Can you survive Boot Camp Fitness?

Jan 13 2009 By Emma Johnson, Liverpool Daily Post

WE ALL know that having a good diet and exercise regime can make us look and feel better but could a healthy lifestyle really help you beat the credit crunch?

That is the theory from the experts at LA Fitness.

Research by the chain, which has a gym in Mossley Hill, reveals that 65% of people in Liverpool feel better when working out yet 41% of us (higher than the national average of 38%) admit to doing no exercise even though more Liverpudlians were more worried about gaining weight than anywhere else on the UK.

With this in mind LA Fitness is challenging the nation to get exercising to be better equipped both physically and mentally to survive the recession.

"Studies have long shown that fit and healthy people are more likely to succeed in business," says psychologist Susan Qulliam who was an adviser on the research. "But what most employers do not realise is that those taking regular exercise feel better about themselves, are more motivated and more inclined to enjoy their job. There are a number of positive consequences to exercise, including fending off bad moods, raising self-esteem and even boosting performance – in the workplace and elsewhere. Plus, exercise actively helps us offset and cope with stress – the generalised stress of the economic crisis, and specific stresses when our job is at risk or our finances are stretched."

To help us get with the program as they say, LA Fitness gyms this month launch their boot camp workout. Designed by former US marine Harvey Walden IV of Celebrity Fit Club fame, the boot camp is a 40 minute workout which can be performed both inside and outside the gym with sessions burning off up to 500 calories. That’s a lot of mince pies.

"When it comes to exercise there is a simple rule; we all need to do it! Whether it’s 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week or a programme that suits your busy lifestyle, the important thing is to exercise," says LA Fitness’ Fi Khan. "Through regular exercise you can radically transform your life, your life expectancy as well as improving your self-esteem."

"We have created the boot camp workout to simply draw attention to regular activity such as brisk walks, running laps, doing press ups or stretches or a trip to the gym. At a time like this, we need to concentrate on reducing the chances of contracting life-threatening diseases and as we’ve seen from the research prepare us for what could be a tough year ahead."

l For more details visit www.lafitness.co.uk

Boot camp basics

LA Fitness’ boot camp is a whole body, military style workout designed to improve witth cardiovascular fitness and muscle tone whilst promoting both individual effort and teamwork.

Some key military style exercises include gun drill lunges where you perform a forward lunge then spring up, change legs and drop back to a lunge position in one dynamic move.

Another is the burpee-press, a military staple in basic training. You start in a press up position, perform one press up then bring the knees up to the chest. Jump up in the air, arms overhead then on landing crouch down and move the legs back to the press up position again.

Steam engines are also an effective boot camp exercise. Stand with hands behind ears, bring your left knee up in front of you to chest height and twist your right elbow down and across to touch left knee. Then repeat with right.

Try this 10 minute boot camp routine at home and feel the benefits!

Warm up by marching or jogging on the spot for one minute. Then perform straddle jumps for one minute followed by steam engines for one minute. Follow this with 10 burpee presses followed by 10 gun drills then 10 hand-to-toe ab crunches. You can repeat this routine as fitness improves.