A lot of people are interested in attending & training fitness boot camps. Not only do they produce great results for clients, but they have great earning potential for boot camp instructors. I would like to go over some of the steps that need to be considered if you want to run a fitness boot camp.
One of the first decisions is to identify the population you want to train and market to. You might not think this, but marketing to your population is just as important as training your population. If you cannot get individuals to your fitness boot camp, your company is pointless. For now we will focus on training and save marketing for another article.
The hardest part of being a boot camp instructor is designing programs for your participants. You need to design a program that will be challenging enough for all participants. Participants come in all shapes and sizes, fitness levels, ages, and disabilities. Some participants can easily complete an exercise, lets say a squat, but others will have a very hard time properly completing one squat. One idea you should consider, as a boot camp instructor, is to separate your participants by fitness level. One class could be for new members and another for your veterans. If you do not have enough time, or campers, to have separate camps, try to spend a little extra time with your new campers so they perform the exercises correctly.
Another aspect you need to consider are the potential disabilities of your participants. As the boot camp instructor, you should have all your participants fill out Physical Activity Readiness - Questionnaire (PAR-Q) before participating in your fitness boot camp. The PAR-Q will help determine whether your participants should see a physician before beginning an exercise program. All participants should see a physician when beginning an exercise program, but the PAR-Q will help you, the boot camp instructor, decide whether you should continue training the participant or refer them. Once you examine the completed PAR-Q, you should have a conversation with them about their pre-existing injuries or problems. Most people have had some sort of previous knee or shoulder injury, that could potential limit them participating in your fitness boot camp.
When designing your program, you need to keep in mind all of your participants injuries and limitations. You will need to provide exercise modifications to all participants with previous injuries. This is very important for numerous reasons: 1) If you don't provide modifications, the participants will not return to your classes, or refer potential members to you 2) Participants with injuries still need to exercise and they want to exercise 3) Designing modifications so all participant can exercise together is good for building team camaraderie and not leaving anyone out. It is never a good idea to have a participant not exercising while everybody else is sweating.
Another aspect to consider is the goal of your participant. Most of your member's goals will be similar (weight loss, increase lean muscle mass, & meet new participants) but it is highly recommended that you find more specific goals from your clients. A specific goal may be to run a 5k faster (or run the entire race) or to lose an inch around the waist. Once you know your participants goals, you can design your program around their goals and explain why your program will help them meet their goals.
Christopher Sunseri, MS Candidate, BS Nutrition, NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer. Chris is the owner and lead trainer of Camp Hurricane - Houston's Premier Boot Camp Experience. Chris is also a fitness specialist for Cooper Aerobics - Devon Energy Houston, TX
Please visit camphurricane.com for information on boot camps in the Houston Area.
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