7 Reasons Why Boot Camp Workouts Are Better Than Cardio?
If you’re like me and hate jumping on a treadmill for an hour every day, try using a Boot Camp style workout instead.
Fitness Boot Camps (not to be confused with Military Boot Camps–TRUST ME. DON’T MAKE THAT MISTAKE ? ) use a unique training formula known as “HIIT”.
This stands for High Intensity Interval Training.
Many of our Boot Camp and Fitness Kickboxing members who take our classes never even know that what they’re doing is based on the HIIT training protocol.
There’s a lot to it, but basically you want to alternate short bursts of high intensity exercise with brief periods of rest.
Mixing in short sprints while you jog is a good example.
So, what makes a Boot Camp or Fitness Kickboxing class better than “doing cardio”?
1. Burn more calories in less time.
By doing short bursts of exercise mixed with rest, you shoot your calorie-burning through the roof!
Even during the brief rests, the calorie-burning never drops down much before you’re doing another burst of exercise.
This is why you burn more calories compared to regular cardio workouts like jogging.
And the workouts HAVE to be shorter in order for them to work, or else you won’t be able to give it your all the entire time.
I don’t know about you, but I’m a busy guy. I love the fact that a Boot Camp workout is both shorter and more effective at burning fat than cardio.
2. Build muscle –> Burn fat even while you sleep.
Boot Camp workouts involve resistance training. This makes you stronger and adds muscle tone to your body.
And the best part about adding muscle is that your body has to burn fat in order to keep it there.
So you burn more calories constantly, even while you sleep.
In fact, just adding 2 lbs of muscle can be equal to an extra 30 min workout every week.
3. “Healthy” looks better than “skinny”.
I know some of you were reading the last point and thinking, “But I don’t want to look like this”:
Luckily, unless a woman trains like a Bodybuilder (and enlists the help of certain illegal substances), she lacks the testosterone needed to “pack on the big guns”.
However, strength training DOES add tone to a woman’s figure–giving her a round butt, firm stomach, and defined arms that many women want.
Cardio doesn’t.
Cardio does the opposite.
4. Cardio causes chronic-stress injuries & imbalances.
When you do the same thing for 30-90 mins every day, your body eventually wears out.
Cardio exercise leads to chronic fractures that build up over time (I speak from experience, having developed shin splints when I was younger from too much running).
Boot Camp classes are always different and challenge your body in completely different and new ways, so that your body is always building instead of being broken down.
5. Functional Training makes life easier.
Running is good for one thing–being able to run.
So, as far as helping you in real life, lets see…
You could:
1. Run from a mugger
2. Run from an intruder
3. Chase down a mugger or intruder
4. Mug somebody and get away
(Btw, I play. Honestly, I love going down to the Lake and getting in a nice run now and then.)
Boot Camp workouts use what are called “Functional Movements”. This means it uses movements that you use every day or frequently.
Whether it’s carrying your groceries up the stairs, bending over to pick up a child, or rearrange your furniture, Boot Camp makes it easier.
6. Boot Camp workouts create the “Afterburn” effect.
Welcome to the holy grail of fitness.
When you rev your engine so high with a Boot Camp style workout, it takes a loooong time for it to slow back down again.
In other words, your body’s metabolism continues to run fast, burning extra calories well after your workout.
How much longer?
Possibly up to 48 hrs–you could still be reaping the benefits of that one workout.
7. The variety of a Boot Camp keeps you from hitting plateaus.
Variety not only kills boredom.
It keeps your body guessing, too.
This means you always keep improving, losing weight, and moving closer to your goals.
And working out is always a lot more fun when you see yourself making constant progress.
So, if you like the sound of all of that, start adding in some Boot Camp style HIIT into your workouts!
Coach Forrest