining cardio, bodyweight movements, and partner activities. You should also consider the challenges of transporting heavy equipment to your boot camp location, in addition to the cost of new equipment. Spending a lot of money on brand new equipment while you're just starting out is also not a good idea.
The IDEA Health& Fitness Association writes, "Boot camps are portable in nature, and the equipment you purchase ought to reflect this. They recommend that instructors focus on exercises that use a participant's body weight and look for equipment that is basic, lightweight, and versatile. Push-ups, jumps (star jumps, tuck jumps, box jumps using a bench or ledge, jumping jacks, broad jumps, etc.), squats, planks, sit-ups, jogging, ands prints are all excellent equipment-free exercises.
3. Pricing :
It might be difficult to find a pricing strategy that works for you and your company. Establish a reasonable fee for your services and stick to it. It's totally up to you whether you give a single free session, a pay-as-you-go method, or a 10-week program to get clients in shape. While pay-as-you-go is a terrific way to attract new employees, you should ideally get cash flow up front. This is where an eight- or ten-week program comes in handy.
Also, it’s important to understand that it’s the number of people who are going to give you a high turnover. Group training costs are normally a lot cheaper than an individual personal training session. So, the big question; how much could you actually earn by doing things this way? So, if you charge $10 per session on pay as you go and you run the boot camp twice a week for 8 weeks, you will give the potential clients an incentive to bulk buy your sessions in advance. Hence, for your gym and fitness career it’s going to a golden egg.
4. Insurance :
If you own a fitness business, check with your insurance provider to see if hosting an offsite group class is covered under your current policy. Meet with an insurance professional to understand what type of coverage you'll need if a boot camp is the first stage in your strategy to launch a fitness business. Making sure you're insured to teach a boot camp is an important part of your preparation. Fitness teacher insurance is reasonably priced, costing roughly$175 for a year's worth of coverage. Remember to sign a release to protect yourself from being held accountable for any injuries sustained during your boot camp.
5. Admin Tasks :
Once you are in a fitness business, you cannot possibly skip the administrative tasks. You have to keep record of check-ins and payments, as well as maintain track of clients and subscriptions. Create a system to assist you in managing all aspects of your, organization. You can keep track of critical documents and manage your clients all in one location with the correct technology. The goal is to make the procedure as simple as possible while offering the greatest possible service to your customers. For this you can take help of fitness business management apps like Bookee. Bookee is a modern, industry best software to manage your fitness business conveniently and hustle free. Your firm will appear professional from the start if your clients can quickly pay for your classes, book through your website, or check out the class calendar and Bookee provides an accessible and user friendly interface to your customers.
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6. Marketing :
When it comes to promoting your bootcamp, word of mouth and success stories is what will drive your fitness business. While you can notify current members of the new programme via in-class announcements and member emails, you can also utilize your boot camp to reach out to potential members in your area. A boot camp is a far less expensive option than a gym membership, and it could be the ideal method to introduce new people to your programme. Create targeted Facebook advertisements and boosted posts to reach people who live near your gym and the park where the boot camp will be held.
Create a landing page or webpage on your website to promote the boot camp and include a sign-up form for new visitors. Since, this is an age of social media, you can also make your Facebook and Instagram page and use it to reach potential clients. You can go live during classes and conduct Q/A session or share educational stuff also to keep engaging with clients.
Boot camps are a terrific way to bring in revenue, meet people, and establish a community, whether you want to start your own or supplement your fitness business. Now that you have the tools and steps you need to take, you can start to build a successful outdoor boot camp business.
If you are planning to open your gym, it better to start your journey with Bookee app. Bookee is the best fitness management software laced with industry best features and everything your fitness business might need.
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