Franchise Opportunities with

The Original
BASIC TRAINING

Frequently Asked Questions

1. We've tried running a boot camp at our club before, and it didn't really work out. Why should we consider trying again?

Many clubs have tried to put together their own boot camps, but few have had any real success. Think about this for a moment: most of the programming in your class schedule depends on certain music, or choreography, or even an exercise device of some kind. Boot camps, on the other hand, are entirely dependent on the instructor alone. There's no loud, driving music to create a mood, no rhythmic choreography to keep participants interested and motivated...there's only the voice, presence, knowledge and ability of the instructor. If that instructor isn't exceedingly well-trained, and following a proven program, your boot camp will at best be a short-lived novelty.

As we said earlier, there are certain elements of military training that are applicable and useful for adaptation to a civilian fitness program, and others that are not. We have 13 years of experience in setting up and maintaining excellent boot camp programs. That's really the bottom line. We know how to train instructors, and we know how to maintain tight quality control so that your boot camp will thrive.

2. We don't have many "hardcore" types at our club who would get into something like this. Do you really think this program would work here?

The Original  Basic Training program is physically demanding; there's no doubt about that. However, one of the guiding principles of the program is that it is open to men and women of all ages and levels of fitness. Were able to do that using a variety of methods, but the main idea is that everyone is responsible for giving their best, not meeting or beating the best of the person next to them. In our classes it is common to have people in their 20's exercising with others in their 50's or 60's, and the fitness levels range from triathletes to couch potatoes.

3. What do you mean by "the original" Basic Training?

The program was created back in 1995. When we appeared on the nationally-syndicated television show "Hard Copy" back in 1996, the civilian boot camp fitness concept hadn't yet hit the national scene,. though there was at least one other boot camp program operating at that time. Just one year later when we were featured on an edition of the nationally-syndicated "Leeza Show" to demonstrate a fitness "makeover", boot camps were just beginning to pop up all over.

We added "the original" to the name of our program the following year in order to differentiate us from the myriad copycat programs that were appearing all over the nation. However, it's not the title of "original" that makes the difference, it's the track record behind it.

4. Do you train your instructors to act just like military drill instructors? If so, I don't think that would work well with our members.

No. Our instructors understand that we're training health club members, not soldiers. The idea is to recreate the intensity of training and camaraderie of military training, not to treat your members just like Marine recruits.

5. You say that the program brings in significant revenues? How much could our club expect to make annually from running this program?

The pricing structure is up to you, so maximizing profits depends partly on setting the proper price. In any case, you can easily make thousands per year with the program. If you'd like more specific projections given your circumstances and club demographics, call us or email us and we'd be happy to work those numbers out for you.  

6. How much does it cost to obtain a license to run The Original Basic Training program?

We prefer to keep the particulars of our licensing program confidential, so our policy is not to publish this information on the web. Rest assured however that the pricing is affordable for any size club. In fact, you may be surprised at how inexpensive The Original Basic Training program really is. Give us a call or email and us and we'll share the particulars.

7. What sort of services are we getting with the purchase of this license?

Everything that pertains to setting up and maintaining a successful program. That includes training your instructors to teach the program, training your front desk and membership staff to sell the program, and ongoing evaluation, troubleshooting and support of your program. We want you to grow.

8. We have a personal trainer here who spent some time in the army. Why shouldn't we just have him put together a boot camp class?

We'll give you a concrete example. One of our boot camps is now in its tenth year at its current location. Our first class ever at this location numbered 35 men and women. In our tenth year, we have had classes with as many as 60 people, and we always run at least in the 30's. There are a number of clubs in the area that have tried to copy the program...none of them coming anywhere near our numbers, despite the fact that they have had years to observe our program.

Having a trainer with military experience and a buzz cut yell at your members doesn't make for a successful boot camp. It takes a program and a plan that have has been tested through the years.

9. Can only health clubs purchase a license to operate this program? What about colleges, community centers or even just individual trainers?

Whatever your situation is, we'd love to talk with you. We've installed the program at colleges, community centers and health clubs. If you're an individual trainer, we will want to learn about your business plan, though. Our main concern is establishing quality, lasting boot camp programs.