Boot Camp: The Latest Fitness Craze

Fitness instructor Barry Jay, center, works with Dusty Gibson during a workout session at Barry's Bootcamp in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2005. Boot camps are one of the top fitness trends of 2005, according to a study by the American Council on Exercise. (AP Photo/Ric Francis)

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (AP) -- It's a fitness fad not for the faint of heart.

It's exercise boot camp -- a grueling workout for those tough enough to follow orders from a berating, loud-mouthed instructor.

"It's not for people with control issues,'' jokes instructor Barry Jay, who runs a fitness studio offering boot camp sessions a few blocks from Sunset Strip.

The military-style program -- a circuit of drills ranging from running and jumping jacks to push-ups, squats and sit-ups -- appeals to people with busy schedules who need to pack a hard workout into a quick hour.

Physicians caution that people should get a checkup before taking on a sudden increase in physical effort.

National phenomenon

Gyms are increasingly offering the program as boot camp sessions gain national exposure on makeover television shows.

Businesses geared specifically to run boot camps are springing up across the country, including one in Anthem, Arizona, a Del Webb planned community.

Women's only boot camps have sprung up in many towns and cities, including Washington D.C. Bay Area Adventure Boot Camp is a "women's only four-week program of fitness instruction, nutritional education and team motivation" conducted outdoors in San Francisco.

Many boot camps in Southern California are taught at parks and beaches by former soldiers.

Jay's "Bootcamp Academy'' session, 20 classes over four weeks, costs $235. Other camps can run longer or shorter, and the cost varies.

"One of the reasons boot camps are incredibly popular is because they provide a pretty time-efficient approach to exercise,'' said Cedric X. Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise.

"You work the whole body. You're in and out. For most of us who are time-pressured, it's a nice way to fit fitness in,'' said Bryant.

Hollywood, too

To prepare for their roles as U.S. Marines, the cast of the Gulf War movie "Jarhead'' took a studio boot camp program before trying the real thing for four days at the former George Air Force Base in the Southern California desert.

"They said the training got them ready for the real workout,'' said Bob Harper, a boot camp instructor on the NBC reality show "The Biggest Loser'' who trained the "Jarhead'' cast.

At a recent session at Jay's studio, Barry's Bootcamp, 30 participants begin their workout at 5:30 a.m. They file into a darkened room lined with treadmills and a row of dumbbells, pair up and begin their drills.

As the sounds of a Black Eyed Peas song fill the gym, Jay orders half of the class to perform squats while the other half do sit-ups. Five minutes later, the groups switch positions and await the next command.

Acting in charge

Although dressed in Army fatigues and sporting a buzz cut, Jay, 42, didn't serve in the military. But he acts the part of drill sergeant, barking at students who slow down on the treadmill, and keeping a watchful eye on those who take bathroom breaks. Occasionally, he'll sit on someone doing push-ups to force better form.

Anyone who ditches a session faces discipline at the next one.

"If you don't show up, I will call you, I will text-message you, I will pick you up at 4:30 a.m. the next day,'' he says with a laugh. Punishment may be an extra 20 minutes of running or forcing the offender's partner to do an extra set of push-ups.

Participants say they appreciate the stringent rules.

"Barry always picks on me in class because I'm the slowest,'' said Lesley Wolff, 34, a comedian and radio host. "He'll yell, but it's because he doesn't want you to cut corners.''

Wolff also likes the esprit de corps of boot camp workouts.

"The gym can be an isolating place,'' she said. "Here you form a camaraderie with people, because you're going through this challenge together.''

In this together

Others say they like the variety and being able to feed off the energy of fellow enlistees.

"I was doing yoga before and got so sick of it. It was boring and slow,'' said Jenny Levitan, a 27-year-old law student. "He changes the workout everyday, and I like that.''

Jay jokes that "the ideal candidate might be someone with attention deficit disorder.''

While boot camps generally attract gung-ho types trying to elevate their strength and endurance, experts say those who feel out of shape shouldn't be afraid to join.

Bryant, the exercise physiologist, said most boot camp classes start with low-impact exercise and gradually increase the level of challenge.

"Monitor your level of exertion and exercise within your physical range,'' Bryant said. "If you find it enjoyable, then your body will quickly adapt.''

LiveScience Staff contributed to this report.