Luis Moresco Life Personal Fitness www.sunlive.co.nz

A lot of us enrol into gyms with the prime focus of getting a toned body and getting attraction from our peers, but not many regularly hit the gyms. Also, some people discontinue their memberships owing to time constraints.

If you have been a member of a local gym for more than a year and not met your fitness goals it's high time for you to look back on what's holding you back.

There is nothing wrong in trying fitness camps which are slowly attaining popularity. The primary reason for choosing a fitness camp is that these programmes are typically filled with individuals who, like you, are tired of the gym and are ready for something different. Instead, they are looking for an exercise programme that strips away the gimmicks and provides a structured fitness routine that will have you looking forward to your next workout.

The fitness camp experience gets back-to-basics by using the outdoor (or indoor) surroundings and mostly one's own body weight as resistance. Instead of focusing on one single muscle at a time, like most of those machines in the gym do, fitness camp exercises are designed to engage several muscle groups at the same time (just like your body automatically does when completing everyday tasks). By engaging multiple muscle groups, your balance, posture, and reflexes will improve – all very important attributes for avoiding injuries and living a longer, healthier life.

There are three fitness goals which every fitness boot camp stresses upon: body fat reduction, increased cardiovascular stamina and muscle tone, real fitness goals for maintaining health. Most fitness camp workouts can be modified to fit any individual's specific need. All fitness levels, ages, and abilities (even those with injuries) are generally accepted.

Probably the best part of a typical fitness camp programme is the fact that you have a personal trainer supervising your every move. Not only do they keep watch over you, but they also motivate you to do your best. Having someone watch over and motivate you can only mean that you are getting the most out of each workout and therefore getting the most results in the quickest time.

Many people who had some fun in the gym think fitness camps lack the fun factor – but that's not true at all. The environment is truly distinct from the one which you find in gyms and it's hard to ignore the sense of community with other members of your class. Whether it's the shared misery of the ‘last set', the cooperative out-loud counting, the all-too-fun needling of the instructor, or the fresh air, a fitness camp environment is certainly so unique you will leave class with an ‘I-can't-wait-for-the-next-one' feeling.