As the name suggests, fitness bootcamp is the perfect place to get fit and into shape. Many people enroll solely to achieve a fitness goal or increase their fitness level.  But being truly fit encompasses more than you might realize.  It is not an isolated measurement, but must be gauged by the sum of five different components.

1.  Cardiovascular Endurance
Everyone knows the term cardio.  We equate it to long runs and bike rides, aerobic classes, and cardio equipment, such as elipticals and treadmills.  Your cardiovascular endurance is a picture of how well your heart and lungs work together to deliver oxygen and blood through your body during a long workout.  One of the most convenient indicators of this component is your resting heart rate.

Eliptical Exercise Equipment In Fitness Bootcamp Gym

2.  Muscular Strength
Simply put, muscular strength is the ability of the muscles to lift weight.  The stronger your muscles, the more weight you can lift.  Even though it seems straightforward, this component is measured by the 1 rep max and is the most dangerous to assess alone.  If you do not have a competent, attentive spotter to assist you, use a 5 or 10 rep max instead.

3.  Muscular Endurance
People often confuse muscular endurance for muscular strength.  Often used interchangeably in the context of increased muscle definition, the main difference is that muscular endurance is measured with submaximal loads.  It is the ability of the muscles to perform a repeated exercise without tiring.

Consider the squat.  The guy in the gym corner grunting and groaning as he tries to do just one 300-pound squat (his 1 rep max) is using muscular strength.  You won’t find this in a fitness bootcamp setting.  But you will find a trainer asking students to do as many bodyweight squats (submaximal load) as fast as they can until their legs collapse.
Muscular endurance is the measure of stamina or persistence – both are applicable at health and fitness bootcamps.

4.  Body Composition
As the image component, body composition may be the most popular goal for an increased fitness level. This component is best evaluated as body fat percentage: the proportion of body fat compared to total body mass.  Given the constant discussion over which assessment methods are most accurate, your best bet is an accessible measure that you can use consistently.  Any measurement will show trend (up, down or maintained), which often means more than actual numbers.

5.  Flexibility
A good fitness program is not complete without flexibility training.  If your fitness bootcamp does not include this, you need to do it yourself.  This component is ability to move all your joints through a complete range of motion and has a direct impact on your quality of life.  A common flexibility test is how far you can reach toward your toes from a seated position with straight legs.  Including post-exercise stretches, yoga and/or Pilates in your routine will improve this final fitness element.

Flexibility In Fitness Bootcamp Workouts

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