Bootcamp Games: 3 Fun Drills to Use in Your Workouts

Today I have three fun bootcamp drills shared by readers.

Games in your bootcamp sessions is what makes them stand out from any other fitness class. Use them as a way to build community and get some laughter in your sessions.

Bootcamp Chess

From Mark Couldry

Equipment needed: 3 bean bags per team, different coloured cones to use as the Chess Board and Home Bases.

Here is a game I like to use as a finisher. Not only is it challenging but fun and tactical all at the same time.

2, 3 or 4 teams can play at the same time. Teams consist of 2, 3 or 4 players.

Each team needs 3 coloured bean bags or team markers. The numbers on the board represent number of burpees to be performed at each station.

The Aim

Be the first team to move all the bean bags from the home base to the base diagonally opposite.

Each team must take turns to grab a bean bag, one player at a time, run out to a coloured marker on the chess board, perform the relevant number of burpees, leave the bean bag and sprint back.

Teams must work together to identify the route of least burpees to the opposite base.

The Rules

• Teams can only move 1 bean bag at any one time.
• Bean bags can only be moved across the board one burpee marker at a time.
• Bean bags can be moved in any direction, forward, backward, diagonally.
• Teams CAN have all their bean bags in play on the board at the same time

The Twist

There can only be ONE bean bag from ANY of the teams on any ONE burpee marker at one time.

This forces teams to move their bean bags backwards and forwards to avoid already taken burpee markers as they make their way across the board.

This game can get very challenging but is great fun. Hope you enjoy!

About Mark

I run Benchmark Fitness in Whitby, North Yorkshire, UK. I have been interested and involved in fitness for over ten years and am extremely motivated towards helping people meet their goals as quickly as possible.

Training and exercise should be interesting, challenging, but most of all enjoyable! I firmly believe workouts should be more than just spending hours pounding away on a treadmill.

Bootcamp Poker

From Loren Mallett

One of our favorite games is poker.

I have marked up 2 -3 decks of cards with various exercises. The number of reps depends on the card (i.e. Ace = 1 and King = 13).

I have also included random cards like no sugar (or artificial sweetener) for rest of day. We then play various games with the cards.

One game has a leader who places the deck of cards in a new location each round (great for rookies as they control where the cards are put). People gather cards throughout the 15 – 30 minutes of poker and who ever can come up with the best Poker hand wins. You only get to keep the cards that you completed the exercises for.

Showcase Showdown

From Loren Mallett

Each player takes turns collecting two cards from the deck.

Like the Price is Right, the player looks at the first card and decides to keep it or pass. If he or she keeps it the rest of the group gets the second card. If the player passes on the first card, the group gets the first card and the player has to do what is on the second card.

This usually results in group begging, bullying or trying to coerce the player to accept the harder card. It is quite the scene when the player passes on 8 burpees only to get 13 burpees as the second card.

About Loren

I run an informal bootcamp for co-workers 2X per week outside at lunch (rain or shine and as we live in Vancouver Canada we get a lot of rain). I am not a personal trainer but have worked with several trainers over the years and have borrowed (stolen) many bootcamp ideas from them.

###

Images: Domiriel