The Executive Edge

Boot camp is considered the tough-love approach to fitness.

It has been 10 years since boot camp classes made their debut on the fitness scene. Drastically different from the highly choreographed, dance-inspired aerobic classes of the time, boot camp was considered the tough-love approach to fitness. With nary a dance step in sight, participants were put through the exercise wringer performing multiple bouts of high intensity aerobic exercise punctuated by old fashioned calisthenics such as push-ups, sit-ups and squats.

But that wasn't the only thing different about boot camp. Gone was the Lycra-clad 120-pound instructor with the ubiquitous "four-more, three-more" mantra. In her place was an exercise drill sergeant clothed in a pair of army fatigues and white T-shirt complete with a kick-butt attitude and a whistle that signalled business (think of Demi Moore in G.I. Jane).

A decade later, boot camp classes are still around. In fact, you could say that their back-to-basics style is going through a resurgence in popularity. Pushed aside briefly by fads such as Billy Blanks' Tae Bo and Pilates, boot camp is riding a new wave of interest thanks to "reality" shows like The Biggest Loser and Celebrity Boot Camp, both of which feature military-style fitness regimens.

Like the original, today's boot camp classes consist of mainstream calisthenics and high-intensity aerobics exercise (skipping and boxing moves). But with a nod toward the current trend of core conditioning and sport-specific training, the new version also incorporates many of the fundamentals of what is now called functional training — exercises geared to improve the activities of everyday life.

With so many fitness fanatics swearing by this most recent version of the reputedly hard-core workout, the American Council on Exercise commissioned a study to see whether boot camp lived up to its tough guy reputation. Is it really the workout to end all workouts, or is it just another pumped up fitness class that is the current flavour of the month?

Professor John Porcari and graduate student Kirsten Hendrickson, both from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse exercise and health program, directed the study. Six men and six women between the ages of 19 and 29 performed the boot camp workout featured on a 40-minute video intended for home use. Oxygen consumption, calorie burn, heart rate and perceived exertion were monitored throughout the workout.

When the results were analyzed, it was determined that the exercisers burned about 9.8 calories a minute, or about 400 calories during the 40-minute workout.
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"On average, people were working at 77% of heart-rate max, which is considered moderate intensity, but it also gets as high as 91%, meaning that all these boot-camp workouts have peaks and valleys," Porcari stated in an October newsletter published by the American Council on Exercise.

Exercise intensity peaked during the kicking and punching sequences and dipped during the muscular conditioning component, making boot camp a classic example of interval training. And, given its high calorie burn and moderate level of intensity, boot camp can also be used to drop excess pounds.

"I think it's a great workout with great variety," Porcari said. "It's a good combination of aerobic exercise and muscle conditioning and it's much more of a total-body workout than just going out for a run or bicycle ride."

That being said, the author is also quick to note that not all boot camp classes are created equal. To get results similar to those noted by Porcari, look for a workout that has both an aerobic and muscular conditioning component. And while it's normal for the class to fluctuate from high to moderate intensity, make sure that your heart rate doesn't spend too much time in the lower end of your percentage of heart rate max (as defined by 60% or less of 220 minus your age).

Another caveat for all of you who are now madly searching for a boot camp class near you: This is not a workout for someone who is more comfortable holding a remote than a dumbbell. If you show up for a boot camp class with nothing more than enthusiasm to back you up, you're going to end up living to regret you ever read this article. Unless the class is advertised for exercise newbies, spend the next few months getting your body ready to move from a killer set of push-ups to a 90-second bout of skipping performed at the top of your aerobic capacity followed by a set of walking lunges that will have your quads quivering with fatigue.

But if you consider yourself in good shape and thrive on a challenging workout, then give a boot camp class a try.

Feel free to wear an old white cotton T-shirt, which will show off just the right amount of sweat in all the right places. But do everyone a favour and leave the army fatigues and the dog tags at home.

jbarker@videotron.ca
© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service

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It has been 10 years since boot camp classes made their debut on the fitness scene. Drastically different from the highly choreographed, dance-inspired aerobic classes of the time, boot camp was considered the tough-love approach to fitness. With nary a dance step in sight, participants were put through the exercise wringer performing multiple bouts of high intensity aerobic exercise punctuated by old fashioned calisthenics such as push-ups, sit-ups and squats.

But that wasn't the only thing different about boot camp. Gone was the Lycra-clad 120-pound instructor with the ubiquitous "four-more, three-more" mantra. In her place was an exercise drill sergeant clothed in a pair of army fatigues and white T-shirt complete with a kick-butt attitude and a whistle that signaled business (think of Demi Moore in G.I. Jane).

A decade later, boot camp classes are still around. In fact, you could say that their back-to-basics style is going through a resurgence in popularity. Pushed aside briefly by fads such as Billy Blanks' Tae Bo and Pilates, boot camp is riding a new wave of interest thanks to "reality" shows like The Biggest Loser and Celebrity Boot Camp, both of which feature military-style fitness regimens.

Like the original, today's boot camp classes consist of mainstream calisthenics and high-intensity aerobics exercise (skipping and boxing moves). But with a nod toward the current trend of core conditioning and sport-specific training, the new version also incorporates many of the fundamentals of what is now called functional training — exercises geared to improve the activities of everyday life.

With so many fitness fanatics swearing by this most recent version of the reputedly hard-core workout, the American Council on Exercise commissioned a study to see whether boot camp lived up to its tough guy reputation. Is it really the workout to end all workouts, or is it just another pumped up fitness class that is the current flavour of the month?

Professor John Porcari and graduate student Kirsten Hendrickson, both from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse exercise and health program, directed the study. Six men and six women between the ages of 19 and 29 performed the boot camp workout featured on a 40-minute video intended for home use. Oxygen consumption, calorie burn, heart rate and perceived exertion were monitored throughout the workout.

When the results were analyzed, it was determined that the exercisers burned about 9.8 calories a minute, or about 400 calories during the 40-minute workout.

"On average, people were working at 77% of heart-rate max, which is considered moderate intensity, but it also gets as high as 91%, meaning that all these boot-camp workouts have peaks and valleys," Porcari stated in an October newsletter published by the American Council on Exercise.

Exercise intensity peaked during the kicking and punching sequences and dipped during the muscular conditioning component, making boot camp a classic example of interval training. And, given its high calorie burn and moderate level of intensity, boot camp can also be used to drop excess pounds.

"I think it's a great workout with great variety," Porcari said. "It's a good combination of aerobic exercise and muscle conditioning and it's much more of a total-body workout than just going out for a run or bicycle ride."

That being said, the author is also quick to note that not all boot camp classes are created equal. To get results similar to those noted by Porcari, look for a workout that has both an aerobic and muscular conditioning component. And while it's normal for the class to fluctuate from high to moderate intensity, make sure that your heart rate doesn't spend too much time in the lower end of your percentage of heart rate max (as defined by 60% or less of 220 minus your age).

Another caveat for all of you who are now madly searching for a boot camp class near you: This is not a workout for someone who is more comfortable holding a remote than a dumbbell. If you show up for a boot camp class with nothing more than enthusiasm to back you up, you're going to end up living to regret you ever read this article. Unless the class is advertised for exercise newbies, spend the next few months getting your body ready to move from a killer set of push-ups to a 90-second bout of skipping performed at the top of your aerobic capacity followed by a set of walking lunges that will have your quads quivering with fatigue.

But if you consider yourself in good shape and thrive on a challenging workout, then give a boot camp class a try.

Feel free to wear an old white cotton T-shirt, which will show off just the right amount of sweat in all the right places. But do everyone a favour and leave the army fatigues and the dog tags at home.

jbarker@videotron.ca
© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service

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Here is a re-print of an article found at http://www.healthycanada.com/index.php?option=com_deeppockets&task=contShow&id=13894&Itemid=284

Inactive kids face 6-fold risk of heart disease by teens

Young children who lead inactive lifestyles are five-to-six times more likely to be at serious risk of heart disease, with that degree of danger emerging as early as their teenage years, according to a new study by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The findings, published in the open access journal Dynamic Medicine, looked at a group of children twice – first while in grade school, then again seven years later when they were in their teens.

Researchers wanted to know more about the early onset of metabolic syndrome, a condition more commonly found in adults. Metabolic syndrome is the label given to a clustering of medical disorders that raise the risk of heart disease and diabetes, such as glucose intolerance, hypertension, elevated triglycerides, low HDL (so-called “good”) cholesterol and obesity. Previous studies have found that somewhere from four per cent to nine per cent of adolescents have the condition.

However, until now, no one had tracked the same group of children over time to see just how fitness and activity levels in their early years played a role in the likelihood of them developing metabolic syndrome by the time they were teenagers, said Robert McMurray, professor of exercise and sports science in the department of exercise and sports science in UNC’s College of Arts and Sciences.

The study looked at data from almost 400 children between the ages of seven and 10 from across North Carolina. Researchers measured factors such as height, body mass, percentage body fat, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Participants were also surveyed about their physical activity and given an aerobic fitness test.

When the same children were examined again seven years later, 4.6 per cent had three or more characteristics of metabolic syndrome.

McMurray said adolescents with the syndrome were six times more likely to have had low aerobic fitness as children and five times more likely to have low levels of physical activity at the time they joined the study.

For example, as children, those who had low levels of physical activity got no vigorous exercise (such as playing basketball or soccer) and spent less than 20 minutes a day doing moderate-intensity physical activity (walking briskly, riding a bike at a medium speed). That means that at best, they were getting just one-third of the 60 minutes a day that is currently recommended for children, said McMurray.

“This shows efforts need to begin early in childhood to increase exercise,” he said. “Children today live a very sedentary life and are prone to obesity. This is the first study to examine the importance of childhood fitness levels on your metabolism as a teenager. Previously we didn’t know if low fitness levels were an influence.

“It’s obvious now that there is a link and this is something which we need to pay attention to by encouraging our kids to keep fit, or suffer the consequences later in life,” said McMurray.

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February is Heart Health month….Is your Heart Healthy? Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading heath problems in Canada.  There are many things that you can do on a daily basis such as group exercise (like a boot camp) to help protect or reverse the signs of cardiovascular disease.

These health steps were found at “The Human Heart” http://www.fi.edu/learn/heart/index.html

• • Take the stairs instead of an elevator or escalator at school or the mall. Just start with one flight. Soon, you’ll be ready for two.
  • Park your car at the far end of the parking lot. The short walk to and from the store or school helps your heart.
  • If you ride a bus or subway, get off a stop before your destination. Walk the rest of the way.
  • If you can, spend a few minutes of your lunch break taking a stroll. It should help you stay awake after lunch.
  • Think of housework as an extra chance to exercise. Vacuuming briskly can be a real workout.
  • Mowing the lawn, pulling weeds, and raking leaves are chores that can be done yourself as a chance to exercise.
  • If you have a dog, think of the dog as an exercise machine with fur. A brisk walk with the dog is good for both of your hearts. Make it a part of your daily routine.
  • If you have a family, schedule an after-dinner walk. Make it quality time
• Source: http://www.fi.edu/learn/heart/healthy/tips.html

If you are looking to make your heart healthy and strong, February is the perfect month to start! Why not get a jump start and do these steps along with joining a group fitness program with others who are looking for the same results!

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With Calgary's cold weather and challenging snowfalls it's easy to burn huge amounts of extra calories. Go skiing, shoveling snow, snowboarding , shoveling snow, long walks, shoveling snow you get the idea.

Did you know that you can create a caloric deficit by not only eating small
portions of the right types of foods, but also by being more active throughout the day?

It's true. Take every opportunity to be as active as possible throughout the
day. The more active you are, the more calories you'll burn, and the easier it'll be to create a caloric deficit for maximum fat loss.

Exercise doesn't have to be limited to the track or the gym. You can greatly
increase the amount of physical activity your body gets (and the total calories you burn) by making small lifestyle changes to be as active as possible throughout the day..

Here's a few simple examples:

- Get in the habit of taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

- Keep your sport shoes in the car so you're always prepared to get out and
be active when you have some extra time. You could take a brisk walk or
shoot some baskets after lunch, before returning to work.

- Choose a hike or a bike ride instead of a movie.

- Play with your kids in the backyard rather than dropping them off at the
video arcade.

- Park a extra few blocks from work ( in the spring) and walk the rest of the way.

Any extra bit of activity adds up and over the long-run, makes a big difference in how much fat you lose. By simply meeting friends for a walk or bike ride, or a game of tennis or racquetball, instead of "happy hour", for example, will save you 700 or more calories (i.e. burn 350+ calories and save 350+ calories on drinks you would have consumed).

By doing this just once a week, you can lose an extra pound of fat a month!
That's 12 pounds of fat a year simply by having fun playing instead of drinking once a week. Of course, if you made this simple change 2 or 3 times a week you could enjoy double or triple the fat loss.

Key points to remember:
1. Take advantage of every opportunity to be more active throughout the
day to help create a caloric deficit.

Although today's lesson might seem obvious, it's often overlooked. Most
people only consider calories with the foods they eat and their exercise
routine. But your body is burning calories throughout the day and the more
active you are, the more fat you'll lose.

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10 Habits of Successful Losers…

Welcome back to camp and congratulations to everyone who trudged through the snow in their neighborhood, or who could have stayed in bed due to having today off from work! It’s in those moments of decisions to move forward, even if it doesn’t feel easy, that define who we become.

Before we get into the meat of today’s email, here’s a check list to make sure you’re getting the absolute most from camp each morning (returning campers, you’ve seen this before – you may or may not need a refresher). If you have theses 7 areas covered, you’re going to be pleased with your results in 2 weeks!

Okay, here are 2 quick questions answered and then 10 simple steps you can take (starting today) to bring you closer to your health & fitness goals:

Q: Are Protein shakes important and should I have one a day?

A: Most definitely, most women ( and Men) only get about 60% of their protein needs met every day when they're NOT training . So you can imagine that when you are training you get even less ,percentage wise. A shake a day should have 25 – 40 grams of protein in one shot so you have a better chance of hitting your 120 grams
(women) and 140 (men) per day when your are working out with weight 3- 5 times a week.

Q: I'm hungrier than ever — do I need to up my calories to meet what I'm burning during boot camp?

A: It depends what your goals are — if you're trying to lose weight, then it's important to burn more calories than you eat. However, if you're trying to maintain weight or gain muscle, than adding some extra foods (calories) won't be a problem. The key is where you get those calories from … stick with smart food choices, like raw nuts, yogurt, cottage cheese, fruit and veggies, hummus, egg-whites, etc. It's also important to keep in mind that exercising 1 hour each morning doesn't give you the liberty to go hog wild and rationalize that "since you exercised, you can enjoy that latte and muffin in the morning, Quarter pounder and fries for lunch, and pizza for dinner." Sorry to be a “buzz killer”, I just want to make sure you’re on track to reach your goals!!

10 Habits People who Lose Weight Follow:

1. Don't watch TV or read while eating; both activities distract you and research suggests you can eat as much as 30% more calories when not paying attention!
2. Write down what you put in your body — the simple act of writing it down helps with success.
3. Write your goals, daily — the more you can verbalize them and see them, the more likely you are to achieve them!
4. Plan ahead — keep healthy snacks in your car or desk at work, always have fresh fruit and veggies available, and don't let yourself get to the point you're so hungry you'll eat anything in site.
5. Split a meal at restaurants — portions are so big these days, 1 meal easily feeds 2 people. You save calories AND money!
6. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store — this is where all the useful foods are, the foods that will help you reach your goals – lean meats, fruits and veggies. Avoid the aisles like the plague, except for toiletries!
7. Never shop hungry — it's amazing how everything in sight looks good when you're hungry. At the very least buy a piece of fruit when you first get to the store to curb your appetite!
8. Cook ahead — spend some time on a Saturday or Sunday prepping meals for the week. This will help you make smarter eating decisions.
9. Move more — the less sedentary your life, the better. Boot camp is great, but try to move more throughout the day. Take the steps over the elevators and escalators. Walk at lunchtime, walk up and down the hallway when talking on the phone, park far away from the store (over time, it truly adds up!). It always cracks me up to watch people circle the parking lot at the gym, trying to find the closest spot to the door, then walk/jog on a treadmill for 45 minutes. Huh? Remember, a simple 100 daily caloric deficit equals a 10 pound weight loss in a year!
10. Make small goals along the way — If you have to lose 100 lbs and you see it as one big goal it may never happen. Plan the small goals along the way as well.

Today was a GREAT start to the week!

Have an awesome Monday, see you tomorrow!

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What criteria can you use to decide which boot camp program is best for you.

There are many fitness Boot Camp programs in Canada.
What criteria can you use to decide which program is best for you.

1. Do they have a pre and post evaluation where they measure your body fat, inches and do before and after pictures. Many do not unfortunately, how can you assess if you have lost fat or muscle during your program. If your goal is to lose fat, lose weight and inches then if they don't measure those things how will you know?

2. Do they play music during your camp. Try this, sit there in silence for 1 minute only. Now imagine working out. Now imagine working out for 1-1/2 hours with dead silence except for the sound of others sweating and groaning.

Now imagine working out to great motivating high energy music. Which would you rather do?

3. Are they for beginners or only for advanced clients. I see many camps using sand bags or military style training using heavy wooden polls or dragging tires. This is VERY dangerous to the beginner. You will see injuries and you can hurt yourself very badly in these camps unless your already very fit. If your goal is to get in shape and lose weight and inches and you hurt yourself the very first week then how is that serving you.

4. Using body weight only. I have seen many camps using only clients body weight. This does NOT work for weight loss and only produces mild toning.

Your body has a inherent knowledge of whether or not your using extra resistance or your body weight only. If body weight training was truly effective why have so many people who are very over weight who do pushups and sit ups and walk all the time not lose tons of weight.

If 2 people ran a mile and one was 160 lbs and had a 60 lb knapsack and the other was 220 lbs who would work harder and burn more calories.

The person who was 160 lbs and had a 60 lb knapsack.

5. What kind of nutrition program do they offer. Some farm it out and it costs you another $100. Most have none or very poor nutritional advice. Check it out before.

6. What kind of ongoing coaching or support do they offer. Most have none. If your program isn't working for you because you are eating poorly still they have no support systems in place for that. Some do though. Check them out!!

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Fitness Boot Camps Canada encourages Fitness in Marda Loop
CALGARY, AB (Nov 7, 2008) – You can do a lot in 1440 minutes so why not spend 45 of them doing something good for your health? Most adults need at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least five days per week. The key is to find the right exercise for you. If it is fun, you are more likely to stay motivated. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
“I want to provide my clients with a better quality of life” says Todd Leyte, Fitness Boot Camps Canada’s Marda Loop trainer, “It’s important to make fitness fun and impactful especially with the time constraints that individuals with busy lifestyles face.”
Only 52% of Albertan’s are physically active while 42% of working Canadians report they have a lack of time due to work. (Statistics Canada Survey, 2005) Each Fitness Boot Camps Canada program involves 45 minutes of high impact exercise with 15 minutes of stretching and cool down to ensure that injuries don’t occur.
“Bringing a fitness program to the busy individual is key.” says Leyte, “that is why I choose Marda Loop as the destination to run my boot camp; it’s bustling with businesses and family life.”
About Todd Leyte:
Todd graduated from the University of New Brunswick with a degree in Kinesiology. Exercising since the age of 14, Todd is now a certified personal trainer by Can Fit Pro and is passionate about teaching and instructing individuals, and seeing his clients achieve their fitness goals.
For more information or to participate in a Fitness Boot Camps Canada program please contact Tara at (40… or tara@new-wavepr.com.

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So many great clients come to us on a regular basis to change their lives
that's hundreds changing their lives every day.
See their results on our Testimonial page.

Have a truly great day , everything is possible!
Allan Fine / Fitness/ Lifecoach
FitnessBootcampsCanada
support@FitnessBootcampsCanada.com
Phone: 403-246-7386
Cell:403-389-3386
1-866-308-0606
Mountain Standard Time|
http://www.FitnessBootcampsCanada.com
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