21 May 2020

How to Start a Fitness Bootcamp

Career Advice

One-on-one personal training is a great way to enrich the health and wellbeing of a client.

But if you’re looking to spread those benefits to more people (while also boosting your income), consider running some bootcamps as well.

Not sure where to begin? We’re here to help.

Here we’ll look at how to start your own bootcamp and how to be a bootcamp instructor.

Pick the Perfect Location

When scouting a bootcamp location, there are 4 key factors to weigh up:

Large vs. Small – Will you be opening your bootcamps to large groups or keeping numbers limited? Will you be focusing on exercises that require a lot of movement or ones that can be done from a single position? These are the types questions to ask when determining the appropriate size for your bootcamp location.
Public vs. Private – Running your bootcamp in a public place such as a park or beach is a great marketing tactic, as it exposes your class to other potential clients. However, you should also consider whether your current clients will be comfortable exercising in full view of the general public.

If you’re looking for a way to market your bootcamp without putting your clients on display, consider offering free trials. You can advertise these on social media and with local flyers.

Prices & Permits – You’ll need a permit from the council to run a bootcamp in most public places. For some areas, advising the council is all you need to do. But other locations might come with a fee to pay per class. Once you’ve found the ideal spot, call the local council to make sure it’s appropriate (and affordable) for you to set up camp there.
Convenience for Clients – Are your attendees exercising before or after work in the city? Or are they stay-at-home parents or retirees who would prefer to work out during the day and close to home? You need a location that’s suitable for your target audience – not just convenient for you.

Prepare Your Classes

Not sure how to run a bootcamp class? The key is to prepare a clear schedule – but also be ready to adapt. You never know what your clients might ask or request during your class, and these questions can open the door to an improvised lesson that’s more beneficial and relevant to their needs.

With that said, you can’t always rely on your clients for inspiration. Go into every class with a detailed plan for the routine – muscles to focus on, necessary equipment, how many reps, split between cardio and core, etc.

As you progress with regular clients, start mixing things up gradually. You want enough variety to keep them engaged, yet enough familiarity so they always feel comfortable and confident with the workout.

Get Qualified

Before you look for specific bootcamp instructor training, you’ll want to complete a SIS40221 Certificate IV in Fitness to become certified as a personal trainer. This course will equip you with the knowledge and skills to develop fitness programs for your clients.

A couple of units are particularly pertinent to aspiring bootcamp instructors:

SISXRES001 – Conduct sustainable work practices in open spaces
SISFFIT023 – Instruct group personal training programs
SISXCAI010 – Develop strength and conditioning programs.

If you’re wondering how to start a bootcamp business (i.e. using bootcamps as the core focus of your personal training career), you’ll also get great value from these units:

BSBESB401 – Research and develop business plans

BSBESB404– Market new business plans
BSBSMB405 – Monitor and manage small business operations.

These units and many more are all included in AIPT’s Certificate IV in Fitness.

Prepare Yourself

As well as being qualified, you also need to be physically and mentally prepared for running bootcamps. They can be time-consuming and intensive programs for the instructor – not just the participants – but the rewards are well worth the effort if you’re ready for the hard slog.

Attributes that will put you in good stead for this demanding role include: