Posts tagged military

Military training camps aim to transform civilians into disciplined and tough soldiers. Recruits are trained to respond to commands unhesitatingly, promptly, and obediently. It is essential for military functions because combat situations demand unquestioning compliance under life threatening situations. A military boot camp injects the sense of absolute discipline in the minds of the recruits besides training them to endure stress. The reason is simple: if a recruit cant follow instruction and obey orders in non-combat settings, it is not likely that he will prove reliable in combat situations where the high stress levels can easily make him disobey or flee.

All the activities of a military training camp are geared towards shaping the recruits physically, mentally, and psychologically so that they are better prepared for the ultra-high stress levels of real combat situations. A recruit who cant function as part of a team or does not perform duties assigned to him can easily jeopardize himself, his unit, and the mission. If a recruit comes out successfully from the boot camp he has learned to be disciplined and can endure considerable stress. Now he is less likely to be self-centered and be more prone to cooperation and team spirit.

The idea and the format of these military camps are now borrowed into a variety of fitness programs. They are normally focused towards certain aim or group; for example, there are camps for weight loss, only for women, elderly, or kids, etc. Similar to a military camp, a fitness boot camp is also led by an instructor or trainer. He designs the workouts and helps (or rather commands) the group to perform them.

Apart from the concept of a trainer who leads the camp, the exercises may or may not have much to do with the typical exercises of a military training camp. Still, there are often fitness camps that try restricting their program to traditional activities such as running and typical body weight exercises like push-ups, sit-ups, and squat thrusts. These workouts dont require special facilities or equipments and can be done anywhere.

Most gyms, personal trainers, and fitness centers offer a variety of boot camps. The trainer of a fitness boot camp performs several roles depending upon his personality, experience, and needs of the individuals and the group as a whole. By nature, the exercises are intense and demanding but he sees to it that none of the participants is left out. He constantly encourages and challenges the group to do better than the last time.

For the participants of any type of fitness boot camp, the biggest benefit they get after completing the camp is that they get significantly more disciplined and continue with their daily workouts. Quite often the friendship and camaraderie that developed with fellow campers persists even after the camp is over. This acts as a positive motivational force that coaxes them to remain serious about regular exercising.

The best part of fitness boot camps is that there is no place for monotony. Exercises are hardly the same from one day to another. Following the spirit of the military boot camp, as a fitness camp advances the challenges posed to the participants also increase progressively. Hence, the participants have to push themselves systematically harder as the camp progresses. The group support helps every individual achieve significantly more than what would have been possible working out individually.

The strong dose of self-discipline and health consciousness injected by the fitness camps is often enough to discourage dietary extravaganzas. And if a person continues practicing what he has learned in the camp, he has discovered a new and healthy lifestyle full of energy and strength.