I Tried Barry's Bootcamp - Read this First
I have wanted to try Barry’s Bootcamp for a while, but just hadn’t gotten a chance to get there! One of my daughter’s Mother’s Day present was a class and going to the workout with me - what an awesome present! It’s so fun being able to work out (and keep up) with your daughters!
If you’ve ever thought about trying a Barry’s Bootcamp class, this will help you know what to expect and be prepared for what’s ahead…lots of sweat!
What to expect when you arrive?
When you walk in you can go directly to the front desk and check-in. If it is your first time, the instructor will take you into the room before class and explain how the treadmill works, what to expect during class and give you time to locate your treadmill and bench before the class gets full. This was so helpful, you will want to get there early enough to have this orientation. It will give you time to ask any questions about the workout, including weight recommendations from the instructor so you don’t end up grabbing the wrong size weights for the exercises! Don’t be shy when they ask if it is anyone’s first time there, it was super helpful!
Our instructor was visiting from New York (Jimmy) and I will say that his class was challenging for sure! My daughter has taken other Barry’s classes and said this was a pretty hard one (as did the person on the treadmill next to me) - I had no idea because I had nothing to compare it with, so bear in mind when I explain the workout, that it was on the more challenging side.
The Atmosphere
The “Red Room” is pumping with loud music, and the atmosphere in general just gets you motivated to kick yourself into high gear. The room is divided with the treadmills along the back wall and the stepper/benches in the middle. You can select the treadmill and bench you want when you register. You will possibly be sharing a bench with another person depending on how full the class is - while you run, they are doing the floor, and vice versa. The treadmills and benches are pretty close, so if you are someone who needs a lot of space when you workout, be mentally prepared that you may be in close proximity to your neighbor!
The Workout
You have the choice of whether you start on the treadmill or floor, or you have the option to do the floor exercises twice and completely skip the treadmill portion. Depending upon the workout, doing double floor could be quite a challenge, so it might be wise to lessen your weights if you choose this option. Every workout is generally structured the same, with rotations between treadmill and strength exercises on the floor, but the actual timing and exercises are completely different with each instructor and workout. When you register for the class you can select the instructor and type of workout; full-body, lower, abs, etc.
I will give you a rundown of our workout so you have an idea of how they work. We did a full-body workout and started on the treadmill. We ran between three different paces - base (6-8 mph), medium (7-9), and sprint (8-10). The treadmill portion could be tough if you are not a runner at all. We did three rotations on the treadmill, each time there were periods of sprinting and recovery. The sprints were pretty long during the second and third rotation…or maybe I was just tired from the workout, but either way, it was a push at the end for sure! The person on the treadmill next to me, who was a Barry’s regular said it was a tough one that day…and I saw two people who disappeared during the workout and didn’t return.
The strength portion started with the lower body and had variations of squats, squat jumps, reverse lunges, and tuck jumps. The squat jumps and tuck jumps were particularly fun following the sprints on the treadmill (WINK, WINK)! After legs, we headed back to the treadmill and did our second rotation there, and then returned to the floor for the upper body. I am pretty sure the rotation had one minute of each exercise (it was hard to tell exactly) but included one-arm rows, concentration curls, one arm tricep extensions, snatches, close grip chest presses, and crunches, and repeated on the other side. The final strength portion focused mostly on the abs but ended with some delightful burpees! Good times!
Overall Thoughts
I loved the workout that day! Love, love, loved it! It was a butt-kicker though! I love doing HIIT mixed with weights and get a little pump from a challenging workout that leaves me breathless - but that’s not for everyone. Like I said earlier, I did see two men leave during the workout, I’m not sure at what point they left, but I know they didn’t come back because their treadmill and floor station were empty the second half of the workout. Yikes!
For runners - The treadmill portion will be a breeze, as long as you are used to running at a faster pace for short distances. I know runners that don’t enjoy going faster than a ten-minute mile, if you fall into that category, the sprints may be a challenge. Regardless of whether you run sprints or not, the floor and strength exercises may be new to you, so give yourself some grace. I would suggest the first time that you are there, go a little lighter with your weight selection than you think you can do. Don’t worry about what everyone is lifting - it’s your workout!
For lifters - If you are someone that avoids the cardio side of the gym at all costs, the treadmill will probably be your challenge. Stay at the lower range of the running, and just focus on the fact that it will be short-lived. You will not be running for 60 minutes straight! When you hit the floor, try to keep your ego in check - the rep ranges will probably be higher than you are used to, so you don’t want to grab your max weight, think 12-15 rep range unless they tell you otherwise. If you grab a weight that is too heavy, you will end up burning out fast! Remember the room is dark and NO ONE has any idea what weight you are using!
Whether you fall in the running or lifting camp, you have to be prepared for a challenging workout - get yourself physically and mentally prepared! The instructor is super motivating and the atmosphere makes you want to push yourself much harder than if you were working out alone.
The real sign it was a challenging workout was the number on my Fitbit! I let it run for a few minutes after the workout until my heart rate was coming down, but for me to burn over 700 calories is A LOT (depending on if you’re male or female, weight, etc, you will burn different amounts). That is a pretty good indicator that it was a seriously tough workout, although I loved every minute of it! Now, it could be that another workout with a different instructor might not be so demanding physically… but be prepared for a tough one if you go, just in case!
If you are looking for a serious butt-kicking workout experience and love to feel the “I just did that!” pump afterward - give Barry’s Bootcamp a try! It’s a fun, heart-pumping workout that will burn some serious calories! Have you tried Barry’s Bootcamp? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below, we’d love to hear about your experience!
