FitSugar

Are You Competitive When You Work Out?

Michele Foley — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:20:24 PDT

I recently took one of Crunch Gym's newest classes - Killer X, an intense bootcamp-style class. As soon as the class started, the instructor wasted no time laying into us. After barking out a series of old-school exercises (push-ups, squats, lunges, etc.), he broke the class up into four groups and made us compete against one another. Suddenly I was reliving the horror of high school P.E. The next 30 minutes of class consisted of relay sprints, side-by-side push-ups, and more of the like. All the while, the instructor was hovering over us and yelling - I wanted to crawl into a hole.

A new study says that competition helps athletes perform better - I am not one of them. In fact, it was quite the opposite for me. I love exercising, I love going to fitness classes, and I love pushing myself. But the minute I was asked to compete against another person, my performance waned. Not the case for everyone in the class. Many of the participants seemed to be high off the competitive energy, even going as far as yelling each other on.

Boot Camp For Beginners: 7 Things You Should Know

Anna Monette Roberts — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 13:45:40 PDT

I prefer Pilates and dance classes over high-intensity workouts, but a few weeks ago, I decided to try out my gym's bootcamp class. Thinking "boot camp" would consist of a bunch of girls doing some squats and jogging around the room, I figured I could handle it no problem. You can imagine my shock when I entered a room full of beefy men and started sweating profusely within the first five minutes of class as the tough instructor with a buzz cut barked a series of training exercises that had me gasping for breath.

For the next hour, I felt as humiliated and weak as a middle school football player, and even a few classmates gave me supportive high fives as I consecutively came in last place on the relays, outside sprints, and mat sequences. For the next week, my entire body ached, and I could have given up all together. However, I decided to persevere and attend the next class better prepared. The second class, I felt a million times stronger and more resilient, and now I'm on a total bootcamp kick. If you are considering taking your first bootcamp class, feel prepared and confident to dominate this intense workout by following my tips.

Barry's Bootcamp's Joey Gonzalez on Why Your Workout Isn't Working

Shape — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:05:07 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

Barry's Bootcamp (BBC), the high-intensity workout that helps celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Jessica Alba, and Jake Gyllenhaal stay in amazing shape, has opened its first East Coast location in Manhattan! The studio is known for its nightclub-meets-boot-camp-style during hour-long classes that mix strength training with treadmill intervals. The result is a high-intensity workout that burns fat (up to 1,000 calories per class) and tones muscles.

In an exclusive interview with Shape.com, Barry's Bootcamp co-president Joey Gonzalez reveals where he thinks most women's workouts go wrong - and what they can do to fix it.

Common Misconceptions: Where Your Workout Goes Wrong

1. You do one or the other: cardio or body sculpting. "Don’t get me wrong, half of our class is cardiovascular, but the strength training is equally as important, and that's really what helps kick metabolism into high gear," Gonzalez says.

2. You ignore weights. "What you're doing when working out is building muscle, and muscle is an integral part of actually burning calories throughout the day. With weights, your body is burning 'x' amount of calories more an hour than it was before you did it - and that’s not true of cardio. That’s why women who tend to use weights and bring it into their regular exercise program are not only stronger and healthier, but on average have better bodies. If you touch their arms they're strong, they're not soft. Women complain about 'flarm' (laughs), the flabby arm area, and, really, the best way to target that is working your triceps."

See the rest of Joey's tips after the break!

The 12 Boot Camp Moves of Christmas

Self — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 08:00:30 PST

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Self here on FitSugar!

If all of the eating and drinking of this holiday season has made your waistline a bit merrier, take action now. End this year on a lighter, more toned note by incorporating top boot camp moves from former Marines, Alex Fell and Ruben Belliard of Warrior Fitness Boot Camp, into your workouts. Get ready for fat-blasting cardio and tough total-body strength training.

Jumping Jacks: 25 repetitions

Stand with your feet together hands at your sides. In one motion, jump and spread your feet apart while raising your arms up from your sides. Clap your hands together above your head and bring them back down to your side while bringing your feet together. Repeat. It should be 1 fluid motion.
Traditional Push Ups: 10 reps
Upper body and core exercise. Hold the push up position and lower your body to the ground until your biceps are parallel to the floor. Then push up. Do the Push Up on your knees if you are a beginner and off your knees if you are more advanced.

Learn the next 10 moves when you keep reading.

Exercises and Tips From a Boot Camp Instructor

Michele Bell — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 04:30:40 PST

Are you a hup, two kind of gal? Ladies who like to take their exercise to the extreme levels often enjoy a round of boot camp every now and then - or even every day. Then there are others who would like to participate in such a class but don't have the time or confidence for such endeavors. If you'd like to get out there and give it a test run before committing to such a dutiful ritual, you can set up your own version of boot camp to gear yourself up for the real deal.

My brother-in-law, a half Ironman triathlete, marathon runner, athlete to boot, also participates in a boot camp where he leads the group in their sunrise ritual. Here are a few exercises and pointers he likes to employ among his "troops."

Exercises:

Start in a kneeling position on the ground and jump up to your feet. Then, jump in the air and bring your knees to your chest. Do this 10 times.
Time for sprints! Do one 100-meter sprint followed up by one 200-meter sprint and then one 400-meter sprint. This is easiest if done on a track as it's already measured out for you.
You'll need a partner for this exercise: One person does 50 full sit-ups (not crunches) while the other plants her hands on the feet and steadies herself in a plank position. Switch positions and repeat.
Do 50 push-ups. If you must, do them on your knees and try not to take rest breaks.
Finally, gear up by marching high knees for 30 seconds. Back it up with butt kicks on the way back.

Do this whole routine three times with water breaks in between.

To see his bits of advice, just

Pilates or Boot Camps?

Susi May — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 03:47:27 PST

The American College of Sports Medicine recently released its predictions on the hottest fitness trends for next year. For the first time in three years, Pilates did not make the list. Fitness experts cite the expense as one of the reasons the popularity of Pilates is waning. The large and costly equipment, like the Reformer and the Cadillac (even the name sounds pricey), of Pilates drives the price up where boot camps, which use little or nor equipment, are more affordable. Then there is also the degree of difficulty; one gym owner told MSNBC that the learning curve on the mind-body exercise was too steep.

These days, I am a fan of both types of fitness. I have found that Pilates makes everything better, but I love the physical intensity of boot camps. I am curious which of these types of exercise you do more.

Turn a Hike Into a Mini Boot Camp

FitSugar — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 03:47:04 PDT

While hiking in the Sequoia National Forest recently, I was inspired by a post from the Get Fit For 2010 community group. FitSugar reader caffeinecaptain adds variety to her workout by turning a nearby playground into an outdoor gym. I thought, "what the heck, I'm turning this hike into my own mini boot camp!" By the time I reached the end of the trail, I was feeling pretty worked. I was also pretty elated: exercising outdoors boots self-esteem levels, and it's good for the planet! Here's how I turned my weekend hike into a kick-ass boot camp:

Plyometrics. Adding up and down movement to a hike adds a new level of intensity. I included short intervals of skipping and hopping, which helps engage muscle groups that may not be used otherwise. To really step things up, I also did short bursts of trail running.
Make use of trees and boulders. It's amazing how easy it is to turn nature into gym equipment. Do incline push-ups off of trees, and use boulders for triceps dips.
Why walk when you can lunge? Really challenge yourself when hiking up an incline by doing a set of walking lunges. Work your arms by using rocks as dumbbells to add bicep curls or lateral raises.

Have You Enrolled in a Boot Camp?

FitSugar — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:00:00 PDT

Though boot-camp-style fitness was a trend to watch back in 2009, the craze isn't going away. In fact, boot camps are bigger than ever. We've got tons of these outdoor group workout programs in SF - CrossFit, VyAyr, BodyFi, and more - and their popularity is spreading nationwide.

Boot camps are a great way to get outside and get motivated, plus they're a great switchup if you're a Pilates practitioner. Have you ever enrolled in a boot camp?

Vanessa Hudgens Joins the Military

FitSugar — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 12:00:33 PDT

High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens skipped the fancy trainers and went straight to the Navy Seals for a boot camp workout. The actress, 21, told People Magazine that training with the elite special forces was the "most intense thing that anyone could ever do." In preparation for her role in Sucker Punch - a 1950s era action flick - Vanessa trained with the Seals for five months.

"I was bawling my eyes out because they push you so hard," she said. "But it’s amazing what you find from it. When you go so far you find a certain Zen within that and you know you can do anything. It’s very empowering."

In the film we'll get to see an edgier side of Vanessa: "I walk around with the biggest guns you have ever seen." Though she may have been crying her eyes out by the end of the workouts, Vanessa says that training with the Seals has helped her prepare for the role, both mentally and physically. Tell me, has a workout ever pushed you to tears?

Fitness Switchup: Boot Camp Instead of Pilates

FitSugar — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 03:30:00 PDT

Spring is a time of change, and I think it is a perfect time to switch up your fitness routine. If you're starting to dread your Pilates mat class, might I suggest experimenting with a boot camp of some sort?

Pilates is great for training the small muscles that support your skeleton, while boot camps (like TRX and CrossFit) target the larger muscles. You can put your well trained Pilates posture to work while doing squats and lunges, and challenge your well honed Pilates core in a whole new way. It is a good idea to train your body in a variety of ways to keep yourself injury-free and to prevent workout boredom. Not sure how to find a boot camp? Check out this list of CrossFit affiliates.

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