Best Outdoor Bootcamp Equipment

Outdoor bootcamp workouts can be an engaging form of exercise and an outdoor bootcamp business can bring in added revenue to your personal training business overall. Whether the terrain is cement, grass, or sand you can easily provide your participants with a healthy challenge. And when it comes to bootcamp equipment, you want to be sure you have the right gear.

The right bootcamp equipment can allow for some great workouts and this article will tell you which pieces are worth investing in.

If you’re looking for a way to streamline your bootcamp workouts, Exercise.com Workout Software gives trainers the ability to create, log, automate, and sell workouts and workout plans – both online and in-person. To learn more about the Exercise.com software platform, book a demo today.

What Is a Typical Bootcamp Workout?

Typically, bootcamp workouts are interval-based and executed with an up-tempo pace. One of the common goals for a bootcamp workout is to train the whole body rather than focusing on a specific body part.

Bootcamp workouts are commonly known as a form of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) where there is a combination of periods of vigorous physical activity followed by a short break.

These workouts can vary depending on what your clients want to accomplish fitness-wise. If they want to improve strength and explosiveness, using weighted equipment and performing polymetric exercises would be ideal. If they want to improve agility and endurance, running and using agility-based equipment would be the focus.

In a bootcamp workout, the use of different equipment is common as each piece of equipment allows for a variety of exercises. When a bootcamp workout is outdoors, especially, you want to ensure the equipment you use is suitable.

What Should Every Piece of Bootcamp Equipment Have?

With so many pieces of bootcamp equipment out there, you may be wondering which ones are most ideal for your outdoor bootcamp business. Below, we are going to go over some of the best outdoor bootcamp equipment and how you can utilize each in your next workout.

But, before we dive in, there are a few general traits that every piece of outdoor workout equipment must have:

1. Portability – Bootcamp equipment must be portable.
2. Scalability – When running a fitness bootcamp, you’re going to have participants of varying skill levels. It’s important that the equipment you choose can be used by all fitness skillsets.
3. Cleanability – You want outdoor workout equipment that’s easy to clean. Your gear will accumulate dirt and sweat. Don’t make your job harder by choosing pieces that require intense cleaning sessions.

Best Outdoor Bootcamp Equipment

#1 – Cones

Cones are one of the most versatile pieces of bootcamp equipment you can find. You are able to do a myriad of bootcamp exercises with them and they are one of the most portable pieces of bootcamp equipment you can have. Whether you want to work on endurance, agility, speed training, or lateral quickness, cones provide an efficient physical marker to maneuver around.

As you can see from the video above, there are many exercises one can do with cones! If you don’t have the budget for a variety of bootcamp equipment pieces, you can offer up a great workout with cones alone.

#2 – Medicine Balls and Slam Balls

A medicine ball allows for a variety of movements that can not only help build muscle but lose weight as well. Exercises such as the medicine ball squat to press are great whole-body exercises to utilize in a bootcamp workout. This same idea rings true for slam balls. While heavier than medicine balls, slam balls are still solid pieces of portable workout gear. It’s simple to put two-to-three in your car for your clients to use as a group.

#3 – Agility Ladder

The agility ladder is another piece of equipment that allows for a variety of bootcamp exercises. For one, they can be good for athletes trying to develop coordination and body control, but agility ladders can also provide an up-tempo and rhythmic feel to a workout that many people enjoy.

Agility ladders can be combined with different exercises. For example, after a sequence is done on a ladder, a cone can be placed a certain distance from the ladder in which the person performing the sequence would sprint to that cone after the sequence.

If you have an athlete, such as a basketball player, you can work on their hand-eye coordination and reaction speed by tossing them a basketball as they are performing a sequence as well.

#4 – Jump Rope

The jump rope is a simple and portable piece of equipment that can be great for outdoor bootcamp workouts. Jumping rope can be great for cardio but depending on your clients’ fitness goals and the type of jump rope you use, jumping rope can have other benefits as well.

For example, using a speed rope can be great for beginners but also ideal for athletes trying to develop foot speed and coordination. A weighted jump rope, on the other hand, can burn calories much quicker due to the added exertion needed to move the weighted rope while also engaging the muscles of the upper body.

For many, jumping rope is considered fun. It can be great for younger individuals, especially, as it can help them stay engaged during a bootcamp workout.

#5 – Battle Ropes

Different than the jump rope, a battle rope is a thick rope that commonly comes in lengths of 30″, 40″, and 50″. Battle rope exercises can work the whole body but there are different movements that can target specific areas of the body too.

If you want to make your battle rope exercises more intense. getting a heavier battle rope can help. You can also set challenging rep/set numbers or even perform as many reps as possible within an allotted time.

Battle ropes are great for outdoor bootcamp workouts but they can also be a good tool to use in your gym. In fact, battle ropes were featured in our article, “The Top Ten Pieces of Equipment Needed to Start a Gym.“

#6 – Sandbags

Sandbags are quality pieces of equipment that can be used to really build muscle endurance in a bootcamp workout. Sandbag exercises especially help the stabilizing muscles as the unstable load of a sandbag forces more muscles to activate when performing movements.

The great thing about sandbags is that anybody, from weekend warriors to elite athletes, can benefit greatly from them. Weight can be added to the bag and there are many exercises that can challenge any type of athlete, as seen in the video below.

#7- Kettlebells

Kettlebells are compact pieces of equipment that can fit into any bootcamp routine. They are portable and come in different weights to suit any individual. A common goal for many bootcamp workouts is to lose weight while strengthening the body and kettlebells allow for just that.

Kettlebell training has many benefits. To start, you only need one kettlebell to get a great workout in and some of the main movement patterns, such as the kettlebell swing, work the entire body. The cardiovascular and muscular systems are both worked when using kettlebells making them an excellent piece of bootcamp equipment to use for workouts.

#8 – Dumbells

Although commonly known to be used in gyms, dumbells can also be great for outdoor bootcamp workouts. The great thing about dumbells is that whether you use one or two dumbells, there are plenty of workouts you can do that can target the entire body.

Remember portability and usability with things like kettlebells, medicine balls, slam balls, and dumbbells. When adding these to your bootcamp workouts, pick weights that can be used by the majority of your participants and don’t incorporate bootcamp exercises that require the use of all of these pieces of equipment at once.

 

For example, if you’ve programmed kettlebell swings into your bootcamp workout and the workout will take place off-site at a park, don’t include medicine ball and dumbbell work into that workout as well. The location of your bootcamp should dictate your programming.

#9 – Weighted Sled

Weighted sleds that can be pushed and pulled provide an effective tool to add to your bootcamp workouts. Usually, trainers will have a station designated for sled push or pull sprints where bootcamp members take turns using the sleds.

#10 – Mini Hurdles

Mini hurdles can be used to develop proper sprinting form, acceleration, power, and lateral quickness. They are easy to combine with other equipment and can be set up to improve the different physical dynamics of an individual’s movement.

#11 – Weighted Vest

A weighted vest automatically overloads the body with weight and adds resistance to a workout. Weighted vests are great if you are looking to add more intensity to a workout. They’re great to have on hand if, say, you have a bootcamp participant that is very advanced. They may need an added challenge. By providing them with a weighted vest, they’re able to get a quality workout without inconveniencing the rest of the bootcamp’s participants.

Starting an Outdoor Bootcamp

Now that we’ve gone over the best outdoor bootcamp equipment, you may be wondering how to start an outdoor bootcamp and how to create a bootcamp workout for your clients. Starting a bootcamp can be great for your individual fitness but also for your business. With the right preparation, you can ensure a successful bootcamp for any group and situation.

To start, you need to figure out the time and location of your bootcamp. Your workouts need to be scheduled at a certain time of day when the weather is best and at a time that is suitable for you and your clients. The location you choose needs to have adequate space but you also need to ensure you have an alternative location if the initial location is unavailable due to unforeseen circumstances.

You may be wondering how to market your outdoor bootcamp, or which location is most suitable. For a more in-depth take on how to start an outdoor boocamp, check out our article, “How Do I Set up a Personal Training Bootcamp.“

If you are looking to streamline your bootcamp workouts online, having software that gives you the capability to sell your custom workouts to anyone in the world is necessary. The Exercise.com all-in-one fitness business software platform can enable you to grow your clientele and market your custom workout content. If you want to film yourself doing your own custom outdoor bootcamp workouts and package your workouts into sellable content, Exercise.com allows you to do that.

With features such as workout creation, custom videos, nutritional tracking, client/class scheduling, and much more, Exercise.com gives you plenty of options for your business to succeed.

Ready to take your fitness business to the next level? Book a demo with Exercise.com today!