People love the boot camp workouts we do in San Francisco, and with good reason. There’s simply no substitute for arising in the freshness of an early morning dawn to meet with a group of motivated people and work out in the beautiful outdoors. If you’ve never done a boot camp workout before and you’re thinking of trying it out, you should! However, what if you’re getting up there in years? Would this still be a good workout for you?
The answer is a resounding YES. There is absolutely no age limit on our boot camp classes, and we welcome you to come whether you’re 19 or 119. However, it’s one thing to know you would be welcomed, and it’s quite another thing to know whether you would be able to keep up with the class. Therefore, we’ve put together a couple of points that you can consider in determining whether a boot camp class would be right for you.
Energy Expenditure
It’s no secret that boot camp will tax your energy. This will be a workout that’s completely different from spending 20 minutes on the elliptical. Only you can gauge your energy level and know for sure if you’ll have it in you to try boot camp, but here are some points to consider.
- If you’re in reasonably good health, you can do boot camp just as much as anyone else.
- If that 20-minute workout on the elliptical is more your style, boot camp is a way to kick up your fitness to a whole new level.
- Everyone struggles to adjust to the workouts at first. Yes, you will be sore after the first few times. Stick with it!
- Do the reps that you can do and you’ll get a lot of benefit, even if you don’t do the full set. We have no doubt that if you can do a few reps, you’ll work up to being able to do all of them in no time.
- You don’t have to be older to doubt your ability to do boot camp. We hear questions from just as many people in their 20s and 30s who are struggling with obesity, health problems, and fatigue, and we tell them what we’ll tell you: The only way to find out for sure is to try it. Come join us!
Flexibility and Balance
Do you think of stiff joints and being prone to falling as an inevitable part of getting older? We don’t want that to be the verdict for you! When you do boot camp, you’ll move your body in ways that you might not have done for years, but that will sharpen up your brain’s ability to coordinate your movements. Who wouldn’t want increased flexibility, coordination, and balance? Going outside is one of the best methods to improve your strength and ability. For instance, when you walk on grass, your brain has to work a tiny bit harder to keep your balance than when you walk on perfectly flat floors indoors. Doing boot camp when you’re older is an investment into your ability to maintain independence longer.
Heart and Lungs
The more you work your heart and lungs, the stronger they will become, and the more you can do this now, the more resilient you’ll be if you ever do run into a major health issue. Boot camp workouts are designed to stimulate healthy cardiopulmonary function, though it might feel like you’re gasping for breath the first few times. All that said, please do check with your doctor to be sure that this is a form of exercise that’s ok for you, especially if you have ever had a heart attack or other health issue that compromised the strength of your heart and lungs.
Strong, Toned Muscles
Who says that you have to get flabby and out of shape with the passage of the years? We know of a lot of examples of older people who had been out of shape for years before deciding to turn their fitness around–and they succeeded. For instance, Don was 75 and hadn’t worked out for years when he decided that he wanted to build his strength and fitness back up. In just 90 days, he went from being overweight and out of shape to having a level of fitness and strength that people half his age would be envious of. He even got off all his medications.
There’s nothing about aging that intrinsically requires you to lose your strength, so why not keep it? It’s great for both your looks and your well-being. You’ll not only increase the strength of your arms and legs, you’ll also build core strength, which is a huge factor in contributing to good balance.
Social Interaction
Social isolation is one of the big factors that causes it to be difficult for seniors to get the exercise that they need. Let’s face it–it’s simply boring and unmotivating to work out by yourself. However, when you join one of the classes at Boot Camp San Francisco, you’ll have a friendly, solid group of people to work out with at every class. You’ll get to know them, laugh together, help each other with buddy workouts, and share a huge dose of contagious enthusiasm. It’s a win-win situation all around, and you’ll love it.
Don’t Be Daunted
Only you know yourself, your abilities, and your limitations, but if you have any inkling at all that you’d enjoy a boot camp workout, you should definitely come and check out a class. Sign up today!