Should You Steer Clear of Bootcamp Workouts? ...

Bootcamp style workouts are extremely intense and help you drop weight quickly. However, they're not for everyone. In fact, there are numerous reasons to avoid the highly popular bootcamp style workouts. For many, these workouts are worse than not exercising at all. If they work for you, that's great. If you don't feel comfortable with them, it's okay to try a different workout.

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1. Too Intense for Most

Many people who try bootcamp style workouts aren't used to intense training. Bootcamp isn't easy or fun. Jumping into a workout designed to get you ready for war without any prior experience is a great way to injure yourself. The activities are simply too rigorous for muscles more used to casual exercise. It's even worse because bootcamp workouts usually last for days or even weeks without any breaks.

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Diving headfirst into this highly demanding routine can be a shock to the system, causing fatigue and increasing the likelihood of sprains and other injuries. It's essential, especially for women with jam-packed schedules and bodies that may have specific needs, to ease into any fitness regimen. Moreover, it's vital to acknowledge that everyone's fitness journey is unique, and a one-size-fits-all intensive program like bootcamp might not suit those with particular health considerations or personal fitness goals. Consulting with fitness professionals can help tailor a safer, effective workout plan.

2. Makes You Hate Exercise

This style of workout is anything but fun. Yes, please yell at me while I try to get into shape. I don't think so. Struggling to make it through workouts and being yelled at isn't exactly motivating. Exercise doesn't have to be a pain. It can be fun. If you don't enjoy anything about the workout, you'll hate it. Then you'll associate that hatred with all exercise and work out even less than before.

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3. You Need to Rest

Your body needs time to recover after any major exercise. A little soreness is fine, but pushing yourself through intense workouts day after day with no breaks doesn't give your muscles any time to heal. Soreness means you've stretched and possibly even made small tears in your muscles. Even die hard fitness buffs vary their intensity to give their muscles time to adjust and strengthen as they start new workouts.

4. Exhaustion Doesn't Equal Fit

Naturally, you'll be tired after a great workout. If you're not used to bootcamp workouts, you'll be absolutely exhausted after the first day. Working yourself to the point of exhaustion for days on end isn't healthy. Think of it like not getting enough sleep. You don't feel good as a result. Being truly exhausted for hours after working out doesn't equal fitness. It just means you need a less intense workout.

5. Results Are Temporary

I know many women who've tried these workouts just to fit in a dress for a special occasion. They lose weight and tone up. However, if they don't keep working out regularly, they gain all that weight back quickly. Stopping an intense workout suddenly and dropping back to a casual run or yoga isn't enough to keep you where you want to be. Basically, bootcamp workouts are like yo-yo dieting. It works for now, but not for long.

6. You Feel like a Loser

I've never personally tried the bootcamp style routines. I've had plenty of success with interval training, yoga, running and other options. Many of my friends have tried it. Day after day, they felt disappointed in themselves. No matter how well they did, they were told they needed to do better. Instead of feeling motivated, they felt like losers. It was hard to watch them killing themselves and not taking any pride in it. Other than fitting into a dress, they felt horrible about themselves.

7. Requires You to Be Healthy

If you have any medical conditions, bootcamp workouts probably aren't a good idea. There's a reason the military requires a physical before accepting recruits. The ultra intense workouts are too harsh for many medical conditions. Unless you're completely healthy or you consult a doctor first, it might be better to try another option. You can get the same results without hurting yourself by gradually increasing your intensity over time.

If you love bootcamp workouts, do them and have fun. If you don't like feeling like crap at the end of every workout and want a more enjoyable option, check with your local gym for fun fitness classes for every level of fitness. What is your experience with these workouts?

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Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

This is very biased

I don't enjoy boot camp, but some of my friends love it. To each her own!

Dont agree with the post. I've done bootcamp style exercise numerous times and i enjoyed it. Of course its not for everyone but lots of stuff its like anything else. Also she states thats its very intense and dangerous, it is intense but for any exercise u need to start slowly.

This article is full of misleading information. First of all she states that you have to do it everyday with no rest. No you do not. You are not in the military. They she says that it is extremely rigourpus and intense, so the average person can't do it. If you have a good instructor, he or she will modify exercises for you and start you off at an easier level. Then she says that bootcamp involves getting yelled at and that people feel like losers. What rubbish, I yell encouragement at my class,not insults. Then she compares it to yoyo dieting. Well, like any form of exercise, if you stop doing it, you may gain weight. She has never evendone a class, not even to research for her article. First understand the subject, research it, then write an article and try to educate others about it.

"I've never personally tried the bootcamp style routines" yet the writer is telling people not to try something. It's just like saying my friend had a bad experience with hot yoga, hot yoga must suck then! That is absolutely absurd. I do every single form of exercise, from yoga to cross fit to HIIT and I must say that if you aren't enjoying the workout and you feel exhausted afterwards then you're doing something wrong or you have the wrong teacher.

My 8 weeks of active duty boot camp was more than enough!

This post is absurd. No matter what form of exercise you do, boot camp or not, you'll gain wait if you don't keep up with it. Don't overdo yourself, as that again goes for any type of workout. Also, don't hurt yourself, but it's great to take time to rest because of a hard workout. One last note, it's perfectly fine to not enjoy or want to try a boot camp style workout, but the reasons being given are completely ridiculous.

I have to agree with this post.

I don't agree with the post at all

The author states she has never done a bootcamp...so how can she write this? The bootcamps I've done haven't involved degrading me or working me to exhaustion, they've been circuits and someone trying to help me do the best I can...

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