Coming up with fresh ideas for bootcamp workouts is a tough task, especially if you're taking lots of bootcamp classes each week.
Today I want to share a few ideas that will help you develop new ideas for bootcamp workouts without breaking a sweat.
This is important because it's difficult running a business when you're constantly looking for fun stuff to do with your group.
Searching for new bootcamp ideas all the time can be a huge distraction, and if you can save that time and effort, all the better.
7 Fun Ideas For Bootcamp Workouts
#1: Recycle your bootcamp plans
If you've been training for any length of time, you should already have a ton of workouts written down that you've already used. You can recycle these workouts by changing them up. Let me give you a few example.
Ex 1: Let's say one of your old workouts is a basic 30 minutes AMRAP using six exercises. This time you might switch out the exercises and include a time limit for completion. So you might call the workout, beat the clock. So as you can see, I turned a basic AMRAP workout into a time-based challenge.
Ex 2: Let's say one of your old workouts is a kettlebell Tabata using 4 different exercises. Instead of completing each exercise for a 4-minute Tabata one at a time with a rest between exercises. Instead, you complete the challenge straight through by setting your interval timer for 32 rounds of 20/10 (8 rounds per exercise). Simple eh?
Ex 3: Let's say one of your old workouts is a simple 6 station circuit completed for 1-minute per station three times through. After each complete exercise, players flip a coin (place coins at each station). Players that flip a head are safe. Players that flip a tail complete 1 lap of the circuit. It's a simple way to make a circuit run.
Ex 4: Let's say one of your old workouts is an EMOM workout (every minute on the minute). You can change it to EMOM (even minutes, odd minutes). For example.
Set your timer for 20-minutes. Odd minutes complete burpees, and on the even minutes complete slams using a slam ball. I've done this drill, and it's tough.
#2: Mix And Match Drills
Another way to develop new ideas for bootcamp workouts is to mix and match your existing drills. Instead of building new workouts from scratch, take what you already have and see what you can create. It's a bit like lego.
Here's what I mean.
Before I started the Workout Design Club (an online workout builder for bootcamp trainers), I kept my workouts categorised in Google Drive folders. I.e.
From there, all I had to do was choose the type of workout I wanted and mix and match the relevant drills. It was quick and simple, and over time (at my own pace), I added new drills to the folders as I went along.
Covid Friendly Ideas For Bootcamp Workouts
Because of Covid, most bootcamps are now required to keep their clients 1-2 metres apart. This means that we have to re-think our group programme design.
Here are some covid friendly ideas for bootcamp workouts that you can plug into your next group fitness session.
If your clients work at the same intensity session to session, they're not going to improve much. Thats why it's a good idea to include bootcamp drills that force players to dig deep and work harder. Makes sense, right?
Here's a format I call the Tower of Terror, a simple finisher drill that encourages friendly competition. Although I'm using burpees for this example, you can use pretty much any exercise.
Here's the tower.
20-20
19-19
18-18
17-17
16-16
15-15
14-14
13-13
12-12
11-11
10-10
9-9
8-8
7-7
6-6
5-5
4-4
3-3
2-2
1-1
Version 1: Partner players up in teams of 2. Pair weaker players with stronger players where possible to balance out the different abilities.
Partner 1 completes 1 burpee, then partner 2 completes 1 burpee. (1-1)
Partner 1 completes 2 burpees, then partner 2 completes 2 burpees. (2-2)
Partner 1 completes 3 burpees, then partner 2 completes 3 burpees. (3-3)
And so on.
Teams have 13-minutes to climb the tower as high as they can. The team that climbs the highest wins the game. If a team finishes before the time is up (highly unlikely using burpees), the game is over, and that team wins.
Version 2: If you decide to play this challenge with an easier exercise, say squats, sit-ups or push-ups. The first team to get to the top of the tower (20-20) wins. There is no time limit.
The next time you design a bootcamp drill, whether it's a team game, circuit, partner drill, finisher etc, see if you can include an element that encourages players to work out of their comfort zone.
It can make all the difference.
Audio Based Ideas For Bootcamp Workouts That Are Fun And Challenging
When I went through the selection process (PRMC) to join the British Royal Marines, the fitness side of things (as you can image) was extremely tough.
Before you can start basic training (which last for 8-months), you have to pass a physically and mentally demanding five-day selection course that pushes you to the limit and shows that you have the attributes, as well as the unique state of mind, required to be a Royal Marines Commando.
During the PRMC, I remember doing the push-up beep test which I quite enjoyed, mainly because I love doing push-ups. However, these type of push-ups where different. Hands in close to the chest, lower the body 1 inch from the ground, then push back up again with a full extension of the arms.
Download: First I want to give you the audio to the Push-up beep test, so you can do it with your clients. Then I want to share a video I found on YouTube of somebody completing the test with proper form.
This push-up beep test goes to 100 push-ups, where as the one in the video stops at 60. ---> Click here to download. Once the page opens, click on the 3 dots and hit download.
Want More Fun Ideas For Bootcamp Workouts?
There's a purpose behind every single drill and workout concept that goes into the Workout Design Club. Thats why it's easy to build result focused workouts that are both fun and entertaining.
If you want to design better workouts for your clients, join the Workout Design Club today and give your clients a better experience.