5 Fun Finishers for Bootcamps

5 Fun Finishers for Bootcamps

Bootcamp workouts sure have evolved over the years throughout the fitness industry.  Bootcamps used to be just a lot of running around in laps and doing a bunch of sit-ups and push-ups.  Now across all kinds of camps, you see kettlebells, big tires (being used as equipment, not on the camper’s vehicles in the south… I knew that’s what you were thinking), prowlers and more fun goodies.

Bootcamps have also become more of a community and not just a workout.  There is more competition out there, so you have to really separate yourself from them by offering unique workouts, results and a tray of starbucks coffee when the campers arrive.  Oops, my bad.  I have bootcamps and my church confused.  This morning, I thought to myself, “Hey, writing an article with some awesome finishers that can be used in bootcamps would be a good one… what the?… is that chick bringing in a tray full of Starbucks coffees in Church?  Seriously?”  Yes, true story.  So I guess church as evolved as well.  But you are here to get some finishers, not talk about caffeine.

Metabolic finishers, a way to replace interval training and burn a boat load of calories in a little bit of time, can be used with bootcamp workouts to separate yourself from the competition.  Since you’re working with a group of people, you can really get creative and build a reputation for the way you end bootcamp workouts.

I’m going to lay out five finishers you can use with very little equipment (most of them use just bodyweight exercises).  Your campers will appreciate the results they get, as well as the support they get from other campers.  They are going to need it (ha-ha…. a ha-ha-ha… AHHH-HA-HA… OK, too much).

I even throw in some fun ab finishers, which people love to feel their core work.  In my experience, whenever someone comes into the gym the next day with sore abs, they feel a sense of victory.  That’s great, but don’t judge your workouts based on how sore you are.  You can fall down and land your butt on a rake and be sore for days, but that doesn’t mean you had a great glute workout.  Those were some unnecessary and random sentences, and for that I apologize. So, let’s move onto the finishers.

 Finisher # 1 “Abs Four Sure”

Do the following superset 6 times, resting for 4 seconds between supersets (hence the name).

Split your bootcamp in half.  One group will start with the Spiderman Push-ups and the other group will start with the Cross-Body Mountain Climbers.  It actually doesn’t matter if you split your campers in half, but I like to have one half facing the other so they can watch either in misery.

1A) Spiderman Push-ups (4 ea side)

1B) Cross-body Mountain Climbers (4 ea side)

 Finisher # 2 “Encouraging Swings”

Have your bootcampers partner up.  One partner will be doing DB or KB Swings while the other partner rests.  Tell your partner to encourage the one doing the swings.  I’ve seen it all… sometimes it’s just some cheering and sometimes it’s singing the “Friends” theme song.  Freaks.

1) KB/DB Swings (20 secs), rest 10 secs – Do this 6-8 times, depending on your campers fitness levels and how sadistic you are

Finisher # 3 “Jacks and Planks”

Split your camp in half.  One half will perform Jumping Jacks, while the other half performs the plank.  Do this for 1 minute and then switch and go for another minute. Then rest 30 seconds.  Repeat two more times for a total of 3 supersets. It looks like this:

1A) Jumping Jacks (1 minute)

1B) Plank (1 minute)

Rest 30 seconds

 Finisher # 4 “Team Burpees”

Split your bootcamp into groups of 3.  The ulimate goal is to do 120 burpees between everyone in each group.  For example, one person may perform 40 burpees, the second person performs 25 burpees and the third person performs 55, equaling a grand total of 120 burpees.  But the catchy part?… only one person in each group can be performing the burpees.  The other two rest and encourage.  So when one person gets tired, someone else steps in and cranks them out.  Whatever groups finishes first gets a prize (t-shirt, bragging rights, high five, gluten-free pancakes… whatever).  By the way, this is a really long paragraph.

 Finisher # 5 “Totally Hard-CORE”

This is a total body ab finisher.  Clever name, I know.  Each person is on their own for this one.  All exercises are timed, so each person can go at their own pace.

Do the following circuit 3 times, resting for 30 seconds between circuits

1) Prisoner Squat Jumps (20 seconds)

2) Push-up Plank (30 seconds)

3) Spiderman Push-ups (20 seconds)

4) Mountain Climbers (30 seconds)

5) Burpees (20 seconds)

Incorporating metabolic finishers like these to your bootcamp workouts will add a new and invigorating challenge to your campers, separating you from everyone else. You can always adjust the finishers based on your campers fitness level and format.  For example, if you have a beginner bootcamp, you can use total body extensions rather than burpees.

Using group finishers like these encourages a community feel to the bootcamp workouts and routines as well as social support.  The next thing you know, you’ll be the bootcamp “Starbucks” of your community.

Boom goes the “Clever ending sentence” dynamite.

 Finish Strong,

Mike Whitfield, CTT (Mikey, of course)

Certified Turbulence Trainer

Tags: bootcamp routine, bootcamp workouts, metabolic finishers, workout finishers