How to Do Metabolic Bootcamp Workouts
Group training has come a long way since the legwarmer days of Jane Fonda. Bootcamps have now become the gold standard of fitness, and for good reason. The workouts are tough, versatile and effective. And now metabolic bootcamp workouts are the new evolution.
You can train large groups of people of varying fitness levels and put everyone through a challenging workout with very little or even no equipment.
Pair this system of bootcamps with the MRT style of training and you’ve got yourself the program that will give everyone their best results. Your clients will be singing your praises as they shed fat and reach their fitness goals faster than they ever thought possible. Providing MRT workouts will set you apart from the numerous competing bootcamps in your area.
What is MRT/MCT?
The MRT workouts are intended to simultaneously burn fat and build or maintain muscle. Not only does this method of intense training dramatically improve fitness levels, it burns hundreds of calories and works the entire muscular system over completely. Total body resistance training is by far the optimal way to train in order to burn fat fast and sculpt your beach bod.
Pairing compound resistance exercises back to back in a superset format will help you get faster results by burning more calories than if you did long rests between sets. Think of it as intense interval training with the capacity to burn more fat. It’s a win/win all around.
For more of a conditioning effect along with a massive fat burning component, metabolic conditioning workouts can be added on alternate days. Once again, full body exercises are put together in groups and circuits using bodyweight resistance or light weight with high reps.
This really gets great cardiovascular conditioning and is far more effective than pedaling to nowhere on a recumbent bike while reading the latest celebrity gossip.
Choosing Exercises for Your Bootcamp
Compound exercises are the way to go when designing either an MRT or MCT bootcamp. The more muscles that are used simultaneously, the better. You may see some bootcamps that have their participants standing there doing biceps curls or tricep extensions with five pound dumbbells but this is really a waste of your clients time and money.
The selection of exercises will depend on your choice of location.
If you choose an outdoor location like a park you can use the playground equipment for full body exercises like pull ups, rope climbs and step ups. Think of the swing set as a TRX and use it for rows, core exercises and suspended decline push ups.
The beach is a perfect spot to incorporate the resistance of the sand and really ups the intensity of your MCT workout without the use of any equipment whatsoever. Imagine putting your bootcampers through a drill of sprints in the sand, lateral jumps, step ups and decline push ups on a nearby bench and inverted rows or chinups from the monkey bar set up.
Whether it’s an MRT or MCT session, always choose a variety of exercises that work the entire body and balance out the workout.
For your MRT days, pair exercises that work opposing muscle groups together. For example, a superset of squats with push ups or rows followed by lunges or a push press will be extremely taxing while allowing rest for the worked muscles.
If you don’t have access to weights or fancy equipment you can easily intensify simple exercises like the squat by incorporating a one leg squat or split squat with a propulsion. Pair that with something like a pull up or a one arm row and that’s tough enough for even the most hardcore member.
The same system of alternating muscle groups should apply to the MCT design as well, using a greater number of exercises with light resistance or bodyweight. Think burpees, bodyweight split squats, various push ups, walking lunges, mountain climbers, inverted rows and bench jumps.
The circuit style of training will have the same effect on the anaerobic and aerobic systems as high intensity interval training while eliminating the need for machines. But you’ll still burn fat fast.
Metabolic bootcamp workouts are so versatile that they can be put together in any environment and made challenging enough for any fitness level regardless of the availability of equipment. All it takes is some imagination, creativity and knowledge to really put your clients through a workout they will never forget.
Maintain the Intensity
The point of MRT/MCT training is to do more and work harder in less time. By alternating major muscle groups within the same set, you will train the body to build muscle while burning fat, all while training the cardiovascular and metabolic systems.
If your bootcampers are able to carry on a conversation with each other while they are in the midst of their workout, your design has failed. Intensity is the key to success when it comes to working out and your bootcamp design should reflect that in your selection of exercises.
Making Modifications
First of all it should be noted that MRT workouts could easily be modified to suit any fitness level. This makes them the perfect choice for your bootcamps.
For example a push up exercise can be modified in countless ways. For the average Joe, a standard push up may suffice. For someone brand new to working out or extremely heavy, an incline push up may be a good choice. For the seasoned pro a decline or explosive variation will be enough to get their heart pounding and muscles burning.
Whether you have a group of five or fifty, the same workout can be applied to everyone, using simple modifications. Squats can be done with varying ranges of motion depending on ability. Resistance can be added in the form of dumbbells, squats can be made uni- lateral or faster, in such unique exercises like the total body extension.
Keeping it Fun
Keeping the fun and variety in your bootcamp is crucial if you want to hold on to clients. Bootcamp workouts are a dime a dozen these days but you can certainly set yours apart from the rest by using the MRT method of training. Be the best and use Metabolic Bootcamp workouts.
Use your imagination, keep an open mind and consistently add new exercises, supersets and circuits.
Craig Ballantyne, CTT
Certified Turbulence Trainer