A Quick Rant of Frustration!

I was running some errands the other day before heading into work. Going to the bank and grocery store, and a quick drive thru Starbucks were the main priorities of the morning. I couldn't help but notice an outdoor boot camp that was going on. I also had realized that there was one going on during the summer months of this past year in Janesville. I don't know who was running it or where it was actually being held. Frankly, I really don't care. Anyway, I realized with the weather being pretty nice lately this boot camp was being held outdoors for the day. What I am ranting about is still to this day there are people hosting these ridiculous boot camps.

The era of the boot camp was a great start for people getting outside of the traditional gym and moving in a bit more of a functional manner. Trainers hosting boot camps were making people run hills, run marathons, do some push ups, perform some dips, do some squats and then call it a day. This traditional boot camp model was great for a short period of time. I am now here to rant about what I saw just the other day. I saw about 10 overweight deconditioned women trying to run a fricken marathon. I knew there were people still trying to do this with their clients, but to actually witness this first hand really is frustrating for people like myself who have move far and beyond these ridiculous marathon training boot camp classes.

For any trainer to have their overweight clients trying to lose those extra pounds of fat running miles on end is not only disheartening for these customers, but also puts a bad reflection on myself as a coach and all of the other trainers/coaches trying to change the way fitness is done. Not only is that  a waste of time for these people, but also a waste of their money. I would never have someone pay me for me to watch them run a miles in a straight line in a park. You can run in straight line on your own and not get any results.

The biggest reflection this has a me is that people assume this is what I do. The consumer and other gym goers assume this is what boot camps and other trainers/training studios are like. That I watch people run miles and do a few push ups. When I was at the stop light watching these overweight women struggling to get to the next block it also tells me that this trainer or place that is hosting this boot camp is not running an up to date class. I'm tired of watching trainers/coaches trying to throw things against the wall to see if it sticks. I'm tired of watching people get disappointed with minimal results. I'm tired of seeing bad training. I'm tired of seeing trainers that do not want to work and engage with clients. I'm tired of trainers/coaches/or gyms not educating members of the truth of fat loss/weight loss. I'm tired of watching people get hurt by these ridiculous marathon training boot camps.

The boot camp market is so saturated it makes me sick. Not only is the corporate fitness industry competing at these absurd lost cost memberships, but the boot camps are tearing the training market down also. Trainers are hosting boot camps at $49-$99 a month to watch people run and do some god awful squats. If you are in a boot camp class and the first thing you do is go for a run....I would walk out that door so fast and demand a refund. That's not why you're paying a trainer/coach..You should be paying for the education, the experience, the client-trainer relationship, you're paying for maximum results.

It pisses me off so much to see this because I invest my time and money to go get educated on Metabolic Resistance Training, Movement Screens, Training systems and modules, Program design. I spend time and money on books and webinars. I invest in going to seminars to learn from guys like Alwyn Cosgrove and Todd Durkin. Trainers/coaches need to do everything possible to make sure their clients are set up for the best success. We need to address hip issues, knee issues, or shoulder issues. The general population is not only fat, but they move poorly and are in pain. Running around in circles and through cones is not going to improve anyone's posture or aches and pains.Hopping up and down stairs and off benches is not going to help and move more efficiently.

Sure there are some great boot camp classes, but I am going to guess right now that there are more bad ones than good ones. The bad ones make to good ones look bad too. Boot camps and trainers are a dime a dozen. If you are in the market for boot camps or a trainer you should make sure they are going to do some of the followiing....

-A fucntional  movement screen
-Talk about MRT (Metabolic Resistance Training)
-Assessments (Measurements, Body Ft %..etc)
-Solid Nutrition Plan ( Not a reduced calorie diet)
- Talk about progression of exercise
- Are they going to give you what you NEED! Not what you want!
- If you ask them a questions and they try to BS and answer..what out the door. They should go find the answer!

Now, I am not saying that I am the best. Good god I went down by friend Mark "Cibby" Cibrario the other week and walked out feeling like I knew nothing. I read what Alwyn Cosgrove and Mike Boyle write and it's like I trying to interpret Japanese. The difference in myself and most trainers out there is that I am hungry for more. I am constantly trying to improve my systems to get my clients BETTER results. You will learn something with me. I say this to all of my clients....All I want you to take from this experience is to learn one thing and understand it. By learning at least one thing different from anything in life will only make you a better person.

"Get One Day Better!"

JP