The Bootcamp Business is Booming

It’s an exciting (and lucrative) time to work in the fitness industry, if you have the right offering… As fitness professionals look for new ways to distinguish and expand their offering in a rapidly growing market, a number of branded group training classes have emerged.

By creating a unique exercise experience, either in the gym or outdoors that incorporate the most effective high-intensity interval training (HIIT) modalities, including bodyweight training, weights or a combination of exercise tools that deliver effective results, bootcamp classes offer both clients and fitness professionals a variety of benefits.

Broad appeal

Originally styled after military training bootcamps, which combined strength exercises with intense cardio to condition recruits, industry innovation has thankfully shifted the focus away from regimented physical training. Bootcamp classes now offer various options to meet the different preferences of active individuals.

A major bootcamp drawcard is the ability to sweat alongside your ‘bestie’, or join a group of like-minded individuals and meet new people. Group training sessions are also highly engaging, encouraging and supportive, and are lots of fun for both the trainer and clients, which will add a new dynamic to your business.

This social dynamic has helped to drive the boom in bootcamp classes and, as a result, there are now endless options available, each offering unique benefits or workout flavours.

There are other benefits as well. For instance, the sessions can be scaled to meet differing fitness and strength levels among attendees. They can work out as hard as they want and can progress at your own pace, which makes it the ideal class for anyone, from beginners to the more experienced.

Beneficial business model

While this offers a refreshing change for fitness enthusiasts who want to try something new or experience a change of scenery, it has also introduced a new and, potentially, lucrative business model for fitness professionals.

Running a bootcamp or similar group training class at the gym or outdoors in a park or on a field can be very profitable for a trainer, while also making sessions more affordable for clients.

While it may take an initial investment to secure the appropriate location and get the necessary equipment, training up to 15 people an hour, who each pay less than a personal trainer’s one-on-one rate, creates a compelling reason for clients to sign up, and significantly boosts a fit pro’s per-hour earning potential.

And by applying your mind and using your imagination, a trainer or instructor can also introduce a variety of low-cost tools that can boost the effectiveness of every bootcamp workout – think sandbags, tyres or filled water containers, to name just a few. This not only helps to lower costs, but also adds interesting and unconventional exercises into your clients’ routines.

Word of mouth

Catering to a group can also boost awareness of your services and offering to a wider potential market as clients are inclined to bring friends along, making it ideal for referral business.

So, if you’re looking to take your fitness-oriented business in a new direction, while significantly boosting your earning potential, then becoming a certified bootcamp instructor may be the perfect next step.