More keen to burn fat the fun way

Boot camps are everywhere right now and in Rotorua they are becoming popular as more people join the growing number of courses.

They are becoming the exercise of choice for people - mainly women - to get fit and strong in a fun and friendly environment.

For at least the past year, boot camps have regularly been held in the city and it seems as though more are popping up. Some trainers have even noticed more people joining up in recent months.

Rotorua's Katrina Heywood is new to the boot camp scene having started her TBC Fitness boot camp late last year where she puts her army training into action.

Miss Heywood, who has had an 11-year career as a part-time member of the New Zealand Army's Territorial Force, decided to run her own boot camp last year when she noticed how popular they had become and believed it would be a good way for her to motivate others, while using her army experience and training.

She said the best part of her job was helping people reach their goals. She believed boot camps were popular because they got people outdoors and they were surrounded by like-minded people who they could feed off.

There are plenty of options for those considering joining a boot camp in Rotorua. At Gold's Health and Fitness, 10 women-only boot camp sessions are held every week.

Owner Steve Gardiner said the sessions were held throughout the day to ensure the times would cater for as many women as possible.

He said boot camps, which he described as a complete workout, were becoming more popular and there were many benefits. He said working out as a group allowed women to get motivation and support from each other.

"Boot camps are sweeping the nation for one reason, they get results," Mr Gardiner said.

"You get results fast, it's fun, you burn fat, you feel great, you meet women like you," he said.

One of the boot camp instructors, Jocelle Chung, said women who took part felt confident enough to be themselves.

She said they enjoyed exercising in a positive group environment, found it was challenging and they were being pushed to their limits and often realised their limits were further than they thought.

Although the term boot camp might seem a little overwhelming for some, Miss Chung said it was nothing like television shows where the trainers yelled at participants.

She said the trainers were there to help those taking part and motivating them to work on their whole body and build their strength and fitness.

"We're creating a really positive environment. It's not us yelling at you," Miss Chung said.

Miss Chung said as part of the boot camps, participants were also given a nutrition guide.

Go360 also runs boot camps, offering about five six-week camps each week. They had different courses for different fitness levels and also had a booty club which was for mums and their babies. Boot camps had been running at the gym for about a year but fitness instructor Robyn Forbes said she had noticed more people getting into them in the last few months.

"We're finding that people are just rolling on," she said.

Miss Forbes believed boot camps had become so popular because those taking part were pushed, it was like getting one-on-one training, they loved the atmosphere and you weren't committed to long periods of training.

"It's a full-on hour of go, go, go," she said.