10 Reasons Why You Should Try a Bootcamp Class

Peloton’s Bootcamp classes combine cardio intervals on the Tread or Bike with floor-based strength-training moves, which add up to a workout that packs maximum punch. Here are 10 reasons why you should count yourself in.

1. Bootcamp is an all-in-one workout.

“We are all super busy and don’t want to have to choose between cardio or strength,” says Peloton instructor Jess Sims. “Bootcamps are beautifully designed so that the floor and cardio portions go together—like spaghetti and meatballs—to ensure that you are getting a complete workout.”

2. Bootcamp can make your body feel better.

“Strength training can help with medical conditions by building muscles used in everyday activities,” says Tara Allen, RN and certified nutritionist. “It also helps with restoring balance and pumping out feel-good hormones called endorphins.”

3. Bootcamp gives your metabolism a boost.

“Bootcamps are HIIT (high-intensity interval training) style, which means you are still burning calories and increasing your metabolic rate even after the workout is over!” Jess says. The strength training sections build muscle, and the more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism will be.

4. Bootcamp is good for your bones.

Strength training has been shown to reduce the risk of osteoporosis by maintaining bone density and lowering the likelihood of fractures, which is important as we age.

5. Bootcamp is super efficient.

No second is wasted in bootcamp, including the transition time from Bike or Tread to the mat, and vice versa, which act as recovery intervals. “Time is a nonrenewable resource!” Jess says. “I always promise not to waste your time, so you shouldn’t waste your own time either!”

6. Bootcamp works your entire body.

“I know I’ve worked hard when I can’t tell which part of the body is most sore after the workout,” Jess says. “Running is a full-body workout, but you don’t necessarily know how much you use your upper back to swing your arms until you’ve done some renegade rows on the floor.”

7. Bootcamp can lower your cancer risk.

Research shows that regular strength training can lower the risk of certain cancers. And a study in Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise found that people who lift weights have a significantly lower risk of developing colon cancer than those who don’t exercise with weights.

8. Bootcamp doesn’t require a ton of equipment.

You don’t need a gym’s worth of weights to take our bootcamp classes. Most are built around a Tread or Bike, a mat and a medium-to-heavy set of dumbbells. No weights? No worries. There are bodyweight-only bootcamp classes for Members on both the Bike and Tread.

9. Bootcamp challenges your body in new ways.

Brian A., a Bike and Tread owner, began tacking 20-minute bootcamp classes onto the end of his workouts after purchasing the Tread+ a couple years ago. Adding strength training to the mix has made an impact on his routine. “It has helped me learn new exercises I would not have done on my own, especially core work,” he says.

10. Bootcamp classes go by really fast.

“I like to say that by the time you realize how tough something is, it’s over,” says Jess, who leads bootcamp classes ranging from 20 to 60 minutes. “Lock in and push hard during each segment of the workout, because you know you’ll get that recovery as you transition to and from cardio and the floor.”

Ready to give one of these workouts a try? Count yourself in for a Bike or Tread Bootcamp class now!