Boot Camp Calling

Boot camps and high-intensity training are all the rage as more women step up their fitness game. Just reference Khloe Kardashian’s “Revenge Body” and Gigi Hadid’s fitness routine. It’s no longer a men-only arena. These gyms provide intense training that will push you to new limits. Hayley Tai tries four programmes of varying levels to get herself combat-ready.

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The gym has an Altitude Studio – a room where oxygen levels are lowered to simulate an environment 3,000m above sea level (almost as high as Mount Kinabalu). Less oxygen means more effort, and you’ll sweat more profusely.

After a basic warmup, I was assigned to the Jacob’s Ladder for my first station; this machine is an actual stairway to fitness heaven. Although it’s basically a moving ladder (picture a vertical treadmill), climbing it fast proved to be a coordination challenge: The faster you go, the more you struggle to keep up. With your limbs scrambling to find a hold, your heart rate quickly accelerates.

The lower air pressure really affected my breathing, and I was panting mid-circuit. The other stations offered a good mix of strength and stamina training: The kettlebell swings and tyre flips were a true test of lower-body strength, while the ab-roller pushed my core stability.

Although these stations needed only 30sec each, the burn bore through at the 20sec mark. By the third circuit, everyone in the room was panting. I managed to complete the class despite it being my first time.

Verdict: It’s a unique workout that takes up only 30min. Caveat: The instructor will check your resting heart rate before allowing you to join the class.

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