What is your current method of exercise?  Click below to see how our boot camp compares to your choice.

Other Boot Camps | On Your Own | Gym | CrossFit | DVDs | (Playing) Sports | Sport Specificity Training

Non Boot Camp Programs

  • Costs: Most other programs charge more, if not significantly more, than Sarge- be sure to compare everything you get including number of days offered, types of contracts available, length of contract as well as the cancellation policies, and most join Sarge for a free week and compare our actual program with what you might be doing now.
  • Effectiveness: Sarge has over 100 personal testimonials from a third party reviewer that claim our program is extremely effective – many testaments come from current clients who’ve migrated over to Sarge from other less effective programs.
  • Risk of Injury/Risk vs Reward: Probably comparable, except that the method most other boot camps use in their classes is much different than Sarge.  Most other camps set up numerous stations and use a timer to run clients through those stations at their own pace and intensity.  While this can provide an effective workout, it can get boring doing the same things over and over again.  In addition, it is impossible for any trainer to watch all the stations so form and technique suffers.  Contrary, Sarge guides and supervises each repetition of exercise providing a more controlled and deliberate program.  Your goal in a Sarge class is to stay with the group as best as you can, but even if you can’t, you can take a rest and jump back in when you are ready and since everyone is moving at the same time, in the same direction, the trainer can pick up on bad technique or poor form and help provide modifications as necessary.
  • Trainer Interaction: Trainers are there, in class, but what are they doing for you? Sarge trainers: modify exercises based on your capabilities.  Need something easier/harder, you don’t have to ask, we tell you before you even realize you needed it.  Need advice, email us.  Each of our locations has it’s own Facebook page and the company has it’s own page to keep you up to date on the latest and greatest news in the our fitness community.
  • Sense of Community: Each one differs – However, Sarge goes above and beyond to help our clients feel a sense of community outside of Sarge.  Happy hours, holiday parties, and charity events . Sarge hosts several charity workouts each year and it’s hard to find any local races that do not have Sarge clients participating in.  Our clients are active people pushing themselves to get better, faster and inspire the people around them to do the same.

On Your Own

  • Costs: Obviously cheaper than paying someone else to give you a workout and then following it.
  • Effectiveness: Can be effective if you REALLY know what you are doing and don’t hurt yourself doing it wrong
  • Risk of Injury/Risk vs Reward: Huge risk for people who think they know what they are doing but in actuality do not.  Take for example a typical Sarge client – they listen to the directions given by their trainer, and immediately do the opposite movement.  They think they are doing what the trainer says, but in fact they are not.  Imagine all the things that could be done more effectively if monitored by a trainer
  • Trainer Interaction: Obviously, no interaction with a trainer.  Many people might think it’s not a big deal, until you think about why so many people actually do use and pay for a trainer to be with them.  Motivation, discipline, corrections, modifications, new ideas, etc… if you aren’t seeing the results you want trainer interaction might be your solution!
  • Sense of Community: None

Gym

  • Costs: About the same price point but really depends upon the gym and the plan enrolled for.
  • Effectiveness: Can be effective if you REALLY know what you are doing.  If you do not know what you are doing, then it’s more likely that it won’t be effective whatsoever and you are more likely to end up hurting yourself.
  • Risk of Injury/Risk vs Reward: Huge risk for people who think they know what they are doing but in actuality do not.  Take for example a typical Sarge boot camp client – All of them listen to the directions given by their trainer, yet, they often end up doing the opposite of what we told them to do.  In their heads, they think they are doing what the trainer asked them to do, but in fact they are not.  Now, imagine all the things that you think you are doing right but in reality could be done with more effectiveness if monitored by a trainer.
  • Trainer Interaction: Lots of training interaction, IF you pay upwards of $50-$150 PER hour for Personal Training.
  • Sense of Community: None

CrossFit

  • Costs: Significantly higher priced
  • Effectiveness: Can be effective if you listen to your coaches and don’t hurt yourself by overdoing it
  • Risk of Injury/Risk vs Reward: Crossfitters will tell you over and over again that their program is safe and scaleable “just like a boot camp program is”.  For the most part, I do agree.  However, the problem does not come from the scalability, it comes from the competitive atmosphere.  When everyone around you is pushing to their max, you typically do the same even if you aren’t ready to do so, or understand the implications of doing so.  For more information, please refer to an article written by The American Council of Exercise referring to the dangers of Crossfit (article).
  • Trainer Interaction: Trainers/ Coaches are present and they will do their best to motivate and coach you.
  • Sense of Community: Huge sense of community, inside their facility as well as through-out the competitive CrossFit world.

DVDs

  • Costs: Overall, it is obviously cheaper than paying for an in-person instructor
  • Effectiveness: Can be effective if you REALLY know what you are doing.  If you do not know what you are doing, then it’s more likely that it won’t be effective whatsoever and you are more likely to end up hurting yourself.
  • Risk of Injury/Risk vs Reward: Huge risk for people who think they know what they are doing but in actuality do not.  Take for example a typical Sarge boot camp client – All of them listen to the directions given by their trainer, yet, they often end up doing the opposite of what we told them to do.  In their heads, they think they are doing what the trainer asked them to do, but in fact they are not.  Now, imagine all the things that you think you are doing right but in reality could be done with more effectiveness if monitored by a trainer.
  • Trainer Interaction: Obviously, no interaction with a trainer.  Many people might think it’s not a big deal, until you think about why so many people actually do use and pay for trainers to work with them.  Motivation, discipline, corrections, modifications, new ideas, etc… if you aren’t seeing the results you want then hiring a trainer might be your best next move!
  • Sense of Community: None

Sports

  • Costs: Dependant
  • Effectiveness: Can be effective – especially if your goal is to get better at that sport, but in general getting better at that sport doesn’t translate into all round fitness/wellness.
  • Risk of Injury/Risk vs Reward: You are a tough guy/gal, right?  You can deal with the bumps and scrapes and minor cuts and brusing right?  But what happens when you break a bone that happens to someone every season?  Your fitness level drops, your motivation ceases, and you lose all you gained because you are on the sideline for good now.
  • Trainer Interaction: None
  • Sense of Community: With your team, a great sense of community

Sports Specificity Training

  • Costs: Significantly Higher Priced
  • Effectiveness: Extremely effective if your goal is to get better at a specific sport.  But, does it really help your overall fitness/wellness?
  • Risk of Injury/Risk vs Reward: You are a tough guy/gal, right?  You can deal with the bumps and scrapes and minor cuts and brusing right?  But what happens when you break a bone that happens to someone every season?  Your fitness level drops, your motication ceases, and you lose all you gained because you are on the sideline for good now.
  • Trainer Interaction: Depends on the group
  • Sense of Community: Depends on the group