Weight-Off Bootcamp

Every Thursday at Brockwell Park Court opposite Brockwell Lido Gym

Group exercise court with tarmac surface

We have a range of clients, why not book your first session now?

What to wear?

Remember it's outdoors.

Well, we train in any and all kinds of weather – so firstly, look at the weather forecast before you leave. We recommend wearing a warm hoodie if it’s below 5 degrees outside, and a lighter sweater if it’s around 10 degrees. Make your upper body your priority – it cools down faster than your legs and it’s more dangerous for your upper body to cool down quickly as you can easily catch a cold that way! Basically if in doubt, bring a sweater. It’s better to come wearing too many clothes and take them off during the class than to come with not enough clothes and be cold!

Ladies, your bra and workout shoes are the most important parts of your wardrobe. Make sure you wear a good bra that’s supportive while moving/running, and wear workout shoes that are comfortable and practical (obviously no stilettos, crocs, or sandals!).

Speaking of workout shoes… training outside can wear your shoes out faster, so don’t wear trainers that are super-expensive or precious to you. Comfort is the priority!

Make sure your workout clothes are comfortable and made of fabrics that breathe: sweats, capris, shorts, tank tops etc are all great. You’ll need to move around a lot, so no jeans! Remember that functionality is more important than fashion. We don’t care if your clothes match – we’re here to work out, they’ll be getting sweaty (and sometimes dirty) anyway!

If you have long hair, it’ll probably be most practical if you tie it up in a ponytail or bun.

We also recommend bringing gloves if you want to avoid getting your hands dirty, as some exercises will require you to put your hands on the ground.

Lastly, remember we’re outside – there are no changing rooms, so come prepared!

Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.

John F. Kennedy

Preparation

An early night sleep – could be the best preparation, also if you have a dinner the night before try to avoid alcohol and heavy food.

Some people like to take ‘before’ photos, if they are trying to lose weight or tone up. You never have to show them to anyone of course, but it can be a good way of seeing your progress and looking at how far you’ve come.

Write down your goals. Whether it’s to lose weight, tone up, drop a dress size, or get ready to run a marathon, it’s helpful to think about your specific goals and write them down in advance.

We recommend getting a good night’s sleep the night before – this is probably the best preparation you can do, so try to get an early night.

Try to avoid alcohol and particularly heavy food the night before.

Make sure you have a drink of water to hydrate yourself when you wake up in the morning of the class. Bring a bottle of water or a sports drink with you, too, but don’t drink TOO much before/during the class as it’s difficult to move around if there’s too much water sloshing around inside you!

Try and have a small, light breakfast before class for energy – something like a banana, a yogurt or an energy bar. If you decide not to eat breakfast beforehand, we recommend bringing snacks like fruit or energy bars with you.

I made it to class! How do I get the best out of it?

Showing up to our Bootcamp is only half the battle – to get results; you’ll have to do the work. Keep these tips in mind to get the most out of every exercise.

Come with a positive attitude! That can make all the difference.

Accept that it’s going to be challenging. Continue to motivate yourself and be positive anyway. Smile, laugh – it helps release tension in your face and will lift your mood!

Concentrate, and make sure you listen to your instructor. Try and avoid focusing on ‘ouch, this hurts!’ or ‘when will this be over?!’ – you might miss the instructions for your next exercise. Focusing on the instructor will help distract you from how hard you’re pushing yourself, anyway!

Remember to breathe, especially during tough exercises when we sometimes have a tendency to stop breathing properly!

Contract your abdominal muscles throughout each exercise for the best results. And again – remember to breathe properly even while your abs are contracted.

Be safe and never sacrifice form. Each exercise will be demonstrated with correct form along with modified exercises. If there’s any exercise you find too difficult to maintain the proper form, try modified moves or take a short breather.

Rest only when needed. Our classes are tough and you’ll be craving a rest - but try and push yourself not to until the instructor tells you to take a breather. Keep your momentum going throughout the whole class. It won’t be comfortable, but it’s the only way to see real results.

Listen to your body, too. It’s good to ignore that little voice begging you to stop or to take a rest – but there are some things you shouldn’t ignore. If you feel a sprain or a pain that doesn’t feel like the usual pain you’d expect to get from a workout, pay attention to it. Modify your workouts accordingly.

Make sure to load up on electrolytes after class. You’ll lose essential electrolytes from sweating so much so you’ll need to replenish them with healthy drinks and snacks.