Her Magazine

Her Magazine April/May 2013

Her Magazine is New Zealand’s only women’s business lifestyle magazine! Her Magazine highlights the achievements of successful and rising New Zealand businesswomen. Her Magazine encourages a healthy work/life balance.

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back to boot camp Left, left… left, right, left… get on the fitness bandwagon and head back to boot camp If you've ever been up early in the morning, you will have noticed the slightly unnerving sight of groups exercising on parks and benches all over town. It looks like hard work, and it is. The question is - are boot camps the best thing since Jane Fonda donned her leotard or just another fitness fad? Choosing your boot camp Any fitness activity has some risk, but by using a service offered by a Registered Exercise Professional you can be assured your instructor knows their stuff. • If you are new, choose a programme that has ten or less people in it to ensure your trainer can give you the support you need. • Talk to the trainer prior to signing up to make sure their training style is the right fit for you. What exactly is a boot camp? The images the word 'boot camp' conjures up for many of us are of military based operations with drill sergeants and far too many push-ups. While the original boot camps were military style operations, as time has passed there are many more civilian style formats that cater for all fitness levels, with instructors that are more about supporting you rather than making you suffer. What is involved? Just as each gym or class is different, so too is boot camp. A good boot camp will offer cardiovascular fitness as well as strength and flexibility gains. It's an all over, medium to high intensity workout. Many exercises use bodyweight or the natural terrain (if the boot camp is near some stairs there's a good chance you'll be climbing them). It's more like a personal training session than a group fitness regime. Is it for me? While exercise is for everyone, to truly enjoy a boot camp you'll need to be keen to get sweaty and possibly dirty and be happy working out in a public place. • The outdoor setting is great for those who don't like to work in a traditional fitness setting. • The 4-6 week block means you can focus in the short term, although to maintain your results you'll need to keep working out in the long term. • Outdoors means wet weather too, not for the faint hearted on a cold and windy morning, although boot camp devotees claim this is half the fun. • A full on boot camp is hard work; those who haven't exercised for a while may struggle with the intensity. • Boot camps are usually held VERY early in the morning or after work; while the thought of waking at 5 to workout frightens many of us, it's a great way to get it out the way before heading to the office for a day's sitting. Julz Darroch www.reps.co.nz "Are boot camps the best thing since Jane Fonda donned her leotard or just another fitness fad?" www.h e rmagaz in e .co.n z | 69

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